Patent Document ID: 5381490
Application ID: 07933355
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. An image processing apparatus for emphasizing edge components of an image signal, the apparatus comprising: (a) an analog-to-digital converter for converting an analog image signal applied from an image sensor into digital image data; (b) a frame memory for storing the digital image data and outputting a frame signal; (c) mode determining means for receiving the frame signal as coordinate data of pixels in a pixel window and determining if at least one of said pixels belongs to an edge component pixel a smoothing component pixel or a normal component pixel, in accordance with relations of adjacent pixels of the image signal, wherein the mode determining means comprises a microcomputer for generating control signals necessary for determining the mode by performing a controlling program stored in a storage device therein, the control signals comprising address, signal, and read/write signals; a decoder for decoding the address signal from the microcomputer and outputting an enable signal; and NAND gate for receiving the enable signal and the read/write signal applied from the microcomputer to the frame memory and outputting a latch enable signal; latching means for storing the coordinate data of the frame signal applied from the frame memory by the latch enable signal; first computing means for calculating the difference value of two adjacent pixels positioned in accordance with horizontal, vertical, diagonal or opposite diagonal directions of the coordinate data, respectively, and outputting absolute values of respectively calculated difference values; maximum value detecting means for detecting a maximum value of the absolute values in response to the enable signal applied from said decoder; comparing means for comparing the maximum value with first and second reference values set to detect edge and uniform components of a pixel, respectively; a NAND gate for receiving signals from said comparing means; and a data selector for receiving signals from the comparing means and the NAND gate to selectively generate mode determined signals; (d) edge component emphasizing means for generating edge component emphasized data based on a first weighted reference value, when the coordinate data are output as the coordinate value of the edge component pixel from the mode determining means; a smoothing means for generating uniform component smooth data based on a second weighted reference value, when the coordinate data are output as the coordinate value of the uniform component pixel from the mode determining means; (e) first buffer means for storing the edge component emphasize data from said emphasizing means; (f) second buffer means for directly storing the coordinate data of the pixel corresponding to the normal mode; (g) third buffer means for storing the uniform component smoothed data from said smoothing means; and, (h) an outputting selector for selectively providing edge component emphasized data, the uniform component smooth data and the directly stored coordinate data in the second buffer means to external devices in accordance with a mode determined by the mode determining means.