JPH06245192A - Picture processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To finely process highly precise picture data by performing filtering in a state where an overlapping part is provided in the picture data on the boundary of adjacent picture areas and removing the overlapping part for the succeeding picture data. CONSTITUTION:The picture data written in memories 15-18 are read by a read control operation by a write/read control circuit 14 and supplied to filters 20-23. The picture data outputted from the filters 20-23 are supplied to signal processing parts 24-27 for performing signal processings such as theta correction and others, prescribed signals processings are performed and the picture data are supplied to signal removing parts 28-31. Unnecessary picture data parts in the supplied picture data are removed in the removing parts 28-31 and then the picture data are outputted to respective output terminals 32-35. When the picture data outputted to the terminals 32-35 are successively connected on a time babe, the finely picture-processed picture data can be obtained.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When performing image processing of image information of an image having high definition as digital data, an image processing device operating at a clock frequency having a high repetition frequency is required. Considering, for example, a case where digital image processing is performed on an HDTV image signal, it is necessary to use a circuit that operates at a clock frequency of 74.25 MHz for digital image processing, but a circuit that performs such high-speed operation. Cannot be composed of general circuit elements. As a means for solving the above-mentioned problems, as shown in FIG. 10, one image 1 having a high definition is converted into a plurality of predetermined image regions 1a,
1b, ... 1e, and the plurality of image areas 1a,
Image processing operations for 1b, ... 1e are performed at a predetermined slow processing speed, and the image processing operations for each image area described above are performed in parallel, so that image information of an image having high definition is obtained. It has been proposed that the above digital image processing can be realized also by an image processing apparatus configured by using ordinary circuit elements (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-298178).

FIG. 9A is a diagram showing a change state of a luminance value of an image signal during one horizontal scanning period obtained by horizontally scanning an arbitrary portion in one image having high definition, Further, FIG. 9C shows a change state of the luminance value of the image signal in a state where the image signal is divided into two on the time axis during the one horizontal scanning period shown in FIG. 9A. It is a figure. Reference numerals 1sa, 1sb, etc. shown in each of FIGS. 9A to 9E clearly show the correspondence relationship of the image signals shown in FIGS. 9A to 9E. The reference numeral b denotes a blanking section added to the image signal, and the reference numeral b shown in each of FIGS. 9A to 9E is a blanking section.

Now, it is assumed that the image signal processing for the image signal 1s illustrated in FIG. 9A is performed at time T, for example, and is illustrated in FIG. 9A. It is said that the image signal processing for the image signal portion 1sa and the image signal portion 1sb illustrated in FIG. 9C in the state where the image signal is divided into two on the time axis is simultaneously performed at the time T. Then, the image signal processing speed for the image signal portion 1sa and the image signal portion 1sb illustrated in (c) of FIG. 9 is the same as that of the image signal 1s before division illustrated in (a) of FIG. Signal processing speed 1
/ 2. In general, the image signal processing in the time relationship as described above is performed on N image signal portions obtained by dividing the image signal to be subjected to the image signal processing into N on the time axis. Then, the image signal processing speed for the image signal portion in the divided state is 1 / N of the image signal processing speed for the image signal before division.

[0005]

By the way, in the image signal processing of the image signal, various filtering is often applied to the image signal. Now, the filtering performed in the processing of the image signal is For example,
If it was for enhancing the outline of the image,
The image signal illustrated in FIG. 9A has protrusions at both the start end and the end of the image signal portion 1s as illustrated in FIG. 9B by the contour enhancement operation. Each of the image signal portions 1sa and 1sb illustrated in FIG. 9C is obtained by a contour enhancement operation individually performed on each image signal portion 1sa and 1sb. As in the image signal portions 1sa and 1sb illustrated in (d) of 9, the image signal portion 1
Since sa and 1sb have protrusions at both the start end and the end, both image signal portions 1sa and 1
When both image signal portions 1sa and 1sb are connected in an attempt to obtain the original image signal before division from sb, an image signal 1s' illustrated in (e) of FIG. Also has a protrusion, and the image signal is different from the image signal illustrated in FIG. 9B obtained when the edge enhancement operation is performed on the image signal before division. Will end up. In this way, the image signal to be subjected to the image signal processing is divided into N on the time axis, and each of the N image signal portions is individually subjected to the image signal processing at the slow image signal processing speed. In such a case, there is a problem that the image signal is distorted due to the filtering applied during the processing of the image signal, and a solution to it has been demanded.

[0006]

According to the present invention, image data corresponding to one image is virtually divided into a plurality of image areas in a predetermined division mode. Image processing is performed such that the image data corresponding to the plurality of image areas is divided in a corresponding manner and is serially transferred in each image area, and in parallel between the image areas. In the image processing apparatus to be performed, a means for performing filtering in a state where an overlapping portion is provided in image data over a predetermined range of a boundary portion between mutually adjacent image areas in the plurality of image areas, and the above-described filtering are performed. With respect to the image data after being processed, a means for removing an overlapping part of the image data over a predetermined range of the boundary part between the image areas adjacent to each other. The image processing apparatus and the image data corresponding to one image are divided so as to correspond to a state in which the one image is virtually divided into a plurality of image areas in a predetermined division mode. However, image data corresponding to the above-mentioned plurality of image areas is serially transferred within each image area, and on the other hand, image processing is performed such that the image data is transferred in parallel between the image areas. In the above, while setting the image data value of the boundary portion of the image areas adjacent to each other in the plurality of image areas to the data value of the blanking portion, the boundary of the image areas adjacent to each other in the plurality of image areas Means for filtering in a state where the image data has an overlapping portion over a predetermined range of the portion, and the image data after the above-mentioned filtering is performed. For, to provide an image processing apparatus comprising a means for removing the overlapping portion of the image data over a predetermined range of the portion of the boundary of the image areas adjacent one another as described above.

[0007]

The image data corresponding to one image is converted to the above-mentioned 1
The image is divided into a plurality of image areas in a predetermined division manner so as to correspond to a state in which the image is virtually divided, and the image data corresponding to the plurality of image areas is divided into respective image areas. When image processing is performed such that the image areas are serially transferred and, on the other hand, the image areas are transferred in parallel, the predetermined range of the boundary portion between the image areas adjacent to each other in the plurality of image areas described above is applied. Filtering is performed with the overlapped portion provided in the image data. Then, with respect to the image data that has been subjected to the above-described filtering, the overlapping portion of the image data over a predetermined range of the boundary portion between the image areas adjacent to each other is removed. Further, the image data corresponding to one image is divided so as to correspond to a state in which the one image is virtually divided into a plurality of image areas in a predetermined division mode, and Image data corresponding to image areas are serially transferred within each image area, while image data corresponding to the image areas are transferred in parallel between the image areas. The image data value of the border portion of the image areas adjacent to each other is used as the data value of the blanking portion, and the overlapping portion on the image data over the predetermined range of the border portion of the image areas adjacent to each other in the plurality of image areas Filtering is performed in the state where is provided. Then, with respect to the image data that has been subjected to the above-described filtering, the overlapping portion of the image data over a predetermined range of the boundary portion between the image areas adjacent to each other is removed.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The specific contents of the image processing apparatus of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an embodiment of an image processing apparatus of the present invention,
2 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a display device to which the image processing device of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 is applied, and FIG. 3 shows a configuration example of a display device to which another embodiment of the image processing device of the present invention is applied. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a part of the components of the image processing apparatus of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a low-pass filter, and FIGS. FIG. 1 is a signal waveform diagram used for explaining the image processing apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 9 is a signal waveform diagram used for explaining the problem.
0 is an explanatory diagram of an image divided into a plurality of image areas.

Now, the image processing apparatus of the present invention is essentially a clock signal having a low repetition frequency for processing image data corresponding to a highly accurate image which requires a high data transfer rate for image processing. Even if image processing operations including filtering are performed in parallel on the time axis for each image area obtained by dividing the image area of one image into a plurality of pieces so that it can be performed using a circuit that operates in , The signal distortion due to the filtering performed during the image processing does not occur, and the image processing of the image data of the high definition image is performed in real time even if the image processing circuit of the low transfer rate is used. The image processing apparatus is configured to perform image processing on image data of a high-definition image to obtain an image of good quality. In the description regarding, as understood in the basic arrangement and operation principle of the present invention becomes easy, and,
For simplicity of explanation, it is said that the filtering performed for image signal processing on the digital image data to be processed during digital image processing is filtering by a low-pass filter (note that the contour of the image described above is used). It is well known that the image signal processing for enhancement is performed by a signal processing circuit having a configuration including a high pass filter).

First, with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7, an outline of the configuration principle and operation principle of the image processing apparatus of the present invention will be described. In FIG. 5 showing the configuration of the low-pass filter, 2 is an input terminal for digital data, 3 and 6 are multipliers,
Reference numeral 5 is an adder, 4 and 7 are coefficient multipliers (coefficient setting units), 8 is a delay unit, and 9 is an output terminal. Multiplier 3 via input terminal 2
The digital data of the predetermined number of bits (which is assumed to be 8 bits in the following description of the embodiments) supplied to
The predetermined coefficient α supplied from the coefficient unit 4 to the multiplier 3
(For example, α = 0.5) is multiplied and given to the adder 5. In the adder 5, as described above, the digital data supplied from the multiplier 3 is added to the digital data supplied from the multiplier 6 and output to the output terminal 9, and is also supplied to the delay unit 8. . In the delay unit 8 described above, 1
In the multiplier 6 to which the output data from the adder 5 in the state of being delayed by the sample period is given, a predetermined coefficient β (for example β = 0.
5) and the output digital data obtained by multiplying the digital data given from the delay unit 8 by the adder 5
Give to. The coefficients α and β described above are selected as numerical values having a relationship such that α + β = 1.

For the input terminal 2 of the low-pass filter shown in FIG. 5, for example, 8-bit digital data as exemplified in FIG. 6 (a) schematically showing an 8-bit digital data string is shown. Is supplied, the output terminal 9 of the low-pass filter outputs a digital data string as shown in FIG. 6B, which is a well-known schematic representation of the digital data string. Therefore, the image data corresponding to one image is divided so as to correspond to a state in which the one image is virtually divided into a plurality of image areas in a predetermined division mode, and When the image processing including the filtering by the low-pass filter is performed such that the image data corresponding to the image area of each of the image areas is serially transferred in each of the image areas, while the image data of each of the image areas is transferred in parallel. In order to obtain image data corresponding to the image area before dividing,
As described above, when the image data of the above-mentioned image areas in which the image signal processing has been performed individually are connected, as shown in FIG. The image data has a stepped portion.

Therefore, in the image processing apparatus of the present invention, the image data corresponding to one image is virtually divided into a plurality of image areas in a predetermined division mode. The image data corresponding to the above-mentioned plurality of image areas is serially transferred in each image area, and the image data corresponding to each of the image areas are transferred in parallel so that filtering is performed. When the image processing including the image data is performed, the image data of each of the above-described image areas in the state where the image signal processing including the filtering is individually performed in order to obtain the image data corresponding to the image area before the division is connected. However, image data similar to the image data obtained when image processing including filtering is performed on an image that is not divided, that is, In order to obtain image data in a state where the boundaries of image territory are continuously connected, a portion overlapping the image data over a predetermined range of the boundary portion between the image areas adjacent to each other in the plurality of image areas. Image processing including filtering is performed in a state in which the image data is filtered, and the image data after the filtering is applied, the image data covering a predetermined range of the boundary portion between the image areas adjacent to each other. Of the image data values of the boundary portions of the image areas adjacent to each other in the plurality of image areas described above are used as the data values of the blanking section to perform image processing including filtering. The image data after being subjected to the filtering as described above, the boundary between the image areas adjacent to each other. By removing the overlapping portion of the image data over a predetermined range of the portion,
An image obtained when image processing including filtering is performed on an image that is not divided even if the image data of each of the above-described image areas that have been individually subjected to image signal processing including filtering are connected. The image data that is close to the data is obtained.

FIG. 7A is a diagram showing a change state of the luminance value of the image signal during one horizontal scanning period (1H) obtained by horizontally scanning an arbitrary portion in one image having high definition. In the figure, the parts marked with A1, A2, A3, A4 and divided by hatching are the same as those described above.
Each image signal portion when the image signal in the horizontal scanning period (1H) is divided into a plurality of portions (N portions ... The case of N = 4 is illustrated in FIG. 7) is shown. Reference numeral b shown in each drawing of FIG. 7 is a blanking section added to the image signal. In FIG. 7, a1 is the length from the beginning P1 to the end P2 of the image signal portion A1, a2 is the length from the beginning P2 to the end P3 of the image signal portion A2, and a3 is the beginning P3 to the end of the image signal portion A3. A length up to P4 and a4 indicate the length from the start end P4 to the end P5 of the image signal portion A4, respectively. Since P2, P3, and P4 described above are division points of adjacent image signal portions, the end of one image signal portion is also the start of the other adjacent image signal portion.

As illustrated in FIG. 7A, each of the states in which the image signal to be subjected to the image signal processing including filtering is divided into four on the time axis (when N = 4) The image signal portions A1, A2, A3, A4 are simultaneously subjected to individual image signal processing, and then the image signal portions A1, A2, A3, A4 are connected to obtain the original image signal. As described above with reference to FIGS. 9 and 6 and the like, distortion is generated in the connected portion of each image signal portion due to the filtering applied to each image signal portion during the image signal processing in the case of restoration. However, in the image processing apparatus of the present invention, as a result of the image signal processing including filtering for each signal portion, the signal distortion that should occur in the image signal portion is added to the original image signal portion in advance. Signal part In this case, the image signal portions described above are removed by connecting the image signal portions in a state in which the extra signal portions previously added to the original image signal portions have been removed, and the above-described distortion-free state is also present. The image signal of and can be restored.

That is, the image signal to be subjected to the image signal processing including the filtering in the case where the image signal is subjected to the filtering by the low-pass filter in the image signal processing is time-lapsed as shown in FIG. If the image signal portions A1, A2, A3, A4 are in a state of being divided into four on the axis (in the case of N = 4), for each of the image signal portions A1, A2, A3, A4, Before the image signal processing is performed, extra signal portions are added to the image signal portions A2, A3 and A4 shown in FIG. The image signal portions A2x, A3x, A4x as exemplified in b) are formed. The above-mentioned image signal portion A2x is a portion of length a2x from the point P2x in the image signal portion A1 to the end P3 of the image signal portion A2x (the same as the end P3 of the image signal portion A2), and the above-mentioned image The signal portion A3x is a portion having a length a3x from a point P3x in the image signal portion A2x to the end P4 of the image signal portion (the same as the end P4 of the image signal portion A3), and the image signal portion A4x described above is Length a4 from the point P4x in the image signal portion A3x to the end P5 of the image signal portion A4x (same as the end P5 of the image signal portion A4)
It is the part of x.

The image signal portion A2x in the image signal portions A2x, A3x, A4x illustrated in FIG. 7B is
For the original image signal portion A2 having the length a2 from the point P2 to the point P3 (the image signal portion A2 shown in FIG. 7A), the image signal portion A1 from the point P2 The image signal of the image signal portion A1 in the section up to the point P2x is added, and the image signal portion A is also added.
3x is an image from the point P3 to the original image signal portion A3 having the length of a3 from the point P3 to the point P4 (the image signal portion A3 shown in FIG. 7A). Signal part A2
image signal portion A2x in the section up to the point P3x in x
The image signal portion A4x is added, and the image signal portion A4x has an original image signal portion A4 having a length of a4 from the point P4 to the point P5 (shown in (a) of FIG. 7). The image signal of the image signal portion A3x in the section from the point P4 to the point P4x in the image signal portion A3x is added to the image signal portion A4}.

The image signal portions A1v, A2xv, A3x described above when the image signal portions A2x, A3x, A4x illustrated in FIG. 7B are individually filtered by a low-pass filter.
v and A4xv show characteristics in which the vicinity of their respective starting ends gradually rises on the time axis. This state is shown in FIG. By the way, as described above, the signal portion showing the characteristic that gradually rises on the time axis near each start end portion in each of the image signal portions A2xv, A3xv, and A4xv is before the original image signal portion in each image signal portion. This is an extra signal part that has been added. Therefore, each image signal portion A2v shown in FIG.
7 (d) is obtained by connecting the respective image signal parts by removing the extra signal parts showing the characteristic that the vicinity of each start end in x, A3xv, A4x gradually rises on the time axis. An image signal that has undergone such desired image processing is obtained.

Next, an embodiment of the image processing apparatus of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 will be described. In FIG. 1, 10 to 13
Is an input terminal to which each image signal portion of the image signal subjected to image signal processing including filtering is divided into four on the time axis (when N = 4), and Reference numeral 14 denotes a memory write / read control circuit, and 15
-18 is a memory, 20-23 is a filter, 24-27 is a signal processing part which performs (gamma) correction and other signal processing, 28-3.
Reference numeral 1 is a signal removing unit for removing an unnecessary signal portion in each image signal portion, and reference numerals 32 to 35 are output terminals for output image signals subjected to image signal processing. Further, FIG. 2 shows an example of a configuration in which a display device 19 is connected to the above-described image processing device to form a display device. As the display device 19, for example, a thin film transistor (TF) is used.
T) If an active matrix liquid crystal panel is used,
Filtering can also be done naturally and seamlessly.

The image processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 and the display apparatus shown in FIG. 2 including the above-described image processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 store image data corresponding to one image, The one image is divided so as to correspond to a state in which the image is virtually divided into four image areas, and the image data corresponding to the four image areas is supplied to the input terminals 10 to 13. This is an example of the configuration in the case of being configured as described above, and the input terminals 10 to 13 described above have, for example, A1, A2, A3, and A4 shown in FIG.
Image data corresponding to each one image signal portion in the four image signal portions obtained by dividing into four for each one horizontal scanning period is supplied. FIG. 7 supplied to the input terminal 10.
The image data of the image signal portion indicated by A1 in (a) of (a) is given to the memory 15 and the memory 16, and is A2 in (a) of FIG. The image data of the image signal portion shown is stored in the memory 16
And the memory 17 and further the input terminal 12
The image data of the image signal portion indicated by A3 in FIG. 7A supplied to the memory 17 is supplied to the memory 17 and the memory 18, and is further supplied to the input terminal 13. The image data of the image signal portion indicated by A4 in (a) of FIG.

In each of the memories 15 to 18, the writing and reading operations of the image data are controlled by the writing and reading control circuit 14 of the memory, and the memory 15 is indicated by A1 in FIG. 7A. The image data of the image signal portion being written is written, and the image data of the image data portion of the image signal portion indicated by A1 in FIG. And the image data of the image signal portion indicated by A2 in FIG. 7A is written {image data corresponding to the image signal portion indicated by A2x in FIG. 7B}, and , Memory 17
7A shows the image data of the image signal portion indicated by A2 in FIG. 7A, and the image signal portion indicated by A3 in FIG. 7A. Image data is written (image data corresponding to the image signal portion indicated by A3x in FIG. 7 (b)}, and is also stored in the memory 18 by A3 in FIG. 7 (a). The image data of a predetermined range near the end of the image data of the image signal portion and the image data of the image signal portion indicated by A4 in FIG. 7A are written (FIG. 7B).
The image data corresponding to the image signal portion indicated by A4x therein is written.

The image data written in each of the memories 15 to 18 as described above is read out from each of the memories 15 to 18 by the read control operation by the write / read control circuit 14 of the memory described above, and each of the memories is read out. 15-1
8 to the filters 20-23 which are followed.
The image data output from each of the filters 20 to 23 described above is processed by the signal processing unit 2 that performs γ correction and other signal processing subsequent to each of the filters 20 to 23 described above.
The image data output from each of the signal processing units 24-27 after being supplied to each of the signal processing units 24-2 after being supplied to the corresponding signal processing units 24-2.
7 is supplied to the signal removing units 28 to 31 for removing unnecessary signal portions in the respective image signal portions subsequent to 7. In the signal removing units 28 to 31, the unnecessary image data portions of the image data given thereto are removed, and then the image data are output to the respective output terminals 32 to 35. When the image data output to each of the output terminals 32 to 35 described above are sequentially connected on the time axis, image data in a well-image-processed state is obtained as illustrated in FIG. 7D. Be done.

In the display device shown in FIG. 2, the image data output from each of the signal processing sections 24 to 27 is supplied to the display device 19, but the display device 19 has extra pixels. Therefore, the image data output from each of the signal processing units 24 to 27 described above is in a state in which the unnecessary image data described above when the image data is supplied to the input side of the display device 19 is removed. Therefore, a good image is displayed on the display surface of the display device 19.

Next, in the display device shown in FIG. 3 equipped with the image processing device of the present invention, when a time-series image signal of analog signal form corresponding to one image is supplied to the input terminal 36. The image signal supplied to the input terminal 36 is converted into image data having a predetermined number of bits (for example, 8 bits) by the analog-digital converter 37, and then the memory 15 to 18 are supplied. The analog-digital converter 37 and the memory 1 described above
5 to 18 are required to operate at a higher speed than the memories 15 to 18 used in the devices shown in FIGS. A low-speed memory can be used by operating 15 to 18 in four phases and rearranging the data at the time of output.

In the above-mentioned memories 15 to 18, the writing / reading operation of the image data is controlled by the writing / reading control circuit 14 of the memory, and the memory 15 is indicated by A1 in FIG. 7A. The image data of the image signal portion being written is written, and the image data of the image data portion of the image signal portion indicated by A1 in FIG. And the image data of the image signal portion indicated by A2 in FIG. 7A is written {image data corresponding to the image signal portion indicated by A2x in FIG. 7B}, and , Memory 17
7A shows the image data of the image signal portion indicated by A2 in FIG. 7A, and the image signal portion indicated by A3 in FIG. 7A. Image data is written (image data corresponding to the image signal portion indicated by A3x in FIG. 7 (b)}, and is also stored in the memory 18 by A3 in FIG. 7 (a). The image data of a predetermined range near the end of the image data of the image signal portion and the image data of the image signal portion indicated by A4 in FIG. 7A are written (FIG. 7B).
The image data corresponding to the image signal portion indicated by A4x therein is written.

The image data written in each of the memories 15 to 18 as described above is read out from each of the memories 15 to 18 by the read control operation by the write / read control circuit 14 of the memory described above, and each of the memories is read out. 15-1
8 to the filters 20-23 which are followed.
The image data output from each of the filters 20 to 23 described above is processed by the signal processing unit 2 that performs γ correction and other signal processing subsequent to each of the filters 20 to 23 described above.
The image data output from the signal processing units 24 to 27 are supplied to the display device 19 and are supplied to the display device 19.
An image is displayed on the display device 19. That is, since the display device 19 does not have extra pixels, the image data output from each of the signal processing units 24 to 27 described above is described when it is supplied to the input side of the display device 19. Since unnecessary image data is removed, a good image is displayed on the display surface of the display device 19.

Next, when the original image signal is a continuous image signal as shown in FIG. 8A, for example, each image obtained by dividing the original image signal into a plurality of image signal parts When a blanking portion b having a specific reference potential as shown in FIG. 8B is provided as the blanking portion b to be added to the signal portion as in the conventional technique, the divided images are divided. Since both ends of the signal are the edges of the signal, when image processing including filtering is performed on each image signal portion, a large distortion occurs in the image signal portion due to the filtering. As a blanking portion b to be added to each image signal portion obtained by dividing the image signal portion of, the potentials of the division points Pa and Pb of the image signal are blanked portions as illustrated in FIG. 8C. potential of b Then, when the image processing including the filtering is performed on each image signal portion, the distortion of the image signal portion can be small. Further, it is possible to make it visually inconspicuous even if the number of the above-mentioned signal portion to be added to the original image signal (the signal portion to be removed later as an unnecessary signal portion) is reduced.

For each image signal portion obtained by dividing the original image signal into a plurality of image signal portions as described above, the potentials at the dividing points Pa and Pb of the image signal are used as the potentials of the blanking portion b. Need only hold and output when reading the image data from the memories 15 to 18 described above. When reading image data from the memories 15-18,
If the output cannot be performed by applying the hold, for example, the low-pass filter described with reference to FIG. 5 to which the selector 38 is added as illustrated in FIG. 4 may be used.

In FIG. 4, 2 is an input terminal for digital data, 3 and 6 are multipliers, 5 is an adder, 4 and 7 are coefficient units (coefficient setting units), 8 is a delay unit, 38 is a data selector, and 9 is a selector. Is an output terminal, and the coefficient unit 4 is added to the digital data of a predetermined bit number (which is assumed to be 8 bits in the following description of the embodiment) supplied to the multiplier 3 via the input terminal 2. Is multiplied by a predetermined coefficient α (for example, α = 0.5) supplied to the multiplier 3 from It should be noted that no delay occurs except in the delay unit 8. In the adder 5, as described above, the digital data supplied from the multiplier 3 is added to the digital data supplied from the multiplier 6 and output to the output terminal 9, and is also supplied to the delay unit 8. . The output data from the adder 5 which has been delayed by one sample period in the delay unit 8 is given to the data selector 38, and the digital data from the input terminal 2 is also given to the data selector 38. Has been.

In the data selector 38, data is switched in such a switching mode that the data given from the delay unit 8 forming the circulating unit is not passed from the blanking period to the first data at the start end. Do. In the multiplier 6 to which the output data from the data selector 38 is given, the predetermined coefficient β (for example β = 0.5) supplied from the coefficient unit 7 to the multiplier 6 is delayed as described above. The output digital data obtained by multiplying the digital data given from the unit 8 is given to the adder 5. The coefficients α and β described above are selected as numerical values having a relationship such that α + β = 1. As a blanking portion b to be added to each image signal portion obtained by dividing the original image signal into a plurality of image signal portions, as shown in (c) of FIG. When the potential of Pb is the potential of the blanking portion b and the above-mentioned division points are the edges in the image signal, the above-mentioned processing is not correct.
The probability that such a phenomenon will occur in the image signal is small.

It goes without saying that the present invention can be well applied even if the filtering applied to the image signal during the image processing is edge enhancement.

[0031]

As is apparent from the above description in detail, the image processing apparatus of the present invention divides image data corresponding to one image into a predetermined division mode of the one image. The image data is divided into a plurality of image areas so as to correspond to a state in which the image areas are virtually divided, and the image data corresponding to the plurality of image areas is serially transferred in each image area. When performing image processing such that the image data is transferred in parallel, the filtering is performed in a state in which the image data has an overlapping portion over a predetermined range of the boundary portion between the image areas adjacent to each other in the plurality of image areas. Of the image data after the filtering is performed, the image data is overlapped over a predetermined range at the boundary portion between the image regions adjacent to each other. So that the image data corresponding to one image corresponds to a state in which the one image is virtually divided into a plurality of image areas in a predetermined division mode. When performing image processing by dividing and image data corresponding to the above-mentioned plurality of image areas are serially transferred in each image area, and on the other hand, are transferred in parallel between respective image areas, The image data value of the boundary portion of the image areas adjacent to each other in the plurality of image areas is set to the data value of the blanking part, and the boundary portion of the image areas adjacent to each other in the plurality of image areas is Filtering is performed in a state in which the image data has an overlapping portion over a predetermined range, and the image data after the above-mentioned filtering is applied to each other. Since the overlapping portion of the image data over the predetermined range of the boundary portion of the contacting image areas is removed, the image processing apparatus of the present invention originally requires a high data transfer rate for image processing. The image area of one image is obtained by dividing the image area into a plurality of pieces so that the processing of the image data corresponding to such a highly accurate image as described above can be performed using the circuit that operates with the clock signal having the low repetition frequency. Even if the image processing operations for each image region are performed in parallel on the time axis, signal distortion due to filtering performed during image processing does not occur, and according to the present invention, the conventional The problem can be solved satisfactorily, and image processing of image data of high-definition images can be performed in real time even if an image processing circuit of low transfer speed is used. It is possible to obtain an image of good quality by performing image processing on the image data, and the conventional problems described above by the present invention can be solved well.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an embodiment of an image processing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a display device to which the image processing device of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 is applied.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a display device to which another embodiment of the image processing device of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a part of the components of the image processing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a low-pass filter.

FIG. 6 is a signal waveform diagram used for explaining the image processing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a signal waveform diagram used for explaining the image processing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a signal waveform diagram used for explaining the image processing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a signal waveform diagram used for explaining a problem.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of an image divided into a plurality of image areas.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image, 1a, 1b-1e ... Predetermined image areas, 2 ... Digital data input terminals, 3, 6 ... Multiplier, 5 ... Adder, 4, 7 ... Coefficient multiplier (coefficient setting unit) , 8 ...
Delay unit, 9 ... Output terminal, 10-13 ... Input terminal, 14 ...
Memory read / write control circuit 15-18 ... Memory,
19 ... Display device, 20-23 ... Filter, 24
~ 27 ... a signal processing unit for performing γ correction and other signal processing,
28 to 31 ... A signal removing unit for removing an unnecessary signal portion in each image signal portion, 32 to 35 ... Output terminal of an output image signal subjected to image signal processing, 38 is a data selector,

Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification number Office reference number FI Technical indication location H04N 7/00 Z 6942-5C 11/00 7337-5C (72) Inventor Hiroshi Katsumata Moriya, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa 3-12 Machi, Japan Victor Company of Japan, Ltd. (72) Inventor Yuji Uchiyama 3-12 Moriya-machi, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Japan Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. Image data corresponding to one image is divided so as to correspond to a state in which the one image is virtually divided into a plurality of image areas in a predetermined division mode, The image data corresponding to the plurality of image areas described above,
Transferred serially within each image area, while
In an image processing apparatus in which image processing is performed such that image areas are transferred in parallel, the image data is overlapped over a predetermined range of a boundary portion between adjacent image areas in the plurality of image areas. With respect to the means for performing the filtering with the portion provided and the image data after the filtering, the overlapping portion of the image data over a predetermined range of the boundary portion between the image areas adjacent to each other is removed. An image processing apparatus including a means. 2. Image data corresponding to one image is divided so as to correspond to a state in which the one image is virtually divided into a plurality of image areas in a predetermined division mode, The image data corresponding to the plurality of image areas described above,
Transferred serially within each image area, while
In an image processing apparatus in which image processing is performed so that image areas are transferred in parallel between the image areas, the image data value of the boundary portion between the image areas adjacent to each other in the plurality of image areas is set in the blanking section. A means for performing the data value and performing the filtering in the state where the overlapping portion is provided in the image data over a predetermined range of the boundary portion of the image areas adjacent to each other in the plurality of image areas, and the above-described filtering is performed. An image processing apparatus comprising: means for removing the overlapped portion of the image data over a predetermined range of the boundary portion between the image areas adjacent to each other in the subsequent image data.