Image Processing Apparatus Resolution Control for Variable-Rate Streams
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In variable-rate-controlled streams, image resolution varies with communication line conditions, leading to image quality deterioration during interlace/progressive conversion and noise reduction processing, especially at reproduction start times or during communication line jams.
Innovation Solution
An image processing apparatus that acquires and maintains image resolution by performing enlargement and reduction processing based on input image resolution, includes a position detection section to initialize enlargement and reduction percentages when correlation is low, and a storage section to manage temporary fluctuations, allowing for hysteresis operations to prevent excessive processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If interlace/progressive conversion or noise reduction processing is carried out on images with varying resolution, then image processing can be performed, but image quality deteriorates due to interpolation processing when other images cannot be referenced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs enlargement or reduction processing on the target image before interlace/progressive conversion or noise reduction processing when resolution varies. This preliminary action ensures the target image can be processed without referencing other images, preventing quality deterioration while maintaining processing capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the resolution parameter of the target image through enlargement or reduction processing to match a reference resolution, enabling subsequent image processing operations to be performed without quality loss from interpolation
2Manufacturing precision
If image enlargement and reduction processing is performed on every image to maintain resolution, then image quality is maintained, but processing complexity and computation time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies enlargement or reduction processing only to specific target images where resolution variation occurs, rather than uniformly processing all images. This localized approach maintains image quality where needed while reducing unnecessary processing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs enlargement or reduction processing only when resolution variation is detected, rather than processing every image. This partial action approach maintains quality where necessary while avoiding excessive processing that would increase complexity
3Manufacturing precision
If image enlargement and reduction processing is performed to maintain resolution, then image quality is maintained, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs enlargement or reduction processing as a preliminary step only when resolution variation is detected, before subsequent image processing operations. This conditional preliminary action maintains quality when needed while minimizing unnecessary processing time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies enlargement or reduction processing only to the extent necessary to correct resolution variation, and only when such variation occurs. This partial action reduces processing time compared to uniform processing of all images
Data Source
AI summary
[Object]To avoid an image quality deterioration due to image processing while maintaining a resolution of an image in a variable-rate-controlled stream.[Solving Means]An image processing apparatus includes a resolution acquisition section, an image enlargement and reduction section, and an image conversion section. The resolution acquisition section acquires a resolution of each of a plurality of temporally-consecutive images. An enlargement and reduction percentage generation section generates an enlargement and reduction percentage for each of the plurality of images based on the acquired resolution. The image enlargement and reduction section performs image enlargement and reduction processing on each of the plurality of images according to the generated enlargement and reduction percentage. The image conversion section performs image conversion processing on each of the plurality of images subjected to the image enlargement and reduction processing.