Image processing device, image display system, image processing method and program therefor

Abstract

An image processing device according to the present invention includes a motion vector detecting unit, a response time information storage unit, a compensation processing unit and an output unit. The motion vector detecting unit detects a motion vector of image data. The response time information storage unit stores response time information representing a time since a driving voltage is applied to a display device until an image with a corresponding tone is displayed in association with a tone variation value. The compensation processing unit compensates a pixel value in image data for each pixel in a frame that is one frame ahead of a frame to be displayed, based on the image data, the motion vector and the response time information. The output unit outputs the image data after compensated by the compensation processing unit to the display device.

1 . An image processing device which processes externally input image data and outputs the display image data to a hold-type display device, comprising:
 a motion vector detecting unit which detects a motion vector of the input image data;   a response time information storage unit which stores response time information representing a time since a driving voltage is applied to the display device until the display device displays an image with a tone corresponding to the driving voltage, in association with a tone variation value;   a compensation processing unit which compensates a pixel value in the image data for each pixel, in a frame which is one frame ahead of a frame to be displayed by the display device, based on the input image data, the motion vector and the response time information; and   an output unit which outputs the image data after compensated by the compensation processing unit to the display device.   
   
   
       2 . The image processing device according to  claim 1 , further comprising an edge detecting unit which detects an edge from the input image data, based on the motion vector. 
   
   
       3 . The image processing device according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the compensation processing unit determines whether to perform a compensation process for the pixel value, in accordance with a detection result of the edge detecting unit.   
   
   
       4 . The image processing device according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the compensation processing unit decides whether to perform the compensation process in accordance with an edge direction of an edge part detected by the edge detecting unit.   
   
   
       5 . The image processing device according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the compensation processing unit decides to perform the compensation process, when it is determined that the edge part detected by the edge detecting unit is in a rise area from a low tone to a high tone based on the edge direction, and decides not to perform the compensation process, when it is determined that the edge part is in a decay area from a high tone to a low tone based on the edge direction.   
   
   
       6 . The image processing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the compensation processing unit includes:
 a compensation range setting unit which sets a compensation range for compensating a pixel value in the image data based on the motion vector;   a filter setting unit which sets a characteristic of a filter for compensating the pixel value in the image data so as to display an image with a tone corresponding to a tone set based on the image data when the display device displays the frame to be displayed, based on the image data, the motion vector and the response time information; and   a filter processing unit which compensates a pixel value of the pixel within the compensation range by filtering the image data with a filter having the characteristic set by the filter setting unit, in the frame that is one frame ahead of the frame to be displayed by the display device.   
   
   
       7 . The image processing device according to  claim 6 , further comprising an edge detecting unit which detects an edge from the input image data based on the motion vector. 
   
   
       8 . The image processing device according to  claim 7 , wherein the compensation processing unit further includes a selecting unit which selects either one of the image data whose pixel value has been compensated by the filter processing unit and the image data whose pixel value has not been compensated by the filter processing unit, in accordance with a detection result of the edge detecting unit. 
   
   
       9 . The image processing device according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the selecting unit selects either one of image data whose pixel value has been compensated and image data whose pixel value has not been compensated, in accordance with an edge direction of an edge part detected by the edge detecting unit.   
   
   
       10 . The image processing device according to  claim 9 , wherein
 the selecting unit selects the image data whose pixel value has been compensated, when it is determined that the edge part detected by the edge detecting unit is in a rise area from a low tone to a high tone, and selects the image data whose pixel value has not been compensated, when it is determined that the edge part is in a decay area from a high tone to a low tone, based on the edge direction.   
   
   
       11 . The image processing device according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the filter setting unit changes a number of taps of the filter in accordance with a motion vector value detected by the motion vector detecting unit.   
   
   
       12 . The image processing device according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the filter is a moving average filter.   
   
   
       13 . The image processing device according to  claim 12 , wherein
 the compensation processing unit further includes an outside replacement unit which replaces outside of the image data for the input image data, using a maximum value and a minimum value of a tone of the image data, and   the filter processing unit filters the image data after processed by the outside replacement unit, with the filter.   
   
   
       14 . An image display system which comprising:
 an image processing device, processing externally input image data; and   a hold-type display device, displaying the image data processed by the image processing device and input from the image processing device; wherein:   the image processing device includes   a motion vector detecting unit which detects a motion vector of the input image data,   a response time information storage unit which stores response time information representing a time since a driving voltage is applied to the display device until the display device displays an image with a tone corresponding to the driving voltage, in association with a tone variation value,   a compensation processing unit which compensates a pixel value in the image data for each pixel, in a frame that is one frame ahead of a frame to be displayed by the display device, based on the input image data, the motion vector and the response time information, and   an output unit which outputs the image data after compensated by the compensation processing unit to the display device; and   the display device includes:   an image display unit which displays an image corresponding to the image data input from the image processing device, and   a display controlling unit which controls driving of the image display unit based on the image data input by the image processing device.   
   
   
       15 . An image processing method for processing externally input image data and generating image data to be output to a hold-type display device, the method comprising the steps of:
 detecting a motion vector of the input image data;   extracting response time information from a response time information storage unit which stores the response time information representing a time since a driving voltage is applied to the display device until the display device displays an image with a tone corresponding to the driving voltage, in association with a tone variation value;   compensating a pixel value of the image data for each pixel in a frame that is one frame ahead of a frame to be displayed by the display device, based on the input image data, the motion vector and the response time information; and   outputting the image data after compensated to the display device.   
   
   
       16 . A program for controlling a computer to function as an image processing device which processes externally input image data and outputs it to a display device performing hold-type driving, the program comprising:
 a motion vector detecting function which detects a motion vector of the input image data;   a response time storage function for storing response time information representing a time since a driving voltage is applied to the display device until the display device displays an image with a tone corresponding to the driving voltage, in association with a tone variation value;   a compensation processing function for compensating a pixel value in the image data for each pixel, in a frame that is one frame ahead of a frame to be displayed by the display device, based on the input image data, the motion vector and the response time information; and   an outputting function for outputting the image data after compensated by the compensation processing unit to the display device.