A novel method of image filtering to enhance the appearance of imagery, particularly synthetic aperture radar imagery. The invention uses detected edges to adaptively control the bandwidth of filters used for noise suppression. The technique of the present invention offers improved noise suppression while minimizing the loss of resolution due to filtering.

A method and an apparatus for generating patterns of images, sounds, documents, or graphics by processing data indicating the patterns to be generated, which can produce patterns in accordance with the personal preference and inclination of a user and which can be operated in a simple manner. The method includes the steps of processing input data, extracting feature data indicating physical features of the pattern, allowing a user to enter subjective evaluation values indicating the user's evaluation for characterizing quantities defined in terms of the physical features, deriving objective evaluation values indicating the apparatus' evaluation for the characterizing quantities with respect to prescribed reference values, determining pattern evaluation values in accordance with the subjective evaluation values and the objective evaluation values, adjusting the manner of processing in accordance with the pattern evaluation values, and re-processing the input data in the adjusted manner. An apparatus to perform the method is also disclosed.

Processing a moving image such that, after an input video signal is supplied to an image inputter, the image inputter time-divisionally converts the input video signal to a digital signal and outputs a control signal such as a vertical synchronous signal. A multiplexer reads image data converted by the image inputter into the digital signal and stores them into a plurality of temporary storers unique for frames according to the control signal from the image inputter. The plurality of temporary storers are respectively connected with a plurality of processor elements which process the memory contents of the plurality of temporary storers and re-store the processing results back in the plurality of temporary storers. A multiplexer sequentially retrieves the memory contents from the plurality of temporary storers, and has an image outputter for converting a digital signal to a video signal output them.

A medical image processing apparatus able to automatically superpose photographing information into image data obtained by radiography. The medical image processing apparatus includes a first unit for obtaining image data representing an image recorded by radiography; a second unit for obtaining photographing information data representing photographing information to be displayed on a screen; a third unit for determining position and size on the screen in which the photographing information represented by the photographing information data obtained by the second unit is to be displayed; and a fourth unit for adding the photographing information data to the image data or image attendant information which is attendant upon the image data, and outputting the added data.

A half tone display apparatus using a display apparatus of bilevel representation in white and black is provided. The apparatus includes a unit supplied with a multilevel image such as a color image, a device for detecting edges in characters, patterns and photographic images, a unit for deriving a level difference between pixels adjacent to the edge, and a control unit for forcibly displaying a pixel of the edge portion as a white or black pixel for emphasis provided that the level difference is not larger than a predetermined threshold and for applying dither conversion to other pixels.