IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD, AND PROGRAM

An edge map creation unit detects an edge intensity of an input image in units of three types of blocks having different sizes. An operation parameter adjustment unit sets initial values of an edge reference value and an extraction reference value on the basis of a dynamic range which is a difference between the maximum and minimum values of the edge intensity. An edge point extraction unit extracts an edge point from the input image on the basis of the edge reference value. Until an extraction amount determination unit determines that the edge point extraction amount is appropriate on the basis of the extraction reference value, the operation parameter adjustment unit repeatedly performs a processing of adjusting the edge reference value, and the edge point extraction unit repeatedly performs a processing of extracting the edge point from the input image on the basis of the adjusted edge reference value.