US Patent 7495695 Image processing device and method capable of emphasizing the contrast of an image taken by an image sensor

An image processing device and method which is provided with means for converting image data from an image sensor into image data emphasizing a change in brightness in each of plural divisions of a whole luminous area by using a conversion table and which is therefore capable of easily and immediately enhancing the contrast of an image taken by an image sensor possessing a wide dynamic range of its logarithmic output characteristic.