Abstract: The multi-image sharpening and denoising technique described herein creates a clean (low-noise, high contrast), detailed image of a scene from a temporal series of images of the scene. The technique employs a process of image alignment to remove global and local camera motion plus a novel weighted image averaging procedure that avoids sacrificing sharpness to create a resultant high-detail, low-noise image from the temporal series. In addition, the multi-image sharpening and denoising technique can employ a dehazing procedure that uses a spatially varying airlight model to dehaze an input image.

Abstract: Embedding a watermark includes organizing variation locations in a data stream, partitioning the data stream into small blocks, determining the variation of small blocks based on the variation, categorizing small blocks into big blocks, identifying those big blocks that have a threshold level of variation, and embedding into those identified big blocks a watermark value.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus for processing pixels is disclosed. The image processing apparatus comprises one or more functional blocks adapted to perform a corresponding functional task on the pixels. Further, the image processing apparatus includes one or more line-delay elements for delaying a horizontal scan line of the pixels. A desired processing task, which includes at least one functional task, is performed by configuring each functional block based on an actual number of the line-delay elements used for performing the desired processing task. Each functional block used for performing the desired processing task receives a group of pixels for processing from one or more horizontal scan lines such that the group overlaps another group of pixels for processing from one or more horizontal scan lines by another functional block.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of method and apparatus for processing the images of fingerprints can be provided. For example, aligned images can be subjected to a tessellation process, whereas each image can be partitioned into a number of regions. Within each region at least one parameter associated with the ridges can be measured and stored. Such exemplary parameter can include, e.g., the prevailing ridge orientation, the average ridge separation and the phase of the ridges. The data can be projected and stored in a multidimensional coordinate system, whereas the representations of any two data can be separated by an amount corresponding to the dissimilarity of these data.

Abstract: A method of pixel interpolation in which a two-dimensional digital filter is arranged so as to interpolate an output pixel from a two-dimensional array of input pixels comprises detecting the direction of an image feature at a pixel position to be interpolated; applying a shear transformation to the digital filter and/or to the array of input pixels so as to map the operation of the filter to the detected image feature direction in respect of at least a first one of two axes of the two dimensional filter; and applying the digital filter to obtain the output pixels.

Abstract: A hardware architecture is applied to the calculation of a Difference-of-Gaussian filter, which is typically employed in image processing algorithms. The architecture has a modular structure to easily allow the matching of the desired delay/area ratio as well as a high computational accuracy. A new solution is provided for the implementation of multiply-accumulators which allows a significant reduction of area with respect to the conventional architectures.

Abstract: Provided are a method and apparatus for removing image noise. The method includes: separating an input image signal into a signal component and a noise component; converting the noise component into a decorrelated noise component that is spatiotemporally decorrelated from neighboring pixels; and generating an image signal by adding the decorrelated noise component to the signal component.

Abstract: An image restoration device, an image restoration method, and an image restoration system are provided. The image restoration device includes a point spread function estimation unit, and an image restoration filter unit. The point spread function estimation unit receives an image signal and estimates a Point Spread Function (PSF) from the received image signal. The image restoration filter unit receives the image signal and the PSF, generates an image restoration filter coefficient from the PSF, and filters the image signal according to the image restoration filter coefficient to output the filtered image signal.

Abstract: Imaging systems with image sensors and image processing circuitry are provided. The image processing circuitry may calculate sharpness values for a window within an image captured by the image sensors. The window may be divided into zones. A first filter may be applied to each row of each zone. A first sharpness value may be calculated by averaging the absolute values of the outputs of the first filter that are greater than a first threshold. A second sharpness value may be calculated by averaging the absolute values of the outputs of the second filter that are greater than a second threshold. A final sharpness value for each zone may be calculated by dividing the second sharpness value by the first sharpness value and multiplying the result by corresponding scalar weights. A window sharpness value may be calculated from the weighted sum of the final sharpness values of each zone.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus stores pixel data of an input image in a storage apparatus after performing resolution conversion encoding, and performs a pixel interpolation process after reading out the pixel data stored in the storage apparatus and performing resolution conversion decoding. The image processing apparatus determines, when resolution conversion encoding the pixel data of the input image, whether a resolution of the pixel data will decrease due to the pixel interpolation process, based on attribute information indicating an attribute of the pixel data, and performs processing to decrease the resolution of the pixel data in the resolution conversion encoding, if it is determined that the resolution will decrease.

Abstract: Clusters of pixels are defined for use in image compression and decompression. The image information used to define the clusters may include pixel values at predetermined positions relative to a pixel or related motion vectors, gradients, texture etc. During compression of images the image information relative to pixels is examined to determine the cluster to which it belongs. Thus pixels can be classified according to the cluster for their image information. In an embodiment the definitions of the clusters are selected dynamically, dependent on image content. For each cluster a control parameter set is computed for a post-processing operation, such as filter coefficients for filtering or statistical data for locally generating texture. The control parameter set is selected dependent on the image content so that, when the post-processing operation is applied to the image after decompression it will improve image quality for the pixels that are classified as belonging to the cluster.

Abstract: The invention discloses an image processing system and method thereof. The image processing system includes an local variance estimator, a noise detector, a spatial de-noise filter. The local variance estimator estimates each pixel of an input image signal to separately output a local variance value of each pixel, and generates a noise threshold according to the local variance values. The noise detector determines which pixel indicates noise or image according to the noise threshold. The spatial de-noise filter filers the pixel indicating noise to generate an output image signal.

Abstract: The described embodiments comprise a system that adjusts pixel values to produce visual effects in a frame to be displayed. During operation, the system receives coordinates and pixel-adjustment values for one or more control points within the frame. Next, the system calculates pixel-adjustment values for pixels in the frame based on the coordinates and the pixel-adjustment values for the one or more control points. The system then applies the pixel-adjustment values to the pixels within the frame and displays the frame.

Abstract: A method and system for filtering an image frame of a video sequence from spurious motion, comprising the steps of dividing the image frame and a preceding image frame of the video sequence into blocks of pixels; determining motion vectors for the blocks of the image frame; determining inter-frame transformation parameters for the image frame based on the determined motion vectors; and generating a filtered image frame based on the determined inter-frame transformation parameters; wherein the image frame is dived into overlapping blocks.

Abstract: Devices, systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with reducing digital image noise are described. In one embodiment, a method includes determining, on a per pixel basis, mosquito noise values associated with pixels of a digital image. The method determines, on a per pixel basis, block noise values associated with the digital image. The method filters the digital image with a plurality of adaptive filters. A compression artifact in the digital image is reduced. The compression artifact is reduced by combining filter outputs from the plurality of adaptive filters. The filter outputs are combined based, at least in part, on the mosquito noise values and the block noise values.

Abstract: Provided is a process and system for detection of sparse or otherwise weak targets in a hyperspectral image. The method includes receiving a hyperspectral image having a plurality of pixels, with each pixel having a respective spectrum. Multiple mean spectra are selectively determined for respective sub-regions of the hyperspectral image. The subset mean spectra are selectively removed from respective pixels, thereby improving image fidelity due to sensor artifacts. Additionally, target detection of such an adjusted image can be determined by one or more of matched filter techniques or by partial un-mixing. In some embodiments target detection is enhanced by combining a measure of target match with a measure of un-match. Target detection can be further improved by application of rules, for example, related to target detection threshold.

Abstract: A plurality of image data different in exposure condition are separated into a plurality of luminance component image data and a plurality of color-difference component image data, and the luminance component image data and the color-difference component image data are inputted to an image combining portion 11. A luminance component combining section 21 averages and smoothes the plurality of image data different in exposure condition and sets combining rates of the plurality of image data different in exposure condition by using the smoothed average luminance component image data. The separated plurality of luminance component image data are combined by using the set combining rates with respect to each attention pixel. On the other hand, a color-difference component combining portion 22 combines the separated plurality of color-difference component image data by using the combining rates used in the luminance component combining section 21.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention are related to systems and methods for correcting illumination and vignette in a camera-captured document image. A background type may be detected from down-sampled luminance image associated with the camera-captured image, and model parameters may be estimated for a morphologically filtered version of the down-sampled luminance image, wherein the morphological filter may be based on the detected background type. The model parameters may be verified and if deemed acceptable, a rectified image may be formed.

Abstract: An image processing device and a method thereof are provided. In the method, an original image and a corresponding depth image are received, wherein the depth image includes a plurality of depth values, and the depth values indicate depth of field of a plurality of blocks in the original image respectively. Further, each of the blocks is processed to obtain a corresponding smoothness and/or sharpness effect according to each of the depth values. Thereby, a stereoscopic sensation of the original image can be enhanced.

Abstract: A method for enhancing a color image may include selecting a set of operations from a group of operations, specifying an order for performing the selected set of operations, receiving the color image, and performing, with a processor, the selected set of operations in the specified order on the color image. The group of operations may include a color correcting operation, an image filtering operation, a color linearization operation, a saturation adjustment operation, a luma scaling operation, and an image dithering operation. The method may include determining an optical property of an ambient light source or an image type of the color image. The selecting of the set of operations may be based at least in part on the determined optical property of the ambient light source or on the determined image type. The method may include an efficient method for correcting image saturation of a color image.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of reducing noise in range images, the apparatus including: a maximum likelihood detection unit calculating an equation of observation points disposed in a plurality of grids that constitute range images representing three-dimensional (3D) coordinate information, to satisfy maximum log-likelihood on each coordinate axis in a coordinate space represented by the range images based on probability distribution of coordinate values assigned to each of the observation points and neighboring observation points; a linearization unit transforming equations calculated on each of the observation points into a linear equation that is a linear system on each coordinate axis in a coordinate space; a constraint detection unit calculating a constraint equation in which a unit tangent vector of each observation point and a unit tangent vector of a neighboring point are identical with each other on each coordinate axis of the range images; and a noise reduction unit reducing noise in range images by app

Abstract: The invention relates to the processing of a digital object that comprises: cancelling the noise of an original object (I) of a first type containing noise in order to obtain a noise-free object (J) of the first type; obtaining an object with a quasi-white noise of the first type from a difference (B) between the original object and the noise-free object; applying to the noise-free object (J) a first processing (t1) that comprises a neighboring processing for obtaining a transformed object (K) of a second type, the first processing being such that it would structure the noise contained in the original object if it was applied to said original object; applying to the noise object a second white processing (t2) for obtaining a quasi-white transformed noise object (C) of the second type; and inserting into the transformed object (K) the transformed noise object.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing undesired features in an image. The image is converted from a spatial domain to a frequency domain to form a transformed image. A filter is applied to the transformed image to form a filtered image in the frequency domain. The filtered image is converted from the frequency domain back into the spatial domain to form a modified image. An intensity of an undesired feature in the modified image is increased as compared to the intensity of the undesired feature in the image. The undesired feature is removed from the image using the modified image to form a processed image.

Abstract: Super-resolution time delay and integrate (TDI) imaging processing and systems for providing same utilize imaging geometry configured such that a predictable sub-pixel component of the frame-to-frame image motion can be used to construct a high-resolution output image from multiple under-sampled low-resolution input images.

Abstract: In an image processing apparatus according to one embodiment, an edge correcting unit replaces a signal level of a target pixel with a maximum value of signal levels of a plurality of peripheral pixels when a sum of the signal level of the target pixel and the edge information is more than the maximum value, and the edge correcting unit replaces the signal level of the target pixel with a minimum value of the signal levels of the plurality of peripheral pixels when a sum of the signal level of the target pixel and the edge information is less than the minimum value.

Abstract: A system for processing video data to improve image quality at low data rates comprising an encoder generating an entropy signal representing the relative entropy of the video data and a plurality of filters each receiving the entropy signal and a threshold setting and filtering the video data if the entropy signal is greater than the threshold setting.

Abstract: A cine imaging filter and method of use that includes a denoising image-filter based on the Karhunen-Loeve transform along the temporal direction to take advantage of the high temporal correlation among images. The cine imaging filter may further include the application of a simple formula describing the quantitative noise reduction capabilities of the KLT filter as a function of eigenimage cutoff. Additionally, the filter may validate its accuracy in numerical simulation and in in-vivo real time cine images. Furthermore, exemplary embodiments of the cine imaging filter may employ a technique to automatically select the optimal eigenimage cutoff to maximize noise reduction with minimal effect on image information.

Abstract: Techniques for automatic exposure correction of images are provided. In particular, the exposure of an input image may be improved by automatically modifying a non-linear function that characterizes the luminance of shadow, mid-tone, and highlight portions of the image. The input image may be segmented into a number of regions and each region is assigned a zone, where the zone indicates a specified range of luminance values. An initial zone assigned to a region of the image may be changed in order to reflect an optimal zone of the region. Based, in part, on the optimal zones for each region of the image, luminance modification parameters may be calculated and applied to the non-linear function in order to produce a modified version of the input image that improves the appearance of overexposed and/or underexposed regions of the input image.

Abstract: Systems and methods for removing artifacts from a page of digital image are presented. More particularly, a digital image is obtained, the digital image having at least one page of content to be processed. A content bounding box is determined for the content of the page. Additionally, a set of segments is generating, the set corresponding to particular areas of the content within the content bounding box, each area associated with a type of content. For each segment of the set of segments, the following are performed. Despeckling criteria are selected for identifying artifacts according to the type associated with the segment. Artifacts are identified in the segment according to the despeckling criteria. The identified artifacts are then removed from the page. Thereafter, the updated digital image is stored in a content store.

Abstract: In stereo matching based on standard area matching, in order to suppress a decrease in matching accuracy, it is effective to adaptively change a matching area in accordance with the local properties of an image. However, this requires high calculation costs.

Abstract: An image processing method applied to an image processing device is capable of implementing bitstream stitching technique after interrupting image processing process. The image processing method includes steps of processing the i-th slice of N slices in an image to generate a plurality of first processed data; storing the first processed data in a memory unit; once an interrupting request is generated according to a requested process, storing stitching information associated with the last first processed data after processing the i-th slice; stopping processing the image and executing the requested process according to the interrupting request; continuing to process the (i+1)-th slice of the N slices to generate a plurality of second processed data after the requested process is finished; and storing the second processed data after the last first processed data in the memory unit according to the stitching information.

Abstract: An electro-optic display device includes a display matrix of display pixels. Each display pixel may include two or more first sub-pixels and a second sub-pixel. Each first sub-pixel may have two or more display states and a color filter. The second sub-pixel may have two or more display states and a white filter. The first sub-pixels may be arranged in rows and columns in a repeating pattern, and each first sub-pixel may be horizontally adjacent and vertically adjacent to one or more second sub-pixels. In addition, a display controller may include a data switch, a color correction module, an image filtering module, a color linearization module, an image dithering module, and a saturation adjustment module. The modules may be configured to perform operations at first and second pixel resolutions.

Abstract: A temporal noise reduction method and a temporal noise reduction device are provided. The temporal noise reduction device includes a temporal filter unit that performs a temporal filtering operation using pixel values (CP) of an N×M array in a current frame and pixel values (FP) of an N×M array located at the same position in a neighboring frame separated by a distance TP from the current frame and a motion filter unit that detects a motion of a pixel image from the resultant values of the temporal filter unit and that eliminates noise of a motion-abundant pixel value using a spatial filter. It is possible to effectively reduce noise of an image to prevent deterioration in image quality of the image and to improve performance of post-processing techniques.

Abstract: Systems and methods to selectively combine images are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, an apparatus includes a registration circuit configured to generate a set of motion vector data based on first image data corresponding to a first image and second image data corresponding to a second image. The apparatus includes a combination circuit to selectively combine the first image data and adjusted second image data that corresponds to the second image data adjusted according to the motion vector data. The apparatus further includes a control circuit to control the combination circuit to generate third image data.

Abstract: Tunable Gaussian filters enable imaging effects to be applied to images and videos in orientations other than standard symmetric, 0 degree orientations and 90 degree orientations. The tunable Gaussian filters are able to be applied in any orientation such as 45 degrees, slightly less than 45 degrees and slightly more than 0 degrees.

Abstract: This invention provides a system and method captures a moving image of a scene that can be more readily de-blurred as compared to images captured through the above-referenced and other known methods operating on an equivalent exposure-time interval. Rather than stopping and starting the integration of light measurement during the exposure-time interval, photo-generated current is switched between multiple charge storage sites in accordance with a temporal switching pattern that optimizes the conditioning of the solution to the inverse blur transform. By switching the image intensity signal between storage sites all of the light energy available during the exposure-time interval is transduced to electronic charge and captured to form a temporally decomposed representation of the moving image.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a ruled line extracting unit that counts the number of pixels within an image, compares the counted number of pixels with a threshold value, and extracts a ruled line based on a result of the comparison; and an identifying unit that identifies a noise component in the ruled line extracted by the ruled line extracting unit based on thickness of the ruled line extracted by the ruled line extracting unit and the threshold value.

Abstract: An input image is decomposed into a residual image and a set of detail images in different levels of a hierarchy. The set of detail images are enhanced after which noise reduction filtering is directly applied to the enhanced set of detail images without the need to apply noise estimation to a local area of the enhanced set of detail image in advance. The residual image and the set of detail images with reduced noise are recomposed so as to obtain resultant image.

Abstract: The present invention obtains subband signals by performing a multiresolution decomposition by a wavelet frame with orientation selectivity or a filterbank with orientation selectivity that is a set of an approximate filter with no orientation and a plurality of detail filters with respective orientations on image data, and, when an image is reconstructed by summing the obtained subband signals, generates reconstructed image data that creates a floating illusion by attenuating or amplifying a subband signal corresponding to at least one of detail filters with a predetermined orientation relative to a floating direction, in which an image is desired to be floated due to an illusion, among the detail filters.

Abstract: The image processing apparatus includes an image inputting part configured to acquire a captured image produced by an image pickup system including an optical system and an image sensor, a filter producing part configured to produce an image restoration filter, and a restoration processing part configured to perform an image restoration process on the captured image by using the image restoration filter to produce a restored image. The filter producing part is configured to set amplification factors for respective frequency components in the image restoration filter according to a frequency characteristic of an alias signal that may be generated in the image sensor.

Abstract: A first intermediate image generating means (1) generates an intermediate image (D1) by extracting a component of an input image (DIN) in a particular frequency band; a second intermediate image generating means (2) generates an intermediate image (D2) having a frequency component higher than intermediate image (D1); an intermediate image processing means (3M) generates an intermediate image (D3M) by suppressing low-level noise included in intermediate image (D1); an intermediate image processing means (3H) generates an intermediate image (D3H) by suppressing low-level noise included in intermediate image (D2); and an adding means (4) adds the input image (DIN) and intermediate image (D3M) and intermediate image (D3H) together to obtain a final output image (DOUT). Even if the input image includes a fold-over component on the high-frequency side or does not include an adequate high-frequency component, an enhanced image can be obtained without enhancing noise.

Abstract: An image noise filter includes a wavelet transform module and an edge based adaptive filter module. The dual tree wavelet transform module provides low frequency wavelet information and high frequency wavelet information in response to image information. The edge based adaptive filter module provides filtered high frequency wavelet information in response to the high frequency wavelet information and edge information that is based on the low frequency wavelet information.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for single-image-based rain streak removal are introduced herein. In this method and apparatus, an original image is decomposed into a high frequency part and a low frequency part, and the high frequency image is then decomposed into a rain part and a non-rain part. The non-rain high frequency image and the original low frequency image are used to produce a non-rain image.

Abstract: A system of recovering information wide band signal comprising a receiver(s) for receiving data signal responses from a target area; the received data signal responses having information missing at a plurality of frequencies; at least one processor for recovery of data from the data signal responses operatively connected to the receiver(s); a first memory comprising time-shifted responses based upon the wide band signal response, a second memory comprising a plurality of spectrally filtered time-shifted responses; whereby the first and second memories operate to provide data to the at least one processor compensate for the information missing at the plurality of frequencies.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus for correcting a positional deviation between a plurality of images obtained in time series and performing synthesis processing on the plurality of corrected images determines a motion vector between the plurality of images, corrects the positional deviation between images on the basis of the determined motion vector, and generates a synthesized image by synthesizing the plurality of images subjected to the positional deviation correction. The image processing apparatus extracts a filter area in which filter processing is to be performed on the basis of a degree of inconsistency occurring when the positional deviation between the plurality of images is corrected, determines a filter kernel on the basis of an imaging condition, and performs filter processing based on the filter kernel on the filter area of the synthesized image.

Abstract: Method and system for low complexity assessment of quality of an image are presented. By performing multiresolution decomposition of images using, for example, a discrete wavelet transform, and determining a metric based on a structural similarity index or a structural similarity map, a structural similarity score, characterizing similarity between images with a high degree of accuracy, is produced. The processing time is much smaller in comparison to that required by other methods producing image quality metrics of comparable accuracy.

Abstract: A noise reducing apparatus and associated method and program for improving image quality in an image are provided. The noise reducing apparatus detects a flat area from an image and analyzes the noise from the flat area, and then it suppresses a noise component of the image based on the noise analysis result.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system (method and apparatus) for creating photorealistic 3D models of environments and/or objects from a plurality of stereo images obtained from a mobile stereo camera and optional monocular cameras. The cameras may be handheld, mounted on a mobile platform, manipulator or a positioning device. The system automatically detects and tracks features in image sequences and self-references the stereo camera in 6 degrees of freedom by matching the features to a database to track the camera motion, while building the database simultaneously. A motion estimate may be also provided from external sensors and fused with the motion computed from the images. Individual stereo pairs are processed to compute dense 3D data representing the scene and are transformed, using the estimated camera motion, into a common reference and fused together. The resulting 3D data is represented as point clouds, surfaces, or volumes.

Abstract: Methods and non-transitory computer readable media that store executable instructions to perform a method for reducing motion artifacts in shear wave measurements are presented. Accordingly, reference pulses are delivered to a common motion tracking location (CMTL) and a plurality of target locations in a region of interest (ROI) to detect corresponding initial positions. Further, a shear wave is generated and tracked in the ROI using tracking pulses delivered to the CMTL and the plurality of target locations for determining corresponding displacements. Additionally, an average displacement of the CMTL is computed. Further, a motion corrected displacement for a target location in the plurality of target locations is estimated based on a displacement of the target location at a particular time, a corresponding displacement of the CMTL measured proximate in time to the measurement of the displacement of the target location and the average displacement of the CMTL.

Abstract: A simple and practical image restoring device capable of improving the performance of image restoration. An image restoring device (100) is provided with a first restoration processing unit (160a) and estimates original image information from the degraded image information into which information unnecessary for the original image information is incorporated. A correlation calculating section (164) calculates the correlation value of the estimation error of when the state amount of a system at time n+1 including the original image information is estimated by information up to time n or the time n+1 with respect to the degraded image information of only the time n.