Image analysis – Image enhancement or restoration – Edge or contour enhancement
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-19
2001-03-27
Rogers, Scott (Department: 2624)
Image analysis
Image enhancement or restoration
Edge or contour enhancement
C382S268000, C382S275000, C382S293000, C382S300000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06208765
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to digital image processing systems and, more particularly, relates to a method and apparatus for improving the resolution of digital images.
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
Digital images frequently suffer from a range of impairments due to low digital capture resolution, low capture dynamic range, pixel defects (drop-outs), or other sensor or scanner limitations. Also, because compression techniques such as JPEG are frequently used to reduce the volume of data associated with digital images, image quality is often impaired due to compression artifacts. These artifacts include “blockiness”, loss of visual texture, spurious contouring, and edge distortions. While the visibility of some artifacts can be reduced by digital filtering or other post processing techniques applied to a single image, these techniques may add further distortions.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a method and apparatus that improves image quality without relying upon extensive post processing of a single image.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The disadvantages associated with the prior art are overcome by the present invention of a method and apparatus that improves the quality of digital images. The inventive technique is useful for imaging situations when multiple images having similar picture content are available for processing. When provided a plurality of digital images, the invention aligns the digital images to a reference coordinate system, and synthesizes an enhanced image such that the regions of image overlap between any two images have substantially improved quality. The synthesis process, in essence, combines information in overlapping regions to form an enhanced image that corrects many of the image impairments that result from image sampling and compression such as low digital capture resolution, low capture dynamic range, pixel defects (drop-outs) and the like.
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Burke William J.
Rogers Scott
Sarnoff Corporation
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