Image sharpening by variable contrast stretching

a variable contrast stretching and image technology, applied in image data processing, instruments, character and pattern recognition, etc., can solve the problems of overshooting at edges, traditional unsharp masking does not avoid overshooting, and overshooting can be especially troublesome, so as to improve image quality, avoid overshooting, and enhance low-amplitude noise

Inactive Publication Date: 2005-08-04
MAURER RON P
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, a digital image is sharpened by clipping those pixel intensity values outside of a variable range; and mapping those pixel intensity values within the variable range. This technique improves image quality without enhancing low-amplitude noise in an image, and it avoids overshoot.

Problems solved by technology

However, traditional unsharp masking enhances perceptible noise in sharpened images.
In addition, traditional unsharp masking does not avoid overshoot at edges.
Overshoot can be especially troublesome if a digital image is interpolated.
However, the modifications do not address imperceptible noise, which reduces the compressibility of the sharpened images.
Moreover, modified unsharp masking techniques that avoid overshoot are usually slower to perform.
However, toggle mapping is not as effective for sharpening image regions that are not purely black and white.

Method used

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Embodiment Construction

[0012] As shown in the drawings for purposes of illustration, the present invention is embodied in a method and apparatus for sharpening an image by variable contrast stretching. The variable contrast stretching reduces spatial scale of large gray-level transitions, resulting in a considerable sharpening in features that are computer-generated (e.g., text, CAD drawings). The variable contrast stretching only mildly reduces the spatial scale of milder gray-level transitions, resulting in a milder sharpening of features that are “natural” (e.g., photographed features). Thus, the variable contrast stretching applies strong sharpening to computer-generated features and mild sharpening to edges in natural features. The variable contrast stretching improves the appearance and legibility of compound documents containing both natural and computer-generated features. However, the spatial scale for weak gray-level transitions is essentially unchanged.

[0013] The variable contrast stretching a...

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Abstract

Image sharpening is performed by applying variable contrast stretching to pixels of interest in a digital image. For each pixel of interest, the amount of contrast stretching is a function of minimum and maximum intensity values in a local pixel neighborhood.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to digital images. More specifically, the present invention relates to image sharpening. [0002] Image sharpening is performed to improve the appearance of digital images and particularly the legibility of documents. One well-known image sharpening technique is unsharp masking. [0003] However, traditional unsharp masking enhances perceptible noise in sharpened images. For instance, the unsharp masking enhances low-amplitude noise in scanned images and captured photographs. In addition, traditional unsharp masking does not avoid overshoot at edges. Overshoot can be especially troublesome if a digital image is interpolated. The overshoot is spatially spread by the interpolation and appears as an artifact in the interpolated image. [0004] Modifications to traditional unsharp masking have been made to reduce the perceptible noise and avoid the overshoot. However, the modifications do not address imperceptible noise, which r...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): G06T1/00G06T5/00G06T5/20G06T5/40H04N1/407H04N1/46H04N1/60
CPCG06T5/008G06T5/002G06T5/20
Inventor MAURER, RON P.
Owner MAURER RON P
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