Invariant character recognition with Zernike and orthogonal Fourier-Mellin moments

In this paper, we consider the use of orthogonal moments for invariant classification of alphanumeric characters of different size. In addition to the Zernike and pseudo-Zernike moments (ZMs and PZMs) which have been previously proposed for invariant character recognition, a new method of combining Orthogonal Fourier-Mellin moments (OFMMs) with centroid bounding circle scaling is introduced, which is shown to be useful in characterizing images with large variability. Through extensive experimentation using ZMs and OFMMs as features, different scaling methodologies and classifiers, it is shown that OFMMs give the best overall performance in terms of both image reconstruction and classification accuracy.     

Circularly orthogonal moments for geometrically robust image watermarking

Circularly orthogonal moments, such as Zernike moments (ZMs) and pseudo-Zernike moments (PZMs), have attracted attention due to their invariance properties. However, we find that for digital images, the invariance properties of some ZMs/PZMs are not perfectly valid. This is significant for applications of ZMs/PZMs. By distinguishing between the ‘good’ and ‘bad’ ZMs/PZMs in terms of their invariance properties, we design image watermarks with ‘good’ ZMs/PZMs to achieve watermark's robustness to geometric distortions, which has been considered a crucial and difficult issue in the research of digital watermarking. Simulation results show that the embedded information can be decoded at low error rates, robust against image rotation, scaling, flipping, as well as a variety of other common manipulations such as lossy compression, additive noise and lowpass filtering.     

Image analysis by Bessel-Fourier moments

In this paper, we proposed a new set of moments based on the Bessel function of the first kind, named Bessel-Fourier moments (BFMs), which are more suitable than orthogonal Fourier-Mellin and Zernike moments for image analysis and rotation invariant pattern recognition. Compared with orthogonal Fourier-Mellin and Zernike polynomials of the same degree, the new orthogonal radial polynomials have more zeros, and these zeros are more evenly distributed. The Bessel-Fourier moments can be thought of as generalized orthogonalized complex moments. Theoretical and experimental results show that the Bessel-Fourier moments perform better than the orthogonal Fourier-Mellin and Zernike moments (OFMMs and ZMs) in terms of image reconstruction capability and invariant recognition accuracy in noise-free, noisy and smooth distortion conditions.     

基于非线性最小二乘的图像自适应SR重建以及运动估计

图像超分辨率（SR）重建是利用数字信号处理技术由一系列低分辨率观测图像得到高分辨率图像。为了扩展SR技术的应用范围,提出了一种同时进行图像超分辨率重建和全局运动估计的方法。该方法首先基于最大后验概率(MAP)给出了图像SR重建和运动估计框架,该框架不仅考虑了前后两次迭代所得的HR图像差值对最终重建图像的影响,而且引入了不同LR图像对重建图像的重要性权值,使得算法具有自适应性;然后将总体框架转换为图像SR重建模型和运动估计模型;最后基于非线性最小二乘法对模型进行优化求解,得出了SR重建图像及其全局运动域。实验表明,该方法不仅图像重建效果良好,并有着良好的收敛性。     

Effects of the deep learning-based super-resolution method on thermal image classification applications

Thermal imaging can be used in many sectors such as public security, health, and defense in image processing. However, thermal imaging systems are very costly, limiting their use, especially in the medical field. Also, thermal camera systems obtain blurry images with low levels of detail. Therefore, the need to improve their resolution has arisen. Here, super-resolution techniques can be a solution. Developments in deep learning in recent years have increased the success of super-resolution (SR) applications. This study proposes a new deep learning-based approach TSRGAN model for SR applications performed on a new dataset consisting of thermal images of premature babies. This dataset was created by downscaling the thermal images (ground truth) of premature babies as traditional SR studies. Thus, a dataset consisting of high-resolution (HR) and low-resolution (LR) thermal images were obtained. SR images created due to the applications were compared with LR, bicubic interpolation images, and obtained SR images using state-of-the-art models. The success of the results was evaluated using image quality metrics of peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR) and structural similarity index measure (SSIM). The results show that the proposed model achieved the second-best PSNR value and the best SSIM value. Additionally, a CNN-based classifier model was developed to perform task-based evaluation, and classification applications were carried out separately on LR, HR, and reconstructed SR image sets. Here, the success of classifying unhealthy and healthy babies was compared. This study showed that the classification accuracy of SR images increased by approximately 5% compared to the classification accuracy of LR images. In addition, the classification accuracy of SR thermal images approached the classification accuracy of HR thermal images by about 2%. Therefore, with the approach proposed in this study, it has been proven that LR thermal images can be used in classification applications by increasing their resolution. Thus, widespread use of thermal imaging systems with lower costs in the medical field will be achieved.

     

Enhancement of Infrared Images Using Super Resolution Techniques Based on Big Data Processing

This paper presents a super-resolution (SR) technique for enhancement of infrared (IR) images. The suggested technique relies on the image acquisition model, which benefits from the sparse representations of low-resolution (LR) and high-resolution (HR) patches of the IR images. It uses bicubic interpolation and minimum mean square error (MMSE) estimation in the prediction of the HR image with a scheme that can be interpreted as a feed-forward neural network. The suggested algorithm to overcome the problem of having only LR images due to hardware limitations is represented with a big data processing model. The performance of the suggested technique is compared with that of the standard regularized image interpolation technique as well as an adaptive block-by-block least-squares (LS) interpolation technique from the peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) perspective. Numerical results reveal the superiority of the proposed SR technique.

     

基于生成对抗网络的多幅离焦图像超分辨率重建算法

为提高超分辨率算法重建出的图像质量,提出融合多幅离焦图像的超分辨率重建算法。以离焦图像作为切入点,利用自编码器提取离焦图像中的重要特征,根据空间特征变换层结构,将离焦特征与原始特征相结合,完成图像的超分辨率重建。在Celeb A人脸数据集上进行实验,结果表明,与传统插值算法及SRGAN算法相比,所提算法在大多数情况下能获得更高峰值信噪比及结构相似性数值,能生成质量更高的重建图像。     

Image super-resolution via two coupled dictionaries and sparse representation

In image processing, the super-resolution (SR) technique has played an important role to perform high-resolution (HR) images from the acquired low-resolution (LR) images. In this paper, a novel technique is proposed that can generate a SR image from a single LR input image. Designed framework can be used in images of different kinds. To reconstruct a HR image, it is necessary to perform an intermediate step, which consists of an initial interpolation; next, the features are extracted from this initial image via convolution operation. Then, the principal component analysis (PCA) is used to reduce information redundancy after features extraction step. Non-overlapping blocks are extracted, and for each block, the sparse representation is performed, which it is later used to recover the HR image. Using the quality objective criteria and subjective visual perception, the proposed technique has been evaluated demonstrating their competitive performance in comparison with state-of-the-art methods.     

Robust super resolution of compressed video

This paper presents a robust algorithm to recover high-frequency information from compressed low-resolution (LR) video sequences. Previous super-resolution (SR) approaches have succeeded in resolution enhancement when the motion in the LR sequence is simple. However, when the motion is complex, new artifacts will be introduced in the SR processing. To solve this problem, we develop a robust Bayesian SR algorithm with two steps. We first isolate the frames individually to get their corresponding initial SR solutions within the Bayesian framework. Secondly, with a robust cost function to reject outliers and noise, final SR images are achieved with multiple LR frames. In the mean time, we impose the constraint that the distribution of high-resolution (HR) image gradient should be equal to one of the corresponding decompressed LR images to sharpen the edges of the results. As a result of these steps, we are able to produce high-quality deblurred results, which show a suppressing of high-frequency artifacts and less ringing artifacts, with a higher peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR).     

Vehicle license plate super-resolution using soft learning prior

This paper proposes a new algorithm to perform single-frame image super-resolution (SR) of vehicle license plate (VLP) using soft learning prior. Conventional single-frame SR/interpolation methods such as bi-cubic interpolation often experience over-smoothing near the edges and textured regions. Therefore, learning-based methods have been proposed to handle these shortcomings by incorporating a learning term so that the reconstructed high-resolution images can be guided towards these models. However, existing learning-based methods employ a binary hard-decision approach to determine whether the prior models are fully relevant or totally irrelevant. This approach, however, is inconsistent with many practical applications as the degree of relevance for the prior models may vary. In view of this, this paper proposes a new framework that adopts a soft learning approach in license plate super-resolution. The method integrates image SR with optical character recognition (OCR) to perform VLP SR. The importance of the prior models is estimated through relevance scores obtained from the OCR. These are then incorporated as a soft learning term into a new regularized cost function. Experimental results show that the proposed method is effective in handling license plate SR in both simulated and real experiments.     

Texture image prior for SAR image super resolution based on total variation regularization using split Bregman iteration

In this article, we propose a total variation (TV) regularization approach for the reconstruction of super-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image based on gradient profile prior or other texture image prior in the maximum a posteriori framework. We also design a novel super-resolution reconstruction algorithm via split Bregman iteration with the known degradation matrix, thereby enhancing the resolution of the SAR image. The parameter adaptation of the TV regularization is performed based on the high-resolution (HR) SAR image at each step. Several evaluation indices are tested on SAR images for objective assessment of the performance of SAR image super-resolution reconstruction. This computationally efficient algorithm is robust to noise in SAR scenes in HR image estimation. Experimental results show that the proposed split Bregman super-resolution approach can effectively avoid the speckle noise generated due to some strange textures and has good effect of noise suppression, while effectively maintaining the SAR image content, the structure of the SAR image is more apparent. Additionally, the experimental results on real SAR scenes also demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm and demonstrate its superiority to other super-resolution algorithms.     

A Hybrid Regularization-Based Multi-Frame Super-Resolution Using Bayesian Framework

The prime purpose for the image reconstruction of a multi-frame super-resolution is to reconstruct a higher-resolution image through incorporating the knowledge obtained from a series of relevant low-resolution images, which is useful in numerous fields. Nevertheless, super-resolution image reconstruction methods are usually damaged by undesirable restorative artifacts, which include blurring distortion, noises, and stair-casing effects. Consequently, it is always challenging to achieve balancing between image smoothness and preservation of the edges inside the image. In this research work, we seek to increase the effectiveness of multi-frame super-resolution image reconstruction by increasing the visual information and improving the automated machine perception, which improves human analysis and interpretation processes. Accordingly, we propose a new approach to the image reconstruction of multi-frame super-resolution, so that it is created through the use of the regularization framework. In the proposed approach, the bilateral edge preserving and bilateral total variation regularizations are employed to approximate a high-resolution image generated from a sequence of corresponding images with low-resolution to protect significant features of an image, including sharp image edges and texture details while preventing artifacts. The experimental results of the synthesized image demonstrate that the new proposed approach has improved efficacy both visually and numerically more than other approaches.     

Radial Hahn Moment Invariants for 2D and 3D Image Recognition

Recently, orthogonal moments have become efficient tools for two-dimensional and three-dimensional (2D and 3D) image not only in pattern recognition, image vision, but also in image processing and applications engineering. Yet, there is still a major difficulty in 3D rotation invariants. In this paper, we propose new sets of invariants for 2D and 3D rotation, scaling and translation based on orthogonal radial Hahn moments. We also present theoretical mathematics to derive them. Thus, this paper introduces in the first case new 2D radial Hahn moments based on polar representation of an object by one-dimensional orthogonal discrete Hahn polynomials, and a circular function. In the second case, we present new 3D radial Hahn moments using a spherical representation of volumetric image by one-dimensional orthogonal discrete Hahn polynomials and a spherical function. Further 2D and 3D invariants are derived from the proposed 2D and 3D radial Hahn moments respectively, which appear as the third case. In order to test the proposed approach, we have resolved three issues: the image reconstruction, the invariance of rotation, scaling and translation, and the pattern recognition. The result of experiments show that the Hahn moments have done better than the Krawtchouk moments, with and without noise. Simultaneously, the mentioned reconstruction converges quickly to the original image using 2D and 3D radial Hahn moments, and the test images are clearly recognized from a set of images that are available in COIL-20 database for 2D image, and Princeton shape benchmark (PSB) database for 3D image.     

Kullback–Leibler Divergence Based Composite Prior Modeling for Bayesian Super-Resolution

This paper proposes to adaptively combine the known total variation model and more recent Frobenius norm regularization for multi-frame image super-resolution (SR). In contrast to existing literature, in this paper both the composite prior modeling and posterior variational optimization are achieved in the Bayesian framework by utilizing the Kullback–Leibler divergence, and hyper-parameters related to the composite prior and noise statistics are all determined automatically, resulting in a spatially adaptive SR reconstruction method. Experimental results demonstrate that the new approach can generate a super-resolved image with higher signal-to-noise ratio and better visual perception, not only image details better preserved but also staircase effects better suppressed.     

A high capacity image adaptive watermarking scheme with radial harmonic Fourier moments

In this paper, we introduce a novel image adaptive technique for high capacity watermarking scheme using accurate and fast radial harmonic Fourier moments (RHFMs). The high embedding capacity is achieved by improving the hiding ratio after reducing inaccuracies in the computation of RHFMs. The binary watermark is embedded by performing the conditional quantization of selected RHFMs magnitudes to minimize the spatial distortion added to the host image. In addition, fast algorithms based on 8-way symmetry/anti-symmetry properties and recursive relations for the computation of sinusoidal kernel functions are adopted to enhance the speed of RHFMs-based watermarking process. Experimental studies show that the proposed watermarking scheme provides higher embedding capacity, good visual imperceptibility, better robustness to geometric distortions and common signal processing transformations, and lower computational complexity compared to the existing Zernike and pseudo-Zernike moments (ZMs/PZMs)-based watermarking schemes.     

超分辨率重建技术及其在太赫兹图像中的应用

超分辨率重建就是通过相应的算法,重建图像截止频率之外的细节信息,重构出一幅清晰的高分辨率图像。首先介绍了超分辨率重建算法——非均匀内差法,迭代反投影法（IBP）,凸集投影法（POCS）,说明了各算法的概念和应用,并着重介绍了基于最大后验概率（MAP）的图像超分辨率算法,给出了MAP超分辨率复原算法处理实际太赫兹图像的结果。实验表明,超分辨率图像重建具有重建效果好、抗噪声性能强的优点,有效地重建了高分辨率太赫兹图像,在太赫兹成像领域具有良好发展和应用前景。     

结合支持向量回归和图像自相似的单幅图像超分辨率算法

目的 基于学习的单幅图像超分辨率算法是借助实例训练库由一幅低分辨率图像产生高分辨率图像。提出一种基于图像块自相似性和对非线性映射拟合较好的支持向量回归模型的单幅超分辨率方法,该方法不需使用外部图像训练库。方法 首先根据输入的低分辨率图像建立图像金字塔及包含低/高分辨率图像块对的集合;然后在低/高分辨率图像块对的集合中寻找与输入低分辨率图像块的相似块,利用支持向量回归模型学习这些低分辨率相似块和其对应的高分辨率图像块的中心像素之间的映射关系,进而得到未知高分辨率图像块的中心像素。结果 为了验证本文设计算法的有效性,选取结构和纹理不同的7幅彩色高分辨率图像,对其进行高斯模糊的2倍下采样后所得的低分辨率图像进行超分辨率重构,与双三次插值、基于稀疏表示及基于支持向量回归这3个超分辨率方法重建的高分辨率图像进行比较,峰值信噪比平均依次提升了2.37 dB、0.70 dB和0.57 dB。结论 实验结果表明,本文设计的算法能够很好地实现图像的超分辨率重构,特别是对纹理结构相似度高的图像具有更好的重构效果。     

基于Radon和解析Fourier Mellin变换的尺度

由于正交矩对噪声鲁棒性强、重建效果好,因此被广泛应用于目标识别与分类中,但是正交矩本质上缺乏尺度变换不变性,而且必要的图像二值化与规一化过程会引入重采样与重量化误差。为此,在研究现有正交矩的基础上,提出了一种基于Radon变换和解析FourierMellin变换的尺度与旋转不变的目标识别算法。该算法首先直接对目标灰度图像进行Radon变换,然后对Radon变换结果进行进一步解析,通过FourierMellin变换将原图像的旋转变化转化为相位变化,将原图像的尺度变化转化为幅度变化;最后,通过定义一旋转与尺度不变函数,同时利用不变函数的4种特征,再应用k近邻法实现分类。理论与实验结果表明,由于避免了正交矩方法存在的重采样与重量化误差,该算法的分类精度高于基于正交矩的分类方法,而且对白噪声的鲁棒性也显著高于基于正交矩的识别与分类方法。