Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

An 'image information enhancement' technique for processing digital images objectively extracts basic image information classes which are intensity defined and produced by the contrast mediums used for the generation of the image. The technique has wide application in the general field of image enhancement and more particularly in the fields of microscopy, radiology, remote sensing, astronomy, robotics and machine vision and general image evaluation, quantitation and communication. The new image intensity processing technology of this invention makes possible a separation of the image intensity information into three objective distinct non-random spacial groups of 'large image features/background' and small 'spacial detail' and 'intensity detail', and one group of random spacial information of the 'image noise'. 'Detail enhancement' allows a recovery of intensity-defined image components, eliminated by a pixel-accurate smoothing process, through subtraction of a smoothed image from another smoothed image or the original image. The overall contrast range of the recovered information is equal to the applied smoothing factor and can be automatically brought to the full visual intensity range by linear contrast stretching. This has the advantage of maintaining detail contrast proportions which closely reflect the raw data characteristics. If high pixel accuracy processing is provided, 'detail slicing' becomes possible. Two smoothed images, each processed with a different smoothing factor, can be subtracted providing the information difference between least smoothed and the most smoothed data set.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim