Noise Filter

A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium configured to perform one or more acts for removing noise and/or aliasing from an image created from an image sensor array, the one or more acts comprising:

• one or more instructions for separating image data into a plurality of image planes;
• one or more instructions for performing noise analysis to determine an average noise amplitude and noise distribution for each image plane via a gradient calculation;
• one or more instructions for applying an edge mask to weaken isolated transients in one or more of the image planes;
• one or more instructions for applying a noise filter using one or more levels of filtering to one or more of the image planes;
• and
• one or more instructions for performing detail recovery combining filtered and unfiltered images planes according to the noise analysis.

A computer system comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory coupled to the processor;
• a processing module coupled to the memory, the processing module configured to attenuate noise, module including:
• a filter configured to filter one or more data arrays by combining the data array to be filtered with one or more composite data arrays, the one or more data arrays including a modified spatial alignment, the filter including:
• an separation module configured to separate data into a plurality of data planes;
• an analysis module coupled to the sep module, the analysis module configured to perform noise analysis to determine an average noise amplitude and noise distribution for each data plane via a gradient calculation;
• an edge mask coupled to the analysis module, the edge mask configured to protect edge data;
• and
• a noise filter using one or more levels of filtering to one or more of the data planes.

A method for filtering image data, the method comprising:

• separating image data into a plurality of data planes;
• performing noise analysis to determine an average noise amplitude and noise distribution for each data plane via a gradient calculation, the noise analysis performed when ambient conditions of a sensor collecting the image data change;
• estimating noise in the image data using the gradient calculation to determine an average value and a median value from the gradient calculation;
• applying a noise filter using one or more levels of filtering to one or more of the data planes, the noise filter configured to protect one or more determined edges of the image data;
• and
• performing detail recovery using a composite image plane combined with one or more filtered and unfiltered images planes according to the noise analysis.

A method for noise filtering comprising:

• separating image data into a plurality of data planes;
• performing noise analysis to determine an average noise amplitude and noise distribution for each data plane via a gradient calculation;
• estimating noise in the data using the gradient calculation to determine an average value and a median value from the gradient calculation;
• and
• applying a noise filter using one or more levels of filtering to one or more of the data planes, the noise filter configured to protect one or more determined edges of the data, the noise filter operating to filter out noise that is not masked by protecting the one or more determined edges of the data.