Apparatus and method for rapidly convergent parallel processed deconvolution
AssigneeTrustees of Boston University
InventorsNathan Cohen, Edwin van de Wetering
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An image processing system and method which may be used for standalone deconvolution or, alternatively, may be employed as a staring point for very rapid convergence with subsequent use of prior art deconvolution methods. Processing speed is improved because the sequential requirement of the CLEAN method is relaxed. Fractional removal of noise is accomplished for multiple features within the image during the processing of a single subtractive iteration. Thus the number of iterations can be significantly reduced allowing dramatic reduction of the subtractive stage and a resulting increase in overall processing speed.
Claims18
An apparatus for deconvolving images, said image containing a plurality of peak features, each peak feature comprising a set of pixels having an intensity value within a predetermined range of the predetermined threshold intensity, said plurality of peak features being processed in parallel, said apparatus comprising:
- means for digitizing each of said images into a digitized image comprising a plurality of pixels, each pixel having an intensity value;
- selection and comparison means for selecting the pixel having the highest intensity value and determining it the highest intensity value has an intensity value above a predetermined threshold intensity;
- first generating means, responsive to the selection and comparison means, for generating a subtract image array if said pixel with the highest intensity value has an intensity value above said predetermined threshold intensity, said first generating means is generating a subtract image array comprising a subtract value for each peak feature of said digitized image;
- processing means, responsive to the comparing means, for fractionally subtracting the subtract image array from said digitized image to generate a modified digitized image;
- control means for iteratively reinitiating the selection and comparison means and the processing means for subsequent iterations until the highest intensity level in the modified digitized image does not exceed the predetermined threshold;
- second generating means for constructing a deconvolved digitized image from the modified digitized image;
- and
- display means for displaying said deconvolved digitized image.
A method for deconvolving images, said images containing a plurality of peak features, each peak feature comprising a plurality of pixels having an intensity value within a predetermined range of the highest intensity value, said plurality of peak features being processed in parallel, said method comprising the steps of:
- digitizing each of said images into a digitized image comprising a plurality of pixels, each pixel having an intensity value;
- selecting the pixel having the highest intensity value;
- determining if the highest intensity value exceeds a predetermined threshold;
- generating a set of peak features if the highest intensity value exceeds the predetermined threshold;
- using the set of peak features to generate a subtract image arrays the subtract image array comprising a subtract value for each peak feature in the set of peak features:
- fractionally subtracting the subtract image array from said digitized image to generate a modified digitized image;
- iteratively performing the selecting, comparing, using and fractionally subtracting steps until the highest intensity level of the modified digitized image does not exceed the predetermined threshold;
- constructing a deconvolved digitized image from the modified digitized image;
- and
- reconstructing said digitized image from the deconvolved digitized image.
A device for deconvolving images, said images containing a plurality of peak features, each peak feature comprising a pixel having an intensity value within a predetermined range of the highest intensity value, said plurality of peak features being processed in parallel, said device comprising:
- means for digitizing each of said images into a digitized image comprising a plurality of pixels, each pixel having an intensity value;
- selection and comparison means for selecting the pixel having the highest intensity value determining if the highest intensity value exceeds a predetermined threshold;
- first generating means, responsive to the selection and comparison means, for generating a set of peak features if the highest intensity value exceeds the predetermined threshold, and using the set of peak features to generate a subtract image array, the subtract image array comprising a subtract value for each peak feature in the set of peak features;
- means for fractionally subtracting the subtract image array from said digitized image to generate a modified digitized image;
- control means for iteratively reinitiating the selection means, the comparing means, and the processing means for subsequent iterations until the highest intensity level of the modified digitized image does not exceed the predetermined threshold;
- and
- means for reconstructing said image from the modified digitized image.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.