Generating replacement data values for an image region

Abstract

Given an image with an unwanted feature, a collection of pixels (a defined region) entirely containing the unwanted feature is designated, and replacement data values for the defined region are generated, thereby healing the unwanted feature. A selected image region is healed by propagating values in a boundary region into replacement data values for the selected image region by iteratively applying a procedure or algorithm (e.g., iteratively applying one or more kernels), such that values in the boundary region are continuously put back into the iterative calculations. An example of such a function uses kernels to generate replacement data values having multiple orders of continuity at the boundary. Optionally, replacement data values for an image region to be healed are generated based on a difference between existing data values and texture data values, thereby introducing texture (e.g., pattern, noise) components to a resulting healed region in the image. Mutiresolution processing and tiling can also be used to enhance performance.

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