Digital image display improvement system and method
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorGopal B. Avinash
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A technique is disclosed for enhancing discrete pixel images in accordance with a desired dynamic range, such as the dynamic range of a softcopy display. Adaptive equalization is first performed on the image data to reduce overall differences between high and low intensity values, while maintaining the overall appearance of light and dark regions of the reconstructed image. Adaptive contrast boosting or enhancement is then performed on the equalized values to bring out details visible by virtue of the enhanced local contrast. The contrast enhancement may include non-linear mapping of a mid-frequency boosted image onto the dynamic range of the softcopy display.
Claims26
A method for enhancing a discrete pixel image, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) adaptively equalizing original intensity values for pixels comprising the image to reduce overall variations between high and low intensity regions;
- and
- (b) boosting local contrast between the intensity values by forming a mid-frequency boosted image and applying a non-linear mapping function to the mid-frequency boosted image to map low and high intensity pixel values to a desired dynamic range.
A method for enhancing a discrete pixel image for softcopy display, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) adaptively equalizing original intensity values for pixels comprising the image to reduce overall variations between high and low intensity regions;
- (b) boosting local contrast between the intensity values by forming a mid-frequency boosted image;
- and
- (c) applying a non-linear mapping function for a softcopy display device to the mid-frequency boosted image to map the intensity values to a dynamic range of the softcopy display device.
A method for enhancing a discrete pixel image, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) preprocessing image data to shrink an original image by a desired factor;
- (b) adaptively equalizing original intensity values for pixels comprising the image to reduce overall variations between high and low intensity regions;
- (c) boosting local contrast between the intensity values by forming a mid-frequency boosted image and applying a non-linear mapping function to the mid-frequency boosted image to map low and high intensity pixel values to a desired dynamic range;
- and
- (d) postprocessing the mapped intensity values from step (c) for a softcopy display.
A system for enhancing and viewing discrete pixel images, the system comprising:
- a memory device for storing image data representative of discrete pixel values of a reconstructed image;
- a softcopy display station for displaying an enhanced image based upon the image data, the display station having a predetermined dynamic range;
- and
- a data processing circuit configured to perform adaptive equalization of the discrete pixel values of the image data, and to enhance local contrast of the equalized values to adapt the image data to the dynamic range of the display station.
A computer program for enhancing a discrete pixel image, the program comprising:
- a machine readable medium for storing machine readable configuration code;
- and
- configuration code stored on the machine readable medium, the code comprising instructions for adaptively equalizing original intensity values for pixels comprising an image to reduce overall variations between high and low intensity regions, boosting local contrast between the intensity values by forming a mid-frequency boosted image, and applying a non-linear mapping function for a softcopy display device to the mid-frequency boosted image to map the intensity values to a dynamic range of the softcopy display device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.