Image enhancement through discrete patch optimization

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program executable by a processor for enhancing an image, the actions of the computer program comprising:

• receiving an original image;
• automatically defining, by a processor, a set of sites for the original image, each site being a candidate to be patched and having a first resolution;
• receiving one or more images related to the original image;
• and
• for a first site of the set of sites, performing operations comprising:
• identifying a plurality of candidate labels from the one or more related images, each candidate label being a pixel region of one of the related images that is a potential patch for the first site and that has a second resolution higher than the first resolution;
• producing down-sampled label data by converting a label of the candidate labels from the second resolution to the first resolution;
• performing a pixel-by-pixel comparison of pixels in the down-sampled label data with corresponding pixels of the first site;
• determining a degree of difference between the label and the first site based on the pixel-by-pixel comparison;
• automatically selecting the label as a patch for the first site, the label selected responsive at least in part to the degree of difference between the label and the first site;
• and
• enhancing the image by applying the patch to the first site.

A computer-implemented system for enhancing an image, comprising:

• a processor configured to execute computer program modules, the computer program modules comprising:
• an optimization module performing actions comprising:
• receiving an original image;
• automatically defining, by a processor, a set of sites for the original image, each site being a candidate to be patched and having a first resolution;
• receiving one or more images related to the original image;
• and
• for a first site of the set of sites, performing operations comprising:
• identifying a plurality of candidate labels from the one or more related images, each candidate label being a pixel region of one of the related images that is a potential patch for the first site and that has a second resolution higher than the first resolution;
• producing down-sampled label data by converting a label of the candidate labels from the second resolution to the first resolution;
• performing a pixel-by-pixel comparison of pixels in the down-sampled label data with corresponding pixels of the first site;
• determining a degree of difference between the label and the first site based on the pixel-by-pixel comparison;
• automatically selecting the label as a patch for the first site, the label selected responsive at least in part to the degree of difference between the label and the first site;
• and
• enhancing the image by applying the patch to the first site.