A variational method for expanding the bit-depth of low contrast image

Motong Qiao, Wei Wang, Michael K. Ng

Research output: Chapter in book/report/conference proceedingConference proceedingpeer-review

Abstract

Traditionally, bit-depth expansion is an image processing technique to display a low bit-depth image on a high bit-depth monitor. In this paper, we study a variational method for expanding the bit-depth of low contrast images. Our idea is to develop a variational approach containing an energy functional to determine a local mapping function f(r,x) for bit-depth expansion via a smoothing technique, such that each pixel can be adjusted locally to a high bit-depth value. In order to enhance low contrast images, we make use of the histogram equalization technique for such local mapping function. Both bit-depth expansion and equalization terms can be combined together into the resulting objective function. In order to minimize the differences among the local mapping function at the nearby pixel locations, the spatial regularization of the mapping is incorporated in the objective function. Experimental results are reported to show that the performance of the proposed method is competitive with the other compared methods for several testing low contrast images.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationEnergy Minimization Methods in Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition - 9th International Conference, EMMCVPR 2013, Proceedings
Pages54-65
Number of pages12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2013
Event9th International Conference on Energy Minimization Methods in Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition, EMMCVPR 2013 - Lund, Sweden
Duration: 19 Aug 201321 Aug 2013

Publication series

NameLecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)
Volume8081 LNCS
ISSN (Print)0302-9743
ISSN (Electronic)1611-3349

Conference

Conference9th International Conference on Energy Minimization Methods in Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition, EMMCVPR 2013
Country/TerritorySweden
CityLund
Period19/08/1321/08/13

User-Defined Keywords

  • bit-depth expansion
  • low contrast
  • spatial regularization
  • variational methods

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