Method and apparatus for improving the quality of reconstructed information
Image processing apparatus and methods according to the present invention are described in which data for each color channel are separately processed, on a pixel by pixel basis, such that the data associated with the primary color channel is filtered less than the crosstalk information associated with a non-primary color channel. In a specific embodiment, the data associated with the primary color channel is not filtered at all. When data is processed in this manner, minimal loss of image detail results, with a significant reduction in crosstalk noise.
1. A method for correcting image information associated with a plurality of information channels comprising:
obtaining image information from a first information channel which is a primary information channel to be reconstructed;
obtaining image information from at least one additional information channel, wherein at least a portion of the information from the at least one additional information channel includes information associated with the information obtained from the first channel;
transforming only the image information obtained from the at least one additional information channel to obtain transformed image information associated with the first channel; and
combining at least a portion of the transformed image information associated with the first information channel with at least a portion of the information from the first information channel to obtain corrected image information associated with the first information channel, wherein said corrected image information defines a reconstructed information channel that corresponds to said primary information channel.
2. The method as in claim 1 , wherein transforming comprises filtering the image information obtained from the at least one additional information channel to minimize noise.
3. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the method implements a color correction matrix.
4. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the image information to be corrected is from a photographic image.
5. The method as in claim 1 , further comprising obtaining image information from a third information channel, wherein the first information channel is a first color channel, the at least one additional information channel is a second color channel, and the third information channel is a third color channel.
6. The method as in claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the information obtained from the first channel includes information associated with the information obtained from the at least one additional channel, and wherein the method further comprises:
transforming the image information obtained from the first information channel to obtain transformed image information associated with the at least one additional channel; and
combining at least a portion of the transformed image information associated with the at least one additional channel with at least a portion of the image information obtained from the at least one additional channel to obtain corrected image information associated with the at least one additional channel.
7. The method as in claim 6 , wherein the image information obtained from the at least one additional image information channel is substantially unaltered before combining.
8. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the information obtained from the first information channel is substantially unaltered before combining.
9. The method as in claim 1 , wherein obtaining image information comprises scanning an image.
10. The method as in claim 1 , wherein obtaining image information comprises scanning a photographic image during development.
11. A digital file tangibly embodied in a computer readable medium, said digital file generated by implementing a method comprising:
obtaining image information from a first information channel which is a primary information channel to be reconstructed;
obtaining image information from at least one additional information channel, wherein at least a portion of the information from the at least one additional information channel includes information associated with the information obtained from the first channel;
transforming only the image information obtained from the at least one additional information channel to obtain transformed image information associated with the first channel; and
combining at least a portion of the transformed image information associated with the first information channel with at least a portion of the information from the first information channel to obtain corrected image information associated with the first information channel, wherein said corrected image information defines a reconstructed information channel that corresponds to said primary information channel.
12. The digital file as in claim 11 , wherein transforming comprises filtering the image information obtained from the at least one additional information channel to minimize noise.
13. The digital file as in claim 11 , wherein the method implements a color correction matrix.
14. The digital file as in claim 11 , wherein the image information to be corrected is from a photographic image.
15. The digital file as in claim 11 , further comprising obtaining image information from a third information channel, wherein the first information channel is a first color channel, the at least one additional information channel is a second color channel, and the third information channel is a third color channel.
16. The digital file as in claim 11 , wherein at least a portion of the information obtained from the first channel includes information associated with the information obtained from the at least one additional channel, and wherein the method further comprises:
transforming the image information obtained from the first information channel to obtain transformed image information associated with the at least one additional channel; and
combining at least a portion of the transformed image information associated with the at least one additional channel with at least a portion of the image information obtained from the at least one additional channel to obtain corrected image information associated with the at least one additional channel.
17. The digital file as in claim 16 , wherein the image information obtained from the at least one additional image information channel is substantially unaltered before combining.
18. The digital file as in claim 11 , wherein the image information obtained from the first information channel is substantially unaltered before combining.
19. The digital file as in claim 11 , wherein obtaining image information comprises scanning an image.
20. The digital file as in claim 11 , wherein obtaining image information comprises scanning a photographic image during development.
21. An image processing system comprising:
at least one illumination source capable of illuminating a physical medium;
at least one detector enabled to generate electrical signals in response to light, said electrical signals representative of image information obtained from a first information channel and at least one additional information channel, wherein said first information channel is a primary information channel to be reconstructed, at least a portion of the information from the at least one additional information channel includes information associated with the information obtained from the first channel, and said detector further enabled to output said electrical signals for image processing;
at least one processor;
memory operably associated with said processor; and
a program of instructions, said program of instructions capable of being stored in said memory and executed by said processor, said program of instructions enabled to transform only the image information obtained from the at least one additional information channel to obtain transformed image information associated with the first channel, and to combine at least a portion of the transformed image information associated with the first information channel with at least a portion of the information from the first information channel to obtain corrected image information associated with the first information channel, wherein said corrected image information defines a reconstructed information channel that corresponds to said primary information channel.
22. The image processing system as in claim 21 , wherein said program of instructions is further enabled to filter the image information obtained from the at least one additional information channel to minimize noise.
23. The image processing system as in claim 21 , wherein said program of instructions is enabled to implement a color correction matrix.
24. The image processing system as in claim 21 , wherein the image information to be corrected is from a photographic image.
25. The image processing system as in claim 21 , wherein said electrical signals further represent information from a third information channel, and wherein the first information channel is a first color channel, the at least an additional information channel is a second color channel, and the third information channel is a third color channel.
26. The image processing system as in claim 21 , wherein at least a portion of the information obtained from the first channel includes information associated with the information obtained from the at least one additional channel, and wherein said program of instructions is further enabled to transform the image information obtained from the first information channel to obtain transformed image information associated with the at least one additional channel, and to combine at least a portion of the transformed image information associated with the at least one additional channel with at least a portion of the image information obtained from the at least one additional channel to obtain corrected image information associated with the at least one additional channel.
27. The image processing system as in claim 26 , wherein the image information obtained from the at least one additional image information channel is substantially unaltered before combining.
28. The image processing system as in claim 21 , wherein the image information obtained from the first information channel is substantially unaltered before being combined.
29. The image processing system as in claim 21 , wherein the image processing system is a digital film processing system.
30. The image processing system as in claim 21 , wherein the image processing system is a copy machine.
31. The image processing system as in claim 21 , wherein the image processing system is a facsimile machine.
32. The image processing system as in claim 21 , wherein the image processing system is a scanner.