Method, system, and software for signal processing using pyramidal decomposition
View Patent ↗A method, system, and software are disclosed for improving the quality of a signal. A base signal is recursively decomposed and modified for a desired number of pyramid levels. At each level, the decomposed signal from the previous level is modified to improve one or more signal components or characteristics. The modified signal from a given level is then decomposed for the next level of the pyramidal decomposition for each pyramid level. Starting at the second to last level of the pyramidal decomposition, the improved signal of the last pyramid level is recomposed and then combined with one or more signals from the current pyramid level, resulting in an improved signal for the current level. The recomposition and combination of the improved signal of the previous level occurs for each level until the top, or level 0 , of the pyramidal decomposition is reached. The improved base signal may or may not be combined with the original base signal, depending on the desired outcome. The present invention finds particular application in photography and digital film processing, whereby the illustrated method may be used to improve image quality.
1. A method comprising;
obtaining a base signal including a plurality of signal components;
performing a pyramidal decomposition of the base signal to generate a first decomposed signal;
increasing the ratio of a desired signal component of the first decomposed signal to other signal components of the first decomposed signal to generate a first modified signal; and
recomposing the first modified signal to generate an improved base signal.
2. The method as in claim 1 , wherein increasing the ratio includes increasing the desired signal component.
3. The method as in claim 2 , wherein increasing the desired signal component is performed by guiding a sheep artifact with a shepherd artifact.
4. The method as in claim 1 , wherein increasing the ratio includes filtering the other signal components.
5. The method as in claim 4 , wherein filtering is includes using a match blur.
6. The method as in claim 4 , wherein filtering includes streak removal.
7. The method as in claim 1 , further including:
performing a pyramidal decomposition of the first modified signal to generate a second decomposed signal;
increasing the ratio of a desired signal component of the second decomposed signal to other signal components of the second decomposed signal to generate a second modified signal; and
recomposing the modified second decomposed signal to generate a first recomposed signal.
8. The method as in claim 7 , further including:
combining the first recomposed signal with the second modified signal to generate a first improved signal.
9. The method as in claim 7 , further including:
combining the first recomposed signal with the second decomposed signal to generate a first improved signal.
10. The method as in claim 1 , wherein said base signal is a digital representation of an analog signal.
11. A method comprising;
obtaining a digital base image, the base image including a plurality of image components;
performing a first pyramidal decomposition of the base image to generate a first decomposed image;
increasing the ratio of a desired image component of the first decomposed image to other image components of the first decomposed image to generate a first modified image;
performing a pyramidal decomposition of the first modified image to generate a second decomposed image;
increasing the ratio of a desired image component of the second decomposed image to other image components of the second decomposed image to generate a second modified image;
recomposing the second modified image to generate a first recomposed image;
combining the first recomposed image with the first modified image to generate an improved first image;
recomposing the improved first image to generate an improved base image.
12. The method as in claim 11 , wherein increasing the ratio includes increasing the desired image component.
13. The method as in claim 12 , wherein increasing the desired image component is performed by guiding a sheep artifact with a shepherd artifact.
14. The method as in claim 11 , wherein increasing the ratio includes filtering the other image components.
15. The method as in claim 14 , wherein filtering is includes using a match blur.
16. The method as in claim 15 , wherein filtering includes streak removal.
17. A digital film development system comprising:
a film processing system, said film processing system including an image capturing station capable of obtaining sets of data representing an image formed in film; and
a data processing system, said data processing system including:
a processor;
memory operably coupled to said processor; and
a program of instructions capable of being stored in said memory and executed by said processor, said program of instructions including instructions for:
obtaining a base signal including a plurality of signal components;
performing a pyramidal decomposition of the base signal to generate a first decomposed signal;
increasing the ratio of a desired signal component of the first decomposed signal to other signal components of the first decomposed signal to generate a first modified signal; and
recomposing the first modified signal to generate an improved base signal.
18. The method as in claim 17 , wherein increasing the ratio includes increasing the desired signal component.
19. The method as in claim 18 , wherein increasing the desired signal component is performed by guiding a sheep artifact with a shepherd artifact.
20. The method as in claim 17 , wherein increasing the ratio includes filtering the other signal components.
21. The method as in claim 20 , wherein filtering is includes using a match blur.
22. The method as in claim 20 , wherein filtering includes streak removal.
23. The method as in claim 17 , further including:
performing a pyramidal decomposition of the first modified signal to generate a second decomposed signal;
increasing the ratio of a desired signal component of the second decomposed signal to other signal components of the second decomposed signal to generate a second modified signal; and
recomposing the modified second decomposed signal to generate an improved first decompose a first recomposed signal.
24. The method as in claim 23 , further including:
combining the first recomposed signal with the second modified signal to generate a first improved signal.
25. The method as in claim 23 , further including:
combining the first recomposed signal with the second decomposed signal to generate a first improved signal.
26. The method as in claim 1 , wherein said base signal is a digital representation of an analog signal.
27. A digital image tangibly embodied in a computer readable medium, said digital image generated according to a method comprising:
obtaining a digital base image, the base image including a plurality of image components;
performing a first pyramidal decomposition of the base image to generate a first decomposed image;
increasing the ratio of a desired image component of the first decomposed image to other image components of the first decomposed image to generate a first modified image;
performing a pyramidal decomposition of the first modified image to generate a second decomposed image;
increasing the ratio of a desired image component of the second decomposed image to other image components of the second decomposed image to generate a second modified image;
recomposing the second modified image to generate an improved first first recomposed image;
combining the first recomposed image with the first modified image to generate an improved first image;
recomposing the improved first image to generate an improved base image.
28. The digital image as in claim 27 , wherein increasing the ratio includes increasing the desired image component.
29. The digital image as in claim 28 , wherein increasing the desired image component is performed by guiding a sheep artifact with a shepherd artifact.
30. The digital image as in claim 28 , wherein increasing the ratio includes filtering the other image components.
31. The digital image as in claim 30 , wherein filtering is includes using a match blur.
32. The digital image as in claim 30 , wherein filtering includes streak removal.