Method and system for noise reduction in an image

• US 7,668,396 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2003
• Issued: 02/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VIXS Systems Incorporated (Pixelworks Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: VIXS Systems Incorporated (Pixelworks Incorporated)
• Inventors: Zeng, Steve Zhihua
• Primary Examiner(s): KIM, CHONG R
• Application Number:
  US10/673,612
• Publication Number:
  US 20050069221A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,339 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 382/275
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20221 Image fusion; Image merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/50 using two or more images, e.g. averaging or subtraction
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/12 Edge-based segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/142 Edging; Contouring
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/21 Circuitry for suppressing or minimising disturbance, e.g. moiré or halo

Abstract

In a specific embodiment of the present disclosure, a source image is smoothed to create a smoothed image, and an edge detector is used to create an edge layer. A blending controller is used to control a blending between the source image and the smoothed image. The blended destination image maintains detail while eliminating unwanted noise.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

using a processor to perform steps comprising;

receiving a first video layer of a video image;

determining a first edge layer based on the first video layer, wherein the first edge layer includes an edge indicator at a pixel when a gradient at the pixel is greater than a predetermined value;

determining a first weighted edge layer comprising a weighted value for each pixel of the first edge layer, each weighted value comprising;

a first set of bits representative of a number of Boolean pixel edge indicators within one pixel of the corresponding pixel of the first edge layer; and

a second set of bits representative of a number of Boolean pixel edge indicators within two pixels of the corresponding pixel of the first edge layer; and

blending the first video layer with a first other layer based upon only one of a vertical edge component or a horizontal edge component of the first edge layer and based upon the weighted values of the first weighted edge layer, the first other layer comprising a smoothed representation of the first video layer.

2. The method of claim 1, farther comprising:

receiving a second video layer of the video image;

determining a second edge layer based on the second video layer;

determining a second weighted edge layer comprising a weighted value for each pixel of the second edge layer, each weighted value comprising;

a third set of bits representative of a number of Boolean pixel edge indicators within one pixel of the corresponding pixel of the second edge layer; and

a fourth set of bits representative of a number of Boolean pixel edge indicators within two pixels of the corresponding pixel of the second edge layer; and

blending the second video layer with a second other layer, wherein the blending is controlled by the second edge layer and the second weighted edge layer.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

providing a composite of the first video layer and the second video layer for display on a display device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first video layer is one of an R, G, and B layer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first video layer is one of a Y, U, and V layer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein blending is based upon the horizontal edge component independent of the vertical edge component.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the gradient at the pixel is a horizontal gradient at the pixel.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein blending is based upon the vertical edge component independent of the horizontal edge component.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the gradient at the pixel is a vertical gradient at the pixel.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined value is user definable.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the weighted value comprises an eight-bit byte, the first set of bits comprises the lower four bits of the byte, and the second set of bits comprises the upper four bits of the byte.

12. A method comprising:

using a processor to perform steps comprising;

determining an edge layer based upon an image layer of a video image, wherein the edge layer includes an edge indicator at a pixel when a gradient at the pixel is greater than a predetermined value;

determining a filtered layer based upon the image layer;

determining a weighted edge layer comprising a weighted value for each pixel of the edge layer, each weighted value comprising;

a first set of bits representative of a number of Boolean pixel edge indicators within one pixel of the corresponding pixel of the edge layer; and

a second set of bits representative of a number of Boolean pixel edge indicators within two pixels of the corresponding pixel of the edge layer; and

determining a blending ratio for each pixel of a blended image layer based upon the weighted edge layer, wherein the blending ratio is to control blending the image layer and the filtered layer to form the blended image layer, and the blending ratio is based on only one of a vertical edge component or a horizontal edge component of the edge layer.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the filtered layer represents a smoothed video image.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the blending ratio is based on the vertical edge component independent of the horizontal edge component.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the gradient at the pixel is a vertical gradient at the pixel.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the blending ratio is based on the horizontal edge component independent of the vertical edge component.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the gradient at the pixel is a horizontal gradient at the pixel.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the predetermined value is user definable.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the weighted value comprises an eight-bit byte, the first set of bits comprises the lower four bits of the byte, and the second set of bits comprises the upper four bits of the byte.

20. A system comprising:

a noise filter coupled to receive a source video image and to provide a smoothed video image;

an edge detector coupled to receive the source video image and to provide an edge layer and a weighted edge layer comprising a weighted value for each pixel of the edge layer, each weighted value comprising;

a first set of bits representative of a number of Boolean pixel edge indicators within one pixel of the corresponding pixel of the edge layer; and

a second set of bits representative of a number of Boolean pixel edge indicators within two pixels of the corresponding pixel of the edge layer; and

a blending controller coupled to receive the smoothed video image, the weighted edge layer, and the edge layer and to provide a destination layer of a video image based upon the smoothed video image, the weighted edge layer, and only one of a vertical edge component or a horizontal edge component of the edge layer.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the blending controller is to provide the destination layer of the video image based on the vertical edge component independent of the horizontal edge component.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the blending controller is to provide the destination layer of the video image based on the horizontal edge component independent of the vertical edge component.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the weighted value comprises an eight-bit byte, the first set of bits comprises the lower four bits of the byte, and the second set of bits comprises the upper four bits of the byte.