Method and apparatus for image fusion

• US 9,501,852 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2014
• Issued: 11/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Jiang, An, Cui, Feng, Xie, Qiwei
• Primary Examiner(s): Do, Anh
• Application Number:
  US14/155,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20140205204A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,042 Days
• Field of Search: 382/284, 382/190, 382/103, 250/221, 250/208.1, 340/12.25, 340/5.61, 340/5.64, 342/159, 342/175, 342/179, 348/218.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20221 Image fusion; Image merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/20 using local operators
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/50 using two or more images, e.g. averaging or subtraction

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and apparatus for image fusion. A method for image fusion according to the embodiments of the present invention comprises: obtaining multiple images for a same scene; and calculating a fused image of the multiple images based on Bayes analysis by using a kernel function.

Claims

1. A method for image fusion, comprising:

obtaining, via a processor, multiple images for a same scene;

calculating, via the processor a fused image of the multiple images based on Bayes analysis by using a kernel function; and

calculating, via the processor, the fused image based on the kernel function by using a constructed energy function.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the calculating a fused image further comprises:

establishing a relationship between the multiple images and the fused image by using the kernel function; and

constructing the energy function as a function of the fused image and the kernel function through the Bayes analysis based on the relationship.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein a gradient of the fused image is set to be substantially equal to that of an image with a higher spatial resolution among the multiple images.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

updating the kernel function by using the calculated fused image when a predetermined fusion standard is not satisfied.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

optimizing the fused image based on the updated kernel function.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined fusion standard is at least one of

times of the updating and

quality of the calculated fused image.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the multiple images include a high resolution image and a multispectral image.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the kernel function includes a point spread function (PSF).

9. An apparatus, comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including a computer program code, wherein the at least one memory including the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to:

obtain multiple images for a same scene;

calculate a fused image of the multiple images based on Bayes analysis by using a kernel function; and

calculate the fused image based on the kernel function by using a constructed energy function.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one memory including the computer program code is further configured to cause the apparatus to:

establish a relationship between the multiple images and the fused image by using the kernel function; and

construct the energy function as a function of the fused image and the kernel function through the Bayes analysis based on the relationship.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein a gradient of the fused image is set to be substantially equal to that of an image with a higher spatial resolution among the multiple images.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one memory including the computer program code is further configured to cause the apparatus to:

update the kernel function by using the calculated fused image when a predetermined fusion standard is not satisfied.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one memory including the computer program code is further configured to cause the apparatus to:

optimize the fused image based on the updated kernel function.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the predetermined fusion standard is at least one of

times of the updating and

quality of the calculated fused image.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the multiple images include a high resolution image and a multispectral image.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the kernel function includes a point spread function (PSF).

17. A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program code portions stored therein, the computer-executable program code portions comprising:

program code instructions causing a data processor to obtain multiple images for a same scene;

program code instructions causing the processor to calculate a fused image of the multiple images based on Bayes analysis by using a kernel function; and

program code instructions causing the processor to calculate the fused image based on the kernel function by using the constructed energy function.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising program code instructions to

establish a relationship between the multiple images and the fused image by using the kernel function;

and

construct the energy function as a function of the fused image and the kernel function through the Bayes analysis based on the relationship.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein a gradient of the fused image is set to be substantially equal to that of an image with a higher spatial resolution among the multiple images.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer-executable program code portions further comprises program code to:

update the kernel function by using the calculated fused image when a predetermined fusion standard is not satisfied.