Comparison of transform coding techniques for two-dimensional arbitrarily shaped images

Envisioned advanced multimedia video services include arbitrarily shaped (AS) image segments as well as regular rectangular images. Image segments of the TV weather report produced by the chromo-key technique [1] and image segments produced by video analysis and image segmentation [2–4] are typical examples of AS image segments. This paper explores efficient intraframe transform coding techniques for general two-dimensional (2D) AS image segments, treating the traditional rectangular images as a special case. In particular, we focus on the transform coding of the partially defined image blocks along the boundary of the AS image segments. We recognize two different approaches — thebrute force transform coding approach and theshape-adaptive transform coding approach. The former fills the uncovered area with the optimal redundant data such that the resulting transform spectrum is compact. A simple but efficient mirror image extension technique is proposed. Once augmented into full image blocks, these boundary blocks can be processed by traditional block-based transform techniques like the popular discrete cosine transform (DCT). In the second approach, we change either the transform basis or the coefficient calculation process adaptively based on the shape of the AS image segment. We propose an efficientshape-projected problem formulation to reduce the dimension of the problem. Existing coding algorithms, such as the orthogonal transform by Gilge [5] and the iterative coding by Kaup and Aach [6], can be interpreted intuitively. We also propose a new adaptive transform based on the same principle as that used in deriving the DCT from the optimal Karhunen-Loeve transform (KLT). We analyze the tradeoff relationship between compression performance, computational complexity, and codec complexity for different coding schemes. Simulation results show that complicated algorithms (e.g., iterative, adaptive) can improve the quality by 5–10 dB at some computational or hardware cost. Alternatively, the simple mirror image extension technique improves the quality by 3–4 dB without any overheads. The contributions of this paper lie in efficient problem formulations, new transform coding techniques, and numerical tradeoff analyses.     

增强现实系统中视频影像与DEM栅格图像匹配

提出一种新的图像匹配技术解决增强现实（AR）系统中的户外3维注册问题。首先用数学形态学提取视频影像中的地形边缘曲线。根据GIS的通视分析原理,从DEM（数字高程模型）栅格图像上生成基于观测视点的地表视域轮廓。再分别检测两个轮廓线上的局部极值点,计算各自的极值点曲率向量。最终通过用相关矩阵度量两个极值点曲率向量之间的相似性获得匹配结果。研究结论表明,与地图相比,基于视频AR的地理信息可视化对地理数据建模的要求较低,且无须对空间数据进行抽象符号化。     

一种通用的基于MVP的图像编解码系统的硬件实现

德州仪器公司推出的ＴＭＳ３２０Ｃ８０,为需要高计算能力的算法（如视频压缩算法）提供了新的思路。本文给出一种基于Ｃ８０的硬件系统设计,也可以作为一种通用系统用于其他场合。     

匀速直线运动模糊长度的精确估计

点扩展函数的设置是影响图像复原的关键问题。对于匀速直线运动模糊图像,模糊长度和运动方向决定了点扩展函数。分析了模糊图像的频谱图出现黑色条带的原因、条件以及它的精确位置,并设计了一种匀速直线运动模糊长度的估计算法,理论和实验证明这种算法是精确的。     

多重分形谱在叶片图像处理中的应用

将多重分形理论引入到植物叶片的图像处理中,用数字图像处理与分析技术,重点对葫芦科的4种植物叶片的图像进行处理,通过计算多重分形谱分析植物叶片的特点。该文处理叶片图像的方法,可望在植物分类及农业生产中产生积极意义。     

频率域Wyner-Ziv视频编码算法的改进

为提高分布式视频编码压缩率,依据无线传感网络终端设备及Wyner-Ziv视频编码特点,针对Bernd Girod的频域Wyner-Ziv视频编码方案提出改进算法。该算法在编码端通过简单DCT运算提出将图像块分为Skip模式、低频模式和全频模式三种可选模式,在解码端根据相应的编码模式分别选择平均插值、自适应搜索运动估计插值和自适应搜索精细运动估计插值的边信息估算方法联合解码。该算法既能通过消除大量的帧间预测与熵编码实现低码率传输,又能以最小的解码代价获得更精确的边信息,从而有效地避免图像解码质量下降。实验结果表明,在相同峰值信噪比情况下,该算法的码率比Bernd Girod提出的频域Wyner-Ziv算法平均下降40%。     

扫描型红外图像实时目标检测研究

针对扫描型红外图像数据量大、背景复杂、横纹杂波干扰大和目标图像信噪比低等特点,提出一种适用于360°全方位扫描型红外图像目标检测的实时处理算法。算法预处理部分消除横纹杂波,实现目标增强和背景抑制;然后采用两级特征提取,大幅降低图像的数据量;最后根据帧间图像灰度特征相关的思想,完成扫描型红外图像目标检测的功能。根据本文算法的特点,以DSP+FPGA为核心处理器设计了具有实时处理能力强,数据传输容量大等优点的图像处理板。实验结果表明,本文算法是有效、可行的,图像处理板稳定、可靠,能满足扫描型红外图像实时目标检测的需求。     

数字视频编码技术在安全驾驶中的应用

将最新的数字视频编码技术与现在普遍的关注的汽车电子安全问题结合起来,对数字视频编码技术H.264进行分析,应用在汽车安全驾驶中;这种技术可以快速而准确的实时显示图像;本文对视频信号的编码速率和效果进行实时性分析,利用对司机的人眼识别,得到最新的人眼状态,以便进行对司机脸部的图像分析,判断状态,达到安全驾驶的目的。     

A computationally efficient algorithm for enhancing linear features in images

We present a computationally efficient algorithm for highlighting long linear features in images. The algorithm is based on the recursive binary decomposition of the image into subimages that have been line enhanced along different directions. After a number of successive decompositions, the subimages are recombined to yield a line enhanced image. The performance of the algorithm is similar to that of rotating-kernel-type enhancement routines. However, the new algorithm can be executed much faster, making it ideal for use on large noisy images such as those provided by synthetic aperature radar.     

基于预测稀疏编码的快速单幅图像超分辨率重建

针对经典的基于稀疏编码的图像超分辨率算法在重建过程中运算量大、计算效率低的缺点,提出一种基于预测稀疏编码的单幅图像超分辨率重建算法。训练阶段,该算法在传统的稀疏编码误差函数基础上叠加编码预测误差项构造目标函数,并采用交替优化过程最小化该目标函数;测试阶段,仅需将输入的低分辨图像块和预先训练得到的低分辨率字典相乘就能预测出重建系数,从而避免了求解稀疏回归问题。实验结果表明,与经典的基于稀疏编码的单幅图像超分辨率算法相比,该算法能够在显著减少重建阶段运算时间的同时几乎完全保留超分辨率视觉效果。     

全搜索算法的SSE并行优化

在基于宏块划分的视频编码算法中,运动估计阶段因为其庞大的计算量占用了绝大多数的编码时间.特别是在对高清视频进行编码时,运动估计已经成为提升编码性能的最大瓶颈.本文通过对全搜索运动估计算法进行基于像素的并行化修改和优化,使用SSE指令调用CPU的SIMD单元同时对当前宏块与参考宏块的多个像素进行SAD运算,对运动估计进行了并行化的实现.在相同的硬件环境以及保证编码质量的前提下,相对于传统的全搜索CPU运算获得了2倍以上的编码性能提升.     

基于小波变换的雾霾立体图像增强算法研究

针对立体图像在雾霾环境下的质量问题,运用小波变换的多尺度特征,提出了一种雾霾环境下的立体图像增强算法,主要用于中度污染情况下的雾霾立体图像,以提高图像资源的清晰程度。该算法将原始雾霾立体图像的深度信息与多尺度小波分解相结合,在不同尺度下分解得到的小波高频子图中设置人为操控因子,调控对比度增强的强度;锐化分解后的小波低频子图边缘来突出整体轮廓。实验从PSNR指标、视觉效果和DMOS主观评价值三个方面验证了算法的成效,该方法的增强性能均好于传统的边缘锐化和四层小波变换方法,具备很好的图像边缘增强能力,细节保护能力,且与传统小波变换有相同的算法时间复杂度。     

Reduced-gate convolutional long short-term memory using predictive coding for spatiotemporal prediction

Spatiotemporal sequence prediction is an important problem in deep learning. We study next-frame(s) video prediction using a deep-learning-based predictive coding framework that uses convolutional LSTM (convLSTM) modules. We introduce a novel rgcLSTM architecture that requires a significantly lower parameter budget than a comparable convLSTM. By using a single multifunction gate, our reduced-gate model achieves equal or better next-frame(s) prediction accuracy than the original convolutional LSTM while using a smaller parameter budget, thereby reducing training time and memory requirements. We tested our reduced gate modules within a predictive coding architecture on the moving MNIST and KITTI datasets. We found that our reduced-gate model has a significant reduction of approximately 40% of the total number of training parameters and a 25% reduction in elapsed training time in comparison with the standard convolutional LSTM model. The performance accuracy of the new model was also improved. This makes our model more attractive for hardware implementation, especially on small devices. We also explored a space of 20 different gated architectures to get insight into how our rgcLSTM fits into that space.     

Linear programming and model predictive control

The practicality of model predictive control (MPC) is partially limited by the ability to solve optimization problems in real time. This requirement limits the viability of MPC as a control strategy for large scale processes. One strategy for improving the computational performance is to formulate MPC using a linear program. While the linear programming formulation seems appealing from a numerical standpoint, the controller does not necessarily yield good closed-loop performance. In this work, we explore MPC with an l₁ performance criterion. We demonstrate how the non-smoothness of the objective function may yield either dead-beat or idle control performance.     

极低比特率的图象编码技术

介绍了几种极低比特率图象编码的基本概念、现状、存在的问题以及进一步研究的方向，并对两类典型的基于模型的图象编码和三维子波图象编码方法的特点、关键技术的实现方法、需要解决的问题进行了详细的论述，最后还从图象信号表示的角度探讨了各种极低比特率图象编码技术中存在的根本问题。     

Very-low-bit-rate coding of image sequences using the Gabor transform

Abstract— While the need for image-sequence compression has long been understood, recent applications have shown that existing methods are not always sufficient. A case in point is the class of applications referred to as “very low bit rate.” These applications require the transmission of sequences over very narrow channels, e.g., 9600 bits/s. The compression ratios required are substantially beyond those that can be accomplished (with reasonable image quality) using standard methods. The Gabor transform is a local frequency decomposition which has been proposed as a model of the early stages of human vision. It has found widespread use for a number of tasks in signal and image processing, including image compression. In this paper, we examine Gabor transform-based coding for image-sequence transmission at rates near 10 kbits/s.     

高效视频编码中变换跳过模式的快速选择

目的新一代高效视频编码(HEVC)标准采用了灵活的块结构和大量新颖的编码工具,有效提高了视频编码效率。变换跳过模式作为一种新增加的模式,可以有效地提高编码效率,但是也显著地增加了编码的复杂度,增加了实时编码应用的难度。因此提出一种针对变换跳过模式的提前剪枝算法。方法通过分析不同率失真代价下是否选择变换跳过模式的残差块的分布情况,最终选取率失真代价的平方根作为阈值,并建立了量化参数与阈值之间的模型。之后可以根据量化参数提前计算得到阈值大小,减少变换跳过模式的编码次数,从而降低变换跳过模式的复杂度。结果由于最终只需要对少量的块进行变换跳过模式编码,并且使用模型得到经验阈值并不会额外增加复杂度,因此能减少编码器的计算复杂度。实验结果表明,与标准编码器相比,该算法对于不同场景的标准测试序列平均峰值性噪比和平均比特率变化都非常小,平均减少了70%的变换跳过模式编码的次数。结论该变换跳过模式的剪枝算法,选取率失真代价的平方根作为阈值,根据本文模型获取不同量化参数下的经验阈值,对是否需要进行变换跳过模式提前判断。实验结果表明,该算法能在保证视频编码质量的前提下有效地降低由于加入变换跳过模式增加的编码复杂度。     

Finding out general tendencies in speckle noise reduction in ultrasound images

This article investigates and compiles some of the techniques mostly used in the smoothing or suppression of speckle noise in ultrasound images. With this information, a comparison of all the methods studied is done based on an experiment, using quality metrics to test their performance and show the benefits each one can contribute. To test the methods, a synthetic, noise-free image of a kidney is created and later simulations using Field II program to corrupt it are performed. This way, the smoothing techniques can be compared using numeric metrics, taking the noise-free image as a reference. Since real ultrasound images are already noise corrupted images and real noise-free images do not exist, conventional metrics cannot be used to indicate the quality obtained with filtering. Nevertheless, we propose the use of the tendencies observed in our study in real images.     

Spatial-temporal joint probability images for video segmentation

Effective annotation and content-based search for videos in a digital library require a preprocessing step of detecting, locating and classifying scene transitions, i.e., temporal video segmentation. This paper proposes a novel approach—spatial-temporal joint probability image (ST-JPI) analysis for temporal video segmentation. A joint probability image (JPI) is derived from the joint probabilities of intensity values of corresponding points in two images. The ST-JPT, which is a series of JPIs derived from consecutive video frames, presents the evolution of the intensity joint probabilities in a video. The evolution in a ST-JPI during various transitions falls into one of several well-defined linear patterns. Based on the patterns in a ST-JPI, our algorithm detects and classifies video transitions effectively.Our study shows that temporal video segmentation based on ST-JPIs is distinguished from previous methods in the following way: (1) It is effective and relatively robust not only for video cuts but also for gradual transitions; (2) It classifies transitions on the basis of predefined evolution patterns of ST-JPIs during transitions; (3) It is efficient, scalable and suitable for real-time video segmentation. Theoretical analysis and experimental results of our method are presented to illustrate its efficacy and efficiency.     

Segment-based coding of color images

Based on the idea of second generation image coding, a novel scheme for coding still images is presented. At first, an image was partitioned with a pulse-coupled neural network; and then an improved chain code and the 2D discrete cosine transform was adopted to encode the shape and the color of its edges respectively. To code its smooth and texture regions, an improved zero-trees strategy based on the 2nd generation wavelet was chosen. After that, the zero-tree chart was selected to rearrange quantified coefficients. And finally some regulations were given according to psychology of various users. Experiments under noiseless channels demonstrate that the proposed method performs better than those of the current one, such as JPEG, CMP, EZW and JPEG2000. Supported by the Senior University Technology Innovation Essential Project Cultivation Fund Project (Grant No. 706028) and the Natural Science Fund of Jiangsu Province (Grant No. BK2007103)