Least Squares Sub-pixel Registration Refinement Using Area Sampler Model

Super-resolution applications require sub-pixel registrations of low resolution images to be almost exact due to the deterioration caused by inaccurate image registration. A linear-least-squares technique is proposed to refine sub-pixel translation parameters, which can be employed when the images are registered but just where there is not enough sub-pixel accuracy. In the technique, it is assumed that low resolution pixels are obtained by area sampling high resolution pixel field which have twice the density of their low resolution correspondents. Using this downsampling schema, a set of equations is formed. Assumed geometry and layout provide a constraint set to be used with the equation set. The sub-pixel translations are then found using least-squares-solution-with-equality-constraints. The method is shown to improve the registration accuracy.