Feature Extraction for image super-resolution using finite rate of innovation principles
Author(s)
Baboulaz , Loic
Type
Thesis
Abstract
To understand a real-world scene from several multiview pictures, it is necessary to find
the disparities existing between each pair of images so that they are correctly related to one
another. This process, called image registration, requires the extraction of some specific
information about the scene. This is achieved by taking features out of the acquired
images. Thus, the quality of the registration depends largely on the accuracy of the
extracted features.
Feature extraction can be formulated as a sampling problem for which perfect re-
construction of the desired features is wanted. The recent sampling theory for signals with
finite rate of innovation (FRI) and the B-spline theory offer an appropriate new frame-
work for the extraction of features in real images. This thesis first focuses on extending the
sampling theory for FRI signals to a multichannel case and then presents exact sampling
results for two different types of image features used for registration: moments and edges.
In the first part, it is shown that the geometric moments of an observed scene can
be retrieved exactly from sampled images and used as global features for registration. The
second part describes how edges can also be retrieved perfectly from sampled images for
registration purposes. The proposed feature extraction schemes therefore allow in theory
the exact registration of images. Indeed, various simulations show that the proposed
extraction/registration methods overcome traditional ones, especially at low-resolution.
These characteristics make such feature extraction techniques very appropriate for
applications like image super-resolution for which a very precise registration is needed. The
quality of the super-resolved images obtained using the proposed feature extraction meth-
ods is improved by comparison with other approaches. Finally, the notion of polyphase
components is used to adapt the image acquisition model to the characteristics of real
digital cameras in order to run super-resolution experiments on real images.
the disparities existing between each pair of images so that they are correctly related to one
another. This process, called image registration, requires the extraction of some specific
information about the scene. This is achieved by taking features out of the acquired
images. Thus, the quality of the registration depends largely on the accuracy of the
extracted features.
Feature extraction can be formulated as a sampling problem for which perfect re-
construction of the desired features is wanted. The recent sampling theory for signals with
finite rate of innovation (FRI) and the B-spline theory offer an appropriate new frame-
work for the extraction of features in real images. This thesis first focuses on extending the
sampling theory for FRI signals to a multichannel case and then presents exact sampling
results for two different types of image features used for registration: moments and edges.
In the first part, it is shown that the geometric moments of an observed scene can
be retrieved exactly from sampled images and used as global features for registration. The
second part describes how edges can also be retrieved perfectly from sampled images for
registration purposes. The proposed feature extraction schemes therefore allow in theory
the exact registration of images. Indeed, various simulations show that the proposed
extraction/registration methods overcome traditional ones, especially at low-resolution.
These characteristics make such feature extraction techniques very appropriate for
applications like image super-resolution for which a very precise registration is needed. The
quality of the super-resolved images obtained using the proposed feature extraction meth-
ods is improved by comparison with other approaches. Finally, the notion of polyphase
components is used to adapt the image acquisition model to the characteristics of real
digital cameras in order to run super-resolution experiments on real images.
Date Issued
2008
Date Awarded
2008-06
Copyright Statement
Attribution NoDerivatives 4.0 International Licence (CC BY-ND)
Advisor
Dragotti, Pier Luigi
Creator
Baboulaz , Loic
Publisher Department
Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Publisher Institution
Imperial College London
Qualification Level
Doctoral
Qualification Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)