Fuzzy Two-Step Filter for Impulse Noise Reduction From Color Images

• Published in: IEEE transactions on image processing 2006-11, Vol.15 (11), p.3567-3578
• Main Authors: Schulte, S., De Witte, V., Nachtegael, M., Van der Weken, D., Kerre, E.E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Algorithms; Applied sciences; Color; Colored noise; Colorimetry - methods; Detection, estimation, filtering, equalization, prediction; Digital filters; Exact sciences and technology; Fuzzy; fuzzy filter; Fuzzy Logic; Fuzzy reasoning; Fuzzy set theory; Fuzzy sets; Image Enhancement - methods; Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted - methods; Image processing; impulse noise; Impulses; Information filtering; Information filters; Information Storage and Retrieval - methods; Information, signal and communications theory; membership functions; Miscellaneous; Noise; Noise reduction; Phase detection; Phase noise; Signal and communications theory; Signal processing; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; Signal, noise; Stochastic Processes; Telecommunications and information theory; Texture
• ISSN: 1057-7149; 1941-0042
• DOI: 10.1109/TIP.2006.877494

A new framework for reducing impulse noise from digital color images is presented, in which a fuzzy detection phase is followed by an iterative fuzzy filtering technique. We call this filter the fuzzy two-step color filter. The fuzzy detection method is mainly based on the calculation of fuzzy gradient values and on fuzzy reasoning. This phase determines three separate membership functions that are passed to the filtering step. These membership functions will be used as a representation of the fuzzy set impulse noise (one function for each color component). Our proposed new fuzzy method is especially developed for reducing impulse noise from color images while preserving details and texture. Experiments show that the proposed filter can be used for efficient removal of impulse noise from color images without distorting the useful information in the image