Contour-Constrained Image Smoothing Preserving Its Structure
Pavel A. Chochia · Journal of Communications Technology and Electronics · 2021
Structure-preserving image smoothing is used in solving many problems of video information processing and analysis. Most smoothing methods are based on indirect information about the characteristics of a local image area, for example, the distribution of signal values, rather than on direct data of the image spatial structure. In reality, a criterion for constraining the smoothing area should not be the distribution of signal values or the difference in brightness of the objective and surrounding points, but their belonging to the same spatial area of an image. A criterion sufficient for the connectivity of points in an area is the absence of contour lines between them. An approach to image smoothing is proposed, which is based on preliminary detection of contour edges between image areas and subsequent contour-constrained smoothing inside each area. A concept of “affinity” of image points is introduced, on the basis of which the smoothing algorithm is built. The proposed algorithm is experimentally compared with other available smoothing algorithms.