A Retinex modulated piecewise constant variational model for image segmentation and bias correction

In this paper, we propose a novel Retinex induced piecewise constant variational model for simultaneous segmentation of images with intensity inhomogeneity and bias correction. Firstly, we obtain an additive model by decomposing the original image into a smooth bias component and a structure part based on the Retinex theory. Secondly, the structure part can be modeled by the piecewise constant variational model and thus deduced a new data fidelity term. Finally, we formulate a new energy functional by incorporating the data fidelity term into the level set framework and introducing a GL-regularizer to the level set function and a smooth regularizer to model the bias component. Based on the alternating minimization algorithm and the operator splitting method, we present a numerical scheme to solve the minimization problem efficiently. Experimental results on images from diverse modalities demonstrate the competitive performances of the proposed model and algorithm over other representative methods in term of efficiency and robustness.     

A new algorithm for total variation based image denoising

We propose a new algorithm for the total variation based on image denoising problem. The split Bregman method is used to convert an unconstrained minimization denoising problem to a linear system in the outer iteration. An algebraic multi-grid method is applied to solve the linear system in the inner iteration. Furthermore, Krylov subspace acceleration is adopted to improve convergence in the outer iteration. Numerical experiments demonstrate that this algorithm is efficient even for images with large signal-to-noise ratio.     

A Nash-game approach to joint image restoration and segmentation

We propose a game-theoretic approach to simultaneously restore and segment noisy images. We define two players: one is restoration, with the image intensity as strategy, and the other is segmentation with contours as strategy. Cost functions are the classical relevant ones for restoration and segmentation, respectively. The two players play a static game with complete information, and we consider as solution to the game the so-called Nash equilibrium. For the computation of this equilibrium we present an iterative method with relaxation. The results of numerical experiments performed on some real images show the relevance and efficiency of the proposed algorithm.     

A fast algorithm for the total variation model of image denoising

The total variation model of Rudin, Osher, and Fatemi for image denoising is considered to be one of the best denoising models. In the past, its solutions were based on nonlinear partial differential equations and the resulting algorithms were very complicated. In this paper, we propose a fast algorithm for the solution of the total variation model. Our algorithm is very simple and does not involve partial differential equations. We also provide a rigorous proof for the convergence of our algorithm.     

A new multi-threshold image segmentation approach using state transition algorithm

Thresholding plays an important role in image segmentation and image analysis. In this paper, the normalized histogram of an image is fitted by a linear combined normal distribution functions and each normal distribution function represents a class of pixels, whereas the parameters like the mean, the variance and the weights in the fitting function are undetermined. By transforming the fitting problem into a nonlinear and non-convex optimization problem, the state transition algorithm (STA) which is a new global optimization method is used to choose the optimal parameters of the fitting function. The effectiveness of proposed approach in multilevel thresholding problems is tested by several experimental results. By comparing with OTSU, particle swarm optimization (PSO), genetic algorithm (GA) and differential evolution (DE) algorithm, it has shown that STA has competitive performance in terms of both optimization results and thresholding segmentation.     

A modified spectral conjugate gradient projection algorithm for total variation image restoration

In this study, a modified spectral conjugate gradient projection method is presented to solve total variation image restoration, which is transferred into the nonlinear constrained optimization with the closed constrained set. The global convergence of the proposed scheme is analyzed. In the end, some numerical results illustrate the efficiency of this method.     

A unified approach for a 1D generalized total variation problem

Mathematical Programming - We study a 1-dimensional discrete signal denoising problem that consists of minimizing a sum of separable convex fidelity terms and convex regularization terms, the...     

A primal-dual active-set algorithm for bilaterally constrained total variation deblurring and piecewise constant Mumford-Shah segmentation problems

In this paper, we propose a fast primal-dual algorithm for solving bilaterally constrained total variation minimization problems which subsume the bilaterally constrained total variation image deblurring model and the two-phase piecewise constant Mumford-Shah image segmentation model. The presence of the bilateral constraints makes the optimality conditions of the primal-dual problem semi-smooth which can be solved by a semi-smooth Newton’s method superlinearly. But the linear system to solve at each iteration is very large and difficult to precondition. Using a primal-dual active-set strategy, we reduce the linear system to a much smaller and better structured one so that it can be solved efficiently by conjugate gradient with an approximate inverse preconditioner. Locally superlinear convergence results are derived for the proposed algorithm. Numerical experiments are also provided for both deblurring and segmentation problems. In particular, for the deblurring problem, we show that the addition of the bilateral constraints to the total variation model improves the quality of the solutions.     

Algorithms and software for total variation image reconstruction via first-order methods

This paper describes new algorithms and related software for total variation (TV) image reconstruction, more specifically: denoising, inpainting, and deblurring. The algorithms are based on one of Nesterov’s first-order methods, tailored to the image processing applications in such a way that, except for the mandatory regularization parameter, the user needs not specify any parameters in the algorithms. The software is written in C with interface to Matlab (version 7.5 or later), and we demonstrate its performance and use with examples.     

Multiscale total variation regularization in image restoration

A total variation model for image restoration is introduced. The model utilizes a spatially dependent regularization parameter in order to enhance image regions containing details while still sufficiently smoothing homogeneous features. A local variance estimator is used to automatically adjust the regularization parameter. A generalized hierarchical decomposition of the restored image is integrated to the algorithm in order to speed-up the performance of the update scheme. The corresponding subproblems are solved by a superlinearly convergent algorithm based on Fenchel-duality and inexact semismooth Newton techniques. Numerical tests illustrate the performance of the algorithm. (© 2011 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

A novel variational model for image segmentation

In this paper, we propose a new variational model for image segmentation. Our model is inspired by the complex Ginzburg-Landau model and the semi-norm defined by us. This new model can detect both the convex and concave parts of images. Moreover, it can also detect non-closed edges as well as quadruple junctions. Compared with other methods, the initialization is completely automatic and the segmented images obtained by using our new model could keep fine structures and edges of the original images very effectively. Finally, numerical results show the effectiveness of our model.     

Shrinking gradient descent algorithms for total variation regularized image denoising

Total variation regularization introduced by Rudin, Osher, and Fatemi (ROF) is widely used in image denoising problems for its capability to preserve repetitive textures and details of images. Many efforts have been devoted to obtain efficient gradient descent schemes for dual minimization of ROF model, such as Chambolle’s algorithm or gradient projection (GP) algorithm. In this paper, we propose a general gradient descent algorithm with a shrinking factor. Both Chambolle’s and GP algorithm can be regarded as the special cases of the proposed methods with special parameters. Global convergence analysis of the new algorithms with various step lengths and shrinking factors are present. Numerical results demonstrate their competitiveness in computational efficiency and reconstruction quality with some existing classic algorithms on a set of gray scale images.     

A unifying approach to isotropic and anisotropic total variation denoising models

Total variation minimisation is a well-established method for digital image restoration. Its implicit preservation of edges permits the derivation of anisotropic models for a qualitative improvement at corners. This paper is a synopsis of anisotropic models with state-of-the-art insights into the numerics of isotropic models. We generalise two representative models from both branches of research. This formulation leads to a general convergent algorithm and a general highly efficient algorithm which apply for both cases. A transfer of the discretisation from the anisotropic model to the isotropic setting results in an improvement of rotational invariance.     

Using a level set approach for image segmentation under interpolation conditions

In this paper, we propose a new 2D segmentation model including geometric constraints, namely interpolation conditions, to detect objects in a given image. We propose to apply the deformable models to an explicit function using the level set approach (Osher and Sethian [24]); so, we avoid the classical problem of parameterization of both segmentation representation and interpolation conditions. Furthermore, we allow this representation to have topological changes. A problem of energy minimization on a closed subspace of a Hilbert space is defined and introducing Lagrange multipliers enables us to formulate the corresponding variational problem with interpolation conditions. Thus the explicit function evolves, while minimizing the energy and it stops evolving when the desired outlines of the object to detect are reached. The stopping term, as in the classical deformable models, is related to the gradient of the image. Numerical results are given. AMS subject classification 74G65, 46-xx, 92C55     

A numerical approach to a minimum problem with applications in image segmentation

A numerical approach to the problem: minF ^λ(E), whereF ^λ(E)=P(E,R ⁿ )+λ|Ω/E|, is considered. The functionalF ^λ is approximated, using techniques of Γ-convergence, with a sequence of functionals that are successively discretized by finite differences. A relation between the index of the approximating sequence and the meshsize of the domain is found.

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Riassunto Viene presentato un approccio numerico del problema: minF ^λ(E), doveF ^λ(E)=P(E,R ⁿ )+λ|Ω/E|. Il funzionaleF ^λ viene approssimato, usando tecniche di Γ-convergenza, con una successione di funzionali, successivamente discretizzati con differenze finite. Viene trovata una relazione tra l'indice della successione approssimante e il passo del reticolo del dominio.

     

On approximation in total variation penalization for image reconstruction and inverse problems

In this paper, we examine some theoretical issues associated with the use of total variation based image reconstruction. Our investigations are motivated by problems of inverse interferome-try, in which laser light phase shifts are used to reconstruct medium density profiles in flow field sensing. The reconstruction problem is posed as a residual minimization with total variation reg-ularization applied to handle the inherent ill-posedness. We consider numerical approximations of these penalized minimal residual problems, and analyze some approximation strategies and their properties. The standard definition of total variation leads to inconsistent approximations, with piecewise constant basis functions, so we consider alternative definitions, which preserve the needed compactness and produce convergent approximations.     

A variational formulation for physical noised image segmentation

Image segmentation is a hot topic in image science. In this paper we present a new variational segmentation model based on the theory of Mumford-Shah model. The aim of our model is to divide noised image, according to a certain criterion, into homogeneous and smooth regions that should correspond to structural units in the scene or objects of interest. The proposed region-based model uses total variation as a regularization term, and different fidelity term can be used for image segmentation in the cases of physical noise, such as Gaussian, Poisson and multiplicative speckle noise. Our model consists of five weighted terms, two of them are responsible for image denoising based on fidelity term and total variation term, the others assure that the three conditions of adherence to the data, smoothing, and discontinuity detection are met at once. We also develop a primal-dual hybrid gradient algorithm for our model. Numerical results on various synthetic and real images are provided to compare our method with others,these results show that our proposed model and algorithms are effective.