Image Interpolation via Gradient Correlation-Based Edge Direction Estimation

This paper introduces an image interpolation method that provides performance superior to that of the state-of-the-art algorithms. The simple linear method, if used for interpolation, provides interpolation at the cost of blurring, jagging, and other artifacts; however, applying complex methods provides better interpolation results, but sometimes they fail to preserve some specific edge patterns or results in oversmoothing of the edges due to postprocessing of the initial interpolation process. The proposed method uses a new gradient-based approach that makes an intelligent decision based on the edge direction using the edge map and gradient map of an image and interpolates unknown pixels in the predicted direction using known intensity pixels. The input image is subjected to the efficient hysteresis thresholding-based edge map calculation, followed by interpolation of low-resolution edge map to obtain a high-resolution edge map. Edge map interpolation is followed by classification of unknown pixels into obvious edges, uniform regions, and transitional edges using the decision support system. Coefficient-based interpolation that involves gradient coefficient and distance coefficient is applied to obvious edge pixels in the high-resolution image, whereas transitional edges in the neighborhood of an obvious edge are interpolated in the same direction to provide uniform interpolation. Simple line averaging is applied to pixels that are not detected as an edge to decrease the complexity of the proposed method. Applying line averaging to smooth pixels helps to control the complexity of the algorithm, whereas applying gradient-based interpolation preserves edges and hence results in better performance at reasonable complexity.