Removal of blocking artifacts using random pattern filtering

Block edge artifacts is one of the most noticeable types of impairments associated with MPEG and other block based encoding techniques. Many postprocessing algorithms have been developed for the reduction of blocking artifacts, such as spatial averaging methods, DCT filtering, regularized image reconstruction techniques and wavelet filtering. Most of the times, these algorithms are either computationally complex, include multiple iterations, are not adaptive enough to remove different levels of blockiness severity or result in excessive smoothing of the image textures. In this paper, we introduce an original approach to the problem of removing blockiness-non-linear randomized displacement filtering. In this technique, blocking artifacts are removed using variable width non-linear filtering as well as randomized masking of geometric patterns associated with blockiness. Our algorithm is highly efficient in removing blockiness with different degrees of severity, does not result in over-smoothing of the image textures and is not computationally complex. Our technique is simple enough to be used in post-processing of real-time video. It is highly efficient in removing blocking artifacts and produces visual results that are much more pleasing to the eye than the results of other de-blocking algorithms of the same complexity level.