Image fusion based on estimation theory

An image fusion method is proposed based on a kind of estimation theory EM (expectation maximization) algorithm and discrete wavelet frame for merging multiple sensor images. The registered images are firstly decomposed by discrete wavelet frame. Secondly since the fusion of the lowest frequency band is crucial to the final result, they are fused effectively by EM algorithm. The high frequency bands are fused by selection method involving the informative importance measure. Then the fused image is achieved by the discrete wavelet frame invert transform. Experimental results indicate that the proposed method outperforms the discrete wavelet transform and the existing image fusion methods.