Advanced method for improvement of obscure video image

There are a lot of video cameras equipped in service windows, cash dispenser corners, in banks or all-night stores for monitoring burglars. Therefore, in case a robbery happens there, the image taken by a monitoring camera often provides important information to the criminal investigation. However, for various reasons such as quick motion of objects, small images and too much or too little brightness, in most cases the image taken is so indistinct as not to be used in the investigation. The paper considers how the Police Communications Research Center of Japan has been studying the improvement of obscure video images and has developed new image processing equipment.