A neural learning approach for adaptive image restoration using a fuzzy model-based network architecture

We address the problem of adaptive regularization in image restoration by adopting a neural-network learning approach. Instead of explicitly specifying the local regularization parameter values, they are regarded as network weights which are then modified through the supply of appropriate training examples. The desired response of the network is in the form of a gray level value estimate of the current pixel using weighted order statistic (WOS) filter. However, instead of replacing the previous value with this estimate, this is used to modify the network weights, or equivalently, the regularization parameters such that the restored gray level value produced by the network is closer to this desired response. In this way, the single WOS estimation scheme can allow appropriate parameter values to emerge under different noise conditions, rather than requiring their explicit selection in each occasion. In addition, we also consider the separate regularization of edges and textures due to their different noise masking capabilities. This in turn requires discriminating between these two feature types. Due to the inability of conventional local variance measures to distinguish these two high variance features, we propose the new edge-texture characterization (ETC) measure which performs this discrimination based on a scalar value only. This is then incorporated into a fuzzified form of the previous neural network which determines the degree of membership of each high variance pixel in two fuzzy sets, the EDGE and TEXTURE fuzzy sets, from the local ETC value, and then evaluates the appropriate regularization parameter by appropriately combining these two membership function values.