ADAPTIVE-NEIGHBORHOOD HISTOGRAM EQUALIZATION FOR IMAGE-ENHANCEMENT

By modifying the histogram of an image, a dramatic improvement in the perceptibility of details can often be achieved. However, the two commonly used methods of full-frame histogram equalization and local-area histogram equalization often fail to produce adequate enhancement when the image contains relatively small but variable-sized regions in which there are objects or features of interest with low visual contrast. A new method of adaptive-neighborhood histogram equalization that is effective in enhancing these types of images is proposed in this paper. In this method, an adaptive neighborhood is developed for each pixel in the image. The adaptive neighborhood is a compound region made up of a foreground that contains 8-connected pixels close in gray level to that of the seed pixel, and a background of neighboring pixels molded around the foreground. The histogram of this adaptive neighborhood is equalized to provide the transformation that is applied to the seed pixel. Major advantages of this method are the avoidance of block edge artifacts that are encountered in local-area histogram equalization, and improved perceptibility of image detail. Examples of images transformed using the three methods of histogram modification are presented along with a discussion of the merits of the adaptive-neighborhood method. © 1992.