ABSTRACT

This chapter presents only the concepts of color image interpolation in order to use the B. E. Bayer color filter array (CFA) pattern robustly in pattern recognition applications. In order to reduce the cost of digital still cameras used to capture color images, each camera uses a single charge-coupled device (CCD) instead of three CCDs In digital still cameras, color images are encoded by the CFA pattern, and a subsequent interpolation process produces full color images. White balance and color correction are processing operations performed to ensure proper color fidelity in a captured digital camera image. A gradient-based algorithm has been developed for color image interpolation to enhance the visual quality of color images. To determine the missing green values in Bayer CFA images, the conventional method of Laplacian second order correction can be used with a refinement. Post processing can be performed to reduce the visible artifacts in the interpolated images.