Image Enhancement in the

Frequency Domain

Basics of Filtering in the Frequency Domain

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 Some Basic Filters and Their Functions

Lowpass filter

Highpass filter

spatial domain frequency domain

f(x,y) F(u,v)
filter
G(u,v) = F(u,v) • H(u,v)
g(x,y) G(u,v)

F(u,v)
f(x,y)

g(x,y) H(u,v)

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 Smoothing Frequency-Domain Filters

• The basic model for filtering in the frequency domain

G (u , v)  H (u , v ) F (u , v )
where F(u,v): the Fourier transform of the image to be
smoothed
H(u,v): a filter transfer function

• Smoothing is fundamentally a lowpass operation in the

frequency domain.
• There are several standard forms of lowpass filters (LPF).
– Ideal lowpass filter
– Butterworth lowpass filter
– Gaussian lowpass filter

Ideal Lowpass Filters (ILPFs)

• The simplest lowpass filter is a filter that “cuts off” all high-
frequency components of the Fourier transform that are at a
distance greater than a specified distance D0 from the origin of
the transform.
• The transfer function of an ideal lowpass filter
1 if D (u , v)  D0
H (u , v)  
0 if D (u , v )  D0
where D(u,v) : the distance from point (u,v) to the center of
ther frequency rectangle
1

D (u , v)  (u  M / 2) 2  (v  N / 2) 2 
2

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Ideal Lowpass Filters (ILPFs)

Ideal Lowpass Filters (ILPFs)

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 Ideal Lowpass Filters

The Ringing Problem

G(u,v) = F(u,v) • H(u,v)

Convolution Theorem

g(x,y) = f(x,y) * h(x,y)

IFFT sinc(x)
H(u,v) h(x,y)

 D0  Ringing radius +  blur

Ringing effect is the occurrence of rippling artifact near sharp edges.

This effect is caused by distortion or loss of high frequency information
in image.

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 The Ringing Problem

Freq. domain Spatial domain

25 0

20 0

15 0

10 0

5 0

0
0 50 1 00 150 200 250

Butterworth Lowpass Filters (BLPFs)

With order n

1
H (u , v) 
1  D(u , v ) / D0 
2n

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Butterworth Lowpass
Filters (BLPFs)

n=2
D0=5,15,30,80,and 230

Butterworth Lowpass Filters (BLPFs)

Spatial Representation

n=1 n=2 n=5 n=20

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 Gaussian Lowpass Filters (FLPFs)

2
( u , v ) / 2 D02
H (u , v )  e  D

Gaussian Lowpass
Filters (FLPFs)

D0=5,15,30,80,and 230

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 Additional Examples of Lowpass Filtering

Sharpening Frequency Domain Filter

H hp (u, v)  H lp (u , v)
Ideal highpass filter
0 if D (u , v)  D0
H (u , v )  
1 if D (u , v)  D0

Butterworth highpass filter

1
H (u, v) 
1  D0 / D (u , v )
2n

Gaussian highpass filter

2
( u ,v ) / 2 D02
H (u , v )  1  e  D

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 Highpass Filters
Spatial Representations

Ideal Highpass Filters

0 if D (u , v )  D0
H (u , v)  
1 if D (u , v )  D0

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Butterworth Highpass Filters

1
H (u , v) 
1  D0 / D (u , v) 
2n

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Gaussian Highpass Filters

2
( u , v ) / 2 D02
H (u , v )  1  e  D

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