Method and apparatus for combining multiple image scans for enhanced resolution

摘要

An apparatus and method for producing an enhanced resolution image from a set of lower resolution pixel image scans uses jitter and cogging errors introduced by the scanner to provide the additional information about the image that is required to produce the high resolution. One of the image scans is selected as a prototype image and is interpolated to produce an image of higher density samples (mixels). Each of the remaining pixel image scans is aligned with the interpolated prototype. The mixel values of the prototype are iteratively adjusted by minimizing an error metric representing the difference between pixel values computed from the prototype and the corresponding pixel values of each of the lower resolution pixel image scans. The method and apparatus are suitable for use in document copying system, high resolution television imaging, facsimile system, and character regeneration systems.