CODEWITHSUNDEEP
image-processingmean
Hendra
Hendra

Reputation: 21

Mean Filter at first position (0,0)

Actually, I am in the middle work of adaptive thresholding using mean. I used 3x3 matrix so I calculate means value on that matrix and replace it into M(1,1) or middle position of the matrix. I got confused about how to do perform the process at first position f(0,0).

This is a little illustration, let's assume that I am using 3x3 Matrix (M) and image (f) first position f(0,0) = M(1,1) = 4. So, M(0,0) M(0,1) M(0,2) M(1,0) M(2,0) has no value.

-1 | -1 | -1 |
-1 | 4 | 3 |
-1 | 2 | 1 |

Which one is the correct process,
a) ( 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 ) / 4
b) ( 4 + 3 + 2 + 1) / 9

I asked this because I follow some tutorial adaptive mean thresholding, it shows a different result. So, I need to make sure that the process is correct. Thanks.

Upvotes: 0

Views: 93

Answers (1)

Cris Luengo
Cris Luengo

Reputation: 60554

There is no "correct" way to solve this issue. There are many different solutions used in practice, they all have some downsides:

  • Averaging over only the known values (i.e. your suggested (4+3+2+1)/4). By averaging over fewer pixels, one obtains a result that is more sensitive to noise (i.e. the "amount of noise" left in the image after filtering is larger near the borders. Also, a bias is introduced, since the averaging happens over values to one side only.

  • Assuming 0 outside the image domain (i.e. your suggested (4+3+2+1)/9). Since we don't know what is outside the image, assuming 0 is as good as anything else, no? Well, no it is not. This leads to a filter result that has darker values around the edges.

  • Assuming a periodic image. Here one takes values from the opposite side of the image for the unknown values. This effectively happens when computing the convolution through the Fourier domain. But usually images are not periodic, with strong differences in intensities (or colors) at opposite sides of the image, leading to "bleeding" of the colors on the opposite of the image.

  • Extrapolation. Extending image data by extrapolation is a risky business. This basically comes down to predicting what would have been in those pixels had we imaged them. The safest bet is 0-order extrapolation (i.e. replicating the boundary pixel), though higher-order polygon fits are possible too. The downside is that the pixels at the image edge become more important than other pixels, they will be weighted more heavily in the averaging.

  • Mirroring. Here the image is reflected at the boundary (imagine placing a mirror at the edge of the image). The value at index -1 is taken to be the value at index 1; at index -2 that at index 2, etc. This has similar downsides as the extrapolation method.

Upvotes: 1

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