Image Enhancement Using Vector Quantisation Based Interpolation

We present a novel method of image expansion using vector quantisation. The algorithm is inspired by fractal coding and uses a statistical model of the relationship between details at different scales of the image to interpolate detail at one octave above the highest spatial frequency in the original image. Our method aims at overcoming the drawbacks associated with traditional approaches such as pixel interpolation, which smoothes the scaled-up images, or fractal coding, which bears high computational cost and has limited use due to patent restrictions. The proposed method is able to regenerate plausible image detail that was irretrievable when traditional approaches are used. The vector quantisation-based method outperforms conventional approaches in terms of both objective and subjective evaluations.