Image contrast enhancement using histogram equalization with maximum intensity coverage

Image contrast enhancement using histogram equalization with maximum intensity coverage

The histogram equalization process is a simple yet efficient image contrast enhancement technique
that generally produces satisfactory results. However, due to its design limitations, output images
often experience a loss of fine details or contain unwanted viewing artefacts. One reason for
such imperfection is a failure of some techniques to fully utilize the allowable intensity range
in conveying the information captured from a scene. The proposed colour image enhancement
technique introduced in this work aims at maximizing the information content within an image,
whilstminimizing the presence of viewing artefacts and loss of details. This is achieved by weighting
the input image and the interim equalized image recursively until the allowed intensity range is
maximally covered. The proper weighting factor is optimally determined using the efficient golden
section search algorithm. Experiments had been conducted on a large number of images captured
under natural indoor and outdoor environment.