Image Fusion Method Based on Multi-scale Directional Fast Guided Filter and Convolutional Sparse Representation

Background: A multi-scale multidirectional image fusion method is proposed, which introduces the Nonsubsampled Directional Filter Bank (NSDFB) into the multi-scale edge-preserving decomposition based on the fast guided filter. Methods: The proposed method has the advantages of preserving edges and extracting directional information simultaneously. In order to get better-fused sub-bands coefficients, a Convolutional Sparse Representation (CSR) based approximation sub-bands fusion rule is introduced and a Pulse Coupled Neural Network (PCNN) based detail sub-bands fusion strategy with New Sum of Modified Laplacian (NSML) to be the external input is also presented simultaneously. Results: Experimental results have demonstrated the superiority of the proposed method over conventional methods in terms of visual effects and objective evaluations. Conclusion: In this paper, combining fast guided filter and nonsubsampled directional filter bank, a multi-scale directional edge-preserving filter image fusion method is proposed. The proposed method has the features of edge-preserving and extracting directional information.