A novel fast median filter algorithm without sorting

As one of widely applied nonlinear smoothing filtering methods, median filter is quite effective for removing salt-and-pepper noise and impulsive noise while maintaining image edge information without blurring its boundaries, but its computation load is the maximal drawback while applied in real-time processing systems. In order to solve the issue, researchers have proposed many effective fast algorithms and published many papers. However most of the algorithms are based on sorting operations so as to make real-time implementation difficult. In this paper considering the large scale Boolean calculation function and convenient shift operation which are two of the advantages of FPGA(Field Programmable Gate Array), we proposed a novel median value finding algorithm without sorting, which can find the median value effectively and its performing time almost keeps changeless despite how large the filter radius is. Based on the algorithm, a real-time median filter has been realized. A lot of tests demonstrate the validity and correctness of proposed algorithm.