An improved multi-focus image fusion algorithm based on multi-scale weighted focus measure

This paper focuses on developing an improved multi-focus image fusion (MFIF) algorithm. Existing spatial domain algorithms dependent on the obtained fusion decision map still lead to unexpected ghosting, blurred, edges as well as blocking effects such that the visual effect of image fusion is seriously degraded. To overcome these shortages, an improved MFIF algorithm is developed with the help of a novel multi-scale weighted focus measure and a decision map optimization technique. First, a novel multi-scale measurement template is designed in order to effectively extract the gradient information of rich texture regions, smooth regions as well as transitional regions between the aforementioned regions simultaneously. Then, an improved calculation scheme of the focus score matrix is designed based on the weighted sum of the focus measure maps in each region window centered on a concerned pixel, under which the advantage of pixel-by-pixel weighting is employed. In what follows, an initial decision map is obtained in light of the focus score matrix combined with threshold filtering, which is employed to eliminate the small isolated regions caused by some misclassified pixels. Furthermore, an accurate decision map is received with the help of the optimization capability of guided filtering to avoid edge unexpected artificial textures. In comparison with block-based fusion algorithms, our algorithm developed in this paper extracts the focus regions pixel-by-pixel, thereby helping to reduce the blocking effects that appear in the fusion image. Finally, some intensive comparison analysis based on common datasets is performed to verify the superiority over state-of-the-art methods in both visual qualitative and quantitative evaluations.