Ivan W. Selesnick

The dual-tree complex wavelet transform

The paper discusses the theory behind the dual-tree transform, shows how complex wavelets with good properties can be designed, and illustrates a range of applications in signal and image processing. The authors use the complex number symbol C in CWT to avoid confusion with the often-used acronym CWT for the (different) continuous wavelet transform. The four fundamentals, intertwined shortcomings of wavelet transform and some solutions are also discussed. Several methods for filter design are described for dual-tree CWT that demonstrates with relatively short filters, an effective invertible approximately analytic wavelet transform can indeed be implemented using the dual-tree approach.

Bivariate shrinkage functions for wavelet-based denoising exploiting interscale dependency

Most simple nonlinear thresholding rules for wavelet-based denoising assume that the wavelet coefficients are independent. However, wavelet coefficients of natural images have significant dependencies. We only consider the dependencies between the coefficients and their parents in detail. For this purpose, new non-Gaussian bivariate distributions are proposed, and corresponding nonlinear threshold functions (shrinkage functions) are derived from the models using Bayesian estimation theory. The new shrinkage functions do not assume the independence of wavelet coefficients. We show three image denoising examples in order to show the performance of these new bivariate shrinkage rules. In the second example, a simple subband-dependent data-driven image denoising system is described and compared with effective data-driven techniques in the literature, namely VisuShrink, SureShrink, BayesShrink, and hidden Markov models. In the third example, the same idea is applied to the dual-tree complex wavelet coefficients.

Bivariate shrinkage with local variance estimation

The performance of image-denoising algorithms using wavelet transforms can be improved significantly by taking into account the statistical dependencies among wavelet coefficients as demonstrated by several algorithms presented in the literature. In two earlier papers by the authors, a simple bivariate shrinkage rule is described using a coefficient and its parent. The performance can also be improved using simple models by estimating model parameters in a local neighborhood. This letter presents a locally adaptive denoising algorithm using the bivariate shrinkage function. The algorithm is illustrated using both the orthogonal and dual tree complex wavelet transforms. Some comparisons with the best available results are given in order to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.

Hilbert transform pairs of wavelet bases

This paper considers the design of pairs of wavelet bases where the wavelets form a Hilbert transform pair. The derivation is based on the limit functions defined by the infinite product formula. It is found that the scaling filters should be offset from one another by a half sample. This gives an alternative derivation and explanation for the result by Kingsbury (1999), that the dual-tree DWT is (nearly) shift-invariant when the scaling filters satisfy the same offset.

The design of approximate Hilbert transform pairs of wavelet bases

Several authors have demonstrated that significant improvements can be obtained in wavelet-based signal processing by utilizing a pair of wavelet transforms where the wavelets form a Hilbert transform pair. This paper describes design procedures, based on spectral factorization, for the design of pairs of dyadic wavelet bases where the two wavelets form an approximate Hilbert transform pair. Both orthogonal and biorthogonal FIR solutions are presented, as well as IIR solutions. In each case, the solution depends on an allpass filter having a flat delay response. The design procedure allows for an arbitrary number of vanishing wavelet moments to be specified. A Matlab program for the procedure is given, and examples are also given to illustrate the results.

The double-density dual-tree DWT

This paper introduces the double-density dual-tree discrete wavelet transform (DWT), which is a DWT that combines the double-density DWT and the dual-tree DWT, each of which has its own characteristics and advantages. The transform corresponds to a new family of dyadic wavelet tight frames based on two scaling functions and four distinct wavelets. One pair of the four wavelets are designed to be offset from the other pair of wavelets so that the integer translates of one wavelet pair fall midway between the integer translates of the other pair. Simultaneously, one pair of wavelets are designed to be approximate Hilbert transforms of the other pair of wavelets so that two complex (approximately analytic) wavelets can be formed. Therefore, they can be used to implement complex and directional wavelet transforms. The paper develops a design procedure to obtain finite impulse response (FIR) filters that satisfy the numerous constraints imposed. This design procedure employs a fractional-delay allpass filter, spectral factorization, and filterbank completion. The solutions have vanishing moments, compact support, a high degree of smoothness, and are nearly shift-invariant.

Wavelet based speckle reduction with application to SAR based ATD/R

The paper introduces a novel speckle reduction method based on thresholding the wavelet coefficients of the logarithmically transformed image. The method is computational efficient and can significantly reduce the speckle while preserving the resolution of the original image. Both soft and hard thresholding schemes are studied and the results are compared. When fully polarimetric SAR images are available, the authors propose several approaches to combine the data from different polarizations to achieve even better performance. Wavelet processed imagery is shown to provide better detection performance for the synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) based automatic target detection/recognition (ATD/R) problem.<<ETX>>

Wavelet Transform With Tunable Q-Factor

This paper describes a discrete-time wavelet transform for which the Q-factor is easily specified. Hence, the transform can be tuned according to the oscillatory behavior of the signal to which it is applied. The transform is based on a real-valued scaling factor (dilation-factor) and is implemented using a perfect reconstruction over-sampled filter bank with real-valued sampling factors. Two forms of the transform are presented. The first form is defined for discrete-time signals defined on all of Z. The second form is defined for discrete-time signals of finite-length and can be implemented efficiently with FFTs. The transform is parameterized by its Q-factor and its oversampling rate (redundancy), with modest oversampling rates (e.g., three to four times overcomplete) being sufficient for the analysis/synthesis functions to be well localized.

Full length article: Emerging applications of wavelets: A review

Although most of its popular applications have been in discrete-time signal processing for over two decades, wavelet transform theory offers a methodology to generate continuous-time compact support orthogonal filter banks through the design of discrete-time finite length filter banks with multiple time and frequency resolutions. In this paper, we first highlight inherently built-in approximation errors of discrete-time signal processing techniques employing wavelet transform framework. Then, we present an overview of emerging analog signal processing applications of wavelet transform along with its still active research topics in more matured discrete-time processing applications. It is shown that analog wavelet transform is successfully implemented in biomedical signal processing for design of low-power pacemakers and also in ultra-wideband (UWB) wireless communications. The engineering details of analog circuit implementation for these continuous-time wavelet transform applications are provided for further studies. We expect a flurry of new research and technology development activities in the coming years utilizing still promising and almost untapped analog wavelet transform and multiresolution signal representation techniques.

Iterative reweighted least-squares design of FIR filters

Develops a new iterative reweighted least squares algorithm for the design of optimal L/sub p/ approximation FIR filters. The algorithm combines a variable p technique with a Newtons method to give excellent robust initial convergence and quadratic final convergence. Details of the convergence properties when applied to the L/sub p/ optimization problem are given. The primary purpose of L/sub p/ approximation for filter design is to allow design with different error criteria in pass and stopband and to design constrained L/sub 2/ approximation filters. The new method can also be applied to the complex Chebyshev approximation problem and to the design of 2D FIR filters. >