A Numerical Algorithm for Identifying Spread Functions of Shift-Invariant Imaging Systems

Numerical optimization techniques are applied to the identification of linear, shift-invariant imaging systems in the presence of noise. The approach used is to model the available or measured image of a real known object as the planar convolution of object and system-spread function and additive noise. The spread function is derived by minimization of a spatial error criterion (least squares) and characterized using a matric formalism. The numerical realization of the algorithm is discussed in detail; the most substantial problem encountered being the calculation of a vector-generalized inverse. This problem is avoided in the special case where the object scene is taken to be decomposable.