Postprocessing of interframe coded images based on convex projection and regularization

In order to reduce blocking artifacts in inter-frame coded images, we propose a new image restoration algorithm, which directly processes differential images before reconstruction. We note that blocking artifact in inter-frame coded images is caused by both 8 X 8 DCT and 16 X 16 macroblock based motion compensation, while that of intra-coded images is caused by 8 X 8 DCT only. According to the observation, we propose a new degradation model for differential images and the corresponding restoration algorithm that utilizes additional constraints and convex sets for discontinuity inside blocks. The proposed restoration algorithm is a modified version of standard regularization that incorporates spatially adaptive lowpass filtering with consideration of edge directions by utilizing a part of DCT coefficients. Most of video coding standard adopt a hybrid structure of block- based motion compensation and block discrete cosine transform (BDCT). By this reason, blocking artifacts are occurred on both block boundary and block interior. For more complete removal of both kinds of blocking artifacts, the restored differential image must satisfy two constraints, such as, directional discontinuities on block boundary and block interior. Those constraints have been used for defining convex sets for restoring differential images.