Fast adaptive image processing in FPGAs using stack filters

Abstract

Stack filters are a class of non-linear, digital filters whose behaviour is defined by Positive Boolean Functions rather than the multiply-accumulate, arithmetic operators that are widely used in conventional digital filters. The implementation of stack filters that can be adapted in real-time is feasible using dynamically reconfigurable FPGAs. This paper reports on efforts to map adaptive stack filter architectures for image processing onto current FPGAs and to assess the potential for more efficient filter synthesis with newer device architectures.