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An FPGA implementation of a tone mapping algorithm with a halo-reducing filter

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Abstract

In this paper, we present a real-time hardware implementation of an exponent-based tone mapping algorithm of Horé et al., that uses both local and global image information for improving the contrast and increasing the brightness of tone-mapped images. Although there are several tone mapping algorithms available in the literature, most of them require manual tuning of their rendering parameters. However, in our implementation, the algorithm has an embedded automatic key parameter estimation block that controls the brightness of the tone-mapped images. We also present the implementation of a Gaussian-based halo-reducing filter. The hardware implementation is described in Verilog and synthesized for a field programmable gate array device. Experimental results performed on different wide dynamic range images show that we are able to get images which are of good visual quality and have good brightness and contrast. The good performance of our hardware architecture is also confirmed quantitatively with the high peak signal-to-noise ratio and structural similarity index.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Ulian Shahnovich (I2Sense laboratory) for his helpful comments and support with the CAD. This research was supported by The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Alberta Informatics Circle of Research Excellence (iCORE)/Alberta Innovates Technology Futures (AITF) and CMC Microsystems.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. I2Sense Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada

    Prasoon Ambalathankandy, Alain Horé & Orly Yadid-Pecht

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  1. Prasoon Ambalathankandy
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  2. Alain Horé
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  3. Orly Yadid-Pecht
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Correspondence to Prasoon Ambalathankandy.

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Ambalathankandy, P., Horé, A. & Yadid-Pecht, O. An FPGA implementation of a tone mapping algorithm with a halo-reducing filter. J Real-Time Image Proc 16, 1317–1333 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11554-016-0635-6

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