Image enhancement based on quadratic programming

In this paper, a simple but efficient image enhancement algorithm is proposed. We model the image enhancement problem as a quadratic programming problem, and the cost function of the optimization problem is formulated based on local gradients of an image. By adjusting the definitions of gain function and weighting function in the cost function, we can derive various kinds of intensity transfer functions to fit for different applications. Simulation results for contrast enhancement and shadow enhancement have demonstrated the feasibility of this approach in providing a flexible and efficient mechanism for image enhancement.