Multi-sensor image fusion using subband decomposed multiscale retinex

This paper presents a novel multi-sensor image fusion algorithm to generate a contrast-enhanced fused image. The algorithm is based on a framework of the subband decomposed multiscale retinex (SD-MSR) that is one of the contrast enhancement methods. It also uses two complementary intensity transfer functions to enhance the details in both shadows and highlights. For effective contrast enhancement, we suggest a novel fusion strategy which reflects the characteristics of SD-MSR well. Thereby, even if input images have poor contrast, the proposed algorithm is able to generate a fused image with highly enhanced contrast. Experimental results demonstrate that the algorithm performs well for generating high contrast fused images.