Removal of impulse noise from color images based on the localized image characteristics and noise level

The proposed method is a switching vector median filter that utilizes suitable noise detection and restoration algorithms for different impulse noise densities. It works in a multistage manner with an enhancing accuracy of noise detection in each successive stage. The processing window is initially categorized into a non-edge-window and an edge-window, depending on the scale of abrupt transitions. The non-edge-window is further verified to be a smooth-window or a disorder-window, whereas the edge-window is again confirmed to be noise-free or a noisy edge-window. The proposed method is simulated on a variety of medical images and other standard test images to prove its efficiency in detection of noise and restoration.