Class of multichannel image processing filters

A new class of multichannel image processing filters called vector median rational hybrid filters (VMRHFs) for multispectral image processing is introduced and applied to the colour image filtering problem. These filters are based on rational functions. The rational function structure is attractive in filtering since it is a universal approximator and a good extrapolator. The VMRHF is a two stage filter, which exploits the features of the vector median filter and those of the vector rational operator. These filters exhibit desirable properties, such as edge and detail preservation and accurate chromaticity estimation.