Image super-resolution via sparse representation over multiple learned dictionaries based on edge sharpness

A new algorithm for single-image super-resolution based on selective sparse representation over a set of coupled dictionary pairs is proposed. Patch sharpness measure for high- and low-resolution patch pairs defined via the magnitude of the gradient operator is shown to be approximately invariant to the patch resolution. This measure is employed in the training stage for clustering the training patch pairs and in the reconstruction stage for model selection. For each cluster, a pair of low- and high-resolution dictionaries is learned. In the reconstruction stage, the sharpness measure of a low-resolution patch is used to select the cluster it belongs to. The sparse coding coefficients of the patch over the selected low-resolution cluster dictionary are calculated. The underlying high-resolution patch is reconstructed by multiplying the high-resolution cluster dictionary with the calculated coefficients. The performance of the proposed algorithm is tested over a set of natural images. PSNR and SSIM results show that the proposed algorithm is competitive with the state-of-the-art super-resolution algorithms. In particular, it significantly out-performs the state-of-the-art algorithms for images with sharp edges and corners. Visual comparison results also support the quantitative results.