-4An entirely novel approach would be one of presenting the user with each of the very large number of possible images, and letting the user make an individual choice of the optimum preferred image-quality based entirely on personal preference. If this could be done efficiently, the practical need for a menu of enhancement techniques as described 5
above would largely disappear. A practical reason this approach has not previously been pursued is implicit in the above estimation for the large number of practically distinguishable image choices (that is, typically in excess one-hundred thousand). Note that calculation of this number itself involves definition and separation, linear-visualscaling, interval-determination and combinatory calculation of basic image variables.
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This exercise presents a formidable task in itself, and has no known coverage in the prior art for practical digital images, to the knowledge of the present inventor. One approach in an aspect of the present invention includes methodology for practical determination of a number of individual image combinations, or a number of possible image quality states for any single original digital image.
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Having established a number of independent image quality states, the problem of presenting these states for user-selection seems at first consideration to be formidable. For example, automatically printing in excess of, say, one-hundred-thousand prints representing each state, and letting the user make a choice, would be clearly prohibitive in time and cost, while displaying them in electronic form, for example on a computer
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monitor, would seem not only to be costly in time but tedious and confusing to the user. What is clearly needed is a simple, practical digital-image enhancement procedure, yet one that overcomes the existing problems and complications associated with conventional software systems, while at the same time removing obvious barriers to practical application.
25 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one embodiment a method for enhancing a digital image is provided, comprising steps of (a) selecting an image as an original image to be enhanced, (b)