Infrared Target Detection and Location for Visual Surveillance Using Fusion Scheme of Visible and Infrared Images

The main goal of image fusion is to combine substantial information from different images of the same scene into a single image that is suitable for human and machine perception or for further image-processing tasks. In this study, a simple and efficient image fusion approach based on the application of the histogram of infrared images is proposed. A fusion scheme to select adaptively weighted coefficients for preserving salient infrared targets from the infrared image and for obtaining most spatial detailed information from the visible image is presented. Moving and static infrared targets in the fused image are labeled with different colors. This technique enhances perception of the image for the human visual system. In view of the modalities of infrared images, low resolution, and low signal-to-noise ratio, an anisotropic diffusion equation model is adopted to remove noise and to effectively preserve edge information before the fusion stage. By using the proposed method, relevant spatial information is preserved and infrared targets are clearly identified in the resulting fused images.