Image Processing,

Retrieval, and Analysis (I)

Prof. Christian Bauckhage
Outline
Lecture 09

Recap
Derivation of the FT

The Fourier Transform and Linear Filters

Higher Dimensional FT
Discrete FT
Fourier Spectra
Filtering
Denoising

Summary

Exercises
Recap

Fourier series (I)

I assume a general periodic function f (x), w.l.o.g. period = 1
Recap

Fourier series (I)

I assume a general periodic function f (x), w.l.o.g. period = 1
I then

a0 X
n
f (x) = + αk sin(2π k x + φk )
2
k=1

where a0 , αk , φk , and νk = 2π k ∈ R
Recap

Fourier series (I)

I assume a general periodic function f (x), w.l.o.g. period = 1
I then

a0 X
n
f (x) = + αk sin(2π k x + φk )
2
k=1

where a0 , αk , φk , and νk = 2π k ∈ R
I or, using the complex exponential

X
n X
n
f (x) = ck ei 2π k x = f̂ (k) ei 2π k x
k=−n k=−n

where ck ∈ C
Recap

Fourier series (II)

I the complex valued function
Z1
f̂ (k) = f (x) e−i 2π k x dx
0

is called the kth Fourier coefficient

Recap

Fourier series (II)

I the complex valued function
Z1
f̂ (k) = f (x) e−i 2π k x dx
0

is called the kth Fourier coefficient

I general periodic functions f (x) require infinite series

∞
X
f (x) = f̂ (k) ei 2π k x
k=−∞
Recap

example: sharp edges require high frequencies (I)

f (x) f (x)

1 1

0 0
0 1 0 1

n=1 n=3

f (x) f (x)

1 1

0 0
0 1 0 1

n=5 n=9

I a simple function f (x) and Fourier series approximations

where n = 1, 3, 5, 9
Recap

example: sharp edges require high frequencies (II)

g(x) g(x)

1 1

0 0
0 1 0 1

n=1 n=3

g(x) g(x)

1 1

0 0
0 1 0 1

n=5 n=9

I a simple function g(x) and Fourier series approximations

where n = 1, 3, 5, 9
Recap

example: sharp edges require high frequencies (III)

h(x) h(x)

1 1

0 0
0 1 0 1

n=1 n=3

h(x) h(x)

1 1

0 0
0 1 0 1

n=5 n=9

I a simple function h(x) and Fourier series approximations

where n = 1, 3, 5, 9
Recap

Fourier series (III)

I the Fourier coefficient is an inner product / a projection
Z1
f̂ (k) = f (x)e−i 2π k x dx
0
Z1
f (x)ei 2π k x dx = f (x), ei 2π k x


=
0
Recap

Fourier series (IV)

I from looking at
∞
X ∞
X
i 2π k x
f , ei 2π k x ei 2π k x (1)


f (x) = f̂ (k) e =
k=−∞ k=−∞

and considering that


1 if k = m
hei 2π k x , ei 2π m x i = δkm =
0 if k 6= m

we deduce that the set of complex exponentials

∞
ei 2π k x
k=−∞

forms an orthonormal basis for L2 [0, 1] functions

Recap

note:

I L2 [0, 1] is a vector space and f (x) ∈ L2 [0, 1] is a vector

Recap

note:

I L2 [0, 1] is a vector space and f (x) ∈ L2 [0, 1] is a vector

I the Fourier series in (1) is a Hilbert space generalization of

the (familiar) representation of vectors, say, x ∈ R2 where
 
x
x= 1
x2

is just a notional shorthand for

x = x1 · e1 + x2 · e2 = hx, e1 i · e1 + hx, e2 i · e2
X
2
= hx, ei i · ei
i=1
Recap

transition to the Fourier transform (I)

I transition from periodic to non-periodic functions

I view non-periodic functions as the limiting case of

periodic ones, i.e. consider period T and let T → ∞
Recap

transition to the Fourier transform (I)

I transition from periodic to non-periodic functions

I view non-periodic functions as the limiting case of

periodic ones, i.e. consider period T and let T → ∞

I then
I Fourier transform ⇔ generalization of Fourier coefficient
I inverse Fourier transform ⇔ generalization of Fourier series
Recap

transition to the Fourier transform (II)

I if f (x) is periodic of period T, the Fourier series becomes
∞
X 2π k
f (x) = f̂ (k) ei T x

k=−∞
Recap

transition to the Fourier transform (II)

I if f (x) is periodic of period T, the Fourier series becomes
∞
X 2π k
f (x) = f̂ (k) ei T x

k=−∞

and the Fourier coefficient becomes

ZT
1 2π k
f̂ (k) = f (x) e−i T x
dx
T
0
Z
T/2
1 2π k
= f (x) e−i T x
dx
T
−T/2
Recap

Question:
I why does the factor 1
T appear?
Recap

Question:
I why does the factor 1
T appear?

Answer:
I observe that
ZT ZT

i 2π k x i 2π k x  i 2π k
x −i 2π k
x
e T ,e T = e T e T dx = 1 dx = T
0 0

⇒ the factor normalizes the inner product

Recap

transition to the Fourier transform (III)

I introducing the angular frequency

2π k
ω=
T
we have
ωT
k=
2π
as well as
dω 2π T
= ⇔ dk = dω
dk T 2π
and we intuit that dk = 1 (← this is not really rigorous!!!)
Recap

transition to the Fourier transform (IV)

I as a function of ω, the Fourier coefficient becomes

Z
T/2
1
f̃ (ω) = f (x) e−i ω x dx
T
−T/2
Recap

transition to the Fourier transform (IV)

I as a function of ω, the Fourier coefficient becomes

Z
T/2
1
f̃ (ω) = f (x) e−i ω x dx
T
−T/2

and the Fourier series can be written as

∞
X
f (x) = f̃ (ω) ei ω x · 1
ωT
2π =−∞
∞
X T
= f̃ (ω) ei ω x · dω
ωT
2π
2π =−∞
Recap

transition to the Fourier transform (V)

I finally, letting T → ∞, we obtain

Z
∞ Z
∞ 
1
f (x) =  f (x) e−i ω x dx ei ω x dω
2π
−∞ −∞
Z
∞ Z
∞
 
1  √1
=√ f (x) e−i ω x dx ei ω x dω (2)
2π 2π
−∞ −∞
Recap

Fourier transform of f (x)

Z
∞
1
F(ω) = √ f (x) e−iωx dx
2π
−∞

inverse Fourier transform of F(ω)

Z
∞
1
f (x) = √ F(ω) eiωx dω
2π
−∞
Recap

interpretation
I the Fourier transform analyzes f (x) into its constituent
parts — a continuous family of complex exponentials

I the inverse Fourier transform synthesizes f (x) from the

constituent parts
Recap

note:

I some noticeable properties of the Fourier transform

I zero frequency
Z
1
F(0) = √ f (x) dx
2π R
Recap

note:

I some noticeable properties of the Fourier transform

I zero frequency
Z
1
F(0) = √ f (x) dx
2π R

I translation



F f (x − a) (ω) = e−iωa F f (x) (ω)
Recap

note:

I some noticeable properties of the Fourier transform

I zero frequency
Z
1
F(0) = √ f (x) dx
2π R

I translation



F f (x − a) (ω) = e−iωa F f (x) (ω)

I scaling

 1
 ω
F f (a · x) (ω) = F f (x)
|a| a
The Fourier Transform and Linear Filters

higher dimensional Fourier transforms

I the FT can be generalized
I from functions f (x) of one variable

I to functions f (x1 , x2 , . . . , xn ) of n variables

The Fourier Transform and Linear Filters

higher dimensional Fourier transforms

I the FT can be generalized
I from functions f (x) of one variable

I to functions f (x1 , x2 , . . . , xn ) of n variables

I for multivariate functions, we have

Z∞ Z P
n
−i ωk xk
− n2
F(ω1 , . . . , ωn ) = (2π) · · · f (x1 , . . . , xn ) e k=1 dx1 . . . dxn
−∞

and
Z∞ Z P
n
i ω k xk
− n2
f (x1 , . . . , xn ) = (2π) · · · F(ω1 , . . . , ωn ) e k=1 dω1 . . . dωn
−∞
The Fourier Transform and Linear Filters

2D Fourier transform

Z
∞ Z
∞
1
F(µ, ν) = f (x, y) e−i (µx+νy) dx dy
2π
−∞ −∞

inverse 2D Fourier transform

Z
∞ Z
∞
1
f (x, y) = F(µ, ν) ei (µx+νy) dµ dν
2π
−∞ −∞
The Fourier Transform and Linear Filters

discrete Fourier transform

I recall that digital images are discrete 2D functions
The Fourier Transform and Linear Filters

discrete Fourier transform

I recall that digital images are discrete 2D functions

I for the analysis and synthesis of discrete functions,

there are discrete version of the Fourier transform
and its inverse
The Fourier Transform and Linear Filters

discrete 2D Fourier transform

X N−1
M−1 X mx ny
F[m, n] = f [x, y] e−i 2π ( M + N ) (3)
x=0 y=0

discrete inverse 2D Fourier transform

1 XX
M−1 N−1
mx ny
f [x, y] = F[m, n] ei 2π ( M + N ) (4)
MN
m=0 n=0
The Fourier Transform and Linear Filters

note:

I M and N are finite, as are the sums in (3) and (4)

The Fourier Transform and Linear Filters

note:

I M and N are finite, as are the sums in (3) and (4)

I in order for the DFT and its inverse to make sense,

one implicitly assumes that f [x, y] is periodic with
periods M and N, that is

f [x, y] = f [x ± M, y ± N]
The Fourier Transform and Linear Filters

example

..
.

··· ···

..
.
The Fourier Transform and Linear Filters

note:

I there is a very efficient way of computing the n-dim DFT,

the so called fast Fourier transform (FFT)
The Fourier Transform and Linear Filters

note:

I there is a very efficient way of computing the n-dim DFT,

the so called fast Fourier transform (FFT)

I we shall not discuss it now but will return to it later

The Fourier Transform and Linear Filters

note:

I there are many other transforms that are similar in spirit

The Fourier Transform and Linear Filters

note:

I there are many other transforms that are similar in spirit

I some of them also feature prominently in image processing

I Discrete Cosine transform

I Walsh-Hadamard transform
I Discrete Wavelet transform
I Laplace transform
I Z transform
I ...
The Fourier Transform and Linear Filters

note:

I there are many other transforms that are similar in spirit

I some of them also feature prominently in image processing

I Discrete Cosine transform

I Walsh-Hadamard transform
I Discrete Wavelet transform
I Laplace transform
I Z transform
I ...
The Fourier Transform and Linear Filters

Fourier spectra

0
0 1

-1
-48 -40 -32 -24 -16 -8 0 8 16 24 32 40 48

f (x) = 1
2 (sin 2π2x + sin 2π8x) |F(ω)|

I a function composed of two elementary sine waves and its

frequency spectrum
I note: on a computer, continuous functions are represented
as discrete point sets; thus, the spectrum contains artifacts
The Fourier Transform and Linear Filters

2D example

I sinusoid image f (x, y) and its spectrum |F(µ, ν)|

The Fourier Transform and Linear Filters

2D example

I sinusoid image f (x, y) and its spectrum |F(µ, ν)|

The Fourier Transform and Linear Filters

2D example

I sinusoid image f (x, y) and its spectrum |F(µ, ν)|

The Fourier Transform and Linear Filters

2D example

I sinusoid image f (x, y) and its spectrum |F(µ, ν)| (again)

The Fourier Transform and Linear Filters

2D example

I sinusoid image f (x, y) and its spectrum |F(µ, ν)|

The Fourier Transform and Linear Filters

2D example

I sinusoid image f (x, y) and its spectrum |F(µ, ν)|

The Fourier Transform and Linear Filters

2D example

f (x, y) log|F(µ, ν)|

I natural image and its frequency spectrum

The Fourier Transform and Linear Filters

low-pass filter
I 1D example
I consider function Gl (ω)

0
−ωl ωl
The Fourier Transform and Linear Filters

low-pass filter
I 2D application (I)

F ·Gl (µ,ν)
−
→ −−−−−→
The Fourier Transform and Linear Filters

low-pass filter
I 2D application (II)

F −1
−−→
The Fourier Transform and Linear Filters

high-pass filter
I 1D example
I consider function Gh (ω)

0
−ωh ωh
The Fourier Transform and Linear Filters

high-pass filter
I 2D application (I)

F ·Gh (µ,ν)
−
→ −−−−−→
The Fourier Transform and Linear Filters

high-pass filter
I 2D application (II)

F −1
−−→
The Fourier Transform and Linear Filters

band-pass filter
I 1D example
I consider function Gb (ω)

0
−ωh −ωl ωl ωh
The Fourier Transform and Linear Filters

band-pass filter
I 2D application (I)

F ·Gb (µ,ν)
−
→ −−−−−→
The Fourier Transform and Linear Filters

band-pass filter
I 2D application (II)

F −1
−−→
The Fourier Transform and Linear Filters

effect of noise
The Fourier Transform and Linear Filters

effect of low pass filtering

h(x, y) log|H(µ, ν)| log|Gl (µ, ν) · H(µ, ν)| F −1 Gl (µ, ν) · H(µ, ν)

Summary

we now know about

I the Fourier transform and its inverse

I higher dimensional (inverse) FTs

I discrete (inverse) FTs

I the ideas behind of low-, high- and band-pass filtering

Exercises

1. show that the 2D Fourier transform is a separable

operation, i.e. show that
Z
∞ Z
∞
1
F(µ, ν) = f (x, y) e−i (µx+νy) dx dy
2π
−∞ −∞
Z
∞ Z
∞
 
1  √1
=√ f (x, y) e−i µx dx e−i νy dy
2π 2π
−∞ −∞