Design of computationally efficient 2D FIR Design of 1D prototype FIR filters using sampling kernels: The

filters using sampling-kernel-based sampling-kernel-based interpolation was proposed to implement a

interpolation and frequency transformation
K.J. Kim, J.H. Kim and S.W. Nam✉
A closed-form design of a two- dimensional (2D) finite impulse
response (FIR) filter with circular, rectangular, fan or quadrant-fan
shapes in the passband region is presented. The computationally effi-
cient 2D FIR filter can be implemented using frequency transformation
and sampling-kernel-based interpolation instead of an optimisation
algorithm. When compared with the existing method, the proposed
method reduces 90% of multiplications for filtering. Several design
examples are demonstrated to verify the performance of the proposed
design.
Introduction: The design of two-dimensional (2D) digital filters has
received much attention owing to the quality improvement of images
and the removal of undesired components. In particular, finite impulse
response (FIR) filters have been utilised more often than infinite
impulse response filters since the linear-phase property is preferred in
2D filtering. A practical issue in designing 2D FIR filters includes realis-
ation of a computationally efficient one satisfying filter specifications.
For that purpose, various 2D FIR filter designs including the window
and the optimisation approaches have been developed; among them,
the use of frequency transformation is one of the powerful and
popular techniques [1, 2].
To design 2D FIR filters with sharp transition, the frequency-response
masking (FRM) approach [3], efficient in designing one-dimensional
(1D) FIR filters with narrow edges, was utilised along with frequency
transformation [4]. While the 1D FRM filters have been well investi-
gated, 2D FIR filters designed using the frequency transformation are
sharp FIR filter with reduced filter coefficients [5]. Most of the design
steps of the 1D prototype filter h[n] and those of the original scheme pre-
sented in [5] are identical. The components to synthesise the 1D proto-
type filter h[n] are given by
h(a),L [n] = h(a),up [n] ∗ 1/a(2L + 1)r[n/a(2L + 1)] (3)

s(a),L [n]
hc [n] = hc a(2L)r[n/a(2L)]
(a),L (a),up [n] ∗ 1/

(4)
sc(a),L [n]
where h(a),L [n] and h(a),L [n], respectively, correspond to a multi-image
c
filter including up to the Lth image (i.e. a blue solid line in Fig. 1d, L
= 1) and a multi-bandpass filter including up to the Lth bandpass part
(i.e. a green dotted line in Fig. 1d, L = 1). Besides, h(1/α),up [n] and
hc(a),up [n] are upsampled model filters obtained by inserting (α − 1) zero-
valued samples between two consecutive samples of h[n] and h c[n] (i.e.
H c[z] = z −(N−1)/2 − H[z]) and * denotes the convolution operation. When
specifications of the 1D prototype filter h[n] are determined by translat-
ing the desired 2D frequency response (see Fig. 1) [2], the specifications
of a 1D model filter h(α)[n] of length 2Nm + 1 (i.e. for its frequency
response H(α)(ω)) and the optimal scaling factor α can be derived simul-
taneously from the analytical method [6]. Furthermore, s(α),L[n] and
sc(a),L [n] denote sampling kernels for the multi-image filter and for the
multi-bandpass filter, respectively. For practical implementation, a
raised-cosine filter r[n] of length 2Nr + 1 is used [7]. The length can
be calculated from the same procedure as that of an image-suppression
filter in the IFIR structure [6].
3
amplitude response, dB

0
still of high complexity in overall filtering since the frequency trans- –20
passband
2

formation is applied to the overall filter coefficients of cascaded subfil- –40

ripple 1

ters (i.e. an upsampled model filter and a masking filter). 0

w2
–60 stopband
attenuation –1
In this Letter, a closed-form design of computationally efficient 2D –80
transition
FIR filters is proposed, whereby the frequency transformation and the –100
2
width
–2

0 2 –3
sampling-kernel-based interpolation are utilised. Since two lower-order w2
–2 –2
0 2 0 –2
w1
subfilters are combined in a closed-form, various 2D sharp filters of a
w1
b
lower complexity are synthesised in a more effective way by controlling
the design parameters and transformation sequences.
0 0
amplitude response, dB

passband
–10 –10
Design of 2D FIR filters using frequency transformation: The fre- ripple

quency transformation maps a 1D prototype FIR filter into a 2D filter

–20 –20
stopband
–30 –30
by transforming variables [1, 2]. In this Letter, transformations of 1D attenuation

filters of odd length are only considered to implement various 2D FIR –40 –40

filters since a 1D FIR filter of even length is only valid for one particular –50
–2 0 2
–50
–2 0 2
frequency transformation (e.g. circular filters [1]). More specifically, w w
d c
filter specifications for the 1D prototype filter h[n] of length 2N + 1
can be determined by translating the given specifications for the
Fig. 1 Translating specifications from 2D filter to 1D components (i.e. Figs.
desired 2D frequency response [2]. Then, by using the frequency trans- 1a and b to ID components (i.e. Figs. 1c and d)
formation, the frequency response H(ω1, ω2) of the designed 2D filter is
a Frequency response of 2D filter
expressed by b Top view of 2D filter
c Frequency response of 1D prototype filter



N  d Frequency response of 1D component

H(v1 , v2 ) = a[n](cos v)n  (1)

n=0 cos v=T (v1 ,v2 ) Design of 2D FIR filters using frequency transformation and sampling
kernels: The design steps for the proposed 2D FIR filters are summar-
In (1), a[n] (n = 0, 1, . . ., N ) can be calculated from ised as follows:
h[n] (n = 0, 1, . . . , 2N ) [1], and T(ω1, ω2) corresponds to the Fourier
transform of a finite-extent zero-phase sequence tm1 ,m2 and can be (i) By translating the desired 2D filter specifications (see Fig. 1) [1],
expressed as determine specifications for a 1D prototype filter h[n] and the transform-


ation sequence tm1 ,m2 . Note that coefficients tm1 ,m2 for circular, rectangu-
−jv1 n1 −jv2 n2
T (v1 , v2 ) = (m1 ,m2 )
t
[Rt m1 ,m2
e e (2) lar, fan-shaped and quadrant fan filters are already reported in the
literature [2].
where Rt denotes the region of support. By elaborately selecting tm1 ,m2 (ii) We utilise the analytical approach for determining the optimal
with size (2M1 + 1) × (2M2 + 1), a variety of 2D filters of different scaling factor α [6] and choose L by using the rule for passband
shapes can be obtained [2]. The resulting 2D filter h2[n1, n2] is a cutoff frequencies of masking filters within FRM filters [3]. Next,
finite-extent sequence of size (2M1N + 1) × (2M2N + 1). For example, derive h(a),up [n], hc(a),up [n], s(a),L [n], and sc(a),L [n]. Note that a roll-off
if N = 9 and tm1 ,m2 is a 3 × 3-point sequence, M1 = M2 = 1 and h2[n1, factor R of the raised-cosine filter can be determined from Δωrc/2ωc (i.
n2] becomes a 19 × 19-point sequence. Since h2[n1, n2] is completely e. transition width Δωrc and cutoff frequency ωc) [7].
specified by h[n] and tm1 ,m2 , the overall structure should be exploited (iii) 2D components for synthesising a 2D filter (i.e. H  (a),L (v1 , v2 ) and
to reduce the number of arithmetic operations, from which the 1D pro- H c (v1 , v2 )) are obtained by applying the transformation (1) – (3) and
(a),L
totype filter h[n] is implemented. (4), respectively [2]; also, the resulting 2D FIR filter H  ∗ (v1 , v2 ) is given

ELECTRONICS LETTERS 20th August 2015 Vol. 51 No. 17 pp. 1326–1328

by of a 1D prototype filter are given as follows: transition width Δω2 =
0.02π, passband ripple δp = 0.02, and stopband ripple δs = 0.001. As
 (a),L (v1 , v2 ) = H(a),up (v1 , v2 ) S(a),L (v1 , v2 )
H (5) in [4], the length of the overall 1D prototype filter is 239 (i.e. N =
 c ( v1 ,
H v2 ) = H(ca),up (v1 , v2 ) S(ca),L (v1 , v2 ) (6) 119) and the resulting 2D filter is a 239 × 239-point filter. Therefore,
(a),L
the number of multiplications per output sample is 57 121 since the
number of multiplications per output sample becomes (2M1N + 1)

 ∗ (v1 , v2 ) = H c
H (a),L (v1 , v2 ) + H (a),L (v1 , v2 ) (7) (2M2N + 1). The optimal value of α is calculated to be 5 (rounded)
from the determination equation [6], and L should be 1 to satisfy the
Suppose that H(α),up(ω1, ω2) and H(ca),up (v1 , v2 ) correspond to N1 × given filter specification [3]. From those α and L, specifications of the
N1-point filters (N1 = (2Nm + 1)α − (α − 1)), and that S(α),L(ω1, ω2) 1D model filter with length 47 (i.e. Nm = 23) are derived as follows: tran-
and S(ca),L (v1 , v2 ) are N2 × N2 filters (N2 = 2Nr + 1). Then, sition width αΔω2 = Δω1 = 0.1p, passband ripple δp = 0.02, and stop-
H (a),L (v1 , v2 ) and H  c (v1 , v2 ) result in filters of size (N1 + N2 − band ripple δs = 0.001. Moreover, the raised-cosine function with the
(a),L
1) × (N1 + N2 − 1). If H  ∗ (v1 , v2 ) is directly implemented by using the roll-off factor 0.52 and length 31 (i.e. Nr = 15) is used. From the speci-
convolution without exploiting the symmetry of the filter coefficients, fications, H(5),up(ω1, ω2) and H(5),upc
(v1 , v2 ) are determined as 231 ×
the number of multiplications per output sample is equal to (N1 + N2 231-point filters; additionally, S(5),L(ω1, ω2) and S(5),L c
(v1 , v2 ) were
− 1)2. If H  ∗ (v1 , v2 ) is implemented by combining (5) and (6), but 31 × 31-point filters. Since h(5),up [n] and hc(5),up [n] contain four zeros
without exploiting the symmetry of the filter coefficients, the number between two consecutive samples of h(5)[n], the number of multipli-
of multiplications per output sample is equal to 2(N12 + N22 ). Since the cations per output sample is 6 340. In the case of a rectangular filter
desired 2D filter can be decomposed into a cascade implementation as with M1 = M2 = 2 [4], the numbers of multiplications by [4] and by
derived in (5)–(7), the number of multiplications per output sample is the proposed approach are 227 529 and 24 740, respectively.
equal to 2((2Nm + 1)2 + (2Nr + 1)2). Comparison of the computational complexity is summarised in
Table 1. In Fig. 2, various 2D sharp FIR filters are depicted (i.e.
H  c (v1 , v2 ), and H
 (5),L (v1 , v2 ), H  ∗ (v1 , v2 )), whose passbands
Table 1: Computational complexity (5),L
are circular, rectangular, fan-shaped and quadrant fan-shaped.
M1 = M2 = 1 M1 = M2 = 2
[3] 57 121 227 529 Conclusion: In this Letter, a closed-form design of 2D FIR filters is pro-
Proposed design 6 340 24 740 posed, whereby sampling-kernel-based interpolation and frequency
Reduction rate 91% 90.8% transformation are utilised. In particular, it is demonstrated that the pro-
posed circular, rectangular, fan-shaped and quadrant fan filters enable us
to reduce the computational complexity (i.e. approximately 90%) for
1.5
filtering.
amplitude

1.0
0.5
0
1.0
© The Institution of Engineering and Technology 2015
0.5 1.0
0
–0.5 0
0.5 Submitted: 31 January 2015 E-first: 6 August 2015
–0.5
W2 –1.0 –1.0 W1 a doi: 10.1049/el.2015.0143
One or more of the Figures in this Letter are available in colour online.
K.J. Kim (Department of Music Engineering, Functional Outcomes
Research and Evaluation (FORE) Center, University of Miami, FL,
USA)
J.H. Kim and S.W. Nam (Deptartment of Electronics Engineering,
b
Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea)
✉ E-mail: swnam@hanyang.ac.kr

References
1 Mersereau, R., Mecklenbrauker, W., and Quatieri, T. Jr.: ‘McClellan
c transformations for two-dimensional digital filtering. Part I: Design’,
IEEE Trans. Circuits Syst., 1976, 23, (7), pp. 405–414
2 Lim, J.S.: ‘Two-dimensional signal and image processing’ (Prentice
Hall, NJ, USA, 1990)
3 Lim, Y.C.: ‘Frequency-response masking approach for the synthesis of
sharp linear phase digital filters’, IEEE Trans. Circuits Syst., 1986, 33,
(4), pp. 357–364
d 4 Chen, L., and Chan, K.-P.: ‘Design of two-dimensional sharp wideband
filters using frequency response masking technique and frequency trans-
Fig. 2 Design results formation’, Electron. Lett., 2009, 45, (1), pp. 82–84
a Circular 5 Kim, K.J., and Nam, S.W.: ‘FIR filter solution to unusual gain responses
b Rectangular arising in Parks-McClellan algorithm’, IEICE Electron. Express, 2009, 6,
c Fan-shaped (17), pp. 1226–1233
d Quadrant fan (Left-hand side: (5), middle: (6) and right-hand side: (7)) 6 Mehrnia, A., and Willson, A.N. Jr.: ‘On optimal IFIR filter design’. Proc.
IEEE ISCAS’04, Vancouver, BC, Canada, 2004, Vol. 3, pp. III-133–6
Design examples: To verify the performance of the proposed 2D FIR 7 Glover, I., and Grant, P.: ‘Digital communications’ (Prentice Hall, NJ,
USA, 2009, 3rd edn)
filter, we first considered an example with M1 = M2 = 1 (e.g. circular,
fan-shaped and quadrant fan filters [4]) when the filter specifications

ELECTRONICS LETTERS 20th August 2015 Vol. 51 No. 17 pp. 1326–1328