In this paper, an improved technique for evolving wavelet coefficients refined for compression and reconstruction of fingerprint images is presented. The FBI fingerprint compression standard [1, 2] uses the cdf 9/7 wavelet filter coefficients. Lifting scheme is an efficient way to represent classical wavelets with fewer filter coefficients [3, 4]. Here Genetic algorithm (GA) is used to evolve better lifting filter coefficients for cdf 9/7 wavelet to compress and reconstruct fingerprint images with better quality. Since the lifting filter coefficients are few in numbers compared to the corresponding classical wavelet filter coefficients, they are evolved at a faster rate using GA. A better reconstructed image quality in terms of Peak-Signal-to-Noise-Ratio (PSNR) is achieved with the best lifting filter coefficients evolved for a compression ratio 16:1. These evolved coefficients perform well for other compression ratios also.

In this paper, a multiwavelet based fingerprint compression technique using set partitioning in hierarchical trees (SPIHT) algorithm with optimised prefilter coefficients is proposed. While wavelet based progressive compression techniques give a blurred image at lower bit rates due to lack of high frequency information, multiwavelets can be used efficiently to represent high frequency information. SA4 (Symmetric Antisymmetric) multiwavelet when combined with SPIHT reduces the number of nodes during initialization to 1/4 th compared to SPIHT with wavelet. This reduction in nodes leads to improvement in PSNR at lower bit rates. The PSNR can be further improved by optimizing the prefilter coefficients. In this work genetic algorithm (GA) is used for optimizing prefilter coefficients. Using the proposed technique, there is a considerable improvement in PSNR at lower bit rates, compared to existing techniques in literature. An overall average improvement of 4.23dB and 2.52dB for bit rates in between 0.01 to 1 has been achieved for the images in the databases FVC 2000 DB1 and FVC 2002 DB3 respectively. The quality of the reconstructed image is better even at higher compression ratios like 80:1 and 100:1. The level of decomposition required for a multiwavelet is lesser compared to a wavelet.

The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden.

No abstract

Abstract-This paper explains the Genetic Algorithm (GA) evolution of optimized wavelet that surpass the cdf9/7 wavelet for fingerprint compression and reconstruction. Optimized wavelets have already been evolved in previous works in the literature, but they are highly computationally complex and time consuming. Therefore, in this work, a simple approach is made to reduce the computational complexity of the evolution algorithm. A training image set comprised of three 32x32 size cropped images performed much better than the reported coefficients in literature.An average improvement of 1.0059 dB in PSNR above the classical cdf9/7 wavelet over the 80 fingerprint images was achieved. In addition, the computational speed was increased by 90.18 %. The evolved coefficients for compression ratio (CR) 16:1 yielded better average PSNR for other CRs also. Improvement in average PSNR was experienced for degraded and noisy images as well.