The use of sample selection probabilities for stack filter design

We propose a procedure for stack filter design that takes into consideratio n the filter's sample selection probabilities. A statistical optimization o f stack filters can result in a class of stack filters, all of which are st atistically equivalent. Such a situation arises in cases of nonsymmetric no ise distributions or in the presence of constraints. Among the set of equiv alent stack filters, our method constructs a statistically optimal stack fi lter whose sample selection probabilities are concentrated in the center of its window. This leads to improvement of detail preservation.