QRCI: A new quantum representation model of color digital images

In this paper, a new quantum representation model of color digital images (QRCI) is investigated, in which the color information is encoded by the basis states of qubit sequences. QRCI model utilizes 2n + 6 qubits to store a color digital image with size 2(n) x 2(n). Compared with the existing NCQI representation model, the storage capacity of QRCI improves 2(18) times. Moreover, some quantum color image processing operations concerning channels and bit-planes based on QRCI are discussed and their quantum circuits are designed. Comparison results of the quantum circuits indicate that these operations based on QRCI have lower quantum cost than NCQI. Therefore, the new proposed QRCI representation model can save more storage space and it is more convenient to conduct quantum color image processing operations concerning channels and bit-planes. This work will help the researchers to further investigate more complex quantum color image processing operations based on QRCI.