# Intra and Inter Parser-Prompted Transformers for Effective Image Restoration

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.14037 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2503.14037/

## Key facts

- Cited by 10 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 35 of its 56 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 18 Mar 2025.

## Builds on (most cited first, 30 of 35)

- [Deep Residual Learning for Image Recognition](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1512.03385/) (2015)
- [An Image is Worth 16x16 Words: Transformers for Image Recognition at Scale](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2010.11929/) (2020)
- [U-Net: Convolutional Networks for Biomedical Image Segmentation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1505.04597/) (2015)
- [SGDR: Stochastic Gradient Descent with Warm Restarts](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1608.03983/) (2016)
- [Restormer: Efficient Transformer for High-Resolution Image Restoration](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2111.09881/) (2021)
- [Real-Time Single Image and Video Super-Resolution Using an Efficient Sub-Pixel Convolutional Neural Network](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1609.05158/) (2016)
- [Uformer: A General U-Shaped Transformer for Image Restoration](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2106.03106/) (2021)
- [Multi-Stage Progressive Image Restoration](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2102.02808/) (2021)
- [Deep Multi-scale Convolutional Neural Network for Dynamic Scene Deblurring](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1612.02177/) (2016)
- [Deep Retinex Decomposition for Low-Light Enhancement](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1808.04560/) (2018)
- [Zero-Reference Deep Curve Estimation for Low-Light Image Enhancement](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2001.06826/) (2020)
- [Recovering Realistic Texture in Image Super-resolution by Deep Spatial Feature Transform](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1804.02815/) (2018)
- [Deep Joint Rain Detection and Removal from a Single Image](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1609.07769/) (2016)
- [Retinex-inspired Unrolling with Cooperative Prior Architecture Search for Low-light Image Enhancement](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2012.05609/) (2020)
- [MAXIM: Multi-Axis MLP for Image Processing](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2201.02973/) (2022)
- [Progressive Image Deraining Networks: A Better and Simpler Baseline](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1901.09221/) (2019)
- [Multi-Scale Progressive Fusion Network for Single Image Deraining](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2003.10985/) (2020)
- [Density-aware Single Image De-raining using a Multi-stream Dense Network](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1802.07412/) (2018)
- [Recurrent Squeeze-and-Excitation Context Aggregation Net for Single Image Deraining](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1807.05698/) (2018)
- [DesnowNet: Context-Aware Deep Network for Snow Removal](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1708.04512/) (2017)
- [Image De-raining Using a Conditional Generative Adversarial Network](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1701.05957/) (2017)
- [Efficient Frequency Domain-based Transformers for High-Quality Image Deblurring](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2211.12250/) (2022)
- [Clearing the Skies: A deep network architecture for single-image rain removal](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1609.02087/) (2016)
- [Uncertainty Guided Multi-Scale Residual Learning-using a Cycle Spinning CNN for Single Image De-Raining](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1906.11129/) (2019)
- [Iterative Filter Adaptive Network for Single Image Defocus Deblurring](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2108.13610/) (2021)
- [Spatially-Adaptive Image Restoration using Distortion-Guided Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2108.08617/) (2021)
- [Attention Guided Low-light Image Enhancement with a Large Scale Low-light Simulation Dataset](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1908.00682/) (2019)
- [Towards Realistic Data Generation for Real-World Super-Resolution](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2406.07255/) (2024)
- [Single Image Defocus Deblurring Using Kernel-Sharing Parallel Atrous Convolutions](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2108.09108/) (2021)
- [Lightweight Adaptive Feature De-drifting for Compressed Image Classification](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2401.01724/) (2024)

## Built on by (most cited first, 10 of 10)

- [Adapting Large VLMs with Iterative and Manual Instructions for Generative Low-light Enhancement](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2507.18064/) (2025)
- [Learning Adaptive Dynamical Features via Multi-τ Liquid-Mamba for All-in-one Image Restoration](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2606.22801/) (2026)
- [Frequency-Driven Inverse Kernel Prediction for Single Image Defocus Deblurring](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2508.12736/) (2025)
- [Causal-AgentIR: Self-Evolving Causal Memory for Adaptive Image Restoration Agents](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2607.21125/) (2026)
- [Degradation-Aware Prompt Learning with Cross-Modal Compensation for Adverse Weather Removal](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2608.06939/) (2026)
- [Learning to Restore Multi-Degraded Images via Ingredient Decoupling and Task-Aware Path Adaptation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2511.04920/) (2025)
- [Physically Interpretable Multi-Degradation Image Restoration via Deep Unfolding and Explainable Convolution](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2511.10166/) (2025)
- [From Physical Degradation Models to Task-Aware All-in-One Image Restoration](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2601.10192/) (2026)
- [Ultra-High-Definition Restoration Transformers with Correlation Matching Transformation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2608.20263/) (2026)
- [GraLoD: Graphics-Inspired Continuous Level-of-Detail Learning for Image Restoration](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2609.16578/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

We propose Intra and Inter Parser-Prompted Transformers (PPTformer) that explore useful features from visual foundation models for image restoration. Specifically, PPTformer contains two parts: an Image Restoration Network (IRNet) for restoring images from degraded observations and a Parser-Prompted Feature Generation Network (PPFGNet) for providing IRNet with reliable parser information to boost restoration. To enhance the integration of the parser within IRNet, we propose Intra Parser-Prompted Attention (IntraPPA) and Inter Parser-Prompted Attention (InterPPA) to implicitly and explicitly learn useful parser features to facilitate restoration. The IntraPPA re-considers cross attention between parser and restoration features, enabling implicit perception of the parser from a long-range and intra-layer perspective. Conversely, the InterPPA initially fuses restoration features with those of the parser, followed by formulating these fused features within an attention mechanism to explicitly perceive parser information. Further, we propose a parser-prompted feed-forward network to guide restoration within pixel-wise gating modulation. Experimental results show that PPTformer achieves state-of-the-art performance on image deraining, defocus deblurring, desnowing, and low-light enhancement.