/*Scales the given image by {scaleFactor} in each direction. Uses a bicubic
	 * filter ??? only in expansion, or also in reduction? ???*/
	public static BufferedImage scale_image (BufferedImage image, double scaleValue) {
		AffineTransform tx = new AffineTransform();
		tx.scale(scaleValue, scaleValue);
		AffineTransformOp op = new AffineTransformOp(tx, AffineTransformOp.TYPE_BICUBIC);
		return op.filter(image, op.createCompatibleDestImage(image, null));
	}	

	
	
		/*Computing weights {x_weight, y_weight} to normalize the resized image.*/
		int x_weight_rad = -1, y_weight_rad = -1;
	
	
		double x_weight[] = null, y_weight[] = null;

		if (image_normalization_weight.compareTo("Gauss") == 0) {	
			
			/*Gaussian weights*/
			x_weight_rad = choose_gaussian_weight_size (image_normalization_weight_radius * rheight);
			y_weight_rad = choose_gaussian_weight_size (image_normalization_weight_radius * rheight);	

			x_weight = new double [2 * x_weight_rad + 1];
			y_weight = new double [2 * y_weight_rad + 1];

			compute_gaussian_weights (x_weight, x_weight_rad);		
			compute_gaussian_weights (y_weight, y_weight_rad);
		}
		else if (image_normalization_weight.compareTo("Binomial") == 0) { 
			
			/*Binomial weights*/
			x_weight_rad = y_weight_rad = (int) image_normalization_weight_radius;

			x_weight = new double [2 * x_weight_rad + 1];
			y_weight = new double [2 * y_weight_rad + 1];

			compute_binomial_weights (x_weight, x_weight_rad);
			compute_binomial_weights (y_weight, y_weight_rad);
		}
		else {
			System.err.printf("error: choose a valid weight image normalization\n");
			System.exit(1);
		}