Stairstep interpolation

In image processing, stairstep interpolation is a general method for interpolating the pixels after enlarging an image. The key idea is to interpolate multiple times in small increments using any interpolation algorithm that is better than nearest-neighbor interpolation, such as bilinear interpolation, and bicubic interpolation. A common scenario is to interpolate an image by using a bicubic interpolation which increases the image size by no more than 10% (110% of the original size) at a time until the desired size is reached.

The method was popularized in part by developer Fred Miranda, who created several Photoshop plug-ins incorporating the technique.