Second-Order Connected Attribute Filters Using Max-Trees

The work presented in this paper introduces a novel method for second-order connected attribute filtering using Max-Trees. The proposed scheme is generated in a recursive manner from two images, the original and a modified copy by an either extensive or an anti-extensive operator. The tree structure is shaped by the component hierarchy of the modified image while the node attributes are based on the connected components of the original image. Attribute filtering of second-order connected sets proceeds as in conventional Max-Trees with no further computational overhead.