Digital image processing

As most regular readers of this TRANSACTIONS know, the development of digital signal processing techniques for applications involving image or picture data has been an increasingly active research area for the past decade. Collectively, t h s work is normally characterized under the generic heading “digital image processing.” Interestingly, the two books under review here share this heading as their title. Both are quite ambitious undertakings in that they attempt to integrate contributions from many disciplines (classical systems theory, digital signal processing, computer science, statistical communications, etc.) into unified, comprehensive presentations. In this regard it can be said that both are to some extent successful, although in quite different ways. Why the unusual step of a joint review? A brief overview of the two books reveals that they share not only a common title, but also similar objectives/purposes, intended audiences, structural organizations, and lists of topics considered. A more careful study reveals that substantial differences do exist, however, in the style and depth of subject treatment (as reflected in the difference in their lengths). Given their almost simultaneous publication, it seems appropriate to discuss these similarities/differences in a common setting. After much forethought (and two drafts), the reviewer decided to structure this review by describing the general topical material in their (joint) major sections, with supplementary comments directed toward the individual texts. It is hoped that this will provide the reader with a brief survey of the books’ contents and some flavor of their contrasting approaches. To avoid the identity problems of the joint title, each book will be subsequently referred to using the respective authors’ names: Gonzalez/Wintz and Pratt. Subjects will be correlated with chapter number(s) and approximate l ngth of coverage.