A knowledge-based thinning algorithm

Abstract One common defect of thinning algorithms is deformation at crossing points. To solve this problem, a new thinning method, called the knowledge-based thinning algorithm (KBTA), is proposed. It first represents a binary pattern by coded run lengths of the horizontal line segments. Then the relationship between line segments is described quantitatively by another new algorithm which makes use of both forward and backward derivatives. It afterwards identifies the regions where branches of the pattern meet, then extracts their shape features and thins all of them. Knowing the identities of these regions, perfect skeletons can be obtained. Other regions are thinned by an existing algorithm which is based on contour generation. Experiments with a wide variety of binary patterns show that this new technique generates better skeletons than several other well-known algorithms.

[1]  Keiichi Abe,et al.  Binary picture thinning by an iterative parallel two-subcycle operation , 1987, Pattern Recognit..

[2]  C. J. Hilditch,et al.  Linear Skeletons From Square Cupboards , 1969 .

[3]  Yung-Sheng Chen,et al.  A modified fast parallel algorithm for thinning digital patterns , 1988, Pattern Recognit. Lett..

[4]  Gabriella Sanniti di Baja,et al.  A Width-Independent Fast Thinning Algorithm , 1985, IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence.

[5]  Nabil Jean Naccache,et al.  SPTA: A proposed algorithm for thinning binary patterns , 1984, IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics.

[6]  T. Pavlidis.  A thinning algorithm for discrete binary images , 1980 .

[7]  Azriel Rosenfeld,et al.  Some Parallel Thinning Algorithms for Digital Pictures , 1971, JACM.

[8]  Azriel Rosenfeld,et al.  Sequential Operations in Digital Picture Processing , 1966, JACM.

[9]  Wen Xu,et al.  CGT: A fast thinning algorithm implemented on a sequential computer , 1987, IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics.

[10]  Paul C. K. Kwok,et al.  A thinning algorithm by contour generation , 1988, CACM.

[11]  Erdal Panayirci,et al.  Extension of the Cox-Lewis method for testing multi-dimensional data , 1988 .

[12]  Réjean Plamondon,et al.  Thinning of Digitized Characters from Subjective Experiments: a Proposal for a Systematic Evaluation Protocol of Algorithms , 1989, Computer Vision and Shape Recognition.

[13]  Ching Y. Suen,et al.  A fast parallel algorithm for thinning digital patterns , 1984, CACM.

[14]  Herbert Freeman,et al.  On the Encoding of Arbitrary Geometric Configurations , 1961, IRE Trans. Electron. Comput..

[15]  King-Sun Fu,et al.  A syntactic approach to fingerprint pattern recognition , 1975, Pattern Recognit..