An asynchronous thinning algorithm

Abstract A problem common to many areas of pictorial information processing is the transformation of a bilevel (two-color) image into a line drawing. The first step in such a process is discussed: transformation of the bilevel image into another bilevel image that is “thin.” An algorithm is proposed that can be implemented in either parallel or sequential fashion, and therefore is suitable for a mixed operation where a group of processors operate in parallel with each one examining sequentially the pixels of a part of the image assigned to it. It is possible to process images in pieces and thin correctly parts that are intersected by the dividing lines. Therefore, the method can be used on large images, such as maps and engineering drawings. The algorithm may also be run with certain options that label the thinned image so that exact reconstruction of the original is possible.

[1]  Ugo Montanari,et al.  Continuous Skeletons from Digitized Images , 1969, JACM.

[2]  Luigi P. Cordella,et al.  From Local Maxima to Connected Skeletons , 1981, IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence.

[3]  Roger Cederberg,et al.  On the coding, processing and display of binary images , 1980 .

[4]  Azriel Rosenfeld,et al.  Computer representation of planar regions by their skeletons , 1967, CACM.

[5]  Donna J. Peuquet,et al.  An Examination Of Techniques For Reformatting Digital Cartographic Data / Part 2: The Vector-To-Raster Process , 1981 .

[6]  T. Pavlidis.  Algorithms for Graphics and Image Processing , 1981, Springer Berlin Heidelberg.

[7]  Carlo Arcelli,et al.  Pattern thinning by contour tracing , 1981 .

[8]  H. Wechsler.  A structural approach to shape analysis using mirroring axes , 1979 .

[9]  Theodosios Pavlidis,et al.  Structural pattern recognition , 1977 .

[10]  K. Ramachandran,et al.  Coding method for vector representation of engineering drawings , 1980, Proceedings of the IEEE.

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

[12]  Gabriella Sanniti di Baja,et al.  A thinning algorithm based on prominence detection , 1981, Pattern Recognit..

[13]  Theo Pavlidis,et al.  Filling algorithms for raster graphics , 1979 .

[14]  Theodosios Pavlidis,et al.  Global Shape Analysis by k-Syntactic Similarity , 1981, IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence.

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

[16]  William Pferd,et al.  Computer aided automatic digitizing of engineering drawings , 1978, COMPSAC.

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