Image Edge Detection Systems and Methods

• US 20080175513A1
• Filed: 03/31/2006
• Published: 07/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The University of Georgia Research Foundation, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The University of Georgia Research Foundation, Inc.
• Inventors: Lai, Ming-Jun, Nam, Kyunglim
• Application Number:
  US11/911,748
• Publication Number:
  US 20080175513A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/267
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20064 Wavelet transform [DWT]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/12 Edge-based segmentation

Abstract

Various embodiments of edge detection systems and methods are disclosed. One method embodiment, among others, comprises receiving an image (602), applying a box-spline based tight wavelet frame to the image to decompose the image into low pass and high pass portions (604), and reconstructing the image from the high pass portions to yield edges of the image (606).

Claims

1. An image edge detection system (550), comprising:

memory (514) with image edge detection software (500);

a processor (512) configured with the image edge detection software to receive an image (100), apply a box-spline based tight wavelet frame to the image to decompose the image into low pass and high pass portions, and reconstruct the image from the high pass portions to yield edges of the image.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the box-spline based tight wavelet frame comprises a low pass filter.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the box-spline based tight wavelet frame comprises one or more framelets corresponding to high-pass filter functionality.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the image edge detection software comprises a matrix module (546) comprising the box-spline based tight wavelet frame.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory further comprises pattern recognition software (536).

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the processor is further configured with the pattern recognition software to receive the edges and enable recognition of objects in the reconstructed image (400) based on the edges.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured with the image edge detection software to normalize the reconstructed image into standard gray levels.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured with the image edge detection software to impose thresholds to pixel values corresponding to the reconstructed image.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured with the image edge detection software to remove isolated dots from the reconstructed image.

10. An image edge detection method (500a), comprising:

receiving an image (602);

applying a box-spline based tight wavelet frame to the image to decompose the image into low pass and high pass portions (604); and

reconstructing the image from the high pass portions to yield edges of the image (606).

11. The method of claim 10, wherein applying comprises multiplying framelets corresponding to the tight wavelet frame and a low-pass filter with image data corresponding to the image.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein reconstructing comprises setting a matrix corresponding to the low-pass portion of a decomposed image to zero.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving the edges and enabling recognition of objects in the reconstructed image.

14. The method of claim 10, farther comprising normalizing the reconstructed image into standard gray levels.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein normalizing comprises imposing thresholds to pixel values corresponding to the reconstructed image.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising removing isolated dots from the reconstructed image.

17. A computer-readable medium having a computer program for detecting edges in an image, the computer-readable medium comprising:

logic configured to receive an image (500);

logic configured to apply a box-spline based tight wavelet frame to the image to decompose the image into low pass and high pass portions (500, 546); and

logic configured to reconstruct the image from the high pass portions to yield edges of the image (500).

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising logic (536) configured to provide pattern recognition.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising logic configured to normalize the reconstructed image into standard gray levels.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising logic configured to remove isolated dots from the reconstructed image.

21. An image edge detection system (550), comprising:

means for receiving an image (500);

means for applying a box-spline based tight wavelet frame to the image to decompose the image into low pass and high pass portions (500, 546); and

means for reconstructing the image from the high pass portions to yield edges of the image (500).

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the means for receiving, applying, and reconstructing comprise software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware.