Method and apparatus for sorting corner points in a visual image processing system
First Claim
1. A feature extractor sorter apparatus for use in a visual image processing system which automatically determines whether newly supplied corner point identifying digital data should be linked to a free end corner point identifying digital data of a given set of other already linked corner point identifying digital data, where each corner point is identified by x, y coordinates and IN and OUT vectors, so as to represent part of a closed edge contour, said apparatus comprising:
- microprocessor means for providing Δ
x, Δ
y digital data signals representing the difference Δ
x, Δ
y between x, y coordinates of said newly supplied corner point identifying digital data and the x, y coordinates of said free end corner point identifying digital data of a given set of other already linked corner point identifying digital data;
summing means connected to receive said Δ
x, Δ
y digital data signals and to compute the sum Δ
x+Δ
y of said Δ
x, Δ
y digital data signals and to produce a corresponding Δ
x+Δ
y digital signal;
difference means connected to receive said Δ
x, Δ
y digital data signals and to compute the difference Δ
x-Δ
y of said Δ
x, Δ
y digital data signals and to produce a corresponding Δ
x-Δ
y digital signal;
memory means for storing vector data representing the IN/OUT vectors of said newly supplied corner point identifying digital data and the unconnected OUT/IN vectors of said free end corner point identifying digital data of said given set of other already linked corner point identifying digital data;
vector comparison means connected to said second register means for comparing said IN/OUT and OUT/IN vector data and for producing a gate enabling signal when there is a match between the IN vector data of the newly supplied corner point and the OUT vector data of the free end corner point identifying digital data and when there is a match between the OUT vector data of the newly supplied corner point identifying digital data and the IN vector data of the free end corner point identifying digital data;
vector orientation detection means connected to receive at least some of said vector data and to produce (a) a vertical vector signal if the IN/OUT (OUT/IN) vector data of either said free end corner point identifying digital data or said newly supplied corner point identifying digital data is vertical, (b) a first diagonal vector signal if the IN/OUT (OUT/IN) vector data of either said free end corner point identifying digital data or said newly supplied corner point identifying digital data is along a first predetermined diagonal, and (c) a second diagonal vector signal if the IN/OUT (OUT/IN) vector data of either said free end corner point identifying digital data or said newly supplied corner point identifying digital data is along a second predetermined diagonal; and
logic gate means connected to receive said Δ
x+Δ
y, Δ
x, Δ
x-Δ
y, gate enabling, vertical vector, first diagonal vector and second diagonal vector signals and to produce an identifying control signal output if said gate enabling signal is present and at least any one of the following conditions is also met;
(a) Δ
x+Δ
y=0 and said second diagonal vector signal is present,(b) Δ
x=0 and said vertical vector signal is present, or(c) Δ
x-Δ
y=0 and said first diagonal vector signal is present.
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Abstract
Method and apparatus is disclosed for automatically processing visual images electronically so as to permit intelligent machine analysis of the image content. A special distributed logic system architecture facilitates rapid real time image analysis and the production of reaction control signals in a high speed production line environment, for example. Dedicated decision logic is employed to determine in but a single microinstruction cycle whether a detected corner point of the image should be linked to another already linked chain of such corner points so as to define part of a closed edge contour of the image under examination. This ability to so rapidly classify encoded corner points as either belonging or not belonging to a given set of such corner points which describe a closed edge contour is quite useful in achieving rapid real time image analysis capability. Special dedicated data address indexing circuitry is also employed for most expeditiously retrieving successive address linked data words from a data memory in successive single micro-instruction cycles as required to take full advantage of the high speed dedicated corner point matching circuitry. The dedicated data memory indexing circuitry is provided in addition to the usual program instruction indexing circuitry employed in connection with the instruction register of the associated data processing system.
67 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A feature extractor sorter apparatus for use in a visual image processing system which automatically determines whether newly supplied corner point identifying digital data should be linked to a free end corner point identifying digital data of a given set of other already linked corner point identifying digital data, where each corner point is identified by x, y coordinates and IN and OUT vectors, so as to represent part of a closed edge contour, said apparatus comprising:
-
microprocessor means for providing Δ
x, Δ
y digital data signals representing the difference Δ
x, Δ
y between x, y coordinates of said newly supplied corner point identifying digital data and the x, y coordinates of said free end corner point identifying digital data of a given set of other already linked corner point identifying digital data;summing means connected to receive said Δ
x, Δ
y digital data signals and to compute the sum Δ
x+Δ
y of said Δ
x, Δ
y digital data signals and to produce a corresponding Δ
x+Δ
y digital signal;difference means connected to receive said Δ
x, Δ
y digital data signals and to compute the difference Δ
x-Δ
y of said Δ
x, Δ
y digital data signals and to produce a corresponding Δ
x-Δ
y digital signal;memory means for storing vector data representing the IN/OUT vectors of said newly supplied corner point identifying digital data and the unconnected OUT/IN vectors of said free end corner point identifying digital data of said given set of other already linked corner point identifying digital data; vector comparison means connected to said second register means for comparing said IN/OUT and OUT/IN vector data and for producing a gate enabling signal when there is a match between the IN vector data of the newly supplied corner point and the OUT vector data of the free end corner point identifying digital data and when there is a match between the OUT vector data of the newly supplied corner point identifying digital data and the IN vector data of the free end corner point identifying digital data; vector orientation detection means connected to receive at least some of said vector data and to produce (a) a vertical vector signal if the IN/OUT (OUT/IN) vector data of either said free end corner point identifying digital data or said newly supplied corner point identifying digital data is vertical, (b) a first diagonal vector signal if the IN/OUT (OUT/IN) vector data of either said free end corner point identifying digital data or said newly supplied corner point identifying digital data is along a first predetermined diagonal, and (c) a second diagonal vector signal if the IN/OUT (OUT/IN) vector data of either said free end corner point identifying digital data or said newly supplied corner point identifying digital data is along a second predetermined diagonal; and logic gate means connected to receive said Δ
x+Δ
y, Δ
x, Δ
x-Δ
y, gate enabling, vertical vector, first diagonal vector and second diagonal vector signals and to produce an identifying control signal output if said gate enabling signal is present and at least any one of the following conditions is also met;(a) Δ
x+Δ
y=0 and said second diagonal vector signal is present,(b) Δ
x=0 and said vertical vector signal is present, or(c) Δ
x-Δ
y=0 and said first diagonal vector signal is present. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A feature extractor sorter method for use in a visual image processing system which automatically determines whether newly supplied corner point identifying digital data should be linked to a free end corner point identifying digital data of a given set of other already linked corner point identifying digital data, where each corner point is identified by x, y coordinates and IN and OUT vectors, so as to represent part of a closed edge contour, said method comprising:
-
providing Δ
x, Δ
y digital data signals representing the difference Δ
x, Δ
y between x, y coordinates of said newly supplied corner point identifying digital data and the x, y coordinates of said free end corner point identifying digital data of a given set of other already linked corner point identifying digital data;electronically computing the sum Δ
x+Δ
y of said Δ
x, Δ
y digital data signals and producing a corresponding Δ
x+Δ
y digital signal;electronically computing the difference Δ
x-Δ
y of said Δ
x, Δ
y digital data signals and producing a corresponding Δ
x-Δ
y digital signal;storing vector data representing the IN/OUT vectors of said newly supplied corner point identifying digital data and the unconnected OUT/IN vectors of the free end corner point identifying digital data of said given set of other already linked corner point identifying digital data; comparing said IN/OUT and OUT/IN vector data and producing a gate enabling signal when there is a match between the OUT vector of the newly supplied corner point and the OUT vector of the newly supplied corner point and the IN vector of the free end corner point; producing (a) a vertical vector signal if the IN/OUT (OUT/IN) vector data of either said free end corner point identifying digital data or said newly supplied corner point identifying digital data is vertical, (b) a first diagonal vector signal if the IN/OUT (OUT/IN) vector data of either said free end corner point identifying digital data or said newly supplied corner point identifying digital data is along a first predetermined diagonal, and (c) a second diagonal vector signal if the IN/OUT (OUT/IN) vector data of either said free end corner point identifying digital data or said newly supplied corner point identifying digital data is along a second predetermined diagonal, and producing an identifying control signal output if said gate enabling signal is present and at least any one of the following conditions is also met; (a) Δ
x+Δ
y=0 and said second diagonal vector signal is present,(b) Δ
x=0 and said vertical vector signal is present, or,(c) Δ
x-Δ
y=0 and said first diagonal vector signal is present. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification