Method and apparatus for automatic identification of linear objects in an image
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of identifying linear objects in an image comprising:
- receiving a first image with a first resolution, the first image containing data representing physical linear objects;
generating a filtered image from the first image, the filtered image identifying potential objects which have a smaller radius than the size of a filter and a different brightness than pixels surrounding the potential objects;
receiving a second image identifying regions in the first image with the first resolution which are not to be processed;
generating a third image by removing regions in the filtered image which are identified in the second image as regions in the first image which are not to be processed;
identifying lines in the third image;
generating a fourth image by removing lines identified in the third image which do not meet predetermined criteria; and
identifying linear objects in the first image using the remaining lines in the fourth image.
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Abstract
A method and system for processing image data to identify objects in an image. The method and system operate using various resolutions of the image to identify the objects. Information obtained while processing the image at one resolution is employed when processing the image at another resolution.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of identifying linear objects in an image comprising:
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receiving a first image with a first resolution, the first image containing data representing physical linear objects; generating a filtered image from the first image, the filtered image identifying potential objects which have a smaller radius than the size of a filter and a different brightness than pixels surrounding the potential objects; receiving a second image identifying regions in the first image with the first resolution which are not to be processed; generating a third image by removing regions in the filtered image which are identified in the second image as regions in the first image which are not to be processed; identifying lines in the third image; generating a fourth image by removing lines identified in the third image which do not meet predetermined criteria; and identifying linear objects in the first image using the remaining lines in the fourth image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 15)
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7. A method of identifying linear objects in an image comprising:
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receiving an input image with a first resolution, the input image containing data representing physical linear objects; processing the input image to produce a first image at a second resolution; generating a filtered image from the first image at the second resolution; receiving a second image identifying portions of the input image with the first resolution which are not to be processed; generating a third image by removing portions of the filtered image which are identified in the second image as portions of the input image which are not to be processed; identifying lines in the third image; generating a fourth image by removing lines identified in the third image which do not meet predetermined criteria; and identifying linear objects in the input image using the remaining lines in the fourth image. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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8. A method for identifying linear objects in an image comprising:
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receiving an input image; receiving a first image identifying linear objects representing first physical structures in the input image and a second image identifying linear objects representing second physical structures in the input image, the first image having a first resolution and the second image having a second resolution different from the first resolution; processing the first image and the second image to produce a third image, the processing comprising; combining the linear objects of the first image with the linear objects of the second image, connecting at least two linear objects among the combined linear objects that are not connected to one another, based on a predetermined positional relationship between the at least two linear objects, to combine respective lengths of the at least two linear objects to obtain at least one extended linear object having the combined lengths of the at least two linear objects, and producing the third image to include the combined linear objects and the at least one extended linear object; and identifying the linear objects in the input image using the combined linear objects and the at least one extended linear object included in the third image. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17)
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Specification