A Flexible High-Speed Digital Image Processing System

Abstract

A software system was developed to fully utilize the features of a commercial high-speed digital image processor. This software system was designed to enable general-purpose image analysis as well as allow for the development of specialized analyses, such as object counting or pattern recognition. Over 60 image processing functions are provided. Almost all functions operate on a 512 x 512 x 8 bit image array in less than one-half of a second. Examples include a 256K byte histogram plotted over the image in 0.34 seconds and a pixel-by-pixel threshold comparison in 100 ms. All of these functions can be called via keyboard commands. In addition, the functions can be used as building blocks in an interpreted command language, thus creating additional specialized functions. A mode has been provided where the most commonly used functions can be invoked by pressing a terminal function key, with the resulting digital image immediately displayed on the monitor; and gray levels, coordinates, etc. presented on the operator's terminal. Although this package was developed with a DEC LSI-11 hosting a Recognition Concepts TRAPIX 55/32 image processor, the concepts can be used on many vision systems.