A comment on “a fast parallel algorithm for thinning digital patterns”

ABSTRACT

A fast parallel thinning algorithm for digital patterns is presented. This algorithm is an improved version of the algorithms introduced by Zhang and Suen [5] and Stefanelli and Rosenfeld [3]. An experiment using an Apple II and an Epson printer was conducted. The results show that the improved algorithm overcomes some of the disadvantages found in [5] by preserving necessary and essential structures for certain patterns which should not be deleted and maintains very fast speed, from about 1.5 to 2.3 times faster than the four-step and two-step methods described in [3] although the resulting skeletons look basically the same.

REFERENCES

• 1: Fu, KS., and Rosenfeld, A. Pattern recognition and image processing. IEEE Trans. Compuf. C-25,12 (Dec. 1976). 1336-1346.
• 2: Pavlidis, T. A flexible parallel thinning algorithm. In Proceedings of IEEE Computer Society Conference on Pattern Recognition and image Processing. Aug. 1981, 162-167.
• 3: R. Stefanelli , A. Rosenfeld, Some Parallel Thinning Algorithms for Digital Pictures, Journal of the ACM (JACM), v.18 n.2, p.255-264, April 1971 [doi>10.1145/321637.321646]
• 4: Wang, P.S.P.. Ed. Intelligent Sysfems, Imaging Technology and Software Engineering. Sungkang Computer Book Co., Taipei, Taiwan, 1984.
• 5: T. Y. Zhang , C. Y. Suen, A fast parallel algorithm for thinning digital patterns, Communications of the ACM, v.27 n.3, p.236-239, March 1984 [doi>10.1145/357994.358023]

INDEX TERMS

Classification:
  I. Computing Methodologies
  I.4 IMAGE PROCESSING AND COMPUTER VISION
      I.4.7 Feature Measurement
          Subjects: Invariants; Size and shape
  I.5 PATTERN RECOGNITION
      I.5.2 Design Methodology
          Subjects: Pattern analysis
      I.5.4 Applications
          Subjects: Computer vision

General Terms:
Algorithms, Performance, Theory