Neighborhood transformation logic circuitry for an image analyzer system

Abstract

A system for analyzing images represented by a serial stream of digital electrical signals corresponding to values of pixels in a matrix of points constituting an image. The system includes a pipeline of substantially identical neighborhood transformation stages. Each stage includes a processor portion for analyzing the pixel values and a memory portion communicating with the processor portion for sequentially providing a window of neighboring pixels to the processor for analysis. A central programmable controller communicates with the pipeline over a single communication link which provides both the pixel value data to the pipeline and transformation control instructions to the processor portions of each stage. The memory portion preferably includes a random access memory which serves as a line storage device which may be readily adjusted to accommodate different raster scan line lengths from various image sensors. Each stage includes improved logic circuitry capable of performing a wide variety of analyses on both two-dimensional image data represented by binary pixel values and three-dimensional image data represented by multi-valued pixel values. Image border or off-image detection circuitry is also disclosed which is capable of detecting nonlinear boundaries for the image matrix.