Parallel algorithm for contour extraction: advantages and architectural implications
David Lee Tuomenoksa, Guy B. Adams, Howard Jay Siegel, O. ROBERT MITCHELL · OSTI OAI (U.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information) · 1983
Contour extraction is used as an image processing scenario to explore the advantages of parallelism and the architectural requirements for a parallel computer system, such as PASM. Parallel forms of edge-guided thresholding and contour tracing algorithms are developed and analyzed to highlight important aspects of the scenario. Edge-guided thresholding uses adaptive thresholding to allow contour extraction where gray level variations would not allow global thresholding to be effective. Parallel techniques are shown to eliminate some types of overhead associated with serial processing, offer the possibility of improved algorithm capability and accuracy, and decrease execution time. The implications that the parallel scenario has for machine architecture are considered. Various desirable system attributes are established. 30 references.