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Claims  |
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What is claimed is:
1. A method for enhancing data contained in data elements of an N.times.M
matrix of data elements, each data element containing data representative
of an intensity within a range of intensities, the method comprising:
(a) selecting a Y.times.Y direction estimate scan window of data elements,
from within the N.times.M matrix, with Y<N, Y<M, and wherein said window
has a center data element;
(b) taking the cumulative sum of the differences in the intensity values
for each of a plurality of pairs of data elements which are spaced apart
by a selected number of data elements, and each comprising one of the data
elements in a respective one of a plurality of different slits, wherein
each different slit represents a different slit direction and wherein the
respective one of a plurality of different slits contains the center data
element and is within the direction estimate scan window; and
(c) assigning a direction estimate to the center data element based upon a
comparison of the cumulative sum of such differences for the respective
slits.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
assigning to the center data element the direction of the slit having the
lowest cumulative sum of the differences in the intensity values for the
plurality of pairs of data elements spaced apart by a selected number of
data elements within the respective slit.
3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:
determining the dynamic range of the intensity values of the data elements
in the Y.times.Y direction estimate scan window, within which dynamic
range are contained a selected percentage of the number of data elements
in the direction estimate scan window;
assigning "no direction" as the direction estimate, unless the dynamic
range exceeds a selected threshold value.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the dynamic range is the difference
between an upper intensity value below which fall the intensity values of
substantially 90 percent of the data elements in the direction estimate
scan window and a lower intensity value above which fall the intensity
values of substantially 90 percent of the data elements in the direction
estimate scan window.
5. The method of claim 3, further comprising the steps of:
comparing the lowest cumulative sum of the differences in intensity values
to the cumulative sum of the differences in intensity values for the slits
generally aligned in direction with direction of the slit having the
lowest cumulative sum;
comparing the lowest cumulative sum of the differences in intensity values
to the cumulative sum of the differences in intensity values for the slits
generally not aligned with the direction of the slit having the lowest
cumulative sum;
assigning to the center data element the direction of the slit having the
lowest cumulative sum unless a first selected number of the generally
aligned slits have a cumulative sum which fails to exceed the lowest
cumulative slit sum by a first selected percentage of the lowest
cumulative slit sum or a second selected number of the generally not
aligned slits have a cumulative sum of the differences in intensities
which fails to exceed the lowest cumulative slit sum by a second selected
percentage.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein there are twelve separate intersecting
slit directions and the generally aligned slits are those four immediately
adjacent slits, two on each side of the slit representing the slit
direction having the lowest cumulative sum of the differences in
intensities, and the first selected number is four, the second selected
number is one.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first and second percentages are each
about 20 percent.
8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of incrementing the
direction estimate scan window through the N.times.M matrix until each
data element of the N.times.M matrix has been a center data element of the
Y.times.Y direction estimate scan window.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein after the steps enumerated therein at
least some of the data elements in the N.times.M matrix of data elements
contains data representative of an assigned direction from within one of a
plurality of directions, wherein each of said plurality of directions is
generally equally spaced apart in direction, comprising the further steps
of:
selecting a Z.times.Z enhanced direction scan window of data elements from
within the N.times.M matrix, with Z<N, Z<M, and having a center data
element;
determining for each of the plurality of directions the number of data
elements within the enhanced direction scan window which have such
assigned directions;
assigning to the center data element of the Z.times.Z scan window the
direction had by the largest number of data elements when the sum of the
number of data elements which have the direction of the largest number of
data elements and the number of data elements having directions generally
aligned with the direction of the largest number of data elements equals
or exceeds a selected percentage of the number of data elements in the
Z.times.Z direction enhancement scan window.
10. The method of claim 2, wherein after the steps enumerated therein at
least some of the data elements in the N.times.M matrix of data elements
contains data representative of an assigned direction from within one of a
plurality of directions, wherein each of said plurality of directions is
generally equally spaced apart in direction, comprising the further steps
of:
selecting a Z.times.Z enhanced direction scan window of data elements from
within the N.times.M matrix, with Z<N, Z<M, and having a center data
element;
determining for each of the plurality of directions the number of data
elements within the enhanced direction scan window which have such
directions;
assigning to the center data element of the Z.times.Z scan window the
direction had by the largest number of data elements when the sum of the
number of data elements which have the direction of the largest number of
data elements and the number of data elements having directions generally
aligned with the direction of the largest number of data elements equals
or exceeds a selected percentage of the number of data elements in the
Z.times.Z direction enhancement scan window.
11. The method of claim 5, wherein after the steps enumerated therein at
least some of the data elements in the N.times.M matrix of data elements
contains data representative of an assigned direction from within one of a
plurality of directions, wherein each of said plurality of directions is
generally equally spaced apart in direction, comprising the further steps
of:
selecting a Z.times.Z enhanced direction scan window of data elements from
within the N.times.M matrix, with Z<N, Z<M, and having a center data
element;
determining for each of the plurality of directions the number of data
elements within the enhanced direction scan window which have such
directions;
assigning to the center data element of the Z.times.Z scan window the
direction had by the largest number of data elements when the sum of the
number of data elements which have the direction of the largest number of
data elements and the number of data elements having directions generally
aligned with the direction of the largest number of data elements equals
or exceeds a selected percentage of the number of data elements in the
Z.times.Z direction enhancement scan window.
12. The method of claim 8, wherein after the steps enumerated therein at
least some of the data elements in the N.times.M matrix of data elements
contains data representative of an assigned direction from within one of a
plurality of directions, wherein each of said plurality of directions is
generally equally spaced apart in direction, comprising the further steps
of:
selecting a Z.times.Z enhanced direction scan window of data elements from
within the N.times.M matrix, with Z<N, Z<M, and having a center data
element;
determining for each of the plurality of directions the number of data
elements with the enhanced direction scan window which have such
directions;
assigning to the center data element of the Z.times.Z scan window the
direction had by the largest number of data elements when the sum of the
number of data elements which have the direction of the largest number of
data elements and the number of data elements having directions generally
aligned with the direction of the largest number of data elements equals
or exceeds a selected percentage of the number of data elements in the
Z.times.Z direction enhancement scan window.
13. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:
determining that the sum of the number of data elements which have the
direction of the largest number of data elements and the number of data
elements having directions generally aligned with the direction of the
largest number of data elements does not exceed the selected percentage of
the number of data elements in the Z.times.Z direction enhancement scan
window,
assigning the center element the direction of the second largest number of
data elements when the sum of the number of data elements which have the
direction of the second largest number of data elements and the number of
data elements having directions generally aligned with the direction of
the second largest number of data elements equals or exceeds a selected
percentage of the number of data elements in the Z.times.Z direction
enhancement scan window.
14. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:
determining that the sum of the number of data elements which have the
direction of the largest number of data elements and the number of data
elements having directions generally aligned with the direction of the
largest number of data elements does not exceed the selected percentage of
the number of data elements in the Z.times.Z direction enhancement scan
window,
assigning the center data element the direction of the second largest
number of data elements when the sum of the number of data elements which
have the direction of the second largest number of data elements and the
number of the data elements having directions generally aligned with the
direction of the second largest number of data elements equals or exceeds
a selected percentage of the number of data elements in the Z.times.Z
direction enhancement scan window.
15. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:
determining that the sum of the number of data elements which have the
direction of the largest number of data elements and the number of data
elements having directions generally aligned with the direction of the
largest number of data elements does not exceed the selected percentage of
the number of data elements in the Z.times.Z direction enhancement scan
window,
assigning the center data element the direction of the second largest
number of data elements when the sum of the number of data elements which
have the direction of the second largest number of data elements and the
number of data elements having directions generally aligned with the
direction of the second largest number of data elements equals or exceeds
a selected percentage of the number of data elements in the Z.times.Z
direction enhancement scan window.
16. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:
determining that the sum of the number of data elements which have the
direction of the largest number of data elements and the number of data
elements having directions generally aligned with the direction of the
largest number of data elements does not exceed the selected percentage of
the number of data elements in the Z.times.Z direction enhancement scan
window,
assigning the center data element the direction of the second largest
number of data elements when the sum of the number of data elements which
have the direction of the second largest number of data elements and the
number of data elements having directions generally aligned with the
direction of the second largest number of data elements equals or exceeds
a selected percentage of the number of data elements in the Z.times.Z
direction enhancement scan window.
17. The method of claim 13, wherein the data elements within the Z.times.Z
direction enhancement window may have "no direction" as an assigned
direction, comprising the further steps of:
determining by the preceding steps not to assign to the center data element
either the direction of the largest number of data elements or the
direction of the second largest number of data elements;
assigning to the center data element the direction of the largest number of
data elements if the sum of the number of data elements having the
direction of the largest number, and the number of data elements adjacent
in direction to the direction of the largest number of data elements, and
the number of data elements having "no direction" exceeds a second
percentage of the number of data elements in the enhanced direction scan
window.
18. The method of claim 14, wherein the data elements within the Z.times.Z
direction enhancement window may have "no direction" as an assigned
direction, comprising the further steps of:
determining by the preceding steps not to assign to the center data element
either the direction of the largest number of data elements or the
direction of the second largest number of data elements;
assigning to the center data element the direction of the largest number of
data elements if the sum of the number of data elements having the
direction of the largest number, and the number of data elements adjacent
in direction to the direction of the largest number of data elements, and
the number of data elements having "no direction" exceeds a second
percentage of the number of data elements in the enhanced direction scan
window.
19. The method of claim 15, wherein the data elements within the Z.times.Z
direction enhancement window may have "no direction" as an assigned
direction, comprising the further steps of:
determining by the preceding steps not to assign to the center data element
either the direction of the largest number of data elements or the
direction of the second largest number of data elements;
assigning to the center data elements the direction of the largest number
of data elements if the sum of the number of data elements having the
direction of the largest number, and the number of data elements adjacent
in direction to the direction of the largest number of data elements, and
the number of data elements having "no direction" exceeds a second
percentage of the number of data elements in the enhanced direction scan
window.
20. The method of claim 16, wherein the data elements with the Z.times.Z
direction enhancement window may have "no direction" as an assigned
direction, comprising the further steps of:
determining by the preceding steps not to assign to the center data element
either the direction of the largest number of data elements or the
direction of the second largest number of data elements;
assigning to the center data element the direction of the largest number of
data elements if the sum of the number of data elements having the
direction of the largest number, and the number of data elements adjacent
in direction to the direction of the largest number of data elements, and
the number of data elements having "no direction" exceeds a second
percentage of the number of data elements in the enhanced direction scan
window.
21. The method of claim 17, comprising the further steps of:
determining by the preceding steps not to assign either the direction of
the largest number of data elements or the direction of the second largest
number of data elements;
assigning to the center data element of the Z.times.Z direction enhancement
scan window the direction of the second largest number of data elements if
the sum of the number of data elements having the direction of the second
largest number of data elements, and the number of data elements adjacent
in direction to the direction of the second largest number of data
elements, and the number of data elements having a direction of "no
direction" exceeds the second percentage of the number of data elements in
the Z.times.Z direction enhancement scan window.
22. The method of claim 18, comprising the further steps of:
determining by the preceding steps not to assign either the direction of
the largest number of data elements or the direction of the second largest
number of data elements;
assigning to the center data element of the Z.times.Z direction enhancement
scan window the direction of the second largest number of data elements if
the sum of the number of data elements having the direction of the second
largest number of data elements, and the number of data elements adjacent
in direction to the direction of the second largest number of data
elements, and the number of data elements having a direction of "no
direction" exceeds the second percentage of the number of data elements in
the Z.times.Z direction enhancement scan window.
23. The method of claim 19, comprising the further steps of:
determining by the preceding steps not to assign either the direction of
the largest number of data elements or the direction of the second largest
number of data elements;
assigning to the center data element of the Z.times.Z direction enhancement
scan window the direction of the second largest number of data elements if
the sum of the number of data elements having the direction of the second
largest number of data elements, and the number of data elements adjacent
in direction to the direction of the second largest number of data
elements, and the number of data elements having a direction of "no
direction" exceeds the second percentage of the number of data elements in
the Z.times.Z direction enhancement scan window.
24. The method of claim 20, comprising the further steps of:
determining by the preceding steps not to assign either the direction of
the largest number of data elements or the direction of the second largest
number of data elements;
assigning to the center data element of Z.times.Z direction enhancement
scan window the direction of the second largest number of data elements if
the sum of the number of data elements having the direction of the second
largest number of data elements, and the number of data elements adjacent
in direction to the direction of the second largest number of data
elements, and the number of data elements having a direction of "no
direction" exceeds the second percentage of the number of data elements in
the Z.times.Z direction enhancement scan window.
25. The method of claim 21, comprising the further steps of:
determining by the preceding steps not to assign either the direction of
the largest number of data elements or the directions of the second
largest number of data elements;
assigning to the center data element of the Z.times.Z direction enhancement
scan window the average direction of the directions of the largest and
second largest number of data elements if the sum of the largest and
second largest number of data elements exceeds a third selected percentage
of the number of data elements in the Z.times.Z direction enhancement scan
window or the sum of the largest number of data elements and the second
largest number of data elements and the number of data elements having
direction of "no direction" exceeds a fourth selected percentage of the
number of data elements in the Z.times.Z direction enhancement scan
window, and the difference in direction of the directions of the largest
and second largest number of data elements is less than or equal to a
selected number of degrees.
26. The method of claim 22, comprising the further steps of:
determining by the preceding steps not to assign either the direction of
the largest number of data elements or the directions of the second
largest number of data elements;
assigning to the center data element of the Z.times.Z direction enhancement
scan window the average direction of the directions of the largest and
second largest number of data elements if the sum of the largest and
second largest number of data elements exceeds a third selected percentage
of the number of data elements in the Z.times.Z scan window or the sum of
the largest number of data elements and the second largest number of data
elements and the number of data elements having a direction of "no
direction" exceeds a fourth selected percentage of the number of data
elements in the Z.times.Z direction enhancement scan window, and the
difference in direction of the directions of the largest and second
largest number of data elements is less than or equal to a selected number
of degrees.
27. The method of claim 23, comprising the further steps of:
determining by the preceding steps not to assign either the direction of
the largest number of data elements or the directions of the second
largest number of data elements;
assigning to the center data element of the Z.times.Z direction enhancement
scan window the average direction of the directions of the largest and
second largest number of data elements if the sum of the largest and
second largest number of data elements exceeds a third selected percentage
of the number of data elements in the Z.times.Z direction enhancement scan
window or the sum of the largest number of data elements and the second
largest number of data elements and the number of data elements having a
direction of "no direction" exceeds a fourth selected percentage of the
number of data elements in the Z.times.Z direction enhancement scan
window, and the difference in direction of the directions of the largest
and second largest number of data elements is less than or equal to a
selected number of degrees.
28. The method of claim 24, comprising the further steps of:
determining by the preceding steps not to assign either the direction of
the largest number of data elements or the directions of the second
largest number of data elements;
assigning to the center data element of the Z.times.Z direction enhancement
scan window the average direction of the directions of the largest and
second largest number of data elements if the sum of the largest and
second largest number of data elements exceeds a third selected percentage
of the number of data elements in the Z.times.Z direction enhancement scan
window or the sum of the largest number of data elements and the second
largest number of data elements and the number of data elements having a
direction of "no direction" exceeds a fourth selected percentage of the
number of data elements in the Z.times.Z direction enhancement scan
window, and the difference in direction of the directions of the largest
and second largest number of data elements is less than or equal to a
selected number of degrees.
29. The method of claim 25, further comprising the steps of:
incrementing the Z.times.Z direction enhancement scan window through the
N.times.M matrix until each data element in the N.times.M matrix is a
center data element in the Z.times.Z direction enhancement scan window.
30. The method of claim 26, comprising the further steps of:
incrementing the Z.times.Z direction enhancement scan window through the
N.times.M matrix until each data element in the N.times.M matrix is a
center data element in the Z.times.Z direction enhancement scan window.
31. The method of claim 27, comprising the further steps of:
incrementing the Z.times.Z direction enhancement scan window through the
N.times.M matrix until each data element in the N.times.M matrix is a
center data element in the Z.times.Z direction enhancement scan window.
32. The method of claim 28, comprising the further steps of:
incrementing the Z.times.Z direction enhancement scan window through the
N.times.M matrix until each data element in the N.times.M matrix is a
center data element in the Z.times.Z direction enhancement scan window.
33. The method of claim 2, wherein at least some of the data elements
contain data representative of a feature flow direction, said method
further comprising the steps of:
forming an I.times.I intensity enhancement scan window of data elements
within the N.times.M matrix, with I<N, I<M, and wherein said intensity
enhancement scan window has a center data element,
determining the mean of the intensity values of the intensity data for the
data elements within the intensity enhancement scan window;
selecting a plurality of data elements within the intensity enhancement
scan window defining a direction slit having the direction represented by
the feature flow direction data of the data of the center data element;
modifying the intensity value of the intensity data of the center data
element according to the relationship of the intensity data of each data
element in the direction slit to the mean, and the relationship of the
direction represented by the direction data in each data element in the
direction slit to the direction represented by the direction data of the
center data element.
34. The method of 33, further comprising the steps of:
for each of the data elements in the direction slit having the direction
represented by the direction in the center data element, where the center
data element has other than "no direction" as its direction data,
comparing the intensity data to an augmented mean, proportional to the
mean of the intensity data of all the data elements in the intensity
enhancement scan window, and comparing the direction represented by the
direction data of the center data element to the direction represented by
the direction data of each respective direction slit data element;
generating an intensity correction with a magnitude dependent upon the
absolute difference between the intensity data of the respective direction
slit data element and the augmented means and, when the direction
represented by the direction data of the respective direction slit data
element is within a selected number of degrees from the direction
represented by the direction data of the center data element, having a
sign to decrease the value of the intensity data of the center data
element when the intensity of the respective direction slit data element
exceeds the augmented mean, and having a sign to increase the intensity of
the center data element when the intensity of the respective direction
slit data element is less than the augmented mean, and when the direction
represented by the direction data of the respective direction slit data
element is not within a selected number of degrees from the direction
represented by the direction data of the center data element; having a
sign to increase the value of the intensity data of the center data
element when the intensity of the respective direction slit data element
exceeds the augmented mean, and having a sign to decrease the intensity of
the center data element when the value of the intensity of the respective
direction slit data elements is less than the augmented mean.
35. The method of claim 34, further comprising the steps of:
incrementing the I.times.I intensity enhancement scan window through the
N.times.M matrix until each data element in the N.times.M matrix is a
center data element in the I.times.I direction enhancement scan window.
36. The method of claim 3, wherein at least some of the data elements
contain data representative of a feature flow direction, said method
further comprising the steps of:
forming an I.times.I intensity enhancement scan window of data elements
within the N.times.M matrix, with I<N, I<M, wherein said intensity
enhancement scan window has a center data element;
determining the mean of the intensity values for the data elements within
the intensity enhancement scan window;
selecting a plurality of data elements within the intensity enhancement
scan window defining a direction slit having the direction represented by
the feature flow direction data of the center data element;
modifying the intensity value of the intensity data of the center data
element according to the relationship of the intensity data of each data
element in the direction slit to the mean, and the relationship of the
direction represented by the direction data in each data element in the
direction slit to the direction represented by the direction data of the
center data element.
37. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of a method of
enhancing intensity data for each of a plurality of data elements in an
N.times.M matrix of data elements each including data representative of an
intensity within a range of intensities and data representative of a
feature flow direction or "no direction," comprising the steps of:
forming an I.times.I intensity enhancement window of data elements within
the N.times.M matrix, with I<N, I<M, and having a center data element,
determining the mean of the intensity values of the intensity data for the
data elements within the scan window;
selecting a plurality of data elements within the intensity enhancement
scan window defining a direction slit having the direction represented by
the feature flow direction data of the center data element;
modifying the intensity value of the intensity data of the center data
element according to the relationship of the intensity data of each data
element in the direction slit to the mean, and the relationship of the
direction represented by the direction data in each data element in the
direction slit to the direction represented by the direction data of the
center data element.
38. The method of claim 5, wherein at least some of the data elements
contain data representative of a feature flow direction, said method
further comprising the steps of:
forming an I.times.I intensity enhancement scan window of data elements
within the N.times.M matrix, with I<N, I<M, wherein said intensity
enhancement scan window has a center data element;
determining the mean of the intensity values of the intensity data for the
data elements within the intensity enhancement scan window;
selecting a plurality of data elements within the intensity enhancement
scan window defining a direction slit having the direction represented by
the feature flow direction data of the center data element;
modifying the intensity value of the intensity data of the center data
element according to the relationship of the intensity data of each data
element in the direction slit to the mean, and the relationship of the
direction represented by the direction data in each data element in the
direction slit to the direction represented by the direction data of the
center data element.
39. The method of claim 6, wherein at least some of the data elements
contain data representative of a feature flow direction, said method
further comprising the steps of:
forming an I.times.I intensity enhancement scan window of data elements
within the N.times.M matrix, with I<N, I<M, wherein said intensity
enhancement scan window has a center data element;
determining the mean of the intensity values of the intensity data for the
data elements within the intensity enhancement scan window;
selecting a plurality of data elements within the intensity enhancement
scan window defining a direction slit having the direction represented by
the feature flow direction data of the center data element;
modifying the intensity value of the intensity data of the center data
element according to the relationship of the intensity data of each data
element in the direction slit to the mean, and the relationship of the
direction represented by the direction data in each data element in the
direction slit to the direction represented by the direction data of the
center data element.
40. The method of claim 9, wherein at least some of the data elements
contain data representative of a feature flow direction, said method
further comprising the steps of:
forming an I.times.I intensity enhancement scan window of data elements
within the N.times.M matrix, with I<N, I<M, wherein said intensity
enhancement scan window has a center data element;
determining the mean of the intensity values of the intensity data for the
data elements within the intensity enhancement scan window;
selecting a plurality of data elements within the intensity enhancement
scan window defining a direction slit having the direction represented by
the feature flow direction data of the center data element;
modifying the intensity value of the intensity data of the center data
element according to the relationship of the intensity data of each data
element in the direction slit to the mean, and the relationship of the
direction represented by the direction data in each data element in the
direction slit to the direction represented by the direction data of the
center data element.
41. The method of claim 10, wherein at least some of the data elements
contain data representative of a feature flow direction, said method
further comprising the steps of:
forming an I.times.I intensity enhancement scan window of data elements
within the N.times.M matrix, with I<N, I<M, wherein said intensity
enhancement scan window has a center data element;
determining the mean of the intensity values of the intensity data for the
data elements within the intensity enhancement scan window;
selecting a plurality of data elements within the intensity enhancement
scan window defining a direction slit having the direction represented by
the feature flow direction data of the center data element;
modifying the intensity value of the intensity data of the center data
element according to the relationship of the intensity data of each data
element in the direction slit to the mean, and the relationship to the
direction represented by the direction data in each data element in the
direction slit to the direction represented by the direction data of the
center data element.
42. The method of claim 11, wherein at least some of the data elements
contain data representative of a feature flow direction, said method
further comprising the steps of:
forming an I.times.I intensity enhancement scan window of data elements
within the N.times.M matrix, with I<N, I<M, wherein said intensity
enhancement scan window has a center data element;
determining the mean of the intensity values of the intensity data for the
data elements within the intensity enhancement scan window;
selecting a plurality of data elements within the intensity enhancement
scan window defining a direction slit having the direction represented by
the feature flow direction data of the center data element;
modifying the intensity value of the intensity data of the center data
element according to the relationship of the intensity data of each data
element in the direction slit to the mean, and the relationship of the
direction represented by the direction data in each data element in the
direction slit to the direction represented by the direction data of the
center data element.
43. The method of claim 12, wherein at least some of the data elements
contain data representative of a feature flow direction, said method
further comprising the steps of:
forming an I.times.I intensity enhancement scan window of data elements
within the N.times.M matrix, with I<N, I<M, wherein said intensity
enhancement scan window has a center data element;
determining the mean of the intensity values of the intensity data for the
data elements within the intensity enhancement scan window;
selecting a plurality of data elements within the intensity enhancement
scan window defining a direction slit having the direction represented by
the feature flow direction data of the center data element;
modifying the intensity value of the intensity data of the center data
element according to the relationship of the intensity data of each data
element in the direction slit to the mean, and the relationship of the
direction represented by the direction data in each data element in the
direction slit to the direction represented by the direction data of the
center data element.
44. The method of claim 13, wherein at least some of the data elements
contain data representative of a feature flow direction, said method
further comprising the steps of:
forming an I.times.I intensity enhancement scan window of data elements
within the N.times.M matrix, with I<N, I<M, wherein said intensity
enhancement scan window has a center data element;
determining the mean of the intensity values of the intensity data for the
data elements within the intensity enhancement scan window;
selecting a plurality of data elements within the intensity enhancement
scan window defining a direction slit having the direction represented by
the feature flow direction data of the center data element;
modifying the intensity value of the intensity data of the center data
element according to the relationship of the intensity data of each data
element in the direction slit to the mean, and the relationship of the
direction represented by the direction data in each data element in the
direction slit to the direction represented by the direction data of the
center data element.
45. The method of claim 14, wherein at least some of the data elements
contain data representative of a feature flow direction, said method
further comprising the steps of:
forming an I.times.I intensity enhancement window of data elements within
the N.times.M matrix, with I<N, I<M, wherein said intensity enhancement
scan window has a center data element;
determining the mean of the intensity values of the intensity data for the
data elements within the intensity enhancement scan window;
selecting a plurality of data elements within the intensity enhancement
scan window defining a direction slit having the direction represented by
the feature flow direction data of the center data element;
modifying the intensity value of the intensity data of the center data
element according to the relationship of the intensity data of each data
element in the directon slit to the mean, and the relationship of the
direction represented by the direction data in each data element in the
direction slit to the direction represented by the direction data of the
center data element.
46. The method of claim 15, wherein at least some of the data elements
contain data representative of a feature flow direction, said method
further comprising the steps of:
forming an I.times.I intensity enhancement window of data elements within
the N.times.M matrix, with I<N, I<M, wherein said intensity enhancement
scan window has a center data element;
determining the mean of the intensity values of the intensity data for the
data elements within the intensity enhancement scan window;
selecting a plurality of data elements within the intensity enhancement
scan window defining a direction slit having the direction represented by
the feature flow direction data of the center data element;
modifying the intensity value of the intensity data of the center data
element according to the relationship of the intensity data of each data
element in the direction slit to the mean, and the relationship of the
direction represented by the direction data in each data element in the
direction slit to the direction represented by the direction data of the
center data element.
47. The method of claim 16, wherein at least some of the data elements
contain data representative of a feature flow direction, said method
further comprising the steps of:
forming an I.times.I intensity enhancement win | | |
