A near-neighbor processor for line thinning

Since thinning is essentially a pattern mask matching process, a near-neighbor hardware structure seems the most appropriate manner to accomplish this task in an easy, fast and inexpensive way. The input and the output images are processed in synchronism, using the near neighbor hardware structure replicated twice. The decision on the current pixel is found on the output of the table-look-up memories of the structures. The computation is iterated until no pixels can be removed. A formal description of the simulator of the processor for line thinning, our algorithm and the hardware mechanism implementing it are described. The particular case of the two-pixel-thick lines is analyzed, and experimental results are given.