A fast skeleton algorithm on block represented binary images

This paper describes a binary image representation scheme, which is called image block representation and presents a new skeletonization algorithm, which is implemented on block represented binary images. The main purpose of the image block representation is to provide an efficient binary image representation that permits the execution of operations on image areas instead of image points. The skeletonization algorithm operates in four subiterations: each subiteration deletes the north, the south, the west and the east boundary points, respectively. Due to the substitution of the boundary points by the block´s boundary points the relevant operations are performed fast, while preserving the end points and the object connectivity