Method and apparatus for pattern recognition and detection

Claim 1

A neighborhood transformation circuit stage for analyzing an image represented by a serial stream of digital data signals corresponding to a matrix of points constituting the image, said stage circuitry comprising: a data input for receiving said stream of digital data signals; neighborhood extraction means including a plurality of digital storage devices for temporarily storing digital signals associated with a neighborhood in the matrix comprised of a central data point and its surrounding points in the matrix; means for loading the signals into the storage devices to sequentially access substantially all of the neighborhoods in the matrix; neighborhood configuration detector means for detecting a particular configuration of data signals having given values in each extracted neighborhood and providing a given output signal when the particular configuration is detected; center detection means coupled to the storage device in the neighborhood extraction means containing the central data point, operative to provide a given output signal when a data signal having particular values for the central data point is contained therein; comparison means having a plurality of inputs coupled to the outputs of said neighborhood configuration detector means and said center detection means, operative to provide an output signal upon receipt of both of said given signals; and multiplexor means having at least two inputs and a control input for selectively coupling one of the inputs to its output, one of said inputs being coupled to the storage device in the neighborhood extraction means containing the central data point, the other input being coupled to a value generator means for providing a signal of a selected value, with said control input being coupled to the output of the comparison means such that the output of said multiplexor means provides the transformation output for the stage and is dependent upon the output of said comparison means.

Claim 20

A method of detecting a particular neighborhood configuration in an image represented by a serial stream of digital data signals having values corresponding to points in a matrix constituting the image, said method comprising: sequentially loading said digital data signals into an array of latches arranged to store a central data point and its surrounding points in the matrix; loading a given value into a particular address in a memory; combining the outputs of the latches containing the surrounding points to form an address for accessing said memory; and repetitively addressing said memory with each new address from the latches as each neighborhood of points is sequentially loaded into the latches to extract substantially all of the neighborhoods in the matrix whereby said memory provides an output of said given value when the address formed by the latches corresponds to the address at which said given value is stored thereby signifying that particular data values for the surrounding points in the neighborhood are configured in a preselected pattern.

Claim 21

A method of detecting a particular neighborhood configuration in an image represented by a serial stream of digital data signals having values corresponding to points in a matrix constituting the image, said method comprising: sequentially loading said digital data signals into an array of latches arranged to store a central data point and its surrounding points in the matrix; loading a given value into a particular address in a memory; combining the outputs of the latches containing the surrounding points to form an address for accessing said memory; and repetitively addressing said memory with each new address from the latches as each neighborhood of points is sequentially loaded into the latches to extract substantially all of the neighborhoods in the matrix whereby said memory provides an output of said given value when the address formed by the latches corresponds to the address at which said given value is stored thereby signifying that particular data values for the surrounding points in the neighborhood are configured in a preselected pattern.