Abstract: An image processing system which processes image data on a line by line basis. Edges in the images are detected as discontinuities in intensity. The intensity profile between detected edges is determined and matched to a polynomial function. Data representing the detected edges and data relating to the detected profile are stored as a data set for further processing. The data set for one image may be compared to that for another similar image in order to match features between images and thereby produce three-dimensional information about a scene.

Abstract: An image acquisition system is arranged to optimize the information in an acquired image. Parameters associated with the system, such as any of the lens aperture, the lens focus and image intensity, are adjusted. Incoming image data is processed to determine the entropy of the image and with this information the aperture can be optimized. By determining the dynamic range of the scene the black and white levels thereof can be identified and the gain and offset applied to the image adjusted to minimize truncation distortion. Specular highlights can be detected by calculating the ratio of changes in maximum and minimum intensities between different but related images.