Abstract: A conventional word organized random access memory is modified for image processing operations so that the pq image points of any 1 .times. pq subarray, any pq .times. 1 subarray, or any regularly-spaced p .times. q subarray of an rp .times. sq or smaller image array stored in the memory can be extracted or updated in a single memory cycle. The invention contemplates pq memory modules labeled from 0 to pq-1 for storing the image points, each module being capable of storing rs points in distinguishable cells, only one cell of which is randomly accessible in a single instant of time. The invention further contemplates accessing circuitry for causing each image point I(i,j) of an image array to be routed to or from a memory module M(i,j) according to the relation M(i,j)=[iq+(i/p)//q+j]//pq, where the notations "/" and "//" denote, respectively, the quotient and the remainder resulting from integer division.

Abstract: A conventional word organized random access memory is modified for image processing operations so that the pq image points of any 1 .times. pq, pq .times. 1 or pxq subarray of an rp .times. sq or smaller image array stored in the memory can be extracted or updated in a single memory cycle. The invention contemplates 2 pq memory modules labeled from 0 to 2pq-1 for storing the image points, each module being capable of storing rs/2 points in distinguishable cells, only one cell of which is randomly accessible in a single instant of time. The invention further contemplates accessing circuitry for causing each image point I(i,j) of an image array to be routed to or from a memory module M(i,j) according to the relation M(i,j)=pq[(i/p)//2]+ (iq+i/2p+j)//pq, where the notations "/" and "//" denote, respectively, the quotient and the remainder resulting from integer division.

Abstract: A binary image containing objects comprised of black picture elements (pels) in a bit-addressable random access memory, is scanned in a predetermined order, until a black pel is encountered. The object is then encircled by a boundary follower in a clockwise direction, and each pel is recorded as it is encountered in a chain link format. Each black pel is changed to white as it is encountered provided it is not an interior boundary point. After the object has been completely encircled by the follower, encoding of the points is temporarily terminated. The follower continues to encircle the object several times, deleting black pels as it goes, until all of the black points in the object are exhausted except for the interior boundary. At this point, the remaining interior boundary pels are traced out and encoded in the same chain link format.Objects within objects are also encoded. A stack is provided to store the coordinates of the occurrence of each mode change described below.

Abstract: A conventional word organized random access memory is modified for image processing operations so that the pq image points of any 1 .times. pq or p .times. q subarray of an rp .times. sq or smaller image array stored in the memory can be extracted or updated in a single memory cycle. The invention contemplates pq memory modules labeled from 0 to pq-1 for storing the image points, each module being able to store rs points in distinguishable cells, only one cell of which is randomly accessible in a single instant of time. The invention further contemplates accessing circuitry for causing each image point I(i,j) of an image array to be routed to or from a memory module M(i,j) according to the relation M(i,j)=(iq+j)//pq, where (iq+j)//pq is the remainder resulting from the integer division of (iq+j) by pq.