Skip to main content
Log in

Accuracy of the zero crossings of the second directional derivative as an edge detector

  • Published:
Multidimensional Systems and Signal Processing Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this paper the accuracy of the second directional derivative edge detector is analyzed, based on a number of idealized edge models. The results are compared with those for the Laplacian edge detector. Errors are shown to be small under a number of conditions. These conditions are less severe for the second directional derivative than for the Laplacian edge detector. Spurious or phantom edges can be removed by checking the sign of the third directional derivative, though this is not enough to remove all large errors. Indeed, it is also shown that large errors will be obtained if no threshold is set on the magnitude of a third order derivative.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. V. Berzins, “Accuracy of Laplacian Edge Detectors,”Comput. Vision, Graphics, Image Processing, vol. 27, 1984, pp. 195–210.

    Google Scholar 

  2. R.A. Haralick, “Digital Step Edges from Zero Crossings of Second Directional Derivatives,”IEEE Trans. Pattern Anal. Mach. Intell., vol. PAMI-6, 1984, pp. 58–68.

    Google Scholar 

  3. J.J. Clark, “Authenticating Edges Produced by Zero-Crossing Algorithms,”IEEE Trans. Pattern Anal. Mach. Intell., vol. PAMI-11, 1989, pp. 43–57.

    Google Scholar 

  4. J. Canny, “A Computational Approach to Edge Detection,”IEEE Trans. Pattern Anal. Mach. Intell., vol. PAMI-8, 1986, pp. 679–698.

    Google Scholar 

  5. S. Sarkar and K.L. Boyer, “Optimal Infinite Impulse Response Zero Crossing Based Edge Detectors,”Comput. Vision, Graphics, Image Processing, vol. 54, 1991, pp. 224–243.

    Google Scholar 

  6. S. Sarkar and K.L. Boyer, “On Optimal Infinite Impulse Response Edge Detection Filters,”IEEE Trans. Pattern Anal. Mach. Intell., vol. PAMI-13, 1991, pp. 1154–1171.

    Google Scholar 

  7. D. Marr and E. Hildreth, “Theory of Edge Detection,”Proc. Roy. Soc. London Ser. B, vol. 207, 1980, pp. 187–217.

    Google Scholar 

  8. M.A. Piech, “Decomposing the Laplacian,”IEEE Trans. Pattern Anal. Mach. Intell., vol. PAMI-12, 1990, pp. 830–831.

    Google Scholar 

  9. V.S. Nalwa and T.O. Binford, “On Detecting Edges,”IEEE Trans. Pattern Anal. Mach. Intell., vol. PAMI-8, 1986, pp. 699–714.

    Google Scholar 

  10. A. Rosenfeld and A. Kak,Digital Picture Processing, New York: Academic Press, 1982.

    Google Scholar 

  11. J.A. De Vriendt, “The Matching Problem: Heuristic Approach Considering both Split and Merge Competition,” inProc. IEE Fourth Int. Conf. Image Processing, Maastricht, The Netherlands, pp. 53–56.

  12. J.A. De Vriendt, “Derivation of the Third Order Directional Derivative,”Pattern Recognition Letters, accepted.

  13. T. Vieville and O. Faugeras, “Robust and Fast Computation of Unbiased Intensity Derivatives in Images,” inProc. 2nd European Conf. Computer Vision, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol. 588, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York: Springer-Verlag, pp. 203–211, 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  14. A. Heurtas and G. Medioni, “Detection of Intensity Changes with Subpixel Accuracy Using Laplacian-Gaussian Masks,”IEEE Trans. Pattern Anal. Mach. Intell., vol. PAMI-8, 1986, pp. 651–664.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

This work was supported by the Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research (NFWO).

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

de Vriendt, J. Accuracy of the zero crossings of the second directional derivative as an edge detector. Multidim Syst Sign Process 4, 227–251 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00985890

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00985890

Key Words

Navigation