The Elements of Digital Picture Processing

Abstract

Conventional digital computers have developed along lines which have been dictated by the essential requirements of arithmetic and logical computation. These computers must, at the very least, implement one of certain minimal sets of operations in order that they can execute the tasks presented to them. A typical set of operations is tabulated in Figure 1 where the term “shifting” (which is not strictly necessary) implies the multiplication or division of stored numbers by r, the root of the number system used to represent numerical information in the computer. Given these basic operations and facilities for program control, then any complex calculation can be built up and the computer is de-scribable as “general purpose.”