LINEAR FEATURE ENHANCING BY HYPERBOLIC-GAUSSIAN FILTERING

A new methodology for the linear feature enhancing of an image by filt ering in Fourier space is presented. As a first step, the Fourier spec trum of the image is used to construct its rose diagram. A new filter is then applied in enhancement directions which are chosen directly fr om the rose diagram, In Fourier space, the proposed filter's transfer function is a surface whose section perpendicular to the enhanced dire ction is a Gaussian curve. The construction of this surface is made in such a way that filtering in any direction is allowed. A sequence of analysis for the construction of an enhanced image using this filter i s proposed. As an optional step, after constructing the enhanced image a binarization can be made to facilitate the linear feature map extra ction. The proposed binarization corresponds to the application of a l ocal threshold technique. A pseudocode summary of each of the steps is included. A comparison with a simple directional filter is made.