A fast watershed algorithm based on chain code and its application in image segmentation

In this paper, a novel algorithm is proposed for the watershed transformation. This new algorithm is based on chain code. The traditional concept of chain code is first expanded into point-out chain code and point-in chain code. Then two theorems, which depict how to make watershed transformation based on chain code, are proposed and proved. In the end, the description of this new algorithm is presented, and its complexity is discussed in detail. Experiments show that the presented algorithm runs fast. Further more, the new algorithm can provide more information to the following image processing.