2009 International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Computational Intelligence
Equivalence Relation between Intersecting Cortical Model and Binary
Mathematic Morphology in Image Processing
GAO Shan
Signal & Information Processing Lab
Engineering College of Air Force Engineering
University
Xi’an, China
gaoshan1114@126.com
Abstract— Biologically inspired image/signal processing like
the Intersecting Cortical Model (ICM) and Mathematic
Morphology is described. Under certain operations, the
parallel pulse transmission characteristic of ICM in image
processing is equal to the erosion/dilation operation of
binary mathematic morphology. Granulometry, binary image
thinning, edge detection and hole filtering algorithms based
on ICM are proposed to further certify the equivalent
relation between ICM and Mathematic Morphology in binary
image processing. And the results show that ICM can gives
equivalent result as mathematic morphology operation in
binary image processing.
Keywords—intersecting cortical model; mathematic
morphology; image processing; erosion and dilation
I. Introduction
The Intersecting Cortical Model (ICM) [1] is based
on neural network techniques and is especially
designed for image processing. It was derived from
several visual cortex models. These models are
mathematically similar to the Fitzhugh-Nagumo
system [2] in that each neuron consists of coupled
oscillators. When ICM is used in image processing, the
significant feature is parallel pulse transmission
behavior which is efficient in edge detection, image
thinning and image segmentation [3, 4, 5].
Mathematical morphology was founded in the early
sixties by Matheron[6] and Serra[7] as a novel geometry-
based technique for image processing and analysis.
Originally, mathematical morphology was developed
for binary images using simple concepts from set
theory and geometry [8]. The most well-known
operators of mathematical morphology are erosion and
dilation. In binary morphology, a series of theories,
such as hit-or-miss transform, granulometry, and
morphological filters, have been developed.
Granulometry, binary image edge detection ，
thinning and hole filtering algorithms based on the
Intersecting Cortical Model (ICM) are introduced and
analyzed to show the essential connection between the
978-0-7695-3816-7/09 $26.00 © 2009 IEEE
DOI 10.1109/AICI.2009.401
Authorized licensed use limited to: Ming Chi University of Technology. Downloaded on July 27,2021 at 15:48:03 UTC from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.
BI Du-yan
Signal & Information Processing Lab
Engineering College of Air Force Engineering
University
Xi’an, China
biduyan@126.com
parallel pulse transmission characteristic of ICM and
Mathematic Morphology in binary image processing.
Background material on ICM’s is described in
Section 2. In Section 3, Granulometry, binary image
edge detection，thinning and hole filtering algorithms
based on ICM are proposed. By analyses, this section
indicates that under certain operation, binary image
processing using ICM based on its parallel pulse
transmission characteristic is equivalent to binary
morphological algorithm. Finally conclusions are
obtained in Section 4.
II. Intersecting Cortical Model (ICM)
In the ICM the state oscillators of all the neurons
are represented by a 2D array F (the internal neuron
states; initially Fij=0) and the threshold oscillators of
all the neurons by a 2D array θ (initially θij=0). Thus,
the ij-th neuron has state Fij and threshold θij which are
defined: [5]
Fij [n + 1] = fFij [ n] + S ij + Wij {Y }
⎧1 Fij [ n] > θ ij [n]
Yij [ n + 1] = ⎨
⎩0 else (*)
ϑij [n + 1] = gθ ij [n] + hYij [n + 1]
Where Sij is the stimulus (the input image, scaled so
that the largest pixel value is 1.0); Yij is the firing state
of the neuron(Y is the output image); f, g and h are
scalars (examples of values are 0.9, 08, and 20.0,
respectively); Wij is the connection function through
which the neurons communicate; n=1,…,N is the
iteration number. The scalars f and g are decay
constants and thus less than 1. In order to ensure that
Fij eventually becomes θij, we have f>g. The firings
computed from Eq.(*) are the output images of ICM.
Hence, the images are called pulse images. In Figure1,
the ICM appears [1, 4, 5].
490
 f = 0.9, g = 0.7, h = 1500,
h Step2 set w = (010,101,010) ;
g
θij
Y = F =θ = 0
W {} f
Fij Fij [n] = fFij [ n − 1] + S ij + w ⊗ Y
∑ Yij
Step3 Yij [n] = step ( Fij [n] − θ ij [n]) ;
Sij
θ ij [n] = gθ ij [n] + hYij [n]
Figure 1. Structure of ICM neuron
(i = 1,2,..., Height ; j = 1,2,..., Width)
Step4 repeat step3 for k times;
III. Basic applications of binary morphology based on Step5 inverse Yij[k];
ICM Step6 repeat step3 for k times;
The parallel pulse transmission behavior of ICM is Step7 calculation Фp(k);
equivalent to the dilation /erosion operation in binary Step8 if Фp(k)=1, the iteration ends; else, k=k+1,
image processing and the 4/8 neighborhood linking of back to step3.
ICM is equal to the Four/Eight structural element [3]. Using Matlab2008a implementing the algorithm
Various complex operations in morphology can be above, we hypothesize that the input image is idealized
realized by combining certain dilation and erosion and adopt the 4 neighborhood linking type.
operations. Then, how about the ICM? Can it be used
to replace the morphological applications in binary
image processing, such as granulometry, binary image
edge detection, thinning and hole filtering?
A. Granulometry algorithm based on ICM
In particle images, presumption the dark regions are
composed with particles of various size, light regions Original image Result of the 5th
are background. Neurons lie in light regions will fire iteration
fist, then their adjacent neurons in dark regions fire
immediately through coupled linking. In this way,
pulse parallel transmission generated in the whole
image. The dark region particles shrink for one time
with every pulse transmission. And the binary image is
inversed to change the shrinking dark particle regions
into light regions. Here, light regions fire with one
pulse expanding the particles, which have shrinking Result of the 8th Result of the 10th
but haven’t been filtered, for one time. With such iteration iteration
iterations, the area of certain particle shrinks to zero,
Figure 2. Original particle image and screening processing of ICM
which can not be restored even inverse and dilation
operations are done with it, at the N-th erosion. Then
the particles are filtered out. Other particles can be
restored to the original size if only they have nonzero
area. In this way, particles are filtered out from little
ones to large ones as iteration goes on. And the
granulometry analysis ends until all kinds of the
particles are filtered out.
With Фp denoting the granularity distribution vector
of the ICM and Фp(k) denoting the result of the k-th Figure 3. Regulation of ICM particle analysis
iteration, the granulometry algorithm based on ICM is
as follows: B. Binary image edge detection algorithm based
Step1 input binary particle image S, reset pixel
on ICM
values to 0.1 and 1.0;
In ideal binary images, presumption dark regions
are objects, light regions are background. The neurons
which lie in light regions will fire fist. Let the light

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region discharged pulse transmit one pixel’s distance
(namely, using certain structure element implement
erosion operation) to get the fire map. And then the
target edge of one pixel width will be found by
carrying out exclusive-or operation between the fire
map and the original image. And heavy edge can be
got by increasing the transmitting distance of the light
region discharged pulse.
Binary image edge detection algorithm based on
ICM is as follows (Where E is the output binary matrix
used to store the edge detection result, and A is a
matrix used to store temporary fire matrix, and N is the
number of iteration.)：
Step1 input binary image S, reset pixel values to 0.1
and 1.0;
f = 0.9, g = 0.7, h = 1500,
Step2 set w = (010,101,010) ; ⎪⎩ n
Y = F = θ = 0, n = N
Fij [n] = fFij [ n − 1] + S ij + w ⊗ Y
Step3 Yij [n] = step ( Fij [n] − θ ij [n])
θ ij [n] = gθ ij [n] + hYij [n]
(i = 1,2,..., Height ; j = 1,2,..., Width)
Step4 if n=N, A=Y;
Step5 n=n-1, if n=0, turn to step6, else back to
step3;
Step6 E = A ⊕ S is the edge result.
Note that, in this paper an ideal binary image is
used. If there is noise in the input image a pretreatment
is required. And Figure 4 shows the result of this
algorithm.
Result of edge detection
Original alphabet image
based on ICM
Original image Result of edge detection
based on ICM
Figure 4. Original binary images and results of edge detection based
on ICM
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C. Binary image thinning algorithm based on
ICM
Binary image thinning is the operation that minish
the binary objects into lines of single pixel width with
the shape information of the original object reserved.
In the process of binary image operation with ICM,
light region of background fire first. And the dark
region of target begins firing from exterior to interior
gradually as iterations increasing. According to the
character that the ICM pulse transmit parallel along
with iteration and firing, the time sequence matrix T
which contains the time domain information of the
firing state of corresponding pixels in the binary image
is defined [9]
⎧⎪Tij [ n − 1] Yij [ n] ≠ 1
Tij [ n] = ⎨ .
Yij [ n] = 1
Hence, the binary image thinning result is given by
SK ij = (Ti −1, j [n] = m) ∧ (Ti +1, j [n] = m)
∧ (Ti , j −1 [n] = m) ∧ (Ti , j +1 [n] = m)
; ∧ (Ti , j [n − 1] = m − 1)
Where SKij is the result of binary image thinning.
And the thinning process ends until all the neurons fire.
The binary image thinning algorithm based on ICM is
as follows:
Step1 input binary image S, reset pixel values to 0.1
and 1.0;
f = 0.9, g = 0.7, h = 1500,
Step2 set w = (010,101,010) ;
Y = F =θ = 0
Fij [n] = fFij [ n − 1] + S ij + w ⊗ Y
Step3 Y [n] = step ( F [n] − θ [n]) ;
ij ij ij
(i = 1,2,..., Height ; j = 1,2,..., Width)
T [ n − 1] Yij [n] ≠ 1
Step4 T [n] = ⎧⎪ ij ;
ij ⎨
⎪⎩n Yij [ n] = 1
Step5 Tm = min(Tij ) ;
Step6 if Tm>0, turn to step10;
Step7 θ ij [ n] = gθ ij [ n] + hYij [ n] ;
Step8 turn to setp3;
Step9 m := max(Tij ) − 1 downto min(Tij )
SK ij = (Ti −1, j [n] = m) ∧ (Ti +1, j [n] = m)
∧ (Ti , j −1 [n] = m) ∧ (Ti , j +1 [n] = m)
∧ (Ti , j [n − 1] = m − 1)
Step10 SK is the thinning result.
Figure 5 shows the binary image thinning result of
our algorithm with ICM.
492
 H =Y
Fij [ n] = fFij [ n − 1] + S ij + w ⊗ Y
Step3 ;
Yij [ n] = step ( Fij [ n] − θ ij [ n])
θ ij [ n] = gθ ij [ n] + hYij [ n]
(i = 1,2,..., Height ; j = 1,2,..., Width )
Result of thinning Step4 if Y=H; else back to step3;
Original binary image Step5 E=Y is the hole filtering result.
based on ICM
The hole filtering result of our algorithm is given in
Figure 6.

Original alphabet Result of thinning

image based on ICM Result of hole-filter
Original image based on ICM
Figure 5. Original binary images and results of image thinning based
on ICM

D. Binary image hole filtering algorithm based

on ICM
In character identification, filling holes in the binary
characters is convenient for subsequent handling
sometimes [10]. Here the process of hole filtering of
binary images using ICM is discussed.
At the beginning select one point in the non-hole
background light region as seed neuron and let it fire
and discharge pulse firstly. Due to the connection
between neurons, the neurons in the neighborhood of
the seed neuron with similar brightness are captured
and fired forming pulse transmission, which stops
when encountering neurons with little pixel value. Due
to the isolation effect of target dark region, the pulse
originating from the non-hole light background
transmits in the whole region but the hole. The unfired
neurons associate the target dark region and the holes.
In order to ensure that the selected seed neuron locates
in the non-hole background light region, the binary
image is enlarged adding a pixel all around. And then
the neuron associating the first pixel which locates at
the left lower angle of the enlarged image is selected as
seed neuron. With E denoting the result matrix of hole
filtering and H denoting the temporary matrix, the
algorithm is as follows (all the matrixes have the same
dimension with the enlarged image):
Step1 input binary image S, reset pixel values to 0.1
and 1.0;
f = 0.9, g = 0.7, h = 1500,
Step2 set w = (010,101,010) ; 2007AA701121 and NDS&T’s Key Laboratory
Y = F =θ = 0
Y (0,0) = 1
Original image Result of hole-filter
based on ICM
Figure 6. Original binary images and results of image hole filtering
based on ICM
From the results of granulometry analysis, binary
image thinning, hole filtering and edge detection given
by ICM, it can be seen that ICM can realize equivalent
result as that of mathematic morphology operation in
binary image processing.
IV. Conclusion
Parallel pulse transmission character of ICM in
binary image processing is equivalent to the dilation or
erosion operation of binary mathematical morphology
under certain structural elements. Most mathematical
morphology operations can be obtained by dilation and
erosion operation, so that various operations of binary
mathematical morphology can be reached by ICM.
Algorithms of granulometry, binary image edge
detection, thinning and hole filtering based on ICM are
proposed and implemented to have the obvious results
certifying the equivalent relationship between
Intersecting Cortical Model and Mathematic
Morphology in Binary Image Processing.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This work was supported by Chinese National Hi-
Tech Research and Development Program under Grant
Foundation under Grant X80c6106.
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