Real-time single-pass connected components analysis algorithm

Due to the demand for real-time processing in real-time automatic target recognition (RTATR) systems, fast connected components analysis (CCA) is significant to RTATR performance improvement. Conventional single-pass CCA algorithms need horizontal blanking periods to resolve the equivalence, which are difficult to be applied when the streamed data is transmitted without horizontal blanking periods. In this paper, a real-time single-pass CCA algorithm is proposed. Unlike the conventional ones, we adopt the pixel as a scan unit while the line as a labeling unit and manage the correspondence of labels between adjacent rows by designing a multi-layer-index structure. Equivalence is resolved when the image is scanning, without extra processing time. The proposed algorithm is suitable for hardware acceleration, and the streamed image data can be processed during image transmission without horizontal blanking periods. Experimental results indicate that the hardware acceleration of algorithm achieves real-time CCA in RTATR system.