Link Pointer Shortening for Faster Root Component Lookup
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In image processing and computer vision, connected component labeling requires large component tables to store information about objects, leading to increased latency in identifying root components due to lengthy link-lists, which is inefficient for real-time applications.
Innovation Solution
Implementing link-list shortening logic that modifies link pointers to directly point to the root component, reducing the time needed to traverse the list and access object information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a large component table is used to store information about many objects, then the completeness of object information is improved, but the latency in identifying root components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-computing and storing the root component identifier for each component in the component table before queries are made. When a component is first encountered or when its root changes, the root identifier is calculated and stored in advance, so that subsequent root-finding operations can retrieve this pre-computed value immediately without traversing the entire link list, thus reducing latency while maintaining the ability to store information about many objects
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the root-finding operation into two parts: (1) the actual link list traversal to find the root, and (2) the retrieval of pre-stored root information. By separating these operations and caching the result of the traversal, the system reduces the time complexity of repeated root-finding operations while maintaining the complete object information in the component table
2Measurement precision
If link pointers are extended to form a complete link-list for each component, then the accuracy of object identification is improved, but the processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-computes and stores the root component identifier for each component in the component table. This preliminary action ensures that the complete link-list structure is maintained for accurate object identification, while the pre-stored root information enables fast retrieval, thus maintaining measurement precision without sacrificing productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a copy of the root component identifier and stores it in the component table alongside the link pointer. This copy allows the system to maintain the complete link-list structure for accurate object identification while enabling fast access to the root identifier through the copied value, thus resolving the contradiction between accuracy and processing speed
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus includes a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit may be configured to traverse a list of connected components forming an object. The list generally comprises object IDs and link pointers for each component of the object. The link pointers generally identify links from a current leaf component to a root component of the object. The second circuit may be configured to modify at least the link pointer associated with the current leaf component to point to the root component.