Edge detection based on orientation distribution of gradient images

An edge detection scheme which exploits both the magnitude and orientation information of a gradient image is presented. A pixel with a large gradient is considered as an edge element only if the samples in its neighborhood have a unique orientation (straight edge) or a few strong directions (mixed edge). By making use of the orientation information, the proposed scheme can effectively distinguish between the edge points defining object boundaries and those constituting texture patterns. It is also insensitive to noise since the detection is based on the orientation assumed by the majority of the pixels in a neighborhood instead of the individual orientation or intensity variation