Home → Magazine Archive → September 1972 (Vol. 15, No. 9) → A new approach to automatic scanning of contour maps → Abstract

A new approach to automatic scanning of contour maps

By M. Mor, T. Lamdan

Communications of the ACM, Vol. 15 No. 9, Pages 809-812
10.1145/361573.361580



The problem of automatic digitizing of contour maps is discussed. The structure of a general contour map is analyzed, and its topological properties are utilized in developing a new scanning algorithm. The problem of detection and recognition of contour lines is solved by a two color labeling method. It is shown that for maps containing normal contour lines only, it suffices to distinguish between so-called “even” and “odd” lines. The “tangency problem” involved in practical scanning is discussed, and a solution based on minimizing computer memory space and simplifying control program is suggested.

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