A microprocessor-based interactive image processing system

As Electronic Component Technology advances, it has become possible to produce systems of vastly increased complexity with fewer components. This is nowhere more apparent than in the field of digital electronics, where a computer of fifteen years ago, comprising many thousands of transistors, has now been replaced by the microcomputer comprising several microchips. Consequently the present day computer is very much cheaper in real terms, and its reliability is also much higher. In many instances, the lo"ser cost and greater reliability of modern systems has resulted in new applications for electronic equipment. In 1981, when the work described in this thesis began, the available image processin9 equipment was very expensive and required the use of a mainframe computer. This thesis describes the design of a low cost microprocessor-based image processing system, for the processing and display of satellite images. The first objective of the work presented in this thesis was to investigate the feasibility of acquiring and processing Landsat image data using a microcomputer system. An initial prototype system was developed which proved that image data could be usefully processed on a microcomputer system using a 256 by 256 pixel frame store. A specification was then drawn up for a low cost system which could be used generally for remote sensing applications. The hardware and software was specified to give a wide range of Image processing facilities within the restraints of low cost. This thesis describes the design and development of the hardware and software for the resulting microprocessor-based image processing system. Details are given for each sub-system, and for each software routine/program. The complete system is described, and details of the resulting image processing operations are presented. Results of the image processing operations are included to demonstrate and validate the practical and philosophical tenets developed and summarised in this thesis