An apparatus and a method for detecting an edge of a three-dimensional image.
A scan-line approximation unit creates an approximated quadratic curve with regard
to each scan-line corresponding to each surface of the three-dimensional image
by scanning the three-dimensional image in several directions of a row, a column
and both diagonal lines. A curvature value calculation unit calculates approximated
curvature values with regard to each division point regarded as different surfaces
of the three-dimensional image on the quadratic curve. An edge decision unit decides
an edge by comparing the calculated curvature values of the division points with
a threshold. According to the above apparatus and the method for detecting the
edge of the three-dimensional image, both a jump edge and a crease edge can be
detected through one threshold. The method of detecting the edge can detect all
edges according to the characteristic of the object of the three-dimensional image
by using one threshold, thus the edge can be quickly and more accurately detected.
Furthermore, the capability of the entire system can be improved by using information
gained during the process of detecting the edge in a pre-process and a post-process.
