System and method for creating unclassified line drawings from classified NTM images

摘要

A system and method of automatically creating a NIMA certified line drawing from a National Imagery Transmission Format (NITF) image file. A grayscale (electro-optical) image and its associated metadata from a NITF file is input into the computer based system. Pre-screening operations are performed on the metadata prior to image processing to ensure that National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) requirements and criteria are met. Image processing algorithms then perform filtering, encoding, edge detection, and custom edge pattern classification procedures to create a declassified line drawing. The line drawing can then be saved in any number of standard commercial file formats.