Zenzo S.D., Cinque L., Levialdi S. Run-based algorithms for binary image analysis and processing

IEEE Transaction on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, Vol. 18, No. 1, January 1996. – pp. 83-89.This paper suggests a variant of a binary image representation based on run length encoding. This variant allows building a "graph representation" which turns convenient for a number of computing tasks like component labeling, computation of Euler number, diameter, convex hull and the detection of local extrema and multiple points. A running application in the raster-to-vector conversion of digital maps is finally provided.