Graeco-Latin squares design for line detection in the presence of correlated noise

In this paper, the problem of detecting narrow lines embedded in correlated noise is investigated. An approach based on the contrast theory is adapted to the four-way Graeco-Latin squares design. The analysis provides a theoretical basis for the comparison of a line detector to other detectors that ignore noise dependence. A new and compensated algorithm is developed for detecting lines oriented in any major direction in a two-dimensional image plane. The four-way design is also shown to remove any background obscuration, and the actual processor is robust, simple, efficient, and suitable for real-time applications. Extensive computer simulations demonstrate the performance of the proposed detector relative to some classical mask-based detectors.