edgesummed

Edgesummed is a technique used in image analysis and computer vision to summarize edge information by aggregating edge responses over a region or along a path. The core idea is to produce a single value that represents the total edge strength associated with a local structure, which can be useful for robust feature detection, texture analysis, or shape recognition.

Formally, let E(x, y) denote an edge map where higher values indicate stronger edges. Edgesummed values can be defined in several ways. A common local form computes S(p) as the sum of E over a window W centered at p, effectively a local integral of edge strength. A directional form sums along a line or curve L through p, producing variants Sθ(p) that emphasize edges aligned with a particular orientation θ. These operations can be implemented as convolutions with a uniform kernel or as a line-integral transform.

Edgesummed is related to, but distinct from, related transforms such as the Hough transform (which aggregates edge evidence along potential lines) and integral-image techniques (which accelerate area sums). Variants include multi-scale implementations, normalization to account for window size, and anisotropic summation that weights directions according to dominant textures.

Applications span line and contour detection, feature scoring for object proposals, texture discrimination, and noise-robust edge analysis. While not a universally standardized term, edgesummed concepts appear in research on edge-based descriptors, line-support measures, and directional feature aggregations. See also edge detection, Hough transform, and integral images.