Advantages of allowing Hexagonal Pixels to be used as a Boundary Description Format

Abstract

This paper considers some algorithmic extensions and some specific advantages when using a hexagonal pixel array as compared with the usual practice of using a rectangular or square pixel raster array. Discussed are some of the algorithmic changes that are required when using pixels arranged within a hexagonal matrix. The use of a boundary hexagonal description format is considered from the point of view of; hexagonal six-connected contour edge encoding as compared with square four-connected and eight-connected descriptors, efficient probability autocorrelation analysis, direct image manipulation and algorithmic simplification. Hardware and software conversion techniques for hexagonal pixels are now being seriously considered especially with the potential emergence of hexagonal CCD censor arrangements for cameras; for example this includes a recent patent with Fuji Photo Film Co.Ltd. (US patent number 6882364 Apr 19 2005) incorporating a bidirectional honeycomb pattern.