Mathematical morphology processing method

A mathematical morphology processing method using a two-dimensional PE array comprising the steps of:

• forming a one-dimensional array of w words, wherein w is any natural number;
• providing each of the w words with an original image field, a next image field, a right and left image field and two up and down image fields;
• transferring contents of a hit-flag register between q.times.r CAMs (content addressable memories) through an upper shift I/O port and a lower shift I/O port, the hit-flag register having shift up and shift down functions, wherein q and r are integers equal to or greater than two;
• connecting with hit-flag shift lines the lower shift I/O port of one CAM of two horizontally adjacent CAMs of the CAMs to the upper shift I/O port of another CAM of the two horizontally adjacent CAMs;
• forming a CAM array including m.times.q PEs in a vertical direction and n.times.r PEs in a horizontal direction by mapping each of the w words in each of the CAMs to at least one of PEs which are arranged in m rows by n columns and are connected in a zigzag, wherein m and n are any natural numbers satisfying w=m.times.n;
• providing the CAM array with a single control instruction stream;
• sequentially transferring, to the right and left image field, data in one of a current image field and the up and down image fields of horizontally adjacent PEs, performing an operation using the sequentially transferred data, and storing a result of the operation into the next image field;
• carrying out an up and down image shift by transferring data in the current image field or one of the up and down shift image fields of up and down PEs to another one of the up and down shift image fields;
• and
• repeating the step of sequentially transferring the data and the step of carrying out the up and down image shift until all data transfer and operation associated with up, down, right and left PEs have been completed.