Image analysis and pattern recognitionas tools in map interpretation

In this article we propose a methodology, which uses image analysis and pattern recognition techniques for the acquisition and the interpretation of cartographic documents. The main subject on map interpretation is to make easy their exploitation by proposing some steps allowing the transformation of the maps in paper form to a numerical storage of information in computers. Our approach is aiming to construct a system that can generate a symbolic description of the map. This approach includes color segregation, buildings localization, symbols identification, roads extraction and related character string recognition. All the information must be encoded. A color scanner generates a multicolor raster image of the map. This image is split into layers of predefined map colors. Each layer is then vectorized. To signify the feasibility of the proposed system, a brief description of the system is discussed and some experimental results are shown.