This paper introduces three new vertex chain codes. Firstly, considering that the vertex chain code uses 2 bits to represent only three code elements, a new code is introduced without increasing the average bits per code. The second case introduces a variable-length vertex chain code. Finally, a new compressed chain code is proposed based on the Huffman method. The continuation introduces a method for quantificationally evaluating the efficiency of chain codes. The efficiencies of the new vertex chain codes are then compared theoretically and practically against the most popular chain codes. The result of the comparison shows that the new compressed chain code is the most efficient. (c) 2007 Pattern Recognition Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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