Segment-based Image Classification of Multisensor Images

This study proposed two multisensor fusion methods for segment-based image classification utilizing a region-growing segmentation. The proposed algorithms employ a Gaussian-PDF measure and an evidential measure respectively. In remote sensing application, segment-based approaches are used to extract more explicit information on spatial structure compared to pixel-based methods. Data from a single sensor may be insufficient to provide accurate description of a ground scene in image classification. Due to the redundant and complementary nature of multisensor data, a combination of information from multiple sensors can make reduce classification error rate. The Gaussian-PDF method defines a regional measure as the PDF average of pixels belonging to the region, and assigns a region into a class associated with the maximum of regional measure. The evidential fusion method uses two measures of plausibility and belief, which are derived from a mass function of the Beta distribution for the basic probability assignment of every hypothesis about region classes. The proposed methods were applied to the SPOT XS and ENVISAT data, which were acquired over Iksan area of of Korean peninsula. The experiment results showed that the segment-based method of evidential measure is greatly effective on improving the classification via multisensor fusion.