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CLASSIFICATION
WAN BAKX
ADAPTED BY GABRIEL PARODI
Main lecture topics
Review of basic concepts of pixel-based classification
Review of principal terms (Image space vs. feature space)
Decision boundaries in feature space
Unsupervised vs. supervised classification
Training of classifier
Classification algorithms available
Validation of results
Problems and limitations
PURPOSE OF LECTURE
What is it ?
grouping of similar features
separation of dissimilar ones
assigning class label to pixels
resulting in manageable size of classes
MULTISPECTRAL CLASSIFICATION
Generalised workflow
Primary Data Acquisition
Pre-processing
Image restoration, Radiometric
corrections, Geometric corrections
Image Enhancement
Contrast, Noise, Sharpness
Image Fusion
Multi-temporal, Multi-resolution,
Mosaicking
Feature Extraction, quantitative
Spectral (NDVI), Spatial (lines,
edges), Statistical (PCA)
Information extraction, qualitative
Classification
Supervised
Unsupervised
Segmentation, spatial objects
Visual Interpretation
What are the advantages of using image classification?
We are not interested in brightness values, but in thematic
characteristics
To translate continuous variability of image data into map
patterns that provide meaning to the user
To obtain insight in the data with respect to ground cover and
surface characteristics
To find anomalous patterns in the image data set
MULTISPECTRAL CLASSIFICATION
Why use it? - cont
Cost efficient in the analyses of large data sets
Results can be reproduced
More objective then visual interpretation
Effective analysis of complex multi-band (spectral)
interrelationships
Classification achieves data size reduction
MULTISPECTRAL CLASSIFICATION
Together with manual digitising and photogrammetric
processing (for map making), classification is the most
commonly used image processing technique
Objective: Converting image
data into thematic data
SUPERVISED CLASSIFICATION
Multi-band Image
IMAGE SPACE
One-dimensional feature space
Input layer (single)
Distinction between slices/classes
Histogram
Segmented image
unsupervised classification
No distinction between slices/classes
Histogram
?
MULTI-DIMENSIONAL FEATURE SPACE
statistical pattern recognition
feature vectors e.g.
(34, 25, 117)
(34, 24, 119)
FEATURE SPACE (SCATTERPLOT)
Feature space
Two/three dimensional
graph or scattered diagram
Formation of clusters of
points representing DN
values in two/three spectral
bands
Each cluster of points
corresponds to a certain
cover type on ground
(theoretically)
High frequency
Low frequency
1D
DISTANCES AND CLUSTERS IN FEATURE SPACE
(0,0) band x (units of 5 DN)
band y
(units of 5 DN)
.
.
Euclidian distance
Min y
Max y
.
.
(0,0) Min x Max x
.
.
. .
.
.
.
Cluster
Supervised classification procedure
1. Prepare
Define/describe the classes,
define image criteria
Aquire required image data
2. Define clusters in the feature
space
Collect ground truth
Create a sample set
3. Choose a classifier / decision
rule / algorithm
4. Classify
5. Validate the result
Application dependent aspects:
Class definition
Spatio-temporal characteristics
Sensor characteristics:
Bands
Spatial resolution
Acquisition date(s)
Sensor(s)
Band selection constraints:
Non correlated set
Software limitations
CLASSIFICATION PREPARATION
UNSUPERVISED APPROACH
Considers only spectral distance measures
Minimum user interaction
Requires interpretation after classification
Based on spectral groupings
SUPERVISED APPROACH
Incorporates prior knowledge
Requires a training set (samples)
Based on spectral groupings
More extensive user interaction
SUPERVISED VS. UNSUPERVISED CLASSIFICATION
UNSUPERVISED SLICING
Input layer (single)
Distinction between slices
Histogram
Segmented image
unsupervised classification
Unsupervised classification (clustering)
Clustering algorithm
User defined cluster parameters
Class mean vectors are arbitrarily set
by algorithm (iteration 0)
Class allocation of feature vectors
Compute new class mean vectors
Class allocation (iteration 2)
Re-compute class mean vectors
Iterations continue until convergence
threshold has been reached
Final class allocation
Cluster statistics reporting
Recode/group them into sensible classes
e.g. 2, 3, 4 and 5 make one class
Feature spaces!
Supervised Classification
Principle
Collect samples for training
the classifier
Define clusters (decision
boundaries) in the feature
space
Assign a class label to a
pixel based on its feature
vector and the predefined
clusters in the feature
space
(160,170) (160,170) = Grass
(60,40) (60,40)= House
TRAINING SAMPLE STATISTICS
E.g. Minimum, Maximum, Mean, Standard deviation,
Variance, Co-Variance
The points a,b and c
are cluster centres of
clusters A, B and C.
Line ab is the
distance between the
cluster centres A and
B.
There is overlap
between the
clusters A and B.
TRAINING SAMPLES IN POTENTIAL FEATURE SPACES
SAMPLE SET - 1 BAND
0 31 63 95 127 159 191 223 255
Freq.
300
200
100
0
Ground-truth
Class-Slices
Histogram of training/sample set
Samples set
of classes
1 BAND/DIMENSION - SLICING
0 31 63 95 127 159 191 223 255
300
200
100
0
Class-Intervals
Histogram of training set
Decision rule:
Priority to the smallest slice length/spreading
0 255
0
255
Band 1
Means and Standard Deviations
0 255
0
255
Band 2
Band 1
Feature Space Partitioning - Box classifier
[Min,Max] or [Mean - xSD,Mean + xSD]
Partitioned Feature Space
Band 2
TWO BANDS BOX CLASSIFICATION
Box classification
Characteristics
considers only the lower
and the upper limits of
cluster
computation is simple
and fast
Disadvantage
overlapping boxes
poorly adapted to
cluster shape
1 DIMENSION - MINIMUM DISTANCE
0 31 63 95 127 159 191 223 255
300
200
100
0
Class-Intervals
Histogram of training set
Decision rule:
Priority to the shortest distance to the class mean
Feature Space Partitioning - Minimum
Distance to Mean Classifier
0
255
0
255
Band 2
Band 1
0
255
Band 2
Band 1
Mean vectors
0
255
"Unknown"
255
0
255
Band 2
Band 1
0
Threshold Distance
N DIMENSIONS MIN. DISTANCE TO MEAN
Minimum distance to mean classifier
Characteristics
emphasis on the location of
cluster centre
class labelling by
considering minimum
distance to the cluster
centres
Disadvantage
disregards the presence of
variability within a class
shape and size of the
clusters are not considered
0 31 63 95 127 159 191 223 255
300
200
100
0
1 BAND MAXIMUM LIKELIHOOD
Class-Intervals
Histogram of training set &
Probability density functions
Priority to the highest probability (based upon and )
2
2
2
) (x
e
2
1
f(x)