At first glance the problem looks simple - convert to binary image, use Hough Line Transform, and count the lines, but it's not working...
Note:
The solution I found is based on finding and merging contours, but using Hough Transform may be more robust.
Instead of merging contours, you may find many short lines, and merge them into long lines based on close angle and edges proximity.
The solution below uses the following stages:
- Convert image to binary image with white lines on black background.
- Split intersection points between lines (fill crossing points with black).
- Find contours in binary image (and remove small contours).
- Merge contours with close angles, and close edges.
Here is a working code sample:
import cv2
import numpy as np
def box2line(box):
"""Convert rotated rectangle box into two array of two points that defines a line"""
b = box.copy()
for i in range(2):
p0 = b[0]
dif0 = (b[1:, 0] - p0[0])**2 + (b[1:, 1] - p0[1])**2
min_idx = np.argmin(dif0, 0)
b = np.delete(b, min_idx+1, 0)
return b
def minlinesdist(line, line2):
"""Finds minimum distance between any two edges of two lines"""
a0 = line[0, :]
a1 = line[1, :]
b0 = line2[0, :]
b1 = line2[1, :]
d00 = np.linalg.norm(a0 - b0)
d01 = np.linalg.norm(a0 - b1)
d10 = np.linalg.norm(a1 - b0)
d11 = np.linalg.norm(a1 - b1)
min_dist = np.min((d00, d01, d10, d11))
return min_dist
def get_rect_box_line_and_angle(c):
"""Return minAreaRect, boxPoints, line and angle of contour"""
rect = cv2.minAreaRect(c)
box = cv2.boxPoints(rect)
line = box2line(box)
angle = rect[2]
return rect, box, line, angle
(cv_major_ver, cv_minor_ver, cv_subminor_ver) = (cv2.__version__).split('.') # Get version of OpenCV
im = cv2.imread('BlueLines.png') # Read input image
# Convert image to binary image with white lines on black background
################################################################################
gray = im[:, :, 1] # Get only the green color channel (the blue lines should be black).
# Apply threshold
ret, thresh_gray = cv2.threshold(gray, 10, 255, cv2.THRESH_BINARY)
# Invert polarity
thresh_gray = 255 - thresh_gray
################################################################################
# Split intersection points between lines (fill crossing points with black).
################################################################################
thresh_float = thresh_gray.astype(float) / 255 # Convert to float with range [0, 1]
thresh_float = cv2.filter2D(thresh_float, -1, np.ones((3, 3))) # Filter with ones 5x5
# Find pixels with "many" neighbors
thresh_intersect = np.zeros_like(thresh_gray)
thresh_intersect[(thresh_float > 3)] = 255; # Image of intersection points only.
thresh_gray[(thresh_float > 3)] = 0;
################################################################################
# Find contours in thresh_gray, and remove small contours.
################################################################################
if int(cv_major_ver) < 4:
_, contours, _ = cv2.findContours(thresh_gray, cv2.RETR_EXTERNAL, cv2.CHAIN_APPROX_NONE)
else:
contours, _ = cv2.findContours(thresh_gray, cv2.RETR_EXTERNAL, cv2.CHAIN_APPROX_NONE)
# Remove small contours, because their angle is not well defined
fcontours = []
for i in range(len(contours)):
c = contours[i]
if c.shape[0] > 6: # Why 6?
fcontours.append(c)
contours = fcontours
# Starting value.
n_lines = len(contours)
################################################################################
# Merge contours with close angles, and close edges
# Loop decreases n_lines when two lines are merged.
# Note: The solution is kind of "brute force" solution, and can be better.
################################################################################
# https://opencv-python-tutroals.readthedocs.io/en/latest/py_tutorials/py_imgproc/py_contours/py_contour_features/py_contour_features.html
# Fitting a Line
rows,cols = im.shape[:2]
for i in range(len(contours)):
c = contours[i]
rect, box, line, angle = get_rect_box_line_and_angle(c)
for j in range(i+1, len(contours)):
c2 = contours[j]
rect2 = cv2.minAreaRect(c2)
box2 = cv2.boxPoints(rect2)
line2 = box2line(box2)
angle2 = rect2[2]
angle_diff = (angle - angle2 + 720) % 180 # Angle difference in degrees (force it to be positive number in range [0, 180].
angle_diff = np.minimum(angle_diff, 180 - angle_diff)
min_dist = minlinesdist(line, line2) # Minimum distance between any two edges of line and line2
if (angle_diff < 3) and (min_dist < 20):
color = (int((i+3)*100 % 255),int((i+3)*50 % 255), int((i+3)*70 % 255))
# https://stackoverflow.com/questions/22801545/opencv-merge-contours-together
# Merge contours together
tmp = np.vstack((c, c2))
c = cv2.convexHull(tmp)
# Draw merged contour (for testing)
im = cv2.drawContours(im, [c], 0, color, 2)
# Replace contour with merged one.
contours[j] = c
n_lines -= 1 # Subtract lines counter
break
################################################################################
print('Number of lines = {}'.format(n_lines))
# Display result (for testing):
cv2.imshow('thresh_gray', thresh_gray)
cv2.imshow('im', im)
cv2.waitKey(0)
cv2.destroyAllWindows()
Result:
Number of lines = 8
thresh_gray (before splitting):
thresh_gray (after splitting):

im:
Note:
I know the solution is not perfect, and not going to find perfect results on all of your 1000 images.
I think there is a better change that using Hough Transform and merging lines is going to give perfect results.