连通检测是计算机数字图象处理中一个重要的基本操作，它在模式识别、图象理解、图象特征提取等方面有着广泛的用途。为了提高连通检测的效率，在传统队数据结构的基础上，提出了一种新的数据结构，称其为方块队，同时提出了运用方块队进行小矩形区域连通检测的快速算法。该算法既可以检测目标象素在小正方形区域中的连通情况，也可以检测目标象素在小长矩形区域中的连通情况，还可直接用于图象中水平线和坚直线的初步检测。与已有的连通检测算法相比，此算法有着更高的效率。

Connected component detection is an elementary and time-consuming operation in digital image processing. It is widely applied in pattern recognition, characteristic extraction, image understanding and so on. For the purpose of increasing efficiency of connected component detection, based on claaical data structure "queue", This paper develops a new data structure called "rectangular queue". A fast algorithm for connected component detection of small rectangular areas of a binary image by using the new data structure is also proposed. The new algorithm can be used to detect connected components of pixels in a small not only square area but also rectangular area. It can also be used to detect both horizontal lines and vertical lines in an image. Based on some experiments, the conclusion is obtained that the speed of the new algorithm increases by over one times compared with the currently available ones. The algorithm has been applied to extract point symbols, linear features and further linear features with different width from binary image.