Image segmentation
First Claim
1. A method of segmenting an image comprising:
- (a) selecting a first pixel unit from a first group of pixel units in which the pixel units all have substantially the same grey-level intensity;
(b) selecting a first grey-level intensity range relative to the grey-level intensity of said first pixel unit;
(c) comparing the grey-level intensity of said first pixel unit with the grey-level intensity of each of selected adjacent pixel units of said image;
(d) assigning each said selected adjacent pixel unit as a pixel unit of the same region as said first pixel unit in response to the grey-level intensity of said adjacent pixel unit falling within said first grey-level intensity range;
(e) comparing the grey-level intensity of said first pixel unit with the grey-level intensity of each of selected next adjacent pixel units of said image;
(f) assigning each said selected next adjacent pixel unit as a pixel unit of the same region as said first pixel unit in response to the grey-level intensity of said next adjacent pixel unit falling within said first grey-level intensity range;
(g) repeating steps (e) and (f) for each of the pixel units in the image;
(h) selecting a further pixel unit from a further group of pixel units in which the pixel units have substantially the same grey-level intensity;
(i) selecting a further grey-level intensity range relative to the grey-level intensity of said further pixel unit;
(j) comparing the grey-level intensity of said further pixel unit with the grey-level intensity of each of selected adjacent pixel units of said image, wherein each selected adjacent pixel unit which is already assigned as a pixel unit of a region is ignored;
(k) assigning each unassigned said selected adjacent pixel unit as a pixel unit of the same region as said further pixel unit in response to the grey-level intensity of said selected adjacent pixel unit falling within said further grey-level intensity range;
(l) comparing the grey-level intensity of said further pixel unit with the grey-level intensity of each of selected next adjacent pixel units of said image;
(m) assigning each said unassigned selected next adjacent pixel unit as a pixel unit of the same region as said further pixel unit in response to the grey-level intensity of said selected next adjacent pixel unit falling within said further grey-level intensity range;
(n) repeating steps (l) and (m) for each of the pixel units in the image;
(O) and repeating steps (h) to (n) until all of the pixel units in the image have been assigned to a region.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a method of segmenting an image a first seed pixel unit is selected from a first group of pixel units in which the pixel units all have substantially the same grey-level intensity. The grey-level intensity of said first pixel unit is compared with the grey-level intensity of each of selected adjacent pixel units of said image and those pixel units with grey levels within a selected range arm assigned as a pixel unit of the same region as said first pixel unit This comparison process is repeated for each of the pixel units in the image, those already having been assigned being ignored. A further seed pixel unit is selected from a further group of pixel units in which the pixel units all have substantially the same grey-level intensity and the comparison process repeated for all of the unassigned pixel units. Further seed pixel units are selected and the comparison process repeated until all the pixel units of the image have been assigned. A watershed transform is then applied to provide the segmented image.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method of segmenting an image comprising:
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(a) selecting a first pixel unit from a first group of pixel units in which the pixel units all have substantially the same grey-level intensity;
(b) selecting a first grey-level intensity range relative to the grey-level intensity of said first pixel unit;
(c) comparing the grey-level intensity of said first pixel unit with the grey-level intensity of each of selected adjacent pixel units of said image;
(d) assigning each said selected adjacent pixel unit as a pixel unit of the same region as said first pixel unit in response to the grey-level intensity of said adjacent pixel unit falling within said first grey-level intensity range;
(e) comparing the grey-level intensity of said first pixel unit with the grey-level intensity of each of selected next adjacent pixel units of said image;
(f) assigning each said selected next adjacent pixel unit as a pixel unit of the same region as said first pixel unit in response to the grey-level intensity of said next adjacent pixel unit falling within said first grey-level intensity range;
(g) repeating steps (e) and (f) for each of the pixel units in the image;
(h) selecting a further pixel unit from a further group of pixel units in which the pixel units have substantially the same grey-level intensity;
(i) selecting a further grey-level intensity range relative to the grey-level intensity of said further pixel unit;
(j) comparing the grey-level intensity of said further pixel unit with the grey-level intensity of each of selected adjacent pixel units of said image, wherein each selected adjacent pixel unit which is already assigned as a pixel unit of a region is ignored;
(k) assigning each unassigned said selected adjacent pixel unit as a pixel unit of the same region as said further pixel unit in response to the grey-level intensity of said selected adjacent pixel unit falling within said further grey-level intensity range;
(l) comparing the grey-level intensity of said further pixel unit with the grey-level intensity of each of selected next adjacent pixel units of said image;
(m) assigning each said unassigned selected next adjacent pixel unit as a pixel unit of the same region as said further pixel unit in response to the grey-level intensity of said selected next adjacent pixel unit falling within said further grey-level intensity range;
(n) repeating steps (l) and (m) for each of the pixel units in the image;
(O) and repeating steps (h) to (n) until all of the pixel units in the image have been assigned to a region. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of segmenting an image comprising:
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selecting a pixel unit from a first group of pixel units in which the pixel units all have substantially the same grey-level intensity;
comparing the grey-level intensity of said first pixel unit with the grey-level intensity of each of a plurality of selected pixel units of said image;
assigning each said selected pixel unit as a pixel unit of the same region as said first pixel unit in response to the grey-level intensity of said adjacent pixel unit falling within a preselected grey-level intensity range;
selecting a further pixel unit from a further group of pixel units in which the pixel units have substantially the same grey-level intensity;
comparing the grey-level intensity of said further pixel unit with the grey-level intensity of each of a plurality of selected pixel units of said image, wherein each selected adjacent pixel unit which is already assigned as a pixel unit of a region is ignored;
assigning each unassigned said selected pixel unit as a pixel unit of the same region as said further pixel unit in response to the grey-level intensity of said selected adjacent pixel unit falling within a preselected further grey-level intensity range;
and repeating the above steps until all of the pixel units in the image have been assigned to a region.
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Specification