Color image processing method and apparatus thereof

• US 6,778,697 B1
• Filed: 02/04/2000
• Issued: 08/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group), Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group), Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Deng, Yining, Manjunath, Bangalore S., Choi, Yang-lim, Shin, Hyun-doo
• Primary Examiner(s): Boudreau, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHERALI, ISHRAT I
• Application Number:
  US09/497,519
• Time in Patent Office: 1,656 Days
• Field of Search: 382/162, 382/163-166, 382/173, 382/190, 382/199, 382/195, 382/209, 382/305, 382/260-266, 382/217-220, 382/251, 382/253, 707/1-6, 707/104.1, 358/515-520
• US Class Current: 382/164
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5838 using colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/90 Determination of colour characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/56 relating to colour

Abstract

A color image processing method for retrieving a color feature descriptor for describing color features of an image is provided. The color image processing method includes the steps of (a) obtaining color vectors of an input image, (b) classifying the color vectors to obtain dominant colors of the input image and the ratios thereof, and (c) representing the dominant colors and the ratios thereof as a color feature descriptor of the input image. The color image processing method is applied to an object-based image processing method, thereby allowing fast search and retrieval of multi-media contents.

Claims

1. A color image processing method for retrieving a color feature descriptor for describing color features of an image, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) obtaining color vectors of an input image;

(b) obtaining at least one class of the color vectors by classifying the color vectors based on a distribution of values of the color vectors; and

(c) obtaining at least one dominant color and ratio thereof, from the at least one class, to use the at least one dominant color and the ratios thereof as a color feature descriptor of the input image.

2. The color image processing method according to claim 1, wherein the color vectors are quantized color vectors.

3. The color image processing method according to claim 1, wherein the ratios are percentiles.

4. The color image processing method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of (d) combining the color vectors and the color feature descriptor and representing the combination result as the whole image.

5. The color image processing method according to claim 4, wherein the color vectors are quantized color vectors.

6. The color image processing method according to claim 4, wherein the ratios are percentiles.

7. The color image processing method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of (d) combining the quantized color vectors and the color feature descriptor and representing the combination result as the whole image.

8. The color image processing method according to claim 1, before the step (b), further comprising the step of performing a predetermined filtering process for smoothing of the input image.

9. The color image processing method according to claim 1, before the step (b), further comprising the step of performing a predetermined filtering process for noise removal of the input image.

10. The color image processing method according to claim 1, before the step (b), further comprising the step of performing a predetermined filtering process for smoothing and noise removal of the input image.

11. A color image processing method for retrieving a color descriptor for describing color features of an image, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) obtaining color vectors of an input image;

(b) classifying the color vectors to obtain dominant colors of the input image and the ratios thereof;

(c) representing the dominant colors and ratios thereof as a color feature descriptor of the input image; and

before the step (b), further comprising the steps of;

analyzing the probability of pixels in the filtered image being noisy pixels and applying appropriate weights thereto; and

applying a general Lloyd algorithm to the color vectors corresponding to the weighted pixels to perform color quantization.

12. A color image processing method for retrieving a color feature descriptor for describing color features of an image, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) segmenting an input image into a plurality of regions;

(b) obtaining color vectors for the segmented regions;

(c) classifying the color vectors to obtain dominant colors of the input image and ratios thereof;

(d) representing the dominant colors and the ratios thereof as a color feature descriptor of the input image; and

before the step (b), further comprising the step of;

analyzing the probability of pixels in the filtered image being noisy pixels and applying appropriate weights thereto; and

applying a general Lloyd algorithm to the color vectors corresponding to the weighted pixels to perform color quantization.

13. The color image processing method according to claim 12, wherein the color vectors are quantized color vectors.

14. The color image processing method according to claim 12, wherein the ratios are percentiles.

15. The color image processing method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of (e) combining the color vectors for the segmented regions and the color feature descriptor and representing the combination result as the whole image.

16. The color image processing method according to claim 12, before the step (b), further comprising the step of performing a predetermined filtering process for smoothing of the input image.

17. The color image processing method according to claim 12, before the step (b), further comprising the step of performing a predetermined filtering process for noise removal of the input image.

18. The color image processing method according to claim 12, before the step (b), further comprising the step of performing a predetermined filtering process for smoothing and noise removal of the input image.

19. The color image processing method according to claim 12, before the step (b), further comprising the step of performing a predetermined filtering process for smoothing of the segmented regions.

20. The color image processing method according to claim 12, before the step (b), further comprising the step of performing a predetermined filtering process for noise removal of the segmented regions.

21. The color image processing method according to claim 12, before the step (b), further comprising the step of performing a predetermined filtering process for smoothing and noise removal of the segmented regions.

41. A color image processing method according to claim 12, wherein the color image is represented using dominant colors of the color image and the percentiles thereof.

22. A computer readable medium having program codes executable by a computer to perform a color image processing method for retrieving a color feature descriptor for describing color features of an image, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) segmenting an input image into a plurality of regions;

(b) obtaining color vectors for the segmented regions;

(c) classifying the color vectors to obtain dominant colors of the input image and ratios thereof;

(d) representing the dominant colors and the ratios thereof as a color feature descriptor of the input image; and

(e) combining the color vectors for the segmented regions and the color feature descriptor and representing the combination result as the whole image.

23. A color image processing apparatus for retrieving a color feature descriptor for describing color features of an image, comprising:

a color vector retrieving unit for receiving pixel value data of an input image and retrieving color vectors for a predetermined color coordinate system;

a color feature descriptor generating unit for obtaining at least one class of the color vectors by classifying the color vectors based on a distribution of values of the color vectors, obtaining at least one dominant color and ratio thereof, from the at least one class, and generating and outputting color feature descriptor data containing the information on the at least one dominant color and the ratio thereof; and

a combining unit for combining pixel value data and color feature descriptor data to output a processed image.

24. A color image processing apparatus for retrieving a color feature descriptor for describing color features of an image, comprising:

a segmenting unit for segmenting an input image into k regions, wherein k is an arbitrary positive integer, and sequentially outputting pixel value data corresponding to the kth region;

a color vector retrieving unit for receiving pixel value data of an input image and retrieving color vectors for a predetermined color coordinate system;

a color feature descriptor generating unit for obtaining percentiles of dominant colors represented by the color vectors when the color vectors are all received and generating and outputting color feature descriptor data containing the information on the dominant colors and the percentiles thereof; and

a combining unit for combining pixel value data corresponding to the kth region and color feature descriptor data of the corresponding region, with respect to all the k segmented regions, to output a processed image.

25. The color image processing apparatus according to claim 24, further comprising a quantizing unit for performing color quantization in the segmented region.

26. The color image processing apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the quantizing unit analyzes the probability of pixels in the filtered image being noisy pixels and applying appropriate weights thereto, and applies a general Lloyd algorithm to the color vectors corresponding to the weighted pixels to perform color quantization.

27. The color image processing apparatus according to claim 24, further comprising a quantizing unit for performing color quantization in the segmented regions.

28. The color image processing apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the quantizing unit analyzes the probability of pixels in the filtered image being noisy pixels and applies appropriate weights thereto, and applies a general Lloyd algorithm to the color vectors corresponding to the weighted pixels to perform color quantization.

29. The color image processing apparatus according to claim 24, further comprising a filtering unit for performing a predetermined filtering process for smoothing of an input image.

30. The color image processing apparatus according to claim 24, further comprising a filtering unit for performing a predetermined filtering process for noise removal of an input image.

31. The color image processing apparatus according to claim 24, further comprising a filtering unit for performing a predetermined filtering process for smoothing and noise removal of an input image.

32. The color image processing apparatus according to claim 29, further comprising a quantizing unit for performing color quantization in the segmented regions.

33. The color image processing apparatus according to claim 30, further comprising a quantizing unit for performing color quantization in the segmented regions.

34. The color image processing apparatus according to claim 31, further comprising a quantizing unit for performing color quantization in the segmented regions.

35. The color image processing apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the quantizing unit analyzes the probability of pixels in the filtered image being noisy pixels and applies appropriate weights thereto, and applies a general Lloyd algorithm to the color vectors corresponding to the weighted pixels to perform color quantization.

36. The color image processing apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the quantizing unit analyzes the probability of pixels in the filtered image being noisy pixels and applies appropriate weights thereto, and applies a general Lloyd algorithm to the color vectors corresponding to the weighted pixels to perform color quantization.

37. The color image processing apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the quantizing unit analyzes the probability of pixels in the filtered image being noisy pixels and applies appropriate weights thereto, and applies a general Lloyd algorithm to the color vectors corresponding to the weighted pixels to perform color quantization.

38. The color image processing apparatus according to claim 35, further comprising a combining unit for combining pixel value data corresponding to the kth region and color feature descriptor data of the corresponding region, with respect to all the k segmented regions, to output a processed image.

39. The color image processing apparatus according to claim 36, further comprising a combining unit for combining pixel value data corresponding to the kth region and color feature descriptor data of the corresponding region, with respect to all the k segmented regions, to output a processed image.

40. The color image processing apparatus according to claim 37, further comprising a combining unit for combining pixel value data corresponding to the kth region and color feature descriptor data of the corresponding region, with respect to all the k segmented regions, to output a processed image.