Methods and apparatus for analyzing an image
First Claim
1. A method of processing an image of elements, comprising:
- assigning each of multiple ones of the elements a respective element label selected from a set of at least three element labels that includes at least one edge element label;
grouping spatially connected ones of the elements into respective blobs based on the element labels assigned to the elements, wherein each of the blobs is assigned a respective one of at least two blob labels; and
processing ones of the elements based at least in part on the blob labels assigned to the blobs and the element labels assigned to the elements;
wherein the assigning, the grouping, and the processing are performed by a processor.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method analyzes an image to be scanned and analyzes at least part of the image pixel-by-pixel. Elements in the image are characterized according to a perceived characteristic and each image element having a given characteristic that is adjacent a similar or identical image element is identified. In one form, there are preferably at least three different characteristics, such as black, background and edge, by which the image elements can be characterized. In another form, image elements that are close enough to each other in physical location and close enough to each other in image characteristic are grouped together or included in a blob. Sub-blobs can be found to be part of a more predominant blob. In a further form, image elements are identified that represent an edge in the image, along with identifying those edge elements that are adjacent at least one other edge element.
-
Citations
55 Claims
-
1. A method of processing an image of elements, comprising:
-
assigning each of multiple ones of the elements a respective element label selected from a set of at least three element labels that includes at least one edge element label; grouping spatially connected ones of the elements into respective blobs based on the element labels assigned to the elements, wherein each of the blobs is assigned a respective one of at least two blob labels; and processing ones of the elements based at least in part on the blob labels assigned to the blobs and the element labels assigned to the elements; wherein the assigning, the grouping, and the processing are performed by a processor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
-
Specification