Patent · US Active

Methods and apparatus relating to image binarization

US9704057B1 · kind B1 · utility

1Cited by
9References
14Claims
0Family size

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Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 3, 2015
Grant dateJul 11, 2017
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 9, 2035

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06V30/10
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Image binarization methods and apparatus are described. A set of input image pixel values, e.g., a set of grayscale values corresponding to an input image, is processed to determine whether to recommend to use local binarization thresholds or a global binarization threshold. Edges including edge pixels are identified. A first histogram corresponding to edge pixel values and a second histogram corresponding to image pixel values are generated, subjected to one or more smoothing operations, and truncated, based on information derived from the edge histogram. Characteristics of the histograms including, e.g., minima, maxima, points of inflection, and hidden peaks, are determined, evaluated, and used to decide between local binarization thresholds and a global threshold. Based on the recommendation, a global threshold is used or local thresholds are used to process the set of input image pixel values and generate a corresponding set of bi-level values.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.