Patent ID: 7424149
Filing Date: 2008-09-09
Classification: G06T

Abstract:
1. A method for segmenting an image by path extraction using minimization of at least a potential, said potential being calculated from a feature of the image using a cost assignment function by way of the following steps: initializing the cost assignment function; defining two groups of points in a neighborhood of a drawn contour: the ones that are considered to be relevant to a boundary, called positive points, and the ones that are not considered to be relevant to said boundary, called negative points; wherein positive points comprise points that lie on the drawn contour and points that are less than a first distance away from the drawn contour, and negative points comprise all other points present in a rectangular area defined around the drawn contour; defining a characterization of positive points from the feature, defining a characterization of negative points from the feature, constructing a refined characterization of positive points by combining characterizations of positive and negative points, using this refined characterization to modify the cost assignment function.