Patent ID: 6477273
Filing Date: 2002-11-05
Classification: G06K

Abstract:
A method of identifying a shape among a plurality of features in an image, comprising:a) obtaining a digitized image; b) identifying the features in the image; c) creating a collapsed image by determining a centroid and at least one characteristic value for each feature; d) placing a first integration shape in the collapsed image; e) summing the characteristic values of all features which have their centroid within a predetermined region on either side of the first integration shape; f) stepping the integration shape across the collapsed image by a predetermined distance; g) repeating steps (e) and (f) until the integration shape has crossed at least a portion of the image for which analysis is desired; h) analyzing the summed characteristic values to find peaks therein, and identifying the locations of the integration shape corresponding to the peaks as indicating the presence of a pattern in the features in the image that matches the first integration shape.