Patent ID: 7502525

Claim:
A method for detecting an edge within an image defined by a data set comprising a plurality of pixels, comprising: identifying a plurality of distinct classes based on textural differences between the plurality of distinct classes, wherein an interface on the image is defined between the plurality of distinct classes, and further wherein the edge on the image is defined by the interface; selecting a plurality of regions of the image, each region comprising a plurality of the pixels of the image: for each of the selected regions, applying an array of pattern recognition classifiers to the region using a processor, wherein each array comprises a plurality of pattern recognition classifiers and each pattern recognition classifier is configured and arranged to classify at least a portion of the region according to at least one of the plurality of distinct classes; identifying each region that exhibits a predetermined response pattern in the array of pattern recognition classifiers for that region indicating an increased likelihood that the region includes at least a portion of the edge, wherein the predetermined response pattern for each region comprises a predetermined pattern of classifications by the classifiers in the array for that region; and indicating the edge between the regions that exhibit the predetermined response pattern.