Patent ID: 8503808

Claim:
A method for use in compression of an image dataset, comprising separating a first set of pixels pertaining to information from a second set of pixels pertaining to noise in the image dataset, wherein each pixel in the first set of pixels pertains to a peak of information in the image dataset, by identifying a minimum pixel value {circumflex over (m)} r in the image dataset, calculating a standard deviation σ r of the pixel values with respect to the minimum pixel value {circumflex over (m)} r , wherein a pixel x ij of the image dataset is defined to pertain to the second set of pixels if the pixel x ij fulfills {circumflex over (m)} r ≦x ij ≦{circumflex over (m)} r +N Th ×{circumflex over (σ)} r , and pixel x ij of the image dataset is defined to pertain to the first set of pixels if the pixel x ij is a local maxima and does not fulfill {circumflex over (m)} r ≦x ij ≦{circumflex over (m)} r +N Th ×{circumflex over (σ)} r , wherein N th is a noise threshold parameter.