Patent ID: 8335374

Claim:
A method for classifying pixels in an image as being associated with a feature of interest, the method comprising: (a) obtaining an input data set comprising color values for an array of pixels representing the image; (b) segmenting, with a computer, the image based on the color values to provide a plurality of segments, each segment comprising a group of contiguous pixels with related color values; (c) generating, with the computer, a list of all pairs of the plurality of segments which are adjacent to one another in the image; (d) determining, with the computer, a difference in average color value between the segments comprising each pair in the list; (e) selectively joining, with the computer, pairs of adjacent segments to form a joined segment to replace the corresponding pair of segments in the list according to at least one pre-defined joining criterion, wherein pairs of segments are considered for joining in an order based on the respective differences in average color values; (f) classifying, with the computer, pixels as being associated with a feature of interest based on the segments following the selective joining; and (g) providing an output data set indicating pixels classified as being associated with the feature of interest.