Patent ID: 6901167

Claim:
A method for detecting one or more objects in image data, the method comprising: generating an edge map from the image data, the edge map comprising an array of elements, each element representing a respective pixel of the image data; analyzing the edge map to determine a plurality of boundaries of the one or more objects by: (a) transforming the array of elements to produce a set of domain peaks, each domain peak corresponding to a straight line of a set of straight lines, and (b) determining which of the straight lines belong to the set of boundaries based on a set rules, the set of rules: identifying a boundary set that indicates an object at a distinct angle as compared to an orientation of a previously found object; identifying a boundary set that indicates an object having a same dimension as a previously found object; and identifying pairs of parallel and perpendicular boundaries that indicate an object that satisfies a substantially non-background interior condition with a previously found object.