Patent ID: 7310445

Claim:
A method for determining image block significance based on region contrast, the method comprising: a) partitioning an image frame into multiple pixel regions of at least one pixel each; b) pairing any of said regions with an unpaired, adjoining region; c) calculating a similarity value between each region in any of said region pairs; d) merging paired regions of any of said pairs into a single region, where said region pair to be merged has a predefined similarity value, thereby creating a new partition of said image frame into multiple pixel regions; e) performing steps a)-d) a plurality of times, thereby obtaining a sequence of image partitions; f) selecting within said image frame an image sub-area of a predefined size and shape; g) identifying a partition in said sequence of partitions in which said image sub-area is covered by any of said regions to the extent of a predefined coverage measure; and h) calculating a region contrast significance value C(B) of said image sub-area as a value which is proportional to the position of said identified partition in said sequence of partitions.