Method of photo/text separation in an image

1. A method of photo/text separation of a document image, comprising the steps of:

converting the document image into a plurality of source color planes;

setting a source color consecutive point threshold (Tc),

performing an intensity operation for each of the source color planes, including (1) dividing each of the source color planes into a plurality of pixel sections, each section being a square window of pixels; (2) performing an intensity falling point operation for the pixels in each of the pixel sections, (3) setting a state value for each of the pixels in each of the pixel sections, according to the set source color consecutive point threshold (Tc), and (4) accumulating the state values of the pixels in each of the pixel sections; and

assigning photo/text types to the document image according to a connected length density threshold (Td) and a result of the intensity operation.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the document has a color mode selected from the group consisting of YCC, YUV, YIQ, HIS, and HSV.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the setting a state value comprises setting the state value of a select pixel as one when consecutive pixels of the select pixel in the pixel section of the select pixel are source color pixels and the number of the consecutive pixels is not smaller than Tc.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of assigning the photo/text types to the document image according to Td comprises the step of assigning the pixel section in the document image as text data when the accumulated state value is not smaller than Td.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of assigning the photo/text types to the document image according to Td comprises the step of assigning the pixel section in the document image as photo data when the accumulated state value is smaller than Td.

6. A method of photo/text separation of a document image, comprising the steps of:

converting the document image into a plurality of source color planes;

setting a source color consecutive point threshold (Tc);

performing a color operation on each of the source color planes, including (1) dividing each of the source color planes into a plurality of pixel sections, each pixel section being a square windows of pixels, (2) performing a color falling point operation for the pixels in each of the pixel sections, (3) setting a state value for each of the pixels in each of the pixel sections according to the set source color consecutive point threshold (Tc), and (4) accumulating the state values of the pixels in each pixel section; and

assigning the photo/text types to the document image according to a connected length density threshold (Td) and a result of the color operation.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the document has a color mode selected from the group consisting of, RGB and CMYK.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the setting a state value comprises setting the state value of a select pixel as one when consecutive pixels of the select pixel in a pixel section of the select pixel are source color pixels, and the number of the consecutive pixels is not smaller than Tc.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the step of assigning the photo/text types to the document image according to Td comprises the step of assigning the pixel section in the document image as text data when the accumulated state value is not smaller than Td.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the step of assigning the photo/text types to the document image according to Td comprises the step of assigning the pixel section in the document image as photo data when the accumulated state value is smaller than Td.