Method of geometric coarsening and segmenting of still images

1. A method of performing geometric coarsening and segmenting of an image representable as a two-dimensional array of pixels comprising the steps of:

a) selecting every other column of the array for accumulating information contained therein into adjacent columns;

b) determining, for each pixel of each selected column, a similarity of said pixel with respect to a first set of nearest pixels of adjacent columns to form respective dependency values;

c) distributing, for each pixel of each selected column, information for said pixel to the first set of pixels of adjacent columns wherein said information from said pixel is accumulated, together with any existing information of said pixel, and weighted by the respective dependency values;

d) selecting every other row of the array for accumulating information contained therein into adjacent rows;

e) determining, for each pixel of each selected row, a similarity of said pixel with respect to a second set of nearest six pixels of adjacent rows to form respective dependency values; and

f) distributing, for each pixel of each selected row, information for said pixel to the second set of pixels of adjacent rows wherein said information from said pixel is accumulated, together with any existing information of said pixel, and weighted by the respective dependency values.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein said first set of pixels comprise the six nearest pixels in adjacent columns and said second set of pixels comprise the six nearest pixels in adjacent rows.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein said steps a, b and c are performed prior to said steps d, e and f.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein, after said steps a, b and c are performed, and prior to performance of steps d, e and f, said selected every other column is deleted and, after said steps d, e and f, said selected every other row is deleted.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein said steps a through f are repeated a plurality of times.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein said similarity of pixels is determined based on specific color information endowed for each pixel and a specific similarity function appropriate to a type of said color information.

7. The method according to claim 5 wherein, for each repetition of steps a through f, each remaining pixel accumulations additional information from an ever increasing volume of the original image pixels wherein remaining pixels are those not previously deleted.

8. The method according to claim 5 wherein, for each repetition of steps a though f, each remaining pixel may be mapped back to portions of pixels in the original image by backtracking the dependencies contributing to its accumulation wherein remaining pixels are those not previously deleted.

9. The method according to claim 5 further comprising a step of mapping back to portions of pixels in the original image by backtracking the dependencies contributing to its accumulation wherein remaining pixels are those not previously deleted.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein each pixels in the original image is endowed with color information and at least one additional type of information.

11. A method of reducing the size of an image stored as a two-dimensional array of pixels comprising the steps of:

selecting a plurality of columns for elimination, each including a plurality of column-aligned source pixels;

redistributing image information from each of said column-aligned source pixels to corresponding nearest destination pixels of columns adjacent each of said column-aligned source pixels;

eliminating said plurality of columns selected for elimination;

selecting a plurality of row for elimination, each including a plurality of row-aligned source pixels;

redistributing image information from each of said row-aligned source pixels to corresponding nearest destination pixels of rows adjacent each of said row-aligned source pixels; and

eliminating said plurality of rows selected for elimination.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein said steps of redistributing said image information include steps of determining, for each of said column-aligned and row-aligned source pixels, a similarity of said source pixel with respect corresponding ones of said nearest destination pixels to form respective dependency values.

13. A method of compressing data stored in a multidimensional array of data elements, the method comprising the steps of:

a) selecting a first plurality of subarrays from said multidimentional array, said first plurality of subarrays arranged along a selected one said dimensions, each of said first plurality of subarrays including a first plurality of source data elements;

b) determining, for each of said first plurality of source data elements, a similarity of said source data elements with respect to a corresponding set of nearest destination data elements to form respective dependency values;

c) distributing data corresponding to each of said first plurality of source data elements to the corresponding set of nearest destination data elements wherein said information from said source data elements is accumulated, together with any existing information of said nearest destination data elements and weighted by the respective dependency values;

d) selecting a next plurality of subarrays from said multidimentional array, said next plurality of subarrays arranged along another of said dimensions and each including another plurality of source data elements; and

e) repeating steps b-c with said next plurality of subarrays.