Method for detecting directions of regularity in a two-dimensional image

1. A method for analyzing an image signal having pixel values defined on a sampling grid, the method comprising, for detecting at least one direction of regularity of the image signal in relation to a pixel of the sampling grid:

computing a respective loss value associated with at least one direction in a set of directions; and

selecting at least one direction of regularity by minimizing the loss value,

wherein the loss value associated with a direction (u, v), where u is a horizontal coordinate and v a vertical coordinate, has an axial loss component measuring variations of the pixel values in at least one linear array of pixels, said linear array being a horizontal array if |u/v|>1 and a vertical array if |u/v|<1.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein, for a pixel having respective integer spatial indices j and k along the horizontal and vertical directions:

the axial loss component for a direction (u, v), where |u/v| is a non-zero integer n, is a measure of variations of the pixel values in 2Q+1 horizontal arrays, where Q is a positive integer, wherein the 2Q+1 horizontal arrays comprise, for each integer q such that −Q≦q≦Q, a horizontal array of a q,n +a −q,n +1 pixels including a pixel having respective integer spatial indices j+n·q and k+q along the horizontal and vertical directions, the numbers a q,n being positive integers;

and the axial loss component for a direction (u, v), where |v/u| is a non-zero integer m, is a measure of variations of the pixel values in 2Q+1 vertical arrays, wherein the 2Q+1 vertical arrays comprise, for each integer q such that −Q≦q≦Q, a vertical array of a q,m +a −q,m +1 pixels including a pixel having respective integer spatial indices j·q and k+m·q along the horizontal and vertical directions.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein for q=0, each horizontal array of 2·a 0,n +1 pixels and each vertical array of 2·a 0,m +1 pixels are centered on said pixel having respective integer spatial indices j and k along the horizontal and vertical directions.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein, for each integer q such that −Q≦q≦Q, the positive integers a q,n are non-decreasing functions of |n| and the positive integers a q,m are non-decreasing functions of |m|.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising filtering spatially the axial loss component using an averaging window.

6. An apparatus for analyzing an image signal having pixel values defined on a sampling grid, the apparatus comprising an optimizer ( 30 ) for detecting at least one direction of regularity of the image signal in relation to a pixel of the sampling grid, the optimizer comprising:

a processing resource for computing a respective loss value associated with at least one direction in a set of directions; and

a selector for selecting at least one direction of regularity by minimizing the loss value,

wherein the processing resource comprises a metrics computation unit for computing an axial loss component of the loss value associated with a direction (u, v), where u is a horizontal coordinate and v a vertical coordinate, the axial loss component measuring variations of the pixel values in at least one linear array of pixels, the linear array being a horizontal array if |u/v|>1 and a vertical array if |u/v|<1.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein, for a pixel having respective integer spatial indices j and k along the horizontal and vertical directions:

the axial loss component for a direction (u, v), where |u/v| is a non-zero integer n, is a measure of variations of the pixel values in 2Q+1 horizontal arrays, where Q is a positive integer, wherein the 2Q+1 horizontal arrays comprise, for each integer q such that −Q≦q≦Q, a horizontal array of a q,n +a −q,n +1 pixels including a pixel having respective integer spatial indices j+n·q and k+q along the horizontal and vertical directions, the numbers a q,n being positive integers;

and the axial loss component for a direction (u, v), where |v/u| is a non-zero integer m, is a measure of variations of the pixel values in 2Q+1 vertical arrays, wherein the 2Q+1 vertical arrays comprise, for each integer q such that −Q≦q≦Q, a vertical array of a q,m +a −q,m +1 pixels including a pixel having respective integer spatial indices j·q and k+m·q along the horizontal and vertical directions.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein for q=0, each horizontal array of 2·a 0,n +1 pixels and each vertical array of 2·a 0,m +1 pixels are centered on said pixel having respective integer spatial indices j and k along the horizontal and vertical directions.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein, for each integer q such that −Q≦q≦Q, the positive integers a q,n are non-decreasing functions of |n| and the positive integers a q,m are non-decreasing functions of |m|.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the processing resource further comprise a filter for filtering spatially the axial loss component using an averaging window.