Method for superpixel life cycle management

1. A method implemented in an apparatus for life cycle management of a superpixel associated to frames of a sequence of frames, the method comprising:

receiving a sequence of frames via an input of the apparatus;

generating a superpixel for frames of the sequence of frames;

terminating the superpixel in a frame in case an area of the superpixel becomes smaller than a specified first value;

splitting the superpixel in the frame in case the area of the superpixel becomes larger than a specified second value; and

outputting the superpixels via an output of the apparatus.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising balancing a number of terminations of superpixels and splits of superpixels in order to keep a number of superpixels per frame essentially constant.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising

determining a similarity between an instance of the superpixel in a first frame and an instance of the superpixel in a later frame of the sequence of frames;

comparing the determined similarity with a threshold; and

replacing the superpixel in subsequent frames with a new superpixel in case the similarity is below the threshold.

4. An apparatus for life cycle management of a superpixel associated to frames of a sequence of frames, wherein the apparatus comprises:

an input configured to receive a sequence of frames;

a processing unit configured to generate a superpixel for frames of the sequence of frames, to terminate the superpixel in a frame in case an area of the superpixel becomes smaller than a specified first value, and to split the superpixel in the frame in case the area of the superpixel becomes larger than a specified second value; and

an output configured to output the superpixels.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising:

a determining unit configured to determine a similarity between an instance of the superpixel in a first frame and an instance of the superpixel in a later frame of the sequence of frames;

a comparing unit configured to compare the determined similarity with a threshold; and

a replacing unit configured to replace the superpixel in subsequent frames with a new superpixel in case the similarity is below the threshold.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the apparatus is configured to balance a number of terminations of superpixels and splits of superpixels in order to keep a number of superpixels per frame essentially constant.

7. A computer readable non-transitory storage medium having stored therein instructions enabling life cycle management of a superpixel associated to frames of a sequence of frames, which when executed by a computer, cause the computer to: receive a sequence of frames;

generate a superpixel for frames of the sequence of frames;

terminate the superpixel in a frame in case an area of the superpixel becomes smaller than a specified first value;

split the superpixel in the frame in case the area of the superpixel becomes larger than a specified second value; and

output the superpixels.

8. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium according to claim 7 , wherein the instructions further cause the computer to balance a number of terminations of superpixels and splits of superpixels in order to keep a number of superpixels per frame essentially constant.

9. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium according to claim 7 , wherein the instructions further cause the computer to:

determine a similarity between an instance of the superpixel in a first frame and an instance of the superpixel in a later frame of the sequence of frames;

compare the determined similarity with a threshold; and

replace the superpixel in subsequent frames with a new superpixel in case the similarity is below the threshold.