Abstract: A method is described for segmenting an image of pixels into a number of fields. A graph is constructed for representing the image. First, separating elements are constructed that are oblong areas of adjacent pixels having a background property indicative of a background of the image. Then vertices of the graph are defined based on intersections of separating elements that are substantially oriented in different separation directions, in particular horizontal and vertical direction, and edges of the graph are defined between the vertices corresponding to the separating elements. Finally, the edges of the graph are interpreted as lines that separate the fields.

Abstract: A method and device are provided for segmenting an image of pixels into a number of fields. First the method finds field separators using the background of the image, in particular white areas on a newspaper page. Based on the areas in the image, a graph is constructed that has edges corresponding to the white areas and vertices where vertical and horizontal white areas intersect. The segmenting starts with assigning weights to the edges, in particular a weight indicating the Euclidean distance between the vertices. Then a list of shortest cycles is constructed via the edges and vertices in the graph. The fields are defined by the vertices and edges of the shortest cycles of the list.

Abstract: A method is described for segmenting an image of pixels into a number of fields. A graph is constructed for representing the image. First, separating elements are constructed that are oblong areas of adjacent pixels having a background property indicative of a background of the image. Then vertices of the graph are defined based on intersections of separating elements that are substantially oriented in different separation directions, in particular horizontal and vertical direction, and edges of the graph are defined between the vertices corresponding to the separating elements. Finally, the edges of the graph are interpreted as lines that separate the fields.

Abstract: A method and device are provided for segmenting an image of pixels into a number of fields. First the method finds field separators using the background of the image, in particular white areas on a newspaper page. Based on the areas in the image, a graph is constructed that has edges corresponding to the white areas and vertices where vertical and horizontal white areas intersect. The segmenting starts with assigning weights to the edges, in particular a weight indicating the Euclidean distance between the vertices. Then a list of shortest cycles is constructed via the edges and vertices in the graph. The fields are defined by the vertices and edges of the shortest cycles of the list.