Abstract: The invention relates to a method of coding segmented pictures, or partitions, divided into homogeneous regions. Said method, called intra-mode coding process, comprises, for each successive partition, the steps of translating the picture of the labels associated to the regions into a description in terms of a contour element chain in which the elements are defined by means of their movements through successive basic cells, tracking inside each successive cell each contour from its initial contour point, previously extracted, to its end by storing chain symbols corresponding both to input, internal and output contour elements of said cell and to priorities between possible multiple outputs elements, and repeating these steps up to the end of each successive contour segment of the concerned partition.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of decoding coded signals corresponding to successive segmented pictures, or partitions, divided into homogeneous regions to which specific labels are respectively associated. The partitions have been previously coded by means of a coding method comprising, for each partition to be coded, the steps of translating the picture of labels into a chain in which the elements are defined by means of their movements through successive basic cells, tracking inside each cell each contour from its initial point to its end by storing symbols corresponding both to the elements of said cell and to priorities between them, and repeating these two steps up to the end of each contour of the partition and coding the information corresponding to the chains of movements.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of coding segmented pictures, or partitions, divided into homogeneous regions. Said method, called intra-mode coding process, comprises, for each successive partition, the steps of translating the picture of the labels associated to the regions into a description in terms of a contour element chain in which the elements are defined by means of their movements through successive basic cells, tracking inside each successive cell each contour from its initial contour point, previously extracted, to its end by storing chain symbols corresponding both to input, internal and output contour elements of said cell and to priorities between possible multiple outputs elements, and repeating these steps up to the end of each successive contour segment of the concerned partition.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of coding segmented pictures, or partitions, divided into homogeneous regions. Said method, called intra-mode coding process, comprises, for each successive partition, the steps of translating the picture of the labels associated to the regions into a description in terms of a contour element chain in which the elements are defined by means of their movements through successive basic cells, tracking inside each successive cell each contour from its initial contour point, previously extracted, to its end by storing chain symbols corresponding both to input, internal and output contour elements of said cell and to priorities between possible multiple outputs elements, and repeating these steps up to the end of each successive contour segment of the concerned partition.

Abstract: This relates to a method for image segmentation and video object tracking. While conventional methods rely on the motion homogeneity of the objects to be tracked, the present method is based on a concept of partition projection in which both spatial and motion information are now exploited, and implemented by means of a modified double partition approach, including a re-segmentation of a first partition followed by a projection step of the obtained fine partition into the current frame. Objects presenting non-homogeneous motion, static objects, and parts of an object with homogeneous motion can thus be tracked.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and system for coding segmented pictures, and to corresponding decoding method and system. In the coding system, a first sub-system defines the time evolution of said segmented pictures, or partitions, and a second one encodes both contours and textures of the regions of the successive partitions. The time evolution definition leads to a partition tree (PT) from which regions are extracted during an analysis step (AS) in order to form a decision tree (DT). A decision operation allows to select during a choice step (CS) distinct regions R.sub.S from various levels of said partition tree, in order to construct an optimal final partition (BFP) and, simultaneously, to choose the coding technique (BCT) that is the best one for each region of said optimal partition. Reciprocally the decoding method and system comprise means for defining the coding strategy chosen for each of said regions and decoding correspondingly the coded information.