Abstract: A starting contour is defined surrounding around an elementary object delimited by a natural contour in a video image. On the basis of the starting contour, an original active contour is defined, formed by a set of nodes distributed on this starting contour, each node being formed by a point belonging to this starting contour and by an elastic energy function representative of the distance separating this node from a neighbouring node. With regards to a set of reference values representative of the contour of this object, the active contour is subjected to a convergent deformation under a blocking condition, by displacing at least one of the nodes of the original active contour toward the natural contour of the elementary object to generate a current active contour iteratively subjected to this convergent deformation.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for segmenting video images into elementary objects. Said method consists in defining (A) an initial boundary (CD) entirely surrounding the object (OBJ); defining (B), on the basis of the initial boundary (CD), an original active boundary (CAO) constituting of a set of nodes, each formed by a point of said contour and an elastic energy function representing the distance separating said node and a neighbouring node; subjecting (C) the original active boundary (CAO) to a convergent deformation, (D) by moving at least one node towards the natural boundary (CN) of the elementary object to obtain a current active contour (CAC); subjecting each current active boundary (CAC) to a deformation by iterations (E) as long as the condition is fulfilled, to obtain a final active boundary substantially identical to the object natural boundary. The invention is useful for processing fixed or video images.

Abstract: A starting contour is defined surrounding around an elementary object delimited by a natural contour in a video image. On the basis of the starting contour, an original active contour is defined, formed by a set of nodes distributed on this starting contour, each node being formed by a point belonging to this starting contour and by an elastic energy function representative of the distance separating this node from a neighbouring node. With regards to a set of reference values representative of the contour of this object, the active contour is subjected to a convergent deformation under a blocking condition, by displacing at least one of the nodes of the original active contour toward the natural contour of the elementary object to generate a current active contour iteratively subjected to this convergent deformation.