Vertex-based hierarchical shape representation and coding method and apparatus

摘要

A method of vertex-based hierarchical shape representation and coding includes selecting an image of interest, defining a boundary about an object of interest within the image of interest, wherein the boundary is defined by a set of contour points, selecting a number of layers, each layer having a predefined saliency parameter associated therewith, wherein the saliency parameter defines a range of layers from a most salient layer to a least salient layer, identifying the most salient contour points in the boundary and placing the most salient contour points in the most salient layer, identifying the next most salient contour points in the boundary and placing the next most salient contour points in the next most salient layer until all of the selected layers have contour points placed therein, and hierarchically storing the layers in a database. A vertex-based hierarchical shape representation and coding system includes an image input which contains and image of interest, an analyzer to select an object of interest within the image, a manipulation mechanism to define a boundary about the object of interest and define a set of contour points on that boundary, and a selections mechanism to place selected contour points into hierarchical layers of like salient contour points.