A color classification algorithm for color images

Abstract

We describe a color classification algorithm that partitions color image data into a set of uniform color regions. The algorithm uses a recursive method to detect clusters of color data. The algorithm can be divided into two main steps. First, we map the device dependent image data into an approximately uniform perceptual color space. Second, we apply a recursive histogram analysis to the data represented in this perceptually uniform space. The histogram analysis is designed to identify the spatial subregions within the image that correspond to a uniform color. Once a region has been identified, the corresponding data are removed and the histogram analysis is repeated on the remaining data set. The performance of the algorithm is discussed with respect to a test image.