Colour image segmentation for low bit rate segmented image coding

A segmentation algorithm for segmented colour image coding is presented. The algorithm makes use of the full colour data, yielding a single segmentation that is consequently used for the coding of all the colour components, without introducing much processing overhead compared to a gray image segmentation algorithm. The number of final produced regions can be controlled, while the contours are ensured to be smooth and hence easy to code. Very good subjective image quality is demonstrated at relatively high compression ratios