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I'm trying to implement a modified version of the otsu binarization algorithm. I'm trying to binarize document images. But in the binarization procedure I want the object (in this case the text) to retain its original grayscale value while the background takes the value of 255; that is, white. I'm posting a sample image version that I found in a paper.

This is the original image: enter image description here

This is the resultant image I want to obtain: enter image description here

Could someone please tell me how to do it in Matlab?

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  • $\begingroup$ You want to retain the giant gray blob? $\endgroup$ – endolith May 15 '12 at 19:20
  • $\begingroup$ i want to retain the original values of all the pixels whose value lies above the threshold. That includes the blob in this case. $\endgroup$ – mark May 15 '12 at 19:52
  • $\begingroup$ Matlab Source code for Otsu binarization with value preservation.. $\endgroup$ – user14952 Mar 6 '15 at 10:05
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I don't have Matlab handy, but here is how you do it in OpenCV. The example below uses the python interface via Python (x, y):

test = cv2.imread("test.jpg", 0)
(_, otsu) = cv2.threshold(test, 0.0, 255.0, cv2.THRESH_TOZERO_INV + cv2.THRESH_OTSU)
cv2.imshow('otsu', otsu)

This results in your required output: enter image description here

EDIT : I don't have a copy of Matlab, but I think this is how you would do it (assuming you have the Image Processing Toolbox):

Use graythresh to get the Otsu level, then set anything above that level to white (or 255).

I = imread('doc.jpg');
I = rgb2gray(I);
otsuLevel = graythresh(I);
I(I > otsuLevel) = 255;

Hope that helps!

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  • $\begingroup$ i need the code in matlab. I'm a little new to the software, so need a little help with the coding $\endgroup$ – mark May 16 '12 at 4:50
  • $\begingroup$ @mark See my edit for a possible Matlab solution. $\endgroup$ – mevatron May 16 '12 at 13:43
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You can easily do it with Mathematica:

img = ColorNegate@ColorConvert[Import["../Desktop/sample.jpg"], "Grayscale"]
ColorNegate@ImageMultiply[Binarize[img], img]

The negation and multiplication business is to ensure the preservation of the original grayscale value. You can easily translate this to any language, I think.

Filtered result

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