US Patent 6912313 Image background replacement method

An image's pixels are initially segmented into pixels of the image foreground and background by comparing the pixels of the image to updated models of background reference pixels. Pixel structures are identified in the image. The probability that a pixel is in the background or foreground is refined by considering the initial segmentation of the pixel's neighbors and the pixel's membership in a pixel structure. If a pixel is identified as a background pixel it is replaced by a pixel of a new background.