BLACK AND WHITE IMAGE DETECTION

A method and apparatus for classifying an input image as black and white or color is described. The method calculates a first ratio of a color pixel portion to a total pixel portion in the input image. Next, the method calculates a second ratio of the color pixel portion to a combined pixel portion in the input image, where the combined pixel portion comprises the color pixel portion and a dark black and white pixel portion. Finally, the method returns an indication the input image is black and white if the first ratio is less than a first threshold and the second ratio is less than a second threshold.