Method and system for isolated dot detection and growth in a document image

A computer-implemented method for detecting and growing isolated dots in a document image having a plurality of pixels, wherein the method is implemented in a computer system comprising one or more processors configured to execute one or more computer program modules, the method comprising:

• receiving a document image having a plurality of pixels therein;
• isolating the pixels of the received image to form a plurality of windows, each window comprising a target pixel and a plurality of pixels surrounding the target pixel;
• detecting an isolated dot in the received image;
• identifying a dot growth factor to grow the isolated dot in the received image;
• using the dot growth factor to identify tiered pixel patterns from a plurality of predefined, tiered pixel patterns, wherein each of the tiered pixel patterns having a predetermined dot growth factor;
• comparing the pixels within each window to the pixel patterns within the identified tier to identify a match between the pixels within the window and at least one of the pixel patterns;
• and
• changing a pixel value of the target pixel, when a match is identified, to grow the detected isolated dot in the image by the dot growth factor.