1. A segmented layered image system, comprising: a mask separator adapted to assign pixels of a document image into at least one of a foreground and a background, the assignment information stored in a binary mask; a connected component identifier adapted to identify connected components in or intersecting a region surrounding a pixel; a connected component analyzer adapted to determine a quantity of connected components in or intersecting the region surrounding the pixel; an activity detector that provides an activity map output based, at least in part, upon the quantity of connected components in or intersecting the region; and, an image processor adapted to assign the pixel to one of the background or the foreground based at least in part upon activity map output.