void connectComponent(IplImage* src, const int poly_hull0, const float perimScale,
                      int* num, vector<CvRect> &rects, vector<CvPoint> &centers)
{
    /*
    * Pre : "src" is the input image
    *       "poly_hull0" smooth method, is usually set to 1
    *       "perimScale" defines how big connected component will be retained, bigger
    *                    the number, more components are retained (100)
    * Post: "num" a in-out value, in for max number of component will be found, out for found components
    *       "rects" a in-out value, in is a empty vector, out are the bounding box of components
    *       "centers" a in-out value, in is a empty vector, out are the centers of components
    */   
 
    CvMemStorage* mem_storage = NULL;
    CvSeq* contours = NULL;       
 
 
    // Clean up   
    cvMorphologyEx(src, src, 0, 0, CV_MOP_OPEN, 1);
    cvMorphologyEx(src, src, 0, 0, CV_MOP_CLOSE, 1);
 
 
    // Find contours around only bigger regions
    mem_storage = cvCreateMemStorage(0);
 
    CvContourScanner scanner = cvStartFindContours(src, mem_storage, sizeof(CvContour),
                                                   CV_RETR_EXTERNAL, CV_CHAIN_APPROX_SIMPLE);
    CvSeq* c;
    int numCont = 0;
 
    while ((c = cvFindNextContour(scanner)) != NULL) {
 
        double len = cvContourPerimeter(c);
 
        // calculate perimeter len threshold
        double q = (double)(src->height + src->width)/perimScale;
 
        // get rid of blob if its perimeter is too small
        if (len < q) {
            cvSubstituteContour(scanner, NULL);
        } else {
 
            // smooth its edge if its large enough                       
            CvSeq* c_new;
            if (poly_hull0) {
 
                // polygonal approximation
                c_new = cvApproxPoly(c, sizeof(CvContour), mem_storage, CV_POLY_APPROX_DP, 2, 0);
 
            } else {
 
                // convex hull of the segmentation
                c_new = cvConvexHull2(c, mem_storage, CV_CLOCKWISE, 1);
 
            }
 
            cvSubstituteContour(scanner, c_new);
 
            numCont++;
        }
    }       
 
    contours = cvEndFindContours(&scanner);
 
 
    // Calc center of mass and/or bounding rectangles
    if (num != NULL) {
 
        // user wants to collect statistics
        int numFilled = 0, i = 0;
 
        for (i = 0, c = contours; c != NULL; c = c->h_next, i++) {
 
            if (i < *num) {
 
                // bounding retangles around blobs               
 
                rects.push_back( cvBoundingRect(c) );           
 
                CvPoint center = cvPoint(rects[i].x + rects[i].width  / 2,
                    rects[i].y + rects[i].height / 2);
                centers.push_back(center);
 
                numFilled++;
            }
        }
 
        *num = numFilled;       
 
    }   
 
    cvReleaseMemStorage(&mem_storage);
 
}