Method and apparatus for contour vector extraction and image en largement reduction

Claim 2

An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising smoothing means for separately correcting a predetermined number of consecutive vector data items in the contour vector data extracted by said contour extraction means on the basis of the predetermined number of vector data items such that a locus expressed by the vector data items are smoothed, the expansion or compression process being conducted on the vector data items corrected by said smoothing means.

Claim 3

An image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said smoothing means includes first smoothing means and second smoothing means, said first smoothing means including: discrimination means for discriminating a point position which is not an object of smoothing on the basis of the connection relation between the predetermined number of consecutive vectors in the vector data extracted by said contour extraction means; deletion means for deleting the vector data which forms a closed-loop extracted by said contour extraction means when the vector data has a size smaller than or equal to a predetermined size; means for deleting the vector data which forms an irregularity having a size smaller than or equal to a predetermined size when the irregularity is present within a region having a predetermined length in the extracted vector data and for connecting the vectors located in advance of and beyond the irregularity; and means for allowing for a slanting vector by deleting a plurality of vertical or horizontal vectors in the predetermined number of vectors on the basis of a length and a direction of each of the consecutive predetermined number of vectors and by correcting a starting or ending coordinate position of the remaining vectors, said second smoothing means including: means for correcting the starting or ending point position of the single vector in the consecutive vector data smoothed by said first smoothing means except for the point which is not determined as the object of smoothing by said discrimination means by calculating a weight means of the starting or ending point coordinates of the plurality of vectors located in advance of beyond the single vector.

Claim 4

An image processing method comprising the steps of: separating an input image into a binary image region and a halftone image region; and extracting contour vector data along an edge of an image in the separated binary image region, whereby expansion or compression of an image in the binary image region in the input image is processed on the basis of the contour vector data extracted by said contour extraction step.

Claim 5

An image processing method according to claim 4, further comprising the step of: separately correcting a predetermined number of consecutive vector data items in the contour vector data extracted by said contour extraction step on the basis of the predetermined number of vector data items such that a locus expressed by the vector data items are smoothed, the compression or expansion process being conducted on the vector data items corrected by said smoothing step.

Claim 6

An image processing method according to claim 5, wherein said smoothing step includes a first smoothing step and a second smoothing step, said first smoothing step including the steps of: discriminating a point position which is not an object of smoothing on the basis of the connection relation between the predetermined number of consecutive vectors in the vector data extracted by said contour extraction step; deleting the vector data which forms a closed-loop extracted by said contour extraction step when the vector data has a size smaller than or equal to a predetermined size; deleting the vector data which forms an irregularity having a size smaller than or equal to a predetermined size when the irregularity is present within a region having a predetermined length in the extracted vector data and for connecting the vectors located in advance of and beyond the irregularity; and allowing for a slanting vector by deleting a plurality of vertical or horizontal vectors in the predetermined number of vectors on the basis of a length and a direction of each of the consecutive predetermined number of vectors and by correcting a starting or ending coordinate position of each of the remaining vectors, said second smoothing step including the steps of: correcting the starting or ending point position of the single vector in the consecutive vector data smoothed by said first smoothing step except for the point which is not determined as the object of smoothing by said discrimination step by calculating a weighted means of the starting or ending point coordinates of the plurality of vectors located in advance of beyond the single vector.

Claim 7

An image processing apparatus in which image data is input and an image is reproduced by a predetermined device, said apparatus comprising: contour extraction means for extracting contour coordinate data along an edge of the input image; smoothing means for smoothing the extracted contour coordinate data; and reproduction means for reproducing the image on the basis of the contour coordinate data which has been smoothed by said smoothing means.

Claim 8

An image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said smoothing means includes first smoothing means and second smoothing means, said first smoothing means including: discrimination means for discriminating a point position which is not an object of smoothing on the basis of the connection relation between the predetermined number of consecutive vectors in the vector data extracted by said contour extraction means; deletion means for deleting the vector data which forms a closed-loop extracted by said contour extraction means when the vector data has a size smaller than or equal to a predetermined size; connecting means for deleting the vector data which forms an irregularity having a size smaller than or equal to a predetermined size when the irregularity is present within a region having a predetermined length in the extracted vector data and for connecting the vectors located in advance of and beyond the irregularity; and means for allowing for a slanting vector by deleting a plurality of vertical or horizontal vectors in the predetermined number of vectors on the basis of a length and a direction of each of the consecutive predetermined number of vectors and by correcting a starting or ending coordinate position of the remaining vectors, said second smoothing means including: means for correcting the starting or ending point position of the single vector in the consecutive vector data smoothed by said first smoothing means except for the point which is not determined as the object of smoothing by said discrimination means by calculating a weighted means of the starting or ending point coordinates of the plurality of vectors located in advance of beyond the single vector.

Claim 9

An image processing method in which image data is input and an image is reproduced by a predetermined device, said method comprising the steps of: extracting contour coordinate data along an edge of the input image; smoothing the extracted contour coordinate data; and reproducing the image on the basis of the smoothed contour coordinate data.

Claim 10

An image processing method according to claim 9, wherein said smoothing step includes a first smoothing step and a second smoothing step, said first smoothing step including the steps of: discriminating a point position which is not an object of smoothing on the basis of the connection relation between the predetermined number of consecutive vectors in the vector data extracted by said contour extraction step; deleting the vector data which forms a closed-loop extracted by said contour extraction step when the vector data has a size smaller than or equal to a predetermined size; deleting the vector data which forms an irregularity having a size smaller than or equal to a predetermined size when the irregularity is present within a region having a predetermined length in the extracted vector data and for connecting the vectors located in advance of and beyond the irregularity; and allowing for a slanting vector by deleting a plurality of vertical or horizontal vectors in the predetermined number of vectors on the basis of a length and a direction of each of the consecutive predetermined number of vectors and by correcting a starting or ending coordinate position of each of the remaining vectors, said second smoothing step including the steps of: correcting the starting or ending point position of the single vector in the consecutive vector data smoothed by said first smoothing step except for the point which is not determined as the object of smoothing by said discrimination step by calculating a weighted means of the starting or ending point coordinates of the plurality of vectors located in advance of beyond the single vector.

Claim 11

An image processing apparatus in which image data is input and an image is reproduced by a predetermined device, said apparatus comprising: contour extraction means for extracting contour vector data along an edge of the input image; comparison means for comparing a resolution of the input image with a resolution of said reproducing device; smoothing means for smoothing the contour vector data extracted by said contour extraction means on the basis of the results of the comparison by said comparison means; and generation means for generating a recorded image on the basis of the contour vector data which has been smoothed by said smoothing means.

Claim 12

An image processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said smoothing means is turned on when said comparison means determines that the resolution of the input image is lower than the resolution of said reproducing device.

Claim 13

An image processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said smoothing means includes first smoothing means and second smoothing means, said first smoothing means including: discrimination means for discriminating a point position which is not an object of smoothing on the basis of the connection relation between the predetermined number of consecutive vectors in the vector data extracted by said contour extraction means; deletion means for deleting the vector data which forms a closed-loop extracted by said contour extraction means when the vector data has a size smaller than or equal to a predetermined size; connecting means for deleting the vector data which forms an irregularity having a size smaller than or equal to a predetermined size when the irregularity is present within a region having a predetermined length in the extracted vector data and for connecting the vectors located in advance of and beyond the irregularity; and means for allowing for a slanting vector by deleting a plurality of vertical or horizontal vectors in the predetermined number of vectors on the basis of a length and a direction of each of the consecutive predetermined number of vectors and by correcting a starting or ending coordinate position of the remaining vectors, said second smoothing means including: means for correcting the starting or ending point position of the single vector in the consecutive vector data smoothed by said first smoothing means except for the point which is not determined as the object of smoothing by said discrimination means by calculating a weighted means of the starting or ending point coordinates of the plurality of vectors located in advance of beyond the single vector.

Claim 14

An image processing method in which image data is input and an image is reproduced by a predetermined device, said method comprising the steps of: extracting contour vector data along an edge of the input image; comparing a resolution of the input image with a resolution of said reproducing device; smoothing the contour vector data extracted in said contour extraction step on the basis of the results of the comparison of said comparison step; and generating a recorded image on the basis of the contour vector data which has been smoothed by said smoothing step.

Claim 15

An image processing method according to claim 14, wherein said smoothing step is turned on when it is determined that the resolution of the input image is lower than the resolution of said reproducing device in said comparison step.

Claim 16

An image processing method according to claim 14, wherein said smoothing step includes a first smoothing step and a second smoothing step, said first smoothing step including the steps of: discriminating a point position which is not an object of smoothing on the basis of the connection relation between the predetermined number of consecutive vectors in the vector data extracted by said contour extraction step; deleting the vector data which forms a closed-loop extracted by said contour extraction step when the vector data has a size smaller than or equal to a predetermined size; deleting the vector data which forms an irregularity having a size smaller than or equal to a predetermined size when the irregularity is present within a region having a predetermined length in the extracted vector data and for connecting the vectors located in advance of and beyond the irregularity; and allowing for a slanting vector by deleting a plurality of vertical or horizontal vectors in the predetermined number of vectors on the basis of a length and a direction of each of the consecutive predetermined number of vectors and by correcting a starting or ending coordinate position of each of the remaining vectors, said second smoothing step including the steps of: correcting the starting or ending point position of the single vector in the consecutive vector data smoothed by said first smoothing step except for the point which is not determined as the object of smoothing by said discrimination step by calculating a weighted means of the starting or ending point coordinates of the plurality of vectors located in advance of beyond the single vector.

Claim 17

An image processing apparatus in which image data is input and output to a predetermined device, said apparatus comprising: contour extraction means for extracting contour vector data along an edge of the input image; storage means for storing the extracted contour vector data; and image generation means for generating an image to be output to said predetermined device on the basis of the contour vector stored in said storage means, said apparatus further comprising: control means for controlling such that the input image is output to said predetermined device when it determines during storage that the contour vector to be stored in said storage means exceeds a storage capacity of said storage means.

Claim 18

An image processing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said predetermined device is a printer.

Claim 19

An image processing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said predetermined device is a facsimile machine connected to a communication line.

Claim 20

An image processing apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising smoothing means for separately correcting a predetermined number of consecutive vector data items in the contour vector data extracted by said contour extraction means on the basis of the predetermined number of vector data items such that a locus expressed by the vector data items are smoothed, the expansion or compression process being conducted on the vector data items corrected by said smoothing means.

Claim 21

An image processing apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said smoothing means includes first smoothing means and second smoothing means, said first smoothing means including: discrimination means for discriminating a point position which is not an object of smoothing on the basis of the connection relation between the predetermined number of consecutive vectors in the vector data extracted by said contour extraction means; deletion means for deleting the vector data which forms a closed-loop extracted by said contour extraction means when the vector data has a size smaller than or equal to a predetermined size; connecting means for deleting the vector data which forms an irregularity having a size smaller than or equal to a predetermined size when the irregularity is present within a region having a predetermined length in the extracted vector data and for connecting the vectors located in advance of and beyond the irregularity; and means for allowing for a slanting vector by deleting a plurality of vertical or horizontal vectors in the predetermined number of vectors on the basis of a length and a direction of each of the consecutive predetermined number of vectors and by correcting a starting or ending coordinate position of the remaining vectors, said second smoothing means including: means for correcting the starting or ending point position of the single vector in the consecutive vector data smoothed by said first smoothing means except for the point which is not determined as the object of smoothing by said discrimination means by calculating a weighted means of the starting or ending point coordinates of the plurality of vectors located in advance of beyond the single vector.

Claim 22

An image processing method in which image data is input and output to a predetermined device, said method comprising the steps of: extracting contour vector data along an edge of the input image; storing the extracted contour vector data in a predetermined memory; and generating an image to be output to said predetermined device on the basis of the contour vector stored in said memory, said method further comprising the step of: controlling such that the input image is output to said predetermined device when it is determined during storage that the contour vector to be stored in said memory exceeds a storage capacity of said memory.

Claim 23

An image processing method according to claim 22, wherein said predetermined device is a printer.

Claim 24

An image processing method according to claim 22, wherein said predetermined device is a facsimile machine connected to a communication line.

Claim 25

An image processing method according to claim 22, further comprising the step of separately correcting a predetermined number of consecutive vector data items in the contour vector data extracted in said contour extraction step on the basis of the predetermined number of vector data items such that a locus expressed by the vector data items are smoothed, said storage means storing the vector data items corrected in said smoothing step.

Claim 26

An image processing method according to claim 25, wherein said smoothing step includes a first smoothing step and a second smoothing step, said first smoothing step including the steps of: discriminating a point position which is not an object of smoothing on the basis of the connection relation between the predetermined number of consecutive vectors in the vector data extracted by said contour extraction step; deleting the vector data which forms a closed-loop extracted by said contour extraction step when the vector data has a size smaller than or equal to a predetermined size; deleting the vector data which forms an irregularity having a size smaller than or equal to a predetermined size when the irregularity is present within a region having a predetermined length in the extracted vector data and for connecting the vectors located in advance of and beyond the irregularity; and allowing for a slanting vector by deleting a plurality of vertical or horizontal vectors in the predetermined number of vectors on the basis of a length and a direction of each of the consecutive predetermined number of vectors and by correcting a starting or ending coordinate position of each of the remaining vectors, said second smoothing step including the steps of: correcting the starting or ending point position of the single vector in the consecutive vector data smoothed by said first smoothing step except for the point which is not determined as the object of smoothing by said discrimination step by calculating a weighted means of the starting or ending point coordinates of the plurality of vectors located in advance of beyond the single vector.

Claim 27

An image processing apparatus comprising: contour extraction means for extracting contour vector data along an edge of an input image; counting means for counting a number of points representing vectors in each of contour closed-loops extracted by said contour extraction mean; detection means for detecting a size of each of the closed loops on the basis of the extracted contour vector data; and discrimination means for discriminating whether an image region represented by each of the closed loops is a halftone image or a character/line image on the basis of the size of each of the closed loops detected by said detection means and the number of vector points corresponding to each of the closed loops.

Claim 28

An image processing apparatus according to claim 27, further comprising smoothing means for separately correcting a predetermined number of consecutive vector data items in the contour vector data extracted by said contour extraction means on the basis of the predetermined number of vector data items such that a locus expressed by the vector data items are smoothed, and output means for outputting an image to a predetermined device on the basis of the corrected vector data items.

Claim 29

An image processing apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said predetermined device is a printer.

Claim 30

An image processing apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said predetermined device is a facsimile machine connected to a communication line.

Claim 31

An image processing apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said smoothing means includes first smoothing means and second smoothing means, said first smoothing means including: discrimination means for discriminating a point position which is not an object of smoothing on the.basis of the connection relation between the predetermined number of consecutive vectors in the vector data extracted by said contour extraction means; deletion means for deleting the vector data which forms a closed-loop extracted by said contour extraction means when the vector data has a size smaller than or equal to a predetermined size; connecting means for deleting the vector data which forms an irregularity having a size smaller than or equal to a predetermined size when the irregularity is present within a region having a predetermined length in the extracted vector data and for connecting the vectors located in advance of and beyond the irregularity; and means for allowing for a slanting vector by deleting a plurality of vertical or horizontal vectors in the predetermined number of vectors on the basis of a length and a direction of each of the consecutive predetermined number of vectors and by correcting a starting or ending coordinate position of the remaining vectors, said second smoothing means including: means for correcting the starting or ending point position of the single vector in the consecutive vector data smoothed by said first smoothing means except for the point which is not determined as the object of smoothing by said discrimination means by calculating a weighted means of the starting or ending point coordinates of the plurality of vectors located in advance of beyond the single vector.

Claim 32

An image processing method comprising the steps of: extracting contour vector data along an edge of an input image; counting a number of points representing vectors in each of extracted contour closed-loops; detecting a size of each of the closed loops on the basis of the extracted contour vector data; and discriminating whether an image region represented by each of the closed loops is a halftone image or a character/line image on the basis of the size of each of the closed loops detected in said detection step and the number of vector points corresponding to each of the closed loops.

Claim 33

An image processing method according to claim 32, further comprising the step of separately correcting a predetermined number of consecutive vector data items in the contour vector data extracted in said contour extraction step on the basis of the predetermined number of vector data items such that a locus expressed by the vector data items are smoothed, and outputting an image to a predetermined device on the basis of the corrected vector data.

Claim 34

An image processing method according to claim 33, wherein said predetermined device is a printer.

Claim 35

An image processing method according to claim 33, wherein said predetermined device is a facsimile machine connected to a communication line.

Claim 36

An image processing method according to claim 35, wherein said smoothing step includes a first smoothing step and a second smoothing step, said first smoothing step including the steps of: discriminating a point position which is not an object of smoothing on the basis of the connection relation between the predetermined number of consecutive vectors in the vector data extracted by said contour extraction step; deleting the vector data which forms a closed-loop extracted by said contour extraction step when the vector data has a size smaller than or equal to a predetermined size; deleting the vector data which forms an irregularity having a size smaller than or equal to a predetermined size when the irregularity is present within a region having a predetermined length in the extracted vector data and for connecting the vectors located in advance of and beyond the irregularity; and allowing for a slanting vector by deleting a plurality of vertical or horizontal vectors in the predetermined number of vectors on the basis of a length and a direction of each of the consecutive predetermined number of vectors and by correcting a starting or ending coordinate position of each of the remaining vectors, said second smoothing step including the steps of: correcting the starting or ending point position of the single vector in the consecutive vector data smoothed by said first smoothing step except for the point which is not determined as the object of smoothing by said discrimination step by calculating a weighted means of the starting or ending point coordinates of the plurality of vectors located in advance of beyond the single vector.

Claim 37

An image processing apparatus comprising: contour extraction means for extracting contour vector data along an edge of an input image; smoothing means for smoothing the extracted contour vector data; and generation means for generating an output image according to the contour vector data which has been smoothed by said smoothing means, said apparatus further comprising: counting means for counting a number of points representing vectors in each of contour closed-loops extracted by said contour extraction mean; detection means for detecting a size of each of the closed loops on the basis of the extracted contour vector data; and control means for controlling whether said smoothing means is turned on for each of the closed loops on the basis of the size of each of the closed loops detected by said detection means and the number of vector points corresponding to each of the closed loops.

Claim 38

An image processing method comprising the steps of: extracting contour vector data along an edge of an input image; smoothing the extracted contour vector data; and generating an output image on the basis of the contour vector data which has been smoothed in said smoothing step, said method further comprising the steps of: counting a number of points representing vectors in each of contour closed-loops extracted in said contour extraction step; detecting a size of each of the closed loops on the basis of the extracted contour vector data; and controlling whether said smoothing process is turned on for each of the closed loops on the basis of the size of each of the closed loops detected in said detection step and the number of vector points corresponding to each of the closed loops.

Claim 39

An image processing apparatus in which an input image is enlarged or reduced and is then output, said apparatus comprising: contour extraction means for extracting contour vector data along an edge of the input image; smoothing means for smoothing the extracted contour vector data; and expansion or compression means for expanding or compressing the contour vector data from said contour extraction means or said smoothing means separately for each of axes in an orthogonal coordinate system.

Claim 40

An image processing apparatus according to claim 39, further comprising detection means for detecting a degree of inclination of the input image; and image conversion means for correcting the input image or the vector data which has been smoothed by said smoothing means according to the detected degree of inclination and thereby converting the input image or the vector data into an erected image.

Claim 41

An image processing apparatus according to claim 39, wherein said smoothing means includes first smoothing means and second smoothing means, said first smoothing means including: discrimination means for discriminating a point position which is not an object of smoothing on the basis of the connection relation between the predetermined number of consecutive vectors in the vector data extracted by said contour extraction means; deletion means for deleting the vector data which forms a closed-loop extracted by said contour extraction means when the vector data has a size smaller than or equal to a predetermined size; connecting means for deleting the vector data which forms an irregularity having a size smaller than or equal to a predetermined size when the irregularity is present within a region having a predetermined length in the extracted vector data and for connecting the vectors located in advance of and beyond the irregularity; and means for allowing for a slanting vector by deleting a plurality of vertical or horizontal vectors in the predetermined number of vectors on the basis of a length and a direction of each of the consecutive predetermined number of vectors and by correcting a starting or ending coordinate position of the remaining vectors, said second smoothing means including: means for correcting the starting or ending point position of the single vector in the consecutive vector data smoothed by said first smoothing means except for the point which is not determined as the object of smoothing by said discrimination means by calculating a weighted means of the starting or ending point coordinates of the plurality of vectors located in advance of beyond the single vector.

Claim 42

An image processing method in which an input image is enlarged or reduced and then output, said method comprising the steps of: extracting contour vector data along an edge of the input image; smoothing the extracted contour vector data; and expansion or compression means for enlarging or reducing the contour vector data from said contour extraction step or said smoothing step separately for each of axes in an orthogonal coordinate system.

Claim 43

An image processing method according to claim 42, further comprising the steps of detecting a degree of inclination of the input image; and correcting the input image or the vector data which has been smoothed in said smoothing step according to the detected degree of inclination and thereby converting the input image or the vector data into an erected image.

Claim 44

An image processing method according to claim 42, wherein said smoothing step includes a first smoothing step and a second smoothing step, said first smoothing step including the steps of: discriminating a point position which is not an object of smoothing on the basis of the connection relation between the predetermined number of consecutive vectors in the vector data extracted by said contour extraction step; deleting the vector data which forms a closed-loop extracted by said contour extraction step when the vector data has a size smaller than or equal to a predetermined size; deleting the vector data which forms an irregularity having a size smaller than or equal to a predetermined size when the irregularity is present within a region having a predetermined length in the extracted vector data and for connecting the vectors located in advance of and beyond the irregularity; and allowing for a slanting vector by deleting a plurality of vertical or horizontal vectors in the predetermined number of vectors on the basis of a length and a direction of each of the consecutive predetermined number of vectors and by correcting a starting or ending coordinate position of each of the remaining vectors, said second smoothing step including the steps of: correcting the starting or ending point position of the single vector in the consecutive vector data smoothed by said first smoothing step except for the point which is not determined as the object of smoothing by said discrimination step by calculating a weighted means of the starting or ending point coordinates of the plurality of vectors located in advance of beyond the single vector.

Claim 45

An image processing apparatus in which image data is input and output to a predetermined device, said apparatus comprising: contour extraction means for extracting contour vector data along an edge of the input image; smoothing means for smoothing the contour vector data extracted by said contour extraction means; determination means for determining whether the input image is enlarged or not; and image generation means for selecting either the contour vector data obtained by said contour extraction means or the contour vector data smoothed by said smoothing means according to the results of the determination of said determination means and for generating an enlarged or reduced image on the basis of the selected contour vector data.

Claim 46

An image processing apparatus according to claim 45, wherein said determination means makes the determination on the basis of an instruction from an operator.

Claim 47

An image processing apparatus according to claim 45, wherein said determination means makes the determination by comparing an output resolution of said predetermined device with a resolution of the input image.

Claim 48

An image processing apparatus according to claim 45, wherein said predetermined device is a facsimile apparatus connected to a communication line.

Claim 49

An image processing apparatus according to claim 45, wherein said smoothing means includes first smoothing means and second smoothing means, said first smoothing means including: discrimination means for discriminating a point position which is not an object of smoothing on the basis of the connection relation between the predetermined number of consecutive vectors in the vector data extracted by said contour extraction means; deletion means for deleting the vector data which forms a closed-loop extracted by said contour extraction means when the vector data has a size smaller than or equal to a predetermined size; connecting means for deleting the vector data which forms an irregularity having a size smaller than or equal to a predetermined size when the irregularity is present within a region having a predetermined length in the extracted vector data and for connecting the vectors located in advance of and beyond the irregularity; and means for allowing for a slanting vector by deleting a plurality of vertical or horizontal vectors in the predetermined number of vectors on the basis of a length and a direction of each of the consecutive predetermined number of vectors and by correcting a starting or ending coordinate position of the remaining vectors, said second smoothing means including: means for correcting the starting or ending point position of the single vector in the consecutive vector data smoothed by said first smoothing means except for the point which is not determined as the object of smoothing by said discrimination means by calculating a weighted means of the starting or ending point coordinates of the plurality of vectors located in advance of beyond the single vector.

Claim 50

An image processing method in which image data is input and output to a predetermined device, said method comprising the steps of: extracting contour vector data along an edge of the input image; smoothing the contour vector data extracted by said contour extraction step; determining whether the input image is enlarged or not; and selecting either the contour vector data obtained by said contour extraction step or the contour vector data smoothed by said smoothing step according to the results of the determination of said determination step and for generating an enlarged or reduced image on the basis of the selected contour vector data.

Claim 51

An image processing method according to claim 50, wherein said determination step is performed on the basis of an instruction from an operator.

Claim 52

An image processing method according to claim 45, wherein said determination step is performed by comparing an output resolution of said predetermined device with a resolution of the input image.

Claim 53

An image processing method according to claim 50, wherein said predetermined device is a facsimile apparatus connected to a communication line.

Claim 54

An image processing method according to claim 50, wherein said smoothing step includes a first smoothing step and a second smoothing step, said first smoothing step including the steps of: discriminating a point position which is not an object of smoothing on the basis of the connection relation between the predetermined number of consecutive vectors in the vector data extracted by said contour extraction step; deleting the vector data which forms a closed-loop extracted by said contour extraction step when the vector data has a size smaller than or equal to a predetermined size; deleting the vector data which forms an irregularity having a size smaller than or equal to a predetermined size when the irregularity is present within a region having a predetermined length in the extracted vector data and for connecting the vectors located in advance of and beyond the irregularity; and allowing for a slanting vector by deleting a plurality of vertical or horizontal vectors in the predeterminednumber of vectors on the basis of a length and a direction of each of the consecutive predetermined number of vectors and by correcting a starting or ending coordinate position of each of the remaining vectors, said second smoothing step including the steps of: correcting the starting or ending point position of the single vector in the consecutive vector data smoothed by said first smoothing step except for the point which is not determined as the object of smoothing by said discrimination step by calculating a weighted means of the starting or ending point coordinates of the plurality of vectors located in advance of beyond the single vector.

Claim 55

An image processing apparatus comprising: input means for inputting an image; determination means for determining whether a notched portion in the image data input by said input means is removed or not on the basis of a resolution of the input image; and notch removal means for removing the notched portion in the input image on the basis of the results of the determination of said determination means.

Claim 56

An image processing apparatus according to claim 55, wherein said input means is image reading means, and wherein said determination means performs the determination on the basis of a reading resolution of said image reading means.

Claim 57

An image processing apparatus according to claim 55, further comprising contour extraction means for extracting contour vector data along an edge of the image input by said input means, and smoothing means for smoothing the contour vector extracted by said contour extraction means, said notch removal means removing the notched portion in the image data which has been smoothed by said smoothing means.

Claim 58

An image processing apparatus according to claim 57, wherein said smoothing means includes first smoothing means and second smoothing means, said first smoothing means including: a second determination means for discriminating a point position which is not an object of smoothing on the basis of the connection relation between a predetermined number of consecutive vectors in the vector data extracted by said contour extraction means; and means for allowing for a slanting vector by deleting a plurality of vertical or horizontal vectors in the predetermined number of vectors on the basis of a length and a direction of each of the consecutive predetermined number of vectors and by correcting a starting or ending coordinate position of each of the remaining vectors, said second smoothing means including: means for correcting the starting or ending point position of the single vector in the consecutive vector data smoothed by said first smoothing means except for the point which is not determined as the object of smoothing by said second determination means by calculating a weighted means of the starting or ending point coordinates of the plurality of vectors located in advance of beyond the single vector.

Claim 59

An image processing method in which an outline of an image, which is drawn on an original, is extracted from the original and in which an image reproduction output is performed on the basis of the outline, said method comprising: a first instruction step of instructing a resolution at which the original is read; a second instruction step of instructing notch removal when the image is reproduced on the basis of the outline; a reading step of reading the original according to the instruction of said first instruction step; an outline extraction step of extracting the outline of the image data read in said reading step and of outputting an outline vector; a notch removal step of performing notch removal on the outline vector according to the instruction of said first instruction step or said second instruction step; and a reproduction/output step of reproducing an image from the outline vector and of outputting the reproduced image.

Claim 60

An image processing apparatus comprising: reading means for reading an image original; instruction means for instructing a resolution at which the image original is read by said reading means; outline means for extracting an outline of the image data read by said reading means and for outputting an outline vector; notch removal means for performing notch removal on the outline vector on the basis of the instruction of said instruction means; and reproduction/output means for reproducing an image from the outline vector and for outputting the reproduced image.

Claim 61

An image processing apparatus comprising: reading means for reading an image original; outline means for extracting an outline of the image data read by said reading means and for outputting an outline vector; instruction means for instructing that notch removal be performed on the outline vector; notch removal means for performing notch removal on the outline vector on the basis of the instruction of said instruction means; and reproduction/output means for reproducing an image from the outline vector and for outputting the reproduced image.

Claim 63

A method or apparatus according to claim 62, wherein the binary image data is separated from halftone data forming part of an image.

Claim 64

A method or apparatus according to claim 62, wherein an enlargement of the image is effected by use of said contour vectors.