EP0657838A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Image processing apparatus and method
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1994-11-30
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2014-11-30
Abstract
Abstract An image containing characters and lines, which is inputted by a scanner or the like, is binarized and stored in a memory. A thickening process is repeatedly applied on groups of significant bits stored in the memory, until a predetermined condition is fulfilled. After this process, the thickened image is thinned at least a greater number of times than the number of times the thickening process is repeated in order to eliminate lines. As a result, characters are determined to exist at areas where groups composed of remaining significant dots exist, then characters are separated from the input image based on the areas of groups composed of remaining significant dots.
Inventors
- 👤 Takashi C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Harada
- 👤 Kazutoshi C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Shimada
- 👤 Eisaku C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Tatsumi
- 👤 Shigeki C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Mori
- 👤 Kazuhiro C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Matsubayashi
- 👤 Shinichi C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Sunakawa
- 👤 Katsuhiko C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Nagasaki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 17:44
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06V; G06V10/00; G06V10/10; G06V30/00; G06V30/40; G06V30/41; G06V30/413; G06V30/10; G06V30/14; G06V30/146; G06V30/148; G06V30/155
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
92 words
An image processing apparatus which inputs an image containing characters and lines and separates the characters, comprising: thickening means for thickening groups of significant dots of the input image repeatedly until numbers of newly added dots after each thickening process fulfill a predetermined condition; thinning means for thinning the image thickened by said thickening means, at least a greater number of times than the number of times the thickening process is repeated; and determining means for determining an area of significant dots, which is left after thinning process, as a character area.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
66 words
The image processing apparatus according to Claim 1, further comprising: second thickening means for thickening the image, which is thickened and thinned by said thickening and thinning means, on the basis of numbers of times the thickening process and thinning process are repeated; and extracting means for extracting characters from the input image based on a area of significant dots obtained after a second thickening process.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The image processing apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein said extracting means comprises logic operating means for performing logic operation between an image thickened by said second thickening means and the input image.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The image processing apparatus according to Claim 2, further comprising recognition means for recognizing characters extracted by said extracting means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The image processing apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the thickening and thinning processes are operated in the vertical and horizontal direction of the image by said thickening and thinning means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
57 words
The image processing apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the predetermined condition is either a case where the number of dots during the current thickening process decreases comparing to the number of dots added during the previous thickening process, or a case where a number of times to repeat the thickening process reaches to a predetermined value.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The image processing apparatus according to Claim 6, wherein said predetermined value can be changed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The image processing apparatus according to Claim 1, further comprising filtering means for controlling only the designated color or colors of the input image to pass.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
The image processing apparatus according to Claim 8, further comprising setting means for setting a color or colors of the input image to pass through said filtering means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
87 words
An image processing method of inputting an image containing characters and lines and of separating the characters, comprising steps of: thickening groups of significant dots of the input image repeatedly until numbers of newly added dots after each thickening step fulfill a predetermined condition; thinning the image thickened at said thickening step, at least a greater number of times than the number of times said thickening step is repeated; and determining an area of significant dots, which is left after said thinning step, as a character area.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
68 words
The image processing method according to Claim 10, further comprising: a second thickening step of thickening the image, which is thickened and thinned at said thickening and thinning steps, on the basis of numbers of times the thickening step and thinning step are repeated; and an extracting step of extracting characters from the input image based on a area of significant dots obtained after said second thickening step.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
The image processing method according to Claim 11, wherein said extracting step comprises a logic operating step of performing logic operation between an image thickened at said second thickening step and the input image.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
The image processing method according to Claim 11, further comprising a recognition step of recognizing characters extracted at said extracting step.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
The image processing method according to Claim 10, wherein said thickening and thinning steps are operated in the vertical and horizontal direction of the image.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
58 words
The image processing method according to Claim 10, wherein the predetermined condition is either a case where the number of dots added during the current thickening step decreases comparing to the number of dots added during the previous thickening step, or a case where a number of times to repeat the thickening step reaches to a predetermined value.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
The image processing method according to Claim 15, wherein said predetermined value can be changed.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
The image processing method according to Claim 10, further comprising a filtering step of controlling only the designated color or colors of the input image to pass.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
The image processing method according to Claim 17, further comprising a setting step of setting a color or colors of the input image to pass through at said filtering step.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
40 words
A method of extracting characters from binarised image data in which the image data undergoes successive steps in which the data is thickened, and successive steps in which the thickened data is thinned until original line data has been eliminated.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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