US6282314B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Image processing method and apparatus which iteratively divides image data into sub-regions
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1995-09-06
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Granted: 2001-08-28
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Expires: 2015-09-06
Abstract
Abstract An object of the invention is to convert multivalue image data to data in a format which can be easily handled. For such an object, the multivalue image data of each pixel is inputted and an image expressed by the multivalue image data is converted to data which is hierarchically structured to a plurality of layers.
Inventors
- 👤 Susumu Sugiura
- 👤 Takeshi Makita
- 👤 Mitsuru Maeda
- 👤 Osamu Yamada
- 👤 Hiroshi Mori
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 18:00
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/40; H04N1/403; G; G06; G06V; G06V30/00; G06V30/10; G06V30/16; G06V30/162; G06V30/40; G06V30/41; G06V30/413
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
146 words
An image processing method for processing multivalue image data representing an image that includes a first portion and a second portion, comprising the steps of: inputting the multivalue image data; and sequentially converting the image represented by said multivalue image data into hierarchically structured data, wherein said converting step includes a step of dividing the image into a plurality of partial areas in accordance with image data corresponding to the image, the plurality of partial areas including the first portion and the second portion, said second portion having a first subportion and a second subportion, a step of separating a sub-Partial area from said first subportion by using a threshold determined by multivalue image data included in said first subportion, and a step of separating a sub-partial area from said second subportion by using a threshold determined by multivalue image data included in said second subportion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
146 words
An image processing method for processing multivalue image data representing an image that includes a first portion and a second portion, comprising the steps of: inputting the multivalue image data; and sequentially converting the image represented by said multivalue image data into hierarchically structured data, wherein said converting step includes a step of dividing the image into a plurality of partial areas in accordance with image data corresponding to the image, the plurality of partial areas including the first portion and the second portion, said second portion having a first subportion and a second subportion, a step of separating a sub-Partial area from said first subportion by using a threshold determined by multivalue image data included in said first subportion, and a step of separating a sub-partial area from said second subportion by using a threshold determined by multivalue image data included in said second subportion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of compressing said hierarchically structured data.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of communicating said hierarchically structured data with an outside media.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim 1 , wherein said hierarchically structured data has image data for character recognition, image data for display/print, and a plurality of code data groups for retrieval.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 1 , wherein said conversion is executed by discriminating the kind of image area on the basis of different discrimination parameters step by step.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of layers are divided to form the plurality of partial areas in accordance with different kinds of partial image areas of the image represented by said multivalue image data.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 6 , wherein the plurality of partial areas include a character portion, an image portion and a table portion.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method according to claim 7 , wherein non-character portions of the plurality of partial areas are further divided in said step of dividing the partial areas into the plurality of sub-partial areas.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
162 words
An image processing method for processing image data representing an image that includes a first portion and a second portion, comprising the steps of: outputting the image data representing the image; determining a first threshold based on the image data corresponding to said image; binarizing the image data by comparing the image data with the first threshold and generating resultant first binary data; dividing the image into a plurality of partial areas in accordance with the first binary data, the plurality of partial areas including the first portion and the second portion, the second portion including a first subportion and a second subportion; determining a second threshold in the second subportion of said second portion based on image data included in said second subportion; binarizing the image data in the second subportion by comparing the image data with the second threshold and generating resultant second binary data; and dividing the second subportion into sub-partial areas in accordance with the second binary data.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
162 words
An image processing method for processing image data representing an image that includes a first portion and a second portion, comprising the steps of: outputting the image data representing the image; determining a first threshold based on the image data corresponding to said image; binarizing the image data by comparing the image data with the first threshold and generating resultant first binary data; dividing the image into a plurality of partial areas in accordance with the first binary data, the plurality of partial areas including the first portion and the second portion, the second portion including a first subportion and a second subportion; determining a second threshold in the second subportion of said second portion based on image data included in said second subportion; binarizing the image data in the second subportion by comparing the image data with the second threshold and generating resultant second binary data; and dividing the second subportion into sub-partial areas in accordance with the second binary data.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 9 , wherein said partial area is a character area or a non-character area.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 9 , further comprising the step of recognizing characters in said partial areas or sub-partial areas.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 9 , further comprising the step of performing a halftone processing to a halftone area in said sub-partial areas.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 12 , further comprising the step of compressing the image data and storing into a file.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
197 words
A medium which stores computer programs for use with an image processing for processing multivalue image data representing an image that includes a first portion and a second portion, comprising the steps of: causing a computer to output image data representing an image; causing the computer to determine a first threshold based on the image data corresponding to said image; causing the computer to binarize the image data by comparing the image data with the first threshold and to generate first binary data; causing the computer to divide the image into a plurality of partial areas in accordance with the first binary data, the plurality of areas including the first portion and the second portion, the second portion including a first subportion and a second subportion; causing the computer to determine a second threshold in the second subportion of said second portion based on image data included in said second subportion; causing the computer to binarize the image data in the second subportion by comparing the image data with the second threshold and to generate second binary data; and causing the computer to divide the second subportion into sub-partial areas in accordance with the second binary data.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
197 words
A medium which stores computer programs for use with an image processing for processing multivalue image data representing an image that includes a first portion and a second portion, comprising the steps of: causing a computer to output image data representing an image; causing the computer to determine a first threshold based on the image data corresponding to said image; causing the computer to binarize the image data by comparing the image data with the first threshold and to generate first binary data; causing the computer to divide the image into a plurality of partial areas in accordance with the first binary data, the plurality of areas including the first portion and the second portion, the second portion including a first subportion and a second subportion; causing the computer to determine a second threshold in the second subportion of said second portion based on image data included in said second subportion; causing the computer to binarize the image data in the second subportion by comparing the image data with the second threshold and to generate second binary data; and causing the computer to divide the second subportion into sub-partial areas in accordance with the second binary data.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-08-27 | 2005-02-26 | 2005-08-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-08-27 | 2009-02-26 | 2009-08-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-08-27 | 2013-02-26 | 2013-08-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |