Method and apparatus for automatic digitizing of contour lines
AssigneeURW Unternehmensberatung Karow Rubow Weber GmbH
InventorPeter Karow
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An automatic technique and an apparatus for digitizing of line graphics, letters, etc., which includes the following steps: The image information is obtained from scanning the master and is stored in digital form and thereafter converted into vector data. The vector image is subjected to a shape recognition program and image elements, such as straight lines, sharp and rounded corners, narrow, average and shallow curves, turning points and tangential points are identified. The image elements are subjected to a spline fit. From the spline curve, as many coordinate pairs are calculated as are needed for an adequate description for the contour line, and, following the rules for the IKARUS concept, a digitized version of the contour is generated.
Claims8
A method for automatically digitizing the contours of line graphics, letters and the like of a master utilizing microprocessors and microstorage comprising the steps of:
- scanning for initial acquisition and digitally storing the image information from the master;
- converting the image information into vector data by utilizing said microprocessors and microstorage;
- subjecting the vector data to shape recognition which classifies said vector data as straight line, curve line and corner image elements;
- spline fitting said image elements to produce contact points between each said image elements which have the same continuity in both the course of the element, the steepness of the element and the curvature of the element;
- selecting a predetermined amount of coordinate pairs of said contact points in accordance with a predetermined degree of sensitivity, the selected coordinate pairs representative of the contour of said master.
An apparatus for digitizing the contours of line graphics of a master comprising:
- a moveably mounted scanning means;
- a timing controller;
- means for controlling the movement of said scanning means over said master;
- a central control computer including associated program storage means, an input/output device and a host computer, said central control computer coupled to a first bus along with said program storage means, said input/output device, said host computer and said timing controller for communication between all modules;
- a correction calculator coupled to said first bus for communication between the modules;
- a gray value table coupled to said first bus for communication;
- a buffer storage coupled to said first bus for communication;
- an analog/digital converter coupled to said scanning means;
- a second bus coupling said correction calculator, said gray value table, said buffer storage and said analog/digital converter for rapid interconnection between each other, and coupled to an interface DMA and to said host computer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.