Method for disconnecting character strings of a compressed image

A method for disconnecting character strings connected to a photographic/graphic data block from said photographic/graphic data block of a compressed image including a plurality of image blocks, comprising the steps of:

• (S1) scanning sequentially each of said image blocks of said compressed image to determine whether or not each image block is a photographic/graphic block;
• (S2) retrieving a left side, and then a right side of said image block examined as a photographic/graphic block in the step (S1) to detect to which side of said image block at least one character string thereof is connected, while also obtaining a character string position information;
• and
• (S3) disconnecting said at least one character string connected to said image block, and resetting an X-coordinate and a Y-coordinate of each said character string and of said photographic/graphic block;
• wherein the step (S2) comprises the sub-steps of:
• (S2a) retrieving said left side of said image block while obtaining a character string information for said image block, comprising the further sub-steps of:
• (S2a-1) examining said image block from left to right and from top to bottom, pixel by pixel, while counting only white pixels (TP) being scanned, until a contour pixel not corresponding to a starting point of each pixel line of said image block is first detected;
• (S2a-2) updating a maximum value of an X-coordinate of a first detected contour pixel and setting said maximum value for a character string width (WX):
• (S2a-3) determining whether a pixel line being scanned is a space pixel line, and then whether said space pixel line is a first space pixel line, and setting a present value of a Y-coordinate for an end Y-coordinate value of a present character string, if said pixel line is said space pixel line;
• (S2a-4) setting a present value of a Y-coordinate for a start Y-coordinate value of said present character string when said pixel line being scanned is identified as a character pixel line in the step (S2a-3) after a predetermined number of said pixel lines are scanned;
• (S2a-5) determining whether said pixel line being scanned is a last pixel line, and scanning a next pixel line if said pixel line is not the last pixel line;
• and
• (S2a-6) determining whether said image block has at least one character string connected to, on said left side, in accordance with a number of said character strings detected.