Apparatus and method for image processing including coloring process
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorFumiaki Takahashi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An image processing apparatus is arranged to set a center pixel in coloring each area within a diagram image prepared by detecting an edge in an original image, to obtain the shortest of distances from the center pixel to the edge in eight directions, and to color the inside of a coloring circle whose radius is the shortest distance. The arrangement effectively prevents a colored area form excessively bulging out beyond the edge even when the edge includes a vague part, because the area of coloring is limited to the inside of the coloring circle. Therefore, the possibility of having an image prepared in any undesirable manner can be minimized. Further, a plurality of pixels selected at uniform intervals within the diagram image are arranged to be used as the center pixel for coloring.
Claims27
An image processing apparatus comprising:
- (a) detecting means for detecting an edge in an original image;
- (b) preparing means for preparing a diagram image on the basis of a result of detection provided by said detecting means;
- and
- (c) coloring means for setting a center pixel within the diagram image and coloring a circular area whose center lies at the center pixel and which is set avoiding the edge.
An image processing method comprising the steps of:
- (a) detecting an edge in an original image;
- (b) preparing a diagram image on the basis of a result of detection of the edge;
- (c) setting a center pixel within the diagram image;
- and
- (d) coloring a circular area whose center lies at the center pixel and which is set avoiding the edge.
An image processing apparatus comprising:
- (a) detecting means for detecting an edge in an original image;
- (b) preparing means for preparing a diagram image on the basis of a result of detection provided by said detecting means;
- (c) coloring means for setting a plurality of center pixels within the diagram image and coloring areas each whose center lies at each of the plurality of center pixels;
- and
- (d) display means for displaying a processed image which is updated every time one of the areas corresponding to the plurality of center pixels is colored.
A storage medium which stores a program for executing processing for an image processing apparatus, said storage medium allowing the image processing apparatus to execute the following processing:
- (a) detecting an edge in an original image;
- (b) preparing a diagram image on the basis of a result of detection of the edge;
- (c) setting a center pixel within the diagram image;
- and
- (d) coloring a circular area whose center lies at the center pixel and which is set avoiding the edge.
A storage medium which stores a program for executing processing for an image processing apparatus, said storage medium allowing the image processing apparatus to execute the following processing:
- (a) detecting an edge in an original image;
- (b) preparing a diagram image on the basis of a result of detection of the edge;
- (c) setting a plurality of center pixels within the diagram edge;
- (d) coloring areas each whose center lies at each of the plurality of center pixels;
- and
- (e) displaying a processed image which is updated every time one of the areas corresponding to the plurality of center pixels is colored.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.