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US 7,119,807 B2Granted
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorNobuaki Matsui
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention concerns an image processing apparatus and an image processing method, in which an edge coordinates extraction circuit is used to extract edge coordinates information for an input bitmap. By converting the bitmap image into vector data the edge coordinates information so extracted reduces the time required for raster-vector conversion.
Claims15
An image processing apparatus for processing an input bitmap image formed of lines of pixels, the image processing apparatus comprising:
- an edge coordinates extraction circuit for performing extraction processing which extracts edge coordinates information of graphic objects included in each line of the input bitmap image on a line by line basis, wherein the edge coordinates information includes coordinates or points at which a density of the pixels changes in each line of the input bitmap image;
- and
- a CPU for executing conversion processing which converts the input bitmap image into vector data based on the edge coordinates information extracted by said edge coordinates extraction circuit,
- wherein said CPU begins to execute the conversion processing after said edge coordinates extraction circuit extracts the edge coordinates information from two successive lines of the input bitmap image, and continues to execute the conversion processing simultaneously to a following extraction processing performed by said edge coordinates extraction circuit.
1 more element
An image processing method for processing an input bitmap image formed of lines of pixels, the image processing method comprising:
- an edge coordinates extraction step of performing extraction processing which extracts edge coordinates information of graphic objects included in each line of the input bitmap image, on a line by line basis, using an edge coordinates extraction circuit, wherein the edge coordinates information includes coordinates of points at which a density of the pixels changes in each line of the input bitmap image;
- and
- a conversion step of executing conversion processing which converts, with a CPU, the input bitmap image into vector data based on the edge coordinates information extracted in said edge coordinates extraction step.
- wherein the CPU begins to execute said conversion step after the edge coordinates information from two successive lines of the input bitmap image is extracted in said edge coordinates extraction step, and continues to perform said conversion step simultaneously to a following extracting performed in said edge coordinates extraction step.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.