Method and apparatus for processing line drawings in images

An apparatus comprising:

• a thinning unit configured to perform a thinning process of an image to output a thinned image including a thinned one-pixel-width line drawing;
• an extracting unit configured to extract contour vector sequences that surround each of line elements of the thinned one-pixel-width line drawing, wherein the line elements correspond to one-pixel-width lines connecting terminal points and intersections of the thinned one-pixel-width line drawing;
• and
• a skeletonizing unit configured to generate skeletonized vector data that surround each of zero-width line elements by shifting positions of the extracted contour vector sequences that surround each of the line elements of the thinned one-pixel-width line drawing.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by an apparatus, causes the apparatus to perform operations comprising:

• performing a thinning process of an image to output a thinned one-pixel-width line drawing using a processor;
• extracting contour vector sequences that surround each of line elements of the thinned one-pixel-width line drawing, using the processor, wherein the line elements correspond to one-pixel-width lines connecting terminal points and intersections of the thinned one-pixel-line-width line drawing;
• and
• generating skeletonized vector data that surround each of the zero-width line elements by shifting positions of the extracted contour vector sequences that surround each of the line elements of the thinned one-pixel-width line drawing, using the processor.