Computing device and method for isolating and cutting out figures in design patent document

A non-transitory storage medium storing a set of instructions, the set of instructions capable of being executed by a processor of a computing device to perform a method for isolating and cutting out figures in a design patent document, the method comprising:

• (a) reading a figure section of a design patent document comprising one or more figures;
• (b) converting each page of the figure section into a black-and-white image;
• (c) creating a first histogram based on information of black pixels and white pixels in the black-and-white image;
• (d) dividing the black-and-white image into a multiplicity of blocks which contain words or figures, according to the information of the white pixels in the first histogram;
• (e) selecting the blocks which have a height value greater than a predetermined height value;
• (f) creating a second histogram based on information of the black pixels and the white pixels in each selected block;
• (g) dividing the selected block into a multiplicity of areas which contain words or figures according to the information of the white pixels in the second histogram;
• (h) selecting the areas which have a width value greater than a predetermined width value;
• and
• (i) displaying the selected areas on a display device.

A computing device, the computing device being connected to a display device, the computing device comprising:

• a storage unit;
• at least one processor;
• and
• one or more programs stored in the storage unit, executable by the at least one processor, the one or more programs comprising:
• a reading module operable to read a figure section of a design patent document comprising one or more figures;
• a conversion module operable to convert each page of the figure section into a black-and-white image;
• a creation module operable to create a first histogram based on information of black pixels and white pixels in the black-and-white image;
• a dividing module operable to divide the black-and-white image into a multiplicity of blocks which contain words or figures, according to the information of the white pixels in the first histogram;
• a selection module operable to select the blocks which have a height value greater than a predetermined height value;
• the creation module further operable to create a second histogram based on information of the black pixels and the white pixels in each selected block;
• the dividing module further operable to divide the selected block into a multiplicity of areas which contain words or figures, according to the information of the white pixels in the second histogram;
• the selection module further operable to select the areas which have a width value greater than a predetermined width value and a display module operable to display the selected areas on the display device.