Analyzing an image showing a node-link structure
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- obtaining input image data defining an input image set that shows an input node-link structure;
the input image set showing a set of nodes that satisfy a constraint on nodes and a set of links that satisfy a constraint on links;
the input node-link structure satisfying a constraint on node-link structures;
using the input image data to obtain likely node-link data;
the likely node-link data indicating a first set of parts of the input image set that satisfy the constraint on nodes and indicating a second set of parts of the input image set that satisfy the constraint on links; and
using the likely node-link data to obtain constrained node-link data, the constrained node-link data indicating a subset of the first set of parts and indicating a subset of the second set of parts, the subsets of the first and second sets of parts satisfying the constraint on node-link structures.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Input image data define an input image set that shows a node-link structure, such as a directed graph, an undirected graph, a tree, a flow chart, a circuit diagram, or a state-transition diagram. The input image set can include one image showing the node-link structure or two images, one showing graphical features that are a subset of the nodes and the other an image of an overlay with editing marks that include the links and another subset of the nodes. The input image data are used to obtain likely node-link data indicating parts of the input image set that satisfy a constraint on nodes and parts that satisfy a constraint on links. The likely node-link data are used to obtain constrained node-link data indicating subsets of the likely nodes and links that satisfy a constraint on node-link structures. The likely node-link data can include data defining a likely node image showing parts that meet a node criterion and data defining a likely link image showing parts that meet a link criterion. The constrained node-link data can be obtained by iteratively applying a link nearness criterion to the likely nodes and a node nearness criterion to the likely links until stability is reached. The constrained node-link data can be used to obtain output image data defining an output image that includes a precisely formed version of the node-link structure or an edited version of an input image. Or the constrained node-link data can be used to provide control signals to a system.
-
Citations
30 Claims
-
1. A method comprising:
-
obtaining input image data defining an input image set that shows an input node-link structure;
the input image set showing a set of nodes that satisfy a constraint on nodes and a set of links that satisfy a constraint on links;
the input node-link structure satisfying a constraint on node-link structures;using the input image data to obtain likely node-link data;
the likely node-link data indicating a first set of parts of the input image set that satisfy the constraint on nodes and indicating a second set of parts of the input image set that satisfy the constraint on links; andusing the likely node-link data to obtain constrained node-link data, the constrained node-link data indicating a subset of the first set of parts and indicating a subset of the second set of parts, the subsets of the first and second sets of parts satisfying the constraint on node-link structures. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A method of operating a machine that includes:
-
image input circuitry for obtaining data defining images as input; and a processor connected for receiving data defining images from the image input circuitry; the method comprising; operating the processor to receive input image data from the image input circuitry, the input image data defining an input image set that shows an input node-link structure;
the input image set including an image showing a set of nodes that satisfy a constraint on nodes and a set of links that satisfy a constraint on links;
the input node-link structure satisfying a constraint on node-link structures;operating the processor to use the input image data to obtain likely node-link data;
the likely node-link data indicating a first set of parts of the input image set that satisfy the constraint on nodes and indicating a second set of parts of the input image set that satisfy the constraint on links; andoperating the processor to use the likely node-link data to obtain constrained node-link data, the constrained node-link data indicating a subset of the first set of parts and indicating a subset of the second set of parts, the subsets of the first and second sets of parts satisfying the constraint on node-link structures. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
-
21. A machine comprising:
-
image input circuitry for obtaining data defining images as input; memory for storing data; and a processor connected for receiving data defining images from the image input circuitry and connected for accessing data stored in the memory; the data stored in the memory comprising instruction data indicating image processing instructions the processor can execute;
the processor, in executing the image processing instructions;receiving input image data from the image input circuitry, the input image data defining an input image set that shows an input node-link structure;
the input image set including a image showing a set of nodes that satisfy a constraint on nodes and a set of links that satisfy a constraint on links;
the input node-link structure satisfying a constraint on node-link structures;using the input image data to obtain likely node-link data;
the likely node-link data indicating a first set of parts of the input image set that satisfy the constraint on nodes and indicating a second set of parts of the input image set that satisfy the constraint on links; andusing the likely node-link data to obtain constrained node-link data, the constrained node-link data indicating a subset of the first set of parts and indicating a subset of the second set of parts, the subsets of the first and second sets of parts satisfying the constraint on node-link structures. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
-
-
29. A method comprising:
-
obtaining input image data defining a set of images that shows an input node-link structure;
the set of images showing a set of nodes that satisfy a constraint on nodes and a set of links that satisfy a constraint on links;
the input node-link structure satisfying a constraint on node-link structures, the constraint on node-link structures including a link nearness criterion and a node nearness criterion;using the input image data to obtain probable node-link data;
the probable node-link data indicating a first set of parts of the set of images that satisfy the constraint on nodes and indicating a second set of parts of the set of images that satisfy the constraint on links; andusing the probable node-link data to obtain constrained node-link data by performing a sequence of iterations, the constrained node-link data indicating a subset of the first set of parts and indicating a subset of the second set of parts, the subsets of the first and second sets of parts satisfying the constraint on node-link structures;
each iteration of the sequence using starting node data and starting link data to obtain ending node data and ending link data;
the sequence beginning with a first iteration and ending with a last iteration;
the first iteration'"'"'s starting node data indicating the first set of parts of the set of images;the first iteration'"'"'s starting link data indicating the second set of parts of the set of images;
the starting node data of each iteration after the first iteration being the ending node data of the preceding iteration;
the starting link data of each iteration after the first iteration being the ending link data of the preceding iteration;
the last iteration'"'"'s ending node data and ending link data together being the constrained node-link data;
each iteration comprising;using the iteration'"'"'s starting node data and starting link data to obtain the iteration'"'"'s ending node data;
each iteration'"'"'s ending node data indicating parts of the set of images that are indicated by the iteration'"'"'s starting node data and that meet the link nearness criterion; andusing the iteration'"'"'s starting node data and starting link data to obtain the iteration'"'"'s ending link data;
each iteration'"'"'s ending link data indicating parts of the set of images that are indicated by the iteration'"'"'s starting link data and that meet a node nearness criterion.
-
-
30. A method comprising:
-
obtaining input image data defining a set of images that shows an input node-link structure;
the set of images showing a set of nodes that satisfy a constraint on nodes and a set of links that satisfy a constraint on links;
the input node-link structure satisfying a constraint on node-link structures;using the input image data to obtain probable node-link data;
the probable node-link data indicating a first set of parts of the set of images that satisfy the constraint on nodes and indicating a second set of parts of the set of images that satisfy the constraint on links;using the probable node-link data to obtain constrained node-link data, the constrained node-link data indicating a subset of the first set of parts and indicating a subset of the second set of parts, the subsets of the first and second sets of parts satisfying the constraint on node-link structures; and using the constrained node-link data to obtain output image data;
the output image data defining an output image set that shows an output node-link structure similar to the input node-link structure.
-
Specification