Image output apparatus and method

• US 6,052,489 A
• Filed: 11/17/1997
• Issued: 04/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Sakaue, Eiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, TOMMY D
• Application Number:
  US08/971,698
• Time in Patent Office: 883 Days
• Field of Search: 382/266, 382/254, 382/242, 382/269, 382/264, 382/195, 382/205, 382/199, 358/447, 358/448, 358/455, 358/456, 358/458, 358/464
• US Class Current: 382/266
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/13 Edge detection

Abstract

In the image output apparatus of the present invention, a window forming section extracts a window including a notice pixel from bit map data of the image. A contour extraction section extracts contour pixels from the window based on the position of the notice pixel. An outline estimation section estimates an outline based on positions of the contour pixels. A smoothing signal generation section generates a smoothing signal for the notice pixel based on the relative position of the notice pixel and the outline.

Claims

1. An image output apparatus, comprising:

contour extraction means for extracting contour pixels from image data;

outline estimation means for estimating an outline based on positions of the contour pixels; and

smoothing signal generation means for generating a smoothing signal for a notice pixel of the image data based on a relative position of the notice pixel and the outline, the relative position being at least one of a distance from the notice pixel to the outline and a slope angle of a perpendicular line from the notice pixel to the outline, a size and a direction of the smoothing signal for the notice pixel being determined based on at least one of the distance and the slope angle.

2. The image output apparatus according to claim 1,

further comprising a window forming means for extracting a window of image data including the notice pixel from bit map data of the image, wherein the contour pixels are extracted from the window.

3. The image output apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein said contour extraction means includes a trace means for tracing the contour pixels neighboring the notice pixel.

4. The image output apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein said trace means extracts one contour pixel neighboring the notice pixel as an origin pixel, and traces the contour pixels clockwisely and counterclockwisely based on the origin pixel.

5. The image output apparatus according to claim 3,

said trace means being for storing a plurality of pixel patterns and contour pixel coordinates of each pixel pattern, and for respectively comparing the plurality of pixel patterns with a neighboring pixel pattern including the notice pixel.

6. The image output apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein said trace means outputs the contour pixel coordinates of one pixel pattern matched with the neighboring pixel pattern.

7. The image output apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein said trace means selects one of the contour pixel coordinates as clockwise origin pixel, and orderly extracts the next clockwise contour pixel connected to the clockwise origin pixel along clockwise direction according to condition of clockwise contour pixel.

8. The image output apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein said trace means selects one of the contour pixel coordinates as counterclockwise origin pixel, and orderly extracts the next counterclockwise contour pixel connected to the counterclockwise origin pixel along a counterclockwise direction according to condition of counterclockwise contour pixel.

9. The image output apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein said outline estimation means adapts a spline curved line to coordinate points of the contour pixels to generate the outline.

10. An image output apparatus, comprising:

contour extraction means for extracting contour pixels from image data;

outline estimation means for estimating an outline based on positions of the contour pixels; and

pixel density conversion means for converting a notice pixel of the image data into high resolution notice pixels, and for generating a signal for a high resolution notice pixel based on a relative position of each high resolution notice pixel and the outline, the relative position being at least one of a distance from the each high resolution notice pixel to the outline and a slope angle of a perpendicular line from the each high resolution notice pixel to the outline, the high resolution notice pixel to be generated the signal being selected from all high resolution notice pixels based on at least one of the distance and the slope angle.

11. The image output apparatus according to claim 10,

further comprising a window forming means for extracting a window of image data including the notice pixel from bit map data of the image, wherein the contour pixels are extracted from the window.

12. The image output apparatus according to claim 11,

wherein said contour extraction means includes trace means for tracing the contour pixels neighboring the notice pixel.

13. The image output apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said trace means extracts one contour pixel neighboring the notice pixel as an origin pixel, and traces the contour pixels clockwisely and counterclockwisely based on the origin pixel.

14. The image output apparatus according to claim 12, said trace means being for storing a plurality of pixel patterns and contour pixel coordinates of each pixel pattern, and for respectively comparing the plurality of pixel patterns with a neighboring pixel pattern including the notice pixel.

15. The image output apparatus according to claim 14,

wherein said trace means outputs the contour pixel coordinates of one pixel pattern matched with the neighboring pixel pattern.

16. The image output apparatus according to claim 15,

wherein said trace means selects one of the contour pixel coordinates as clockwise origin pixel, and orderly extracts the next clockwise contour pixel connected to the clockwise origin pixel along clockwise direction according to condition of clockwise contour pixel.

17. The image output apparatus according to claim 15,

wherein said trace means selects one of the contour pixel coordinates as counterclockwise origin pixel, and orderly extracts the next counterclockwise contour pixel connected to the counterclockwise origin pixel along a counterclockwise direction according to condition of counterclockwise contour pixel.

18. The image output apparatus according to claim 10,

wherein said outline estimation means adapts a spline curved line to coordinate points of the contour pixels to generate the outline.

19. Data processing method to output an image, comprising the step of:

extracting contour pixels from image data;

estimating an outline based on positions of the contour pixels; and

generating a smoothing signal for a notice pixel of the image data based on a relative position of the notice pixel and the outline, the relative position being at least one of a distance from the notice pixel to the outline and a slope angle of a perpendicular line from the notice pixel to the outline, a size and a direction of the smoothing signal for the notice pixel being determined based on at least one of the distance and the slope angle.

20. Data processing method to output an image, comprising the step of:

extracting contour pixels from image data;

estimating an outline based on the positions of the contour pixels;

converting a notice pixel of the image data into high resolution notice pixels; and

generating a signal for a high resolution notice pixel based on a relative position of each high resolution notice pixel and the outline, the relative position being at least one of a distance from the each high resolution notice pixel to the outline and a slope angle of a perpendicular line from the each high resolution notice pixel to the outline, the high resolution notice pixel to be generated the signal being selected from all high resolution notice pixels based on at least one of the distance and the slope angle.

21. An image output apparatus, comprising:

contour extraction means for storing a plurality of pixel patterns and contour pixel coordinates of each pixel pattern, for respectively comparing the plurality of pixel patterns with a neighboring pixel pattern including a notice pixel in image data, and for outputting the contour pixel coordinates of one pixel pattern matched with the neighboring pixel pattern;

outline estimation means for estimating an outline based on positions of the contour pixel coordinates; and

smoothing signal generation means for generating a smoothing signal for the notice pixel based on a relative position of the notice pixel and the outline.

22. An image output apparatus, comprising:

contour extraction means for storing a plurality of pixel patterns and contour pixel coordinates of each pixel pattern, for respectively comparing the plurality of pixel patterns with a neighboring pixel pattern including a notice pixel in image data, and for outputting the contour pixel coordinates of one pixel pattern matched with the neighboring pixel pattern;

outline estimation means for estimating an outline based on positions of the contour pixel coordinates; and

pixel density conversion means for converting a notice pixel of the image data into high resolution notice pixels, and for generating a signal for the high resolution notice pixel based on a relative position of each high resolution notice pixel and the outline.

23. Data processing method to output an image, comprising the step of:

storing a plurality of pixel patterns and contour pixel coordinates of each pixel pattern;

comparing each of the plurality of pixel patterns with a neighboring pixel pattern including a notice pixel in image data;

outputting the contour pixel coordinates of one pixel pattern matched with the neighboring pixel pattern;

estimating an outline based on positions of the contour pixel coordinates; and

generating a smoothing signal for the notice pixel based on a relative position of the notice pixel and the outline.

24. Data processing method to output an image, comprising the step of:

storing a plurality of pixel patterns and contour pixel coordinates of each pixel pattern;

comparing each of the plurality of pixel patterns with a neighboring pixel pattern including a notice pixel in image data;

outputting the contour pixel coordinates of one pixel pattern matched with the neighboring pixel pattern;

estimating an outline based on positions of the contour pixel coordinates;

converting a notice pixel of the image data into high resolution notice pixels; and

generating a signal for the high resolution notice pixel based on a relative position of each high resolution notice pixel and the outline.