Method and an apparatus for extracting a connected element from a binary image
First Claim
1. An apparatus responsive to an input binary image signal for outputting data for generating a connected element which is an area including a same label in a label image, comprising:
- binary image storage means for storing therein the input binary image signal as binary image data;
labeling means for performing label processing on the binary image data and generating the label image;
rectangle calculation means, based on the label image data, for calculating a rectangle circumscribing a same label and rectangle definition data defining the rectangle by the label and a position in the label image;
overlap determination means based on the rectangle definition data for determining whether a rectangle calculated by said rectangle calculation means is an overlapping or non-overlapping rectangle depending on whether or not the rectangle overlaps with other rectangles; and
output means for outputting data comprising the binary image data, the rectangle definition data and the label image data of the overlapping rectangle, as the data for generating the connected element.
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Abstract
The connected element extraction device stores a binary image signal as binary image data; calculates a rectangle circumscribing a connected element; determines whether the rectangle overlaps with others and stores the label and coordinates of an overlapping rectangle; generates a label image of the overlapping rectangle; based on the label image, divides the overlapping rectangle as a parent rectangle into child rectangles and repeatedly subdivides the child-rectangle into final child rectangles which respectively have a single label; and outputs information comprising the binary image data, and the coordinates of the non-overlapping rectangle, parent-rectangle and final child-rectangles.
21 Citations
59 Claims
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1. An apparatus responsive to an input binary image signal for outputting data for generating a connected element which is an area including a same label in a label image, comprising:
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binary image storage means for storing therein the input binary image signal as binary image data; labeling means for performing label processing on the binary image data and generating the label image; rectangle calculation means, based on the label image data, for calculating a rectangle circumscribing a same label and rectangle definition data defining the rectangle by the label and a position in the label image; overlap determination means based on the rectangle definition data for determining whether a rectangle calculated by said rectangle calculation means is an overlapping or non-overlapping rectangle depending on whether or not the rectangle overlaps with other rectangles; and output means for outputting data comprising the binary image data, the rectangle definition data and the label image data of the overlapping rectangle, as the data for generating the connected element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An apparatus responsive to an input binary image signal for outputting data for generating a connected element which is an area including a same label in a label image, comprising:
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binary image storage means for storing therein the input binary image signal as binary image data; rectangle calculation means for performing label processing on the binary image data to generate the label image and calculating a rectangle circumscribing a same label and rectangle definition data defining the rectangle by the label and a position in the label image; overlap determination means based on the rectangle definition data for determining whether a rectangle calculated by said rectangle calculation means is an overlapping or non-overlapping rectangle depending on whether or not the rectangle overlaps with others; re-labeling means for performing label processing again on the binary image data of the overlapping rectangle and generating the label image thereof; and output means for outputting data comprising the binary image data, the rectangle definition data and the label image data of the overlapping rectangle, as the data for generating the connected element. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for outputting from an input binary signal, data for generating a connected element which is an area including a same label in a label image, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) storing the input binary image signal as binary image data; (b) labeling the binary image data by performing label processing on the binary image data stored in step (a) and generating the label image data; (c) calculating a rectangle, based on the label image data, circumscribing a same label and rectangle definition data for defining the rectangle by the label and a position in the label image; (d) determining that a rectangle calculated in step (c) overlaps with others based on the rectangle definition data; and (e) outputting data comprising the binary image data, the rectangle definition data and the label image data of the overlapping rectangle, as the data for generating the connected element. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for outputting from an input binary image signal, data for generating a connected element which is an area including a same label in a label image, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) storing the input binary image signal as binary image data; (b) performing label processing on the binary image data stored in step (a), and generating the label image and calculating a rectangle circumscribing a same label and rectangle definition data defining the rectangle by the label and a position in the label image; (c) determining that a rectangle calculated in step (b) overlaps with other rectangles based on the rectangle definition data; (d) re-labeling the overlapping rectangle determined in step (c) by performing label processing on the binary image data of the overlapping rectangle and generating the label image thereof; and (e) outputting data comprising the binary image data, the rectangle definition data and the label image data of the overlapping rectangle, as the data for generating the connected element. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. An apparatus responsive to an input binary image signal for outputting data for generating a connected element which is an area including a same label in a label image, comprising:
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detection means for detecting in the label image that a first rectangle circumscribing a first label includes a second rectangle circumscribing a second label; and output means, based on the detecting by said detection means, for outputting data obtained by an addition/subtraction of the second rectangle to/from the first rectangle, as the data for generating the connected element having the first label. - View Dependent Claims (21, 23)
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22. An apparatus responsive to an input binary image signal for outputting data for generating a connected element which is an area including a same label in a label image, comprising:
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detection means for detecting in the label image that a first rectangle circumscribing a first label overlaps with a second rectangle circumscribing a second label; and output means, based on the detecting by said detection means, for outputting data obtained by an addition/subtraction of an area where the first and second rectangles overlap with each other, to/from the first rectangle as the data for generating the connected element.
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24. An apparatus responsive to an input binary image signal for outputting data for generating a connected element which is an area including a same label in a label image, comprising:
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binary image storage means for storing therein the input binary image signal as binary image data; labeling means for performing label processing on the binary image data and generating the label image; rectangle calculation means, based on the label image data, for calculating a rectangle circumscribing a same label and rectangle definition data defining the rectangle by the label and a position in the label image; overlap determination means based on the rectangle definition data, for determining whether a rectangle calculated by said rectangle calculation means is an overlapping or non-overlapping rectangle depending on whether or not the rectangle overlaps with other rectangles; division means for dividing the overlapping rectangle as a parent-rectangle into child-rectangles according to the label included in the parent-rectangle and for calculating rectangle-definition data of the child-rectangles; label check means for checking whether the child-rectangles share a same label or different labels; and output means for outputting data comprising binary image data, the rectangle definition data of the non-overlapping rectangle, the rectangle definition data of both the parent-rectangle and child-rectangles which share a same label, and the label image data of the parent-rectangle whose child-rectangles share different labels. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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27. An apparatus responsive to an input binary image signal for outputting data for generating a connected element which is an area including a same label in a label image, comprising:
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binary image storage means for storing therein the input binary image signal as binary image data; rectangle calculation means for performing label processing on the binary image data to generate the label image and calculating a rectangle circumscribing a same label and rectangle definition data defining the rectangle by the label and a position in the label image; overlap determination means based on the rectangle definition data for determining whether a rectangle calculated by said rectangle calculation means is an overlapping or non-overlapping rectangle depending on whether or not the rectangle overlaps with others; re-labeling means for performing label processing again on the binary image data of the overlapping rectangle and generating the label image thereof; division means, based on the label image generated by said re-labeling means, for dividing the overlapping rectangle as a parent-rectangle, into child-rectangles according to the label and for calculating rectangle-definition data of the child-rectangles; label check means for checking whether the child-rectangles share a same label or different labels; and output means for outputting data comprising the binary image data, the rectangle definition data of the non-overlapping rectangle, the rectangle definition data of both the parent-rectangle and child-rectangles which share a same label, and the label image data of the parent-rectangle whose child-rectangles share different labels. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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29. An apparatus responsive to an input binary image signal for outputting data for generating a connected element which is an area including a same label in a label image, comprising:
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binary image storage means for storing therein the input binary image signal as binary image data; rectangle calculation means for preforming label processing on the binary image data to generate the label image and calculating a rectangle circumscribing a same label and rectangle definition data defining the rectangle by the label and a position in the label image; overlap determination means based on the rectangle definition data, for determining whether a rectangle calculated by said rectangle calculation means is an overlapping or non-overlapping rectangle depending on whether or not the rectangle overlaps with others; re-labeling means for performing the label processing again on the binary image data of the overlapping rectangle and generating the label image thereof; division means, based on the label image generated by said re-labeling means, for dividing the overlapping rectangle as a parent-rectangle into child-rectangles and repeatedly subdividing the child-rectangle into final child-rectangles which respectively have a same label and for calculating rectangle-definition data of the final child-rectangle; and output means for outputting data comprising the binary image data, the rectangle definition data of the non-overlapping rectangle, and the rectangle definition data of the parent-rectangle and the final child-rectangles calculated by said division means. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
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32. A method for outputting, from an input binary image signal, data for generating a connected element which is an area including a same label in a label image, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) detecting in a label image that a first rectangle circumscribing a first label includes a second rectangle circumscribing a second label; and (b) based on the detecting in step (a), outputting data obtained by an addition/subtraction of the second rectangle to/from the first rectangle, as the data for generating the connected element having the first label. - View Dependent Claims (33)
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34. A method for outputting, from an input binary image signal, data for generating a connected element which is an area including a same label in a label image, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) detecting in the label image that a first rectangle circumscribing a first label overlaps with a second rectangle circumscribing a second label; and (b) based on the detecting in step (a), outputting data obtained by an addition/subtraction of an area where the first and second rectangles overlap with each other, to/from the first rectangle. - View Dependent Claims (35)
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36. A method for outputting, from an input binary image signal, data for generating a connected element which is an areas including a same label in a label image, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) storing the input binary signal as binary image data; (b) performing label processing on the binary image data stored in step (a) and generating the label image; (c) calculating a rectangle circumscribing a same label based on the label image data, and rectangle definition data defining the rectangle by the label and a position in the label image; (d) determining whether a rectangle calculated in step (c) is an overlapping or non-overlapping rectangle depending on whether the rectangle overlaps with other rectangles or not; (e) dividing the overlapping rectangle as a parent-rectangle into child-rectangles according to the label included in the parent-rectangle and calculating rectangle-definition data of the child-rectangles; (f) checking whether the child-rectangles share a same label or different labels; and (g) outputting the binary image data, the rectangle definition data of the non-overlapping rectangle, the rectangle definition data of both the parent-rectangle and child-rectangles which share a same label, and the label image data of the parent-rectangle whose child-rectangles share different labels. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38)
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39. A method for outputting, from an input binary image signal, data for generating a connected element which is an area including a same label in a label image, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) storing the input binary image signal as binary image data; (b) performing label processing on the binary image data stored in step (a) to generate the label image and calculating a rectangle circumscribing a same label and rectangle definition data defining the rectangle by the label and a position in the label image; (c) determining whether a rectangle calculated in step (b) is an overlapping or non-overlapping rectangle depending on whether or not the rectangle overlaps with others; (d) performing label processing again on the binary image data of the overlapping rectangle and generating the label image thereof; (e) based on the label image generated in step (d), dividing the overlapping rectangle as a parent-rectangle, into child-rectangles according to the label and calculating rectangle-definition data of the child-rectangles; (f) checking whether the child-rectangles share a same label or different labels; and (g) outputting the binary image data stored in step (a), the rectangle definition data of the non-overlapping rectangle, the rectangle definition data of both the parent-rectangle and child-rectangles which share a same label, and the label image data of the parent-rectangle whose child-rectangles share different labels. - View Dependent Claims (40)
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41. A method for generating, from an input binary image signal, data for generating a connected element which is an area including a same label in a label image, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) storing the input binary image signal as binary image data; (b) performing label processing on the binary image data to generate the label image and calculating a rectangle circumscribing a same label and rectangle definition data defining the rectangle by the label and a position in the label image; (c) determining whether a rectangle calculated in step (b) is an overlapping or non-overlapping rectangle depending on whether or not the rectangle overlaps with others; (d) performing the label processing on the label image data of the overlapping rectangle determined in step (c) and generating the label image thereof; (e) based on the label image generated in step (d), dividing the overlapping rectangle as a parent-rectangle into child-rectangles and repeatedly subdividing the child-rectangle into final child-rectangles which respectively have a same label and calculating rectangle-definition data of the final child-rectangle; and (f) outputting data comprising the binary image data, the rectangle definition data of the non-overlapping rectangle, and the rectangle definition data of the parent-rectangle and the final child-rectangles calculated in step (e). - View Dependent Claims (42, 43)
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44. An apparatus for extracting from an input binary image signal a connected element which is an area including a same label in a label image, comprising:
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rectangle calculation means for calculating a rectangle circumscribing a same label based on the label image data generated from the binary image data; overlap detection means for detecting rectangles which overlap with each other and correspond to respective connected elements; division means for selecting one of the overlapping rectangles detected by said overlap detection means in a pre-determined order and for dividing the selected rectangle into sub-rectangles; sub-rectangle determination means for determining which of the connected elements the sub-rectangle belongs to; first specification means for specifying a first connected element depending on the determination by said sub-rectangle determination means; and second specification means for specifying a second connected element by using the first connected element specified by said first specification means. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. An apparatus responsive to an input binary image signal for outputting data for generating a connected element which is an area including a same label in a label image, comprising:
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binary image storage means for storing therein the input binary image signal as binary image data; labeling means for performing label processing on the binary image data and generating the label image; rectangle calculation means, based on the label image data, for calculating a rectangle circumscribing a same label and rectangle definition data defining the rectangle by the label and a position in the label image; overlap determination means based on the rectangle definition data, for determining whether a rectangle calculated by said rectangle calculation means is an overlapping rectangle that extends and encroaches into an encompassed space of another rectangle or a non-overlapping rectangle that does not extend and encroach into an enclosed space of another rectangle in depending on whether or not the rectangle overlaps with other rectangles; and output means for outputting data comprising the binary image data, the rectangle definition data and the label image data of the overlapping rectangle, as the data for generating the connected elements.
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57. A method comprising:
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generating label image data from an image, said label image data contains a plurality of labels; generating rectangle data representing rectangles that circumscribe a same label; and generating overlap data representing the rectangles that overlap with other rectangles.
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58. A computer readable storage instructing a computer to perform a method comprising:
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generating label image data from an image, said label image data contains a plurality of labels; generating rectangle data representing rectangles that circumscribe a same label; and generating overlap data representing the rectangles that overlap with other rectangles.
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59. An apparatus comprising:
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a label generator generating label image data from an image, said label image data contains a plurality of labels; a rectangle generator generating rectangle data representing rectangles that circumscribe a same label; and an overlap generator generating overlap data representing the rectangles that overlap with other rectangles.
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Specification