Defining surfaces in border string sequences representing a raster image
First Claim
1. An apparatus for generating a plurality of data tags representing at least one shape in a raster image, the apparatus comprising:
- a system memory for storing steps of a computer program; and
a computer processor connected to the system memory for executing the steps of the computer program, wherein the computer program comprises;
(a) a border definer for generating a border string sequence representing a color border in the raster image, wherein;
the border string sequence comprises a plurality of surface strings; and
a surface string comprises a receive slope and a send slope representing a slope of the border passing through a predetermined area of the raster image; and
(b) a surface string sequencer for converting the border string sequence into one or more surfaces, wherein a surface comprises one or more surface string sequences representing a section of the border string sequence.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus is disclosed for converting a raster image comprising a plurality of pixels into a plurality of data tags representing at least one shape in the raster image. The apparatus comprises a computer program, or an integrated circuit implementing the steps of the computer program, wherein the computer program comprises:
(a) a border definer for generating a border string sequence representing a color border in the raster image, wherein:
(b) the border string sequence comprises a plurality of surface strings; and
(c) a surface string comprises a receive slope and a send slope representing a slope of the border passing through a predetermined area of the raster image; and
(d) a surface string sequencer for converting the border string sequence into one or more surfaces, wherein a surface comprises one or more surface string sequences representing a section of the border string sequence.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. An apparatus for generating a plurality of data tags representing at least one shape in a raster image, the apparatus comprising:
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a system memory for storing steps of a computer program; and
a computer processor connected to the system memory for executing the steps of the computer program, wherein the computer program comprises;
(a) a border definer for generating a border string sequence representing a color border in the raster image, wherein;
the border string sequence comprises a plurality of surface strings; and
a surface string comprises a receive slope and a send slope representing a slope of the border passing through a predetermined area of the raster image; and
(b) a surface string sequencer for converting the border string sequence into one or more surfaces, wherein a surface comprises one or more surface string sequences representing a section of the border string sequence. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
(a) a surface string is selected from the set consisting of a repeating surface string and a non-repeating surface string;
(b) the receive and send slopes of a repeating surface string are equal;
(c) the receive and send slopes of a non-repeating surface string are not equal; and
(d) a surface string sequence comprises less than four non-repeating surface strings.
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3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein a surface begins when the receive and send slope of a surface string in the border string sequence forms an angle less than ninety degrees.
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4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein a surface begins at the beginning of the border string sequence.
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5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein a surface begins at the beginning of a non-axial line in the border string sequence, wherein a non-axial line can occur when pixels in the raster image form at least two plateaus.
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6. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein:
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(a) a current surface is related to an adjacent surface when the current and adjacent surface form an angle of ninety degrees or more; and
(b) when the current surface is related to the adjacent surface, the current surface comprises a surface string sequence comprising a surface string in the adjacent surface.
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7. The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein:
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(a) a surface string is selected from the set consisting of a repeating surface string and a non-repeating surface string;
(b) the receive and send slopes of a repeating surface string are equal;
(c) the receive and send slopes of a non-repeating surface string are not equal; and
(d) the surface string in the adjacent surface is a non-repeating surface string.
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8. An integrated circuit for generating a plurality of data tags representing at least one shape in a raster image, the integrated circuit comprising:
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(a) a border definer for generating a border string sequence representing a color border in the raster image, wherein;
the border string sequence comprises a plurality of surface strings; and
a surface string comprises a receive slope and a send slope representing a slope of the border passing through a predetermined area of the raster image; and
(b) a surface string sequencer for converting the border string sequence into one or more surfaces, wherein a surface comprises one or more surface string sequences representing a section of the border string sequence. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
(a) a surface string is selected from the set consisting of a repeating surface string and a non-repeating surface string;
(b) the receive and send slopes of a repeating surface string are equal;
(c) the receive and send slopes of a non-repeating surface string are not equal; and
(d) a surface string sequence comprises less than four non-repeating surface strings.
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10. The integrated circuit as recited in claim 8, wherein a surface begins when the receive and send slope of a surface string in the border string sequence forms an angle less than ninety degrees.
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11. The integrated circuit as recited in claim 8, wherein a surface begins at the beginning of the border string sequence.
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12. The integrated circuit as recited in claim 8, wherein a surface begins at the beginning of a non-axial line in the border string sequence, wherein a non-axial line can occur when pixels in the raster image form at least two plateaus.
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13. The integrated circuit as recited in claim 8, wherein:
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(a) a current surface is related to an adjacent surface when the current and adjacent surface form an angle of ninety degrees or more; and
(b) when the current surface is related to the adjacent surface, the current surface comprises a surface string sequence comprising a surface string in the adjacent surface.
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14. The integrated circuit as recited in claim 13, wherein:
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(a) a surface string is selected from the set consisting of a repeating surface string and a non-repeating surface string;
(b) the receive and send slopes of a repeating surface string are equal;
(c) the receive and send slopes of a non-repeating surface string are not equal; and
(d) the surface string in the adjacent surface is a non-repeating surface string.
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15. A method of generating a plurality of data tags representing at least one shape in a raster image, the comprising the steps of:
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(a) generating a border string sequence representing a color border in the raster image, wherein;
the border string sequence comprises a plurality of surface strings; and
a surface string comprises a receive slope and a send slope representing a slope of the border passing through a predetermined area of the raster image; and
(b) converting the border string sequence into one or more surfaces, wherein a surface comprises one or more surface string sequences representing a section of the border string sequence. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
(a) a surface string is selected from the set consisting of a repeating surface string and a non-repeating surface string;
(b) the receive and send slopes of a repeating surface string are equal;
(c) the receive and send slopes of a non-repeating surface string are not equal; and
(d) a surface string sequence comprises less than four non-repeating surface strings.
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17. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein a surface begins when the receive and send slope of a surface string in the border string sequence forms an angle less than ninety degrees.
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18. The integrated circuit as recited in claim 15, wherein a surface begins at the beginning of the border string sequence.
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19. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein a surface begins at the beginning of a non-axial line in the border string sequence, wherein a non-axial line can occur when pixels in the raster image form at least two plateaus.
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20. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein:
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(a) a current surface is related to an adjacent surface when the current and adjacent surface form an angle of ninety degrees or more; and
(b) when the current surface is related to the adjacent surface, the current surface comprises a surface string sequence comprising a surface string in the adjacent surface.
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21. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein:
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(a) a surface string is selected from the set consisting of a repeating surface string and a non-repeating surface string;
(b) the receive and send slopes of a repeating surface string are equal;
(c) the receive and send slopes of a non-repeating surface string are not equal; and
(d) the surface string in the adjacent surface is a non-repeating surface string.
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22. A computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium for generating a plurality of data tags representing at least one shape in a raster image, the computer program comprising source code segments comprising:
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(a) a border definer for generating a border string sequence representing a color border in the raster image, wherein;
the border string sequence comprises a plurality of surface strings; and
a surface string comprises a receive slope and a send slope representing a slope of the border passing through a predetermined area of the raster image; and
(b) a surface string sequencer for converting the border string sequence into one or more surfaces, wherein a surface comprises one or more surface string sequences representing a section of the border string sequence. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
(a) a surface string is selected from the set consisting of a repeating surface string and a non-repeating surface string;
(b) the receive and send slopes of a repeating surface string are equal;
(c) the receive and send slopes of a non-repeating surface string are not equal; and
(d) a surface string sequence comprises less than four non-repeating surface strings.
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24. The computer program as recited in claim 22, wherein a surface begins when the receive and send slope of a surface string in the border string sequence forms an angle less than ninety degrees.
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25. The computer program as recited in claim 22, wherein a surface begins at the beginning of the border string sequence.
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26. The computer program as recited in claim 22, wherein a surface begins at the beginning of a non-axial line in the border string sequence, wherein a non-axial line can occur when pixels in the raster image form at least two plateaus.
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27. The computer program as recited in claim 22, wherein:
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(a) a current surface is related to an adjacent surface when the current and adjacent surface form an angle of ninety degrees or more; and
(b) when the current surface is related to the adjacent surface, the current surface comprises a surface string sequence comprising a surface string in the adjacent surface.
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28. The computer program as recited in claim 27, wherein:
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(a) a surface string is selected from the set consisting of a repeating surface string and a non-repeating surface string;
(b) the receive and send slopes of a repeating surface string are equal;
(c) the receive and send slopes of a non-repeating surface string are not equal; and
(d) the surface string in the adjacent surface is a non-repeating surface string.
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Specification