JP2015060441A - Image processing apparatus, method of controlling the same, and program for controlling the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processing apparatus configured to properly extract each of graphics included in an image, a method and program for controlling the image processing apparatus.SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus, as an image processing apparatus, scans a contour extracted from an image starting from an arbitrary point on the contour, to search for a branch point and the start point on the contour (S105), stores a position of the branch point and a plurality of paths branched from the branch point when the branch point is detected(S110), selects the rightmost path as a path to be scanned, when the branch point is detected (S111), extracts a graphic formed by a scanned trajectory when the start point is detected (S115), and scans an unscanned path of the paths branched from a new start point, which is a branch point detected during scanning (S121).

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing apparatus control method, and an image processing apparatus control program. More specifically, the present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and an image processing apparatus that extract each figure from an image including a plurality of figures. And a control program for the image processing apparatus.

  Image processing apparatuses such as image forming apparatuses have an image processing function for converting an image (scan data) obtained by scanning a document into a file format of office software such as Microsoft Office (registered trademark). doing. It is known that this image processing function has a problem in the editing ability of the figure. That is, since the image processing apparatus always converts the entire image as a single image, even if the image to be converted includes a plurality of figures, editing is performed for each figure in the converted image (for example, There has been a problem that the color, size, shape, position, etc. cannot be changed.

  In order to solve the above problem, it is necessary to extract (decompose) each of the plurality of figures into an editable state and extract them from the image. There are mainly the following three methods for extracting a figure from an image including a plurality of figures.

  The first method is a method of extracting a figure by labeling. The first method compares an arbitrary pixel of interest in an image with an adjacent pixel adjacent to the pixel of interest, and if the pixel of interest and the adjacent pixel have the same color, the same graphic (the same region) is determined and is different. This is a method of judging that the color is a different figure (different area) if it is a color. There are several problems with the first method.

  It is assumed that the image to be extracted is a flowchart composed of a plurality of boxes and arrows (lines) connecting each of the plurality of boxes, and the blocks and the lines are the same color. In this case, the first method cannot separate and extract blocks and arrows having the same color.

  Also, when the outer frame of the figure included in the image to be extracted is colored differently from the inside of the figure, in the first method, the inside of the figure and the outer frame of the figure are separated as separate figures. It was extracted.

  The second method is contour tracking. The second method is a method of extracting a closed curve obtained by scanning the contour of a graphic in the image as a graphic. In the second method, when the image to be extracted includes a plurality of adjacent graphics, only the contours when the plurality of graphics are viewed as a group of graphics are scanned. It could not be separated and extracted.

  Techniques that can solve the problem that the plurality of figures cannot be separated and extracted in the second method are disclosed, for example, in Patent Documents 1 and 2 below.

  Patent Document 1 below discloses an image processing method in which the contour of a digital image is tracked by an image processing device, the image area is grasped, and contour information is generated. In this image processing method, the input digital image is subjected to contour line processing for extracting a contour line segment by performing contour tracking for tracking the boundary side of the pixel that is the same as the color of the pixels at both ends in the traveling direction of the starting point, Branch processing and synthesis processing are performed on the extracted contour line segment, and a contour determined by the combination of the contour line segments is formed to generate contour information of the digital image.

  In Patent Document 2 below, an intersection extraction unit extracts an intersection of ruled lines extracted from an input image, and a storage unit moves away from or approaches the intersection along each ruled line belonging to the intersection. A frame line recognition device that stores intersection information including a flag indicating whether or not this arm vector has been used for route search is disclosed. In this frame line recognition device, when a closed path is detected by a path search in accordance with the direction of the arm vector from a predetermined intersection as a starting point, the frame line extraction unit uses the closed path as a frame line. Extract and update the flag corresponding to the arm vector used to detect the closed route to used, and if all the flags are updated to used, the frame line recognition device will end the route search. Configure.

JP 200631245 A JP 2012-64098 A

  The technique of Patent Document 1 recognizes a boundary (color boundary) of each figure using color information of an image, and extracts a closed curve obtained by scanning the boundary as a figure. In the technique of Patent Document 1, when a scanning point reaches a pixel (branch point) where three colors intersect, the figure is extracted by proceeding in the same color direction as the currently detected figure. However, this extraction method has a problem that when the outer frame of the figure included in the image is colored differently from the inside of the figure, the inside of the figure and the outer frame of the figure are extracted as separate figures. was there.

  In the technique of Patent Document 2, it is necessary to investigate all pixels before performing a route search, and to keep the intersections (branch points) of all ruled lines and the courses associated therewith. For this reason, there has been a problem that the amount of memory becomes enormous. In addition, since the intersection of ruled lines is used as a branching point necessary for detection, there is a problem that a figure cannot be extracted in the case of a figure having no ruled line such as a circular figure.

  The present invention is for solving the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus capable of appropriately extracting each figure from an image including a plurality of figures, a control method for the image processing apparatus, and an image. A control program for a processing apparatus is provided.

  An image processing apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention is an image processing apparatus that extracts each figure from an image including a plurality of figures, and includes an outline extracting unit that extracts each outline of the plurality of figures from the image, First scanning means for searching for a branch point and a starting point on the contour by scanning the contour extracted by the contour extracting means with an arbitrary point on the contour extracted by the extracting means as a starting point; When a branch point is found by one scanning means, a storage means for storing the position of the found branch point and a plurality of paths branched from the found branch point; and a branch point by the first scanning means A selection unit that selects a path that exists at a specific position in the traveling direction among a plurality of paths branched from the found branch point when it is found, as a path to be scanned by the first scanning unit; Find the starting point with the scanning means The figure extracting means for extracting the figure constituted by the trajectory scanned by the first scanning means, and the branch point found by the first scanning means when the figure extracting means extracts the figure. And a second scanning unit that scans an unscanned path among a plurality of paths branched from a branch point that is a new start point.

  Preferably, the image processing apparatus further includes a line segment extracting unit that extracts, as a line segment, an outline that has not been extracted as a graphic out of the outlines extracted by the contour extracting unit when there is no graphic to be extracted.

  Preferably, in the above image processing apparatus, when the branch point discovered by the first scanning unit is found again after the branch point is discovered by the first scanning unit and before the start point is discovered, The apparatus further includes a discarding unit that discards the figure constituted by the trajectory scanned by the first scanning unit.

  Preferably, in the above image processing apparatus, when the branch point discovered by the first scanning unit is found again after the branch point is discovered by the first scanning unit and before the start point is discovered, Among a plurality of branch points found by the first scanning means, a branch point first discovered by the first scanning means is a new start point, and a plurality of paths branch from the branch point that is the new start point. Of these, a third scanning means for scanning a path different from the path scanned by the first scanning means is further provided.

  Preferably, in the image processing apparatus, the second scanning unit uses, as a new start point, a branch point first discovered by the first scanning unit among a plurality of branch points found by the first scanning unit. Scan.

  Preferably, in the above image processing apparatus, the second scanning means is found by the first scanning means when the first branch point found by the first scanning means has no unscanned path. A path discriminating unit for discriminating whether or not there is a branch point having an unscanned path among the plurality of branch points, and a plurality of branch points found by the first scanning unit by the path discriminating unit The first scanning means among the branch points having the unscanned path discovered by the first scanning means when it is determined that there is a branch point having the unscanned path among them. And a first unscanned path scanning means for scanning the unscanned path with the branch point found earliest as a new start point.

  Preferably, in the image processing apparatus, the second scanning unit has no branch point having an unscanned path among the plurality of branch points found by the first scanning unit by the path determining unit. In the scanning performed before the scanning by the first scanning means, the identifying means for identifying the latest scan that has found a branch point having an unscanned path, and the identifying means And a second unscanned path scanning unit that scans the unscanned path with a branch point having an unscanned path discovered during the specified scan as a new start point.

  Preferably, in the image processing apparatus, a first erasing unit for erasing a path constituting a graphic extracted by the graphic extracting unit among a plurality of paths branched from a branch point stored in the storing unit, and a storage unit And a second erasing unit for erasing the position of the branch point from which all paths are erased.

  A control method for an image processing device according to another aspect of the present invention is a control method for an image processing device that extracts each graphic from an image including a plurality of graphics, and extracts each contour of the plurality of graphics from the image. A contour extraction step and a first point for searching for a branch point and a start point on the contour by scanning the contour extracted in the contour extraction step with an arbitrary point on the contour extracted in the contour extraction step as a start point A scanning step, a storage step for storing a position of the found branch point and a plurality of paths branched from the found branch point when a branch point is found in the first scan step, and a first scan When a branch point is found in a step, a route existing at a specific position in the traveling direction among a plurality of routes branched from the found branch point is set as a route scanned in the first scanning step. A selection step for selecting, a graphic extraction step for extracting a graphic constituted by the trajectory scanned in the first scanning step when a starting point is found in the first scanning step, and a graphic in the graphic extraction step Is extracted, the branch point found in the first scanning step is set as a new start point, and a second path that scans an unscanned path among a plurality of paths branched from the branch point set as the new start point A scanning step.

  A control program for an image processing apparatus according to still another aspect of the present invention is a control program for an image processing apparatus that extracts each figure from an image including a plurality of figures, and extracts each contour of the plurality of figures from the image. A contour extraction step to search for a branch point and a start point on the contour by scanning the contour extracted in the contour extraction step with an arbitrary point on the contour extracted in the contour extraction step as a starting point. A storage step for storing the position of the detected branch point and a plurality of paths branched from the detected branch point when a branch point is found in the first scan step; When a branch point is found in the scanning step, a route existing at a specific position in the traveling direction among a plurality of routes branched from the found branch point is set as the first scanning step. A selection step for selecting as a path to be scanned, a graphic extraction step for extracting a graphic constituted by the trajectory scanned in the first scanning step when a starting point is found in the first scanning step, and a graphic extraction When a figure is extracted in a step, the branch point found in the first scanning step is set as a new start point, and an unscanned path is scanned among a plurality of paths branched from the branch point set as the new start point. And causing the computer to execute a second scanning step.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an image processing apparatus, an image processing apparatus control method, and an image processing apparatus control program capable of appropriately extracting each figure from an image including a plurality of figures.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a first diagram illustrating a graphic extraction method performed by the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a first diagram illustrating a graphic extraction method performed by the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation of the image forming apparatus in the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a first diagram illustrating a graphic extraction method performed by an image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a first diagram illustrating a graphic extraction method performed by an image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a first diagram illustrating a graphic extraction method performed by an image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a first diagram illustrating a figure extraction method performed by an image forming apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a second diagram illustrating a graphic extraction method performed by the image forming apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention. It is a subroutine of the starting point determination process of step S119 of FIG. 4 in the third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a first diagram illustrating a figure extraction method performed by an image forming apparatus in a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In the 4th Embodiment of this invention, it is the 2nd figure explaining the extraction method of the figure which an image forming apparatus performs. FIG. 10 is a third diagram illustrating a figure extracting method performed by the image forming apparatus in the fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a fourth diagram illustrating a graphic extraction method performed by the image forming apparatus according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of an image forming apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows typically the figure extracted in the 1st-4th embodiment of this invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  In the following embodiments, a case will be described in which the image processing apparatus is an MFP (Multifunction Peripheral) having a scanner function, a facsimile function, a copy function, a printer function, a data communication function, and a server function. The image processing apparatus may be an image forming apparatus other than an MFP that forms an image by, for example, an electrophotographic system or an electrostatic recording system, and may be, for example, a facsimile machine, a copier, or a printer. The image processing apparatus may be other than the image forming apparatus, and may be a PC (Personal Computer), a mobile phone, a scanner device, or the like.

  [First Embodiment]

  First, the configuration of the image forming apparatus in the present embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  Referring to FIG. 1, image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment is an MFP having a scanner function, a facsimile function, a copying function, a printer function, a data communication function, and a server function. The image forming apparatus 1 includes a control unit 10, a fixed storage unit 20, an image reading unit 30, an image forming unit 40, a network I / F 50, and an operation panel 60.

  The control unit 10 is connected to each of the fixed storage unit 20, the image reading unit 30, the image forming unit 40, the network I / F 50, and the operation panel 60. The control unit 10 controls the entire image forming apparatus 1 for various jobs such as a scan job, a copy job, a mail transmission job, and a print job.

  The fixed storage unit 20 is, for example, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), and stores various information such as an image read by the image reading unit 30 and an image received from an external device through the network I / F 50.

  The image reading unit 30 forms an image on a sheet by reading an image of a document.

  The image forming unit 40 forms an image on a sheet. The image forming unit 40 is roughly composed of a toner image forming unit, a fixing device, a paper transport unit, and the like. The image forming unit 40 forms an image on a sheet by, for example, electrophotography. The toner image forming unit combines four color images by a so-called tandem method, and forms a color image on a sheet. The toner image forming unit includes a photoconductor provided for each color of C (cyan), M (magenta), Y (yellow), and K (black), and an intermediate in which a toner image is transferred (primary transfer) from the photoconductor. The image forming apparatus includes a transfer belt and a transfer unit that transfers an image from the intermediate transfer belt to a sheet (secondary transfer). The fixing device has a heating roller and a pressure roller. The fixing device conveys the sheet on which the toner image is formed between the heating roller and the pressure roller, and heats and presses the sheet. As a result, the fixing device melts the toner adhering to the paper and fixes it on the paper to form an image on the paper. The paper transport unit includes a paper feed roller, a transport roller, and a motor that drives them. The paper transport unit feeds the paper from the paper feed cassette and transports it inside the housing of the image forming apparatus 1. The paper transport unit discharges the paper on which the image is formed from the housing of the image forming apparatus 1 to a paper discharge tray or the like.

  The network I / F 50 performs communication between the image forming apparatus 1 and an external device connected to the image forming apparatus 1 through the network.

  The operation panel 60 displays various information to the user and accepts various operations from the user.

  The control unit 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and the like. The CPU executes a control program stored in the ROM. The RAM is a work area for the CPU. The control unit 10 includes an image storage unit 101, a preprocessing unit 102, a contour scanning unit 103, a branch point storage unit 104, a course selection unit 105, a graphic determination unit 106, a graphic storage unit 107, and the like. Yes.

  The image storage unit 101 stores an image to be subjected to graphic extraction in a fixed storage unit.

  The pre-processing unit 102 converts the image into a scannable state by extracting the contour of the figure from the image stored in the fixed storage unit.

  The contour scanning unit 103 searches for a branch point and a start point on the contour by scanning the contour extracted by the preprocessing unit 102. Since the contour scanning unit 103 only tracks continuous pixels, the contour scanning unit 103 can scan the contour without depending on the figure shape.

  When the contour scanning unit 103 finds a branch point, the branch point storage unit 104 stores the position (coordinates) of the branch point and a plurality of routes branched from the branch point in the fixed storage unit 20. When the branch point storage unit 104 finds a branch point during scanning by the contour scanning unit 103, the branch point storage unit 104 preferably stores the order in which the branch point is found in the fixed storage unit 20. The branch point storage unit 104 also stores in the fixed storage unit 20 a start point when the contour scanning unit 103 starts scanning.

  The course selection unit 105, when the contour scanning unit 103 finds a branch point, out of a plurality of routes branched from the branch point (a plurality of routes constituting the branch point) at a specific position in the traveling direction. An existing path (a path existing in a certain direction) is selected as a path to be scanned. The course selection unit 105 selects a branch point as a starting point and a path to be scanned when the contour scanning is resumed. The route selection unit 105 only needs to select a route that always exists at a specific position in the traveling direction.

  The graphic determination unit 106 is configured by a trajectory scanned by the contour scanning unit 103 based on the position of the branch point stored in the branch point storage unit 104 when the contour scanning unit 103 finds a start point or a branch point. It is determined whether or not the figure is a closed curve (closed loop, closed region). Specifically, when the contour scanning unit 103 finds the start point again during scanning, the graphic determination unit 106 determines that the graphic formed by the scanned trajectory is a closed curve. On the other hand, when the contour scanning unit 103 finds a branch point at the time of scanning and before the start point is found, when the branch point already found in the scan is found again, the graphic determination unit 106 scans. It is determined that the figure formed by the locus is a combination of a line segment (open loop) and a closed curve.

  The graphic storage unit 107 extracts a graphic constituted by the scanned trajectory and stores the extracted graphic in the fixed storage unit 20 in a predetermined case.

  The image forming apparatus extracts each figure from an image including a plurality of figures adjacent to each other. Next, a graphic extraction method performed by the image forming apparatus in the present embodiment will be described.

  2 and 3 are diagrams for explaining a graphic extraction method performed by the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In the following drawings, the difference in the colors of the figures included in the image may be indicated by the type of bold hatching, and the figure extracted from the image may be indicated by the thin line hatching.

  Referring to FIG. 2A, an image IM to be subjected to graphic extraction includes graphic FG1 and FG2 adjacent to each other. Each of the figures FG1 and FG2 has a square shape. The inside of the figure FG1 is, for example, green, and the inside of the figure FG2 is, for example, blue. The outer frame of the figures FG1 and FG2 is red, for example.

  Referring to FIG. 2B, when the image forming apparatus 1 obtains the image IM from the fixed storage unit 20 or the like, the image forming apparatus 1 extracts the contour OL of each figure from the image IM using the pre-processing unit 102. Is converted into a scannable state. For example, the image forming apparatus 1 extracts the edges of the figures FG1 and FG2 based on the brightness difference or color difference between adjacent pixels, and thins the edges to extract the outline OL of each figure. To do. The contour OL is linear and is composed of continuous pixels. Thinning means a technique for reducing the line width to one pixel.

  Next, the image forming apparatus 1 starts the first scan of the contour OL from the start point ST1 selected using the course selection unit 105 toward the right in FIG. The image forming apparatus 1 searches the branch point and the start point ST1 on the contour OL by performing scanning using the contour scanning unit 103. The image forming apparatus 1 uses the branch point storage unit 104 to store the start point ST1 in the fixed storage unit 20.

  The position of the starting point and the traveling direction from the starting point in the first scanning are arbitrary. At the time of the first scanning, only unscanned pixels exist in the vicinity of the start point. Therefore, the main scanning direction of the image by the image reading unit 30 (for example, the main scanning direction is the direction from the left to the right in FIG. If the sub-scanning direction is a direction from the top to the bottom in FIG. 2, the right direction in FIG. In addition, when the direction of travel at the start of scanning is set to the right, at the subsequent branch point, the route that is present at the rightmost position in the direction of travel is always selected from the multiple routes branched from the branch point. May be. When the advancing direction at the start of scanning is set to the left direction, a path that is present at the leftmost position in the advancing direction is always selected from the plurality of paths branched from the branching point at the subsequent branching point. Also good.

  In the following embodiments, the traveling direction from the start point at the start of scanning is set to the right direction, and at the branch point discovered after that, among the plurality of paths branched from the branch point, it is at the rightmost position in the traveling direction. It is assumed that an existing route is always selected. In this case, the minimum unit figure is scanned clockwise.

  Referring to FIG. 2C, the image forming apparatus 1 finds a branch point P11 when scanning the contour OL. In this case, the image forming apparatus 1 uses the branch point storage unit 104 to store the position of the branch point P11 and the routes L11A and L11B branched from the branch point P11 in the fixed storage unit 20. At this time, the image forming apparatus 1 may store the scanned path L11C among the paths branched from the branch point P11 in the fixed storage unit 20 together with the paths L11A and L11B, or may not store the path L11C. Good.

  When the branch point P11 is found during the scanning of the contour OL, the image forming apparatus 1 uses the route selection unit 105 to select a route that exists at the rightmost position in the traveling direction among the routes L11A and L11B. A certain path L11A is selected as a path to be scanned.

  Referring to FIG. 2D, the image forming apparatus 1 finds a branch point P12 when scanning the contour OL. In this case, the image forming apparatus 1 stores the position of the branch point P12 and the paths L12A and L12B branched from the branch point P12 in the fixed storage unit 20. In addition, the image forming apparatus 1 selects a path L12A, which is a path located at the rightmost position in the traveling direction, among the paths L12A and L12B as a path to be scanned.

  Referring to FIG. 2E, the image forming apparatus 1 finds the start point ST1 when scanning the contour OL. In this case, the image forming apparatus 1 uses the graphic determination unit 106 to determine that the graphic formed by the locus scanned by the contour scanning unit 103 is a closed curve.

  Referring to FIG. 3A, when the figure formed by the scanned locus is a closed curve, the image forming apparatus 1 uses the figure storage unit 107 to extract the figure FG51 formed by the scanned locus. And stored in the fixed storage unit 20. Thereby, the first scan is completed.

  Referring to FIG. 3B, the image forming apparatus 1 performs the second scan when a figure is extracted and an unscanned path remains in the path stored in the fixed storage unit 20. . The image forming apparatus 1 sets an arbitrary branch point among the branch points found in the first scan as a new start point, and scans an unscanned path among a plurality of paths branched from the branch point. Here, the second scan of the contour OL is started along the path L11B that is an unscanned path (toward the right in FIG. 3) with the branch point P11 as a new start point ST2.

  Referring to FIG. 3C, after the image forming apparatus 1 finds the branch point P12 during the scanning of the contour OL (the position of the branch point P12 and the path branched from the branch point P12 are fixed storage units). The image forming apparatus 1 finds the start point ST2 when scanning the contour OL. In this case, the image forming apparatus 1 uses the graphic determination unit 106 to determine that the graphic formed by the locus scanned by the contour scanning unit 103 is a closed curve.

  With reference to FIG. 3D, the image forming apparatus 1 uses the graphic storage unit 107 to extract a graphic FG 52 constituted by the scanned locus and stores it in the fixed storage unit 20. Thereby, the second scan is completed.

  After the graphic FG 52 is extracted, there is no route that can extract the graphic among the routes stored in the fixed storage unit 20. In this case, the image forming apparatus 1 determines that there is no figure to be extracted, and if there is an outline that is not extracted as a figure, extracts it as a line segment. The graphic extraction is thus completed.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  Referring to FIG. 4, upon receiving an instruction to extract a graphic from an image through operation panel 60 or an external device, control unit 10 extracts the contour of each graphic from the image (S101) and sets a start point (S101). S103). Subsequently, the control unit 10 starts scanning the contour in an arbitrary direction from the start point (S105), and determines whether or not a branch point has been found during the scan (S107).

  If it is determined in step S107 that a branch point has been found (YES in S107), the control unit 10 determines whether the found branch point is a branch point already stored in the fixed storage unit 20 (S109). ).

  If it is determined in step S109 that the branch point has already been stored in the fixed storage unit 20 (YES in S109), the control unit 10 is the most in the traveling direction among a plurality of routes branched from the found branch point. A route existing at the right side (right end) position is selected (S111), and the process proceeds to step S107.

  If it is determined in step S109 that the branch point is not already stored in the fixed storage unit 20 (NO in S109), the control unit 10 determines the position of the found branch point and the route branched from the found branch point. (S110), and the process proceeds to step S111.

  If it is determined in step S107 that no branch point is found (NO in S107), the control unit 10 determines whether a start point is found (S113).

  If it is determined in step S113 that no starting point is found (NO in S113), the control unit 10 proceeds to the process of step S107. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S113 that a starting point has been found (YES in S113), the control unit 10 determines that the figure formed by the scanned locus is a closed curve. In this case, the control unit 10 extracts a figure constituted by the scanned trajectory, stores it in the fixed storage unit 20, and ends the scanning for that time (S115). Next, the control unit 10 determines whether or not an unscanned path remains in the path stored in the fixed storage unit 20 (S117).

  If it is determined in step S117 that an unscanned path remains in the path stored in the fixed storage unit 20 (YES in S117), the control unit 10 performs a start point determination process that is a process of moving the start point. Perform (S119). In the present embodiment, as the start point determination process, the control unit 10 determines an arbitrary branch point found in the most recently completed scan as the start point. Next, the control unit 10 starts the next scan along the unscanned path from the determined start point (S121), and proceeds to the process of step S107.

  If it is determined in step S117 that no unscanned path remains in the path stored in the fixed storage unit 20 (NO in S117), the control unit 10 determines that there is an outline that has not been extracted as a graphic. A line segment is extracted (S123), and the process ends.

  [Second Embodiment]

  5 to 7 are diagrams for explaining a graphic extraction method performed by the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

  Referring to FIG. 5 (a), an image IM to be extracted includes a graphic FG1, a line segment FG2, a graphic FG3, and a graphic FG4 that are adjacent to each other. The figure FG1 has a square shape. The figures FG3 and FG4 have a rectangular shape. The inside of figures FG1 and FG3 is, for example, green, and the inside of figure FG4 is, for example, blue. The line segment FG2 is red, for example, and the outer frames of the figures FG1, FG3, and FG4 are red, for example.

  Referring to FIG. 5B, when the image forming apparatus 1 obtains the image IM from the fixed storage unit 20 or the like, the image forming apparatus 1 extracts the contour OL of each figure from the image IM and converts the image into a scannable state. To do.

  Referring to FIG. 5C, the image forming apparatus 1 starts the first scan of the contour OL from the arbitrary start point ST1 toward the right in FIG. The image forming apparatus 1 stores the start point ST1 in the fixed storage unit 20.

  The image forming apparatus 1 finds the branch point P11 when scanning the contour OL, and stores the position of the branch point P11 and the paths L11A and L11B branched from the branch point P11 in the fixed storage unit 20. Further, the image forming apparatus 1 selects the path L11A, which is the path located at the rightmost position in the traveling direction, among the paths L11A and L11B as the scanning path.

  The image forming apparatus 1 finds the start point ST1 when scanning the contour OL. In this case, the image forming apparatus 1 determines that the figure formed by the locus scanned by the contour scanning unit 103 is a closed curve.

  With reference to FIG. 5D, the image forming apparatus 1 extracts a graphic FG 51 formed by the scanned locus and stores it in the fixed storage unit 20. Thereby, the first scan is completed.

  Subsequently, the image forming apparatus 1 uses the branch point P11, which is an arbitrary branch point having an unscanned path, as a start point ST2, and follows the contour OL along the path L11B, which is the unscanned path (toward the right in FIG. 5). The second scan is started.

  Referring to FIG. 6A, the image forming apparatus 1 finds a branch point P21 when scanning the contour OL. In this case, the image forming apparatus 1 stores the position of the branch point P21 and the routes L21A and L21B branched from the branch point P21 in the fixed storage unit 20. Further, the image forming apparatus 1 selects the path L21A, which is the path located at the rightmost position in the traveling direction, among the paths L21A and L21B as the scanning path.

  Referring to FIG. 6B, the image forming apparatus 1 finds a branch point P22 when scanning the contour OL. In this case, the image forming apparatus 1 stores the position of the branch point P22 and the paths L22A and L22B branched from the branch point P22 in the fixed storage unit 20. Further, the image forming apparatus 1 selects the path L22A, which is the path located at the rightmost position in the traveling direction, among the paths L22A and L22B as the scanning path.

  Referring to FIG. 6C, the image forming apparatus 1 finds a branch point P23 when scanning the contour OL. In this case, the image forming apparatus 1 stores the position of the branch point P23 and the paths L23A and L23B branched from the branch point P23 in the fixed storage unit 20. In addition, the image forming apparatus 1 selects a path L23A, which is a path located at the rightmost position in the traveling direction, among the paths L23A and L23B as a path to be scanned.

  With reference to FIG. 6D, the branch point P21 is found again during the scanning of the contour OL. As described above, when the branch point found in the second scan is found again after the branch point is found in the second scan and before the start point is found, the figure in the second scan The scanning direction is opposite to the target direction (counterclockwise), and the figure cannot be extracted in the minimum unit. This is due to the fact that the start point of the scan is not on the closed curve but on the line segment. In this case, the image forming apparatus 1 uses the graphic determination unit 106 to determine that the graphic formed by the trajectory scanned the second time is a combination of a line segment and a closed curve, and ends the second scanning. The figure formed by the trajectory scanned the second time is discarded. Further, the image forming apparatus 1 returns the newly scanned path to the unscanned path during the second scan.

  When the branch point discovered in the second scan is found again after the branch point is found by scanning and before the start point is discovered, the image forming apparatus 1 determines that a specific point other than the above is specified. Processing (for example, notification to a user or separation of a line segment and a closed curve) may be performed.

  With reference to FIG. 7A, when the branch point P21 is found again, the image forming apparatus 1 is the first branch point found among the plurality of branch points found during the second scan. A third scan is started along the path L21B with P21 as a new start point ST3. The path L21B is a path different from the path L21A scanned during the second scan among the unscanned paths L21A and L21B at the branch point P21.

  Referring to FIG. 7B, image forming apparatus 1 finds branch points P23 and P22 during the scanning of contour OL (the positions of branch points P23 and P22 and the branch points P23 and P22). Since the route is already stored in the fixed storage unit 20, it is not newly stored), and the start point ST3 is found. In this case, the image forming apparatus 1 determines that the figure formed by the scanned locus is a closed curve.

  With reference to FIG. 7C, the image forming apparatus 1 extracts the figure FG52 formed by the scanned trajectory and stores it in the fixed storage unit 20. Thereby, the third scan is completed.

  Referring to FIG. 7D, in the case of extracting a figure, the image forming apparatus 1 is an unscanned path with a branch point P23, which is an arbitrary branch point having an unscanned path, as a new start point ST4. A fourth scan of the contour OL is started along the path L21C (toward the right in FIG. 7).

  Referring to FIG. 7E, the image forming apparatus 1 finds the start point ST4 when scanning the contour OL. In this case, the image forming apparatus 1 determines that the figure formed by the scanned locus is a closed curve.

  The image forming apparatus 1 extracts the figure FG53 configured by the scanned locus and stores it in the fixed storage unit 20. This completes the fourth scan.

  After the graphic FG 53 is extracted, there is no route that can extract the graphic among the routes stored in the fixed storage unit 20. In this case, the image forming apparatus 1 determines that there is no figure to be extracted, and extracts, as a line segment FG54, a straight line connecting the branch point P11 and the branch point P21, which is an outline not extracted as a figure. The graphic extraction is thus completed.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

  Referring to FIG. 8, this flowchart is different from the flowchart in the case of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 4 in the process executed after the process of step S109.

  If it is determined in step S109 that the found branch point is a branch point already stored in the fixed storage unit 20 (YES in S109), the control unit 10 determines that the found branch point is the current (current) scan. It is determined whether or not the branch point has already been found in step S201.

  If it is determined in step S201 that the branch point has already been found in the current scan (YES in S201), the control unit 10 determines that the figure formed by the trajectory scanned this time is a combination of a line segment and a closed curve. The determination is made, the figure constituted by the trajectory scanned this time is discarded, and the current scanning is terminated (S203). Subsequently, the control unit 10 moves the start point to the first branch point found among the plurality of branch points found during the most recently completed scan (S205), and starts the next scan (S207), step The process proceeds to S107.

  If it is determined in step S201 that the branch point is not already found in the current scan (NO in S201), the control unit 10 proceeds to the process of step S111.

  Note that the configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment and operations other than those described above are the same as those in the first embodiment, and therefore description thereof will not be repeated.

  [Third Embodiment]

  9 and 10 are diagrams for explaining a graphic extraction method performed by the image forming apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

  Referring to FIG. 9A, an image IM to be subjected to graphic extraction includes graphic FG1, FG2, and FG3 adjacent to each other. Each of the figures FG1, FG2, and FG3 has a square shape. The inside of the figure FG1 is, for example, red, the inside of the figure FG2 is, for example, green, and the inside of the figure FG3 is, for example, blue. The outer frames of the figures FG1, FG2, and FG3 are, for example, black.

  Referring to FIG. 9B, when the image forming apparatus 1 obtains the image IM from the fixed storage unit 20 or the like, the image forming apparatus 1 converts the image into a scannable state by extracting the contour OL of each figure from the image IM. To do.

  The image forming apparatus 1 starts the first scan of the contour OL from the arbitrary start point ST1 toward the right in FIG. The image forming apparatus 1 stores the start point ST1 in the fixed storage unit 20.

  Referring to FIG. 9C, the image forming apparatus 1 finds branch points P11, P12, and P13 during the scanning of the contour OL, and determines the positions of the branch points P11, P12, and P13 and the branch points. The path branched from each of the points P11, P12, and P13 is stored in the fixed storage unit 20. Further, the image forming apparatus 1 selects the path existing at the rightmost position in the traveling direction at each of the branch points P11, P12, and P13 as a path to be scanned.

  The image forming apparatus 1 finds the start point ST1 when scanning the contour OL. In this case, the image forming apparatus 1 determines that the figure formed by the locus scanned by the contour scanning unit 103 is a closed curve.

  With reference to FIG. 9D, the image forming apparatus 1 extracts the figure FG51 configured by the scanned locus and stores it in the fixed storage unit 20. Thereby, the first scan is completed.

  Subsequently, the image forming apparatus 1 starts the second scan of the branch point P11 found first during the first scan among the branch points P11, P12, and P13 found during the first scan. Let it be point ST2. The image forming apparatus 1 starts the second scan along the path L11A that is an unscanned path among the paths branched from the branch point P11.

  Note that the image forming apparatus has an unscanned path in the branch point found in the first scan when the first discovered branch point in the first scan does not have an unscanned path. If there is a branch point that has been detected, among the branch points having an unscanned path that was found during the first scan, the branch point that was found earliest during the first scan is set as the new start point. As a result, the second scan may be performed.

  Further, the image forming apparatus 1 determines that the branch point found during the current scan (the most recently completed scan) has no branch point having an unscanned path before the current scan. Identify the latest scan that found a branch point that has an unscanned path from the scans that were performed, and newly start a branch point that has an unscanned path that was found during the identified scan As a point, the next scanning may be performed.

  Referring to FIG. 10A, the image forming apparatus 1 finds branch points P21 and P12 when scanning the contour OL, and fixedly stores the position of the branch point P21 and the route branched from the branch point P21. Store in the unit 20 (the position of the branch point P12 and the route branched from the branch point P12 are already stored in the fixed storage unit 20 and are not newly stored). Further, the image forming apparatus 1 selects a path that exists at the rightmost position in the traveling direction at each of the branch points P21 and P12 as a path to be scanned.

  The image forming apparatus 1 finds the start point ST2 when scanning the contour OL. In this case, the image forming apparatus 1 uses the graphic determination unit 106 to determine that the graphic formed by the locus scanned by the contour scanning unit 103 is a closed curve.

  With reference to FIG. 10B, the image forming apparatus 1 extracts a graphic FG 52 constituted by the scanned locus and stores it in the fixed storage unit 20. Thereby, the second scan is completed.

  Subsequently, the image forming apparatus 1 uses the branch point P21 first found during the second scan among the branch points P21 and P12 found during the second scan as the start point ST3 of the third scan. To do. The image forming apparatus 1 starts the third scan along the path L21A that is an unscanned path among the paths branched from the branch point P21.

  Referring to FIG. 10 (c), image forming apparatus 1 finds branch points P13 and P12 during scanning of contour OL (from the positions of branch points P13 and P12, and branch points P13 and P12, respectively). Since the branched route is already stored in the fixed storage unit 20, it is not newly stored), and the start point ST3 is found. In this case, the image forming apparatus 1 determines that the figure formed by the scanned locus is a closed curve.

  The image forming apparatus 1 extracts the figure FG53 configured by the scanned locus and stores it in the fixed storage unit 20. Thereby, the third scan is completed.

  After the graphic FG 53 is extracted, there is no route that can extract the graphic among the routes stored in the fixed storage unit 20. In this case, the image forming apparatus 1 determines that there is no figure to be extracted, and if there is an outline that is not extracted as a figure, extracts it as a line segment. The graphic extraction is thus completed.

  FIG. 11 is a subroutine of the start point determination process in step S119 of FIG. 4 in the third embodiment of the present invention.

  Referring to FIG. 11, in the present embodiment, the following process is performed as the start point determination process. The control unit 10 determines whether or not the branch point first discovered during the current scan (the most recently completed scan) has an unscanned path (S301).

  In step S301, when it is determined that the first branch point found during the current scan has an unscanned path (YES in S301), the control unit 10 first discovered during the current scan. The branch point is determined as a new start point (S303), and the process returns.

  In step S301, when it is determined that the first branch point found at the time of the current scan does not have an unscanned path (NO at S301), the control unit 10 detects a plurality of points found at the time of the current scan. It is determined whether there is a branch point having an unscanned path among the branch points (S305).

In step S305, when it is determined that there is a branch point having an unscanned path among the plurality of branch points found during the current scan (YES in S305), the control unit 10
Among the branch points having an unscanned path discovered during the current scan, the branch point found earliest during the current scan is determined as a new start point (S307), and the process returns.

  In step S305, when it is determined that there is no branch point having an unscanned path among the plurality of branch points found during the current scan (NO in S305), the control unit 10 performs the current scan. Among the scans performed before the previous scan, the latest scan that has found a branch point having an unscanned path is identified (S309). Subsequently, the control unit 10 determines a branch point having an unscanned path, which is found during the specified scan, as a new start point (S311), and returns.

  Note that the configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment and operations other than those described above are the same as those in the first embodiment, and therefore description thereof will not be repeated.

  [Fourth Embodiment]

  12 to 15 are diagrams for explaining a graphic extraction method performed by the image forming apparatus according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. 12 (b) and (c), FIGS. 13 (b) and (c), FIGS. 14 (b) and (c), and FIGS. 15 (b) and (c) are stored in the fixed storage unit 20. Information is shown schematically.

  With reference to FIG. 12A, here, it is assumed that the image forming apparatus 1 has extracted an outline OL composed of four adjacent squares from an image. The image forming apparatus 1 starts the first scan of the contour OL from the arbitrary start point ST1 toward the right in FIG. The image forming apparatus 1 finds branch points P11, P12, and P13 when scanning the contour OL, and then finds a start point ST1.

  After finding the branch point P13 and before finding the start point ST1, the fixed storage unit 20 stores information on the position of the start point ST1, the branch point P11, as shown in FIG. Information on each position of P12 and P13 and information on routes L11A, L11B, L12A, L12B, L13A, and L13B branched from each of branch points P11, P12, and P13 are stored.

  When the image forming apparatus 1 finds the start point ST1, the image forming apparatus 1 determines that the figure formed by the scanned locus is a closed curve, extracts the figure FG51 formed by the scanned locus, and stores it in the fixed storage unit 20. Thereby, the first scan is completed. When the figure FG51 is extracted, the image forming apparatus 1 includes paths L11A, L12A, which are paths constituting the figure FG51, among the route information stored in the fixed storage unit 20, as shown in FIG. The information of L13A is deleted. Further, when the graphic FG51 is extracted, the image forming apparatus 1 may delete the information on the position of the scanning start point ST1 from which the graphic FG51 is extracted.

  Referring to FIG. 13A, next, the image forming apparatus 1 performs the second scan of the contour OL in the right direction in FIG. 13 (along the path L11B) with the branch point P11 as the start point ST2. Start. The image forming apparatus 1 finds branch points P21, P22, and P12 when scanning the contour OL, and then finds a start point ST2.

  After discovering the branch point P22 and before discovering the start point ST2, as shown in FIG. 13B, the fixed storage unit 20 stores information on the position of the start point ST2, the branch point P21, and Information on each position of P22 and information on routes L21A, L21B, L22A, and L22B branched from each of branch points P21 and P22 are newly stored (route L22A and route L12B are the same route). is there).

  The image forming apparatus 1 determines that the figure constituted by the scanned locus is a closed curve, extracts the figure FG52 constituted by the scanned locus, and stores it in the fixed storage unit 20. Thereby, the second scan is completed. When the image forming apparatus 1 extracts the graphic FG52, as shown in FIG. 13C, the path L11B, L21A, and L22A, which are paths constituting the graphic FG52, of the path information stored in the fixed storage unit 20, as shown in FIG. , And the information of L12B are deleted. Further, the image forming apparatus 1 may erase the information on the positions of the branch points P11 and P12 that are the branch points that no longer have unscanned paths (the branch points where all the paths are deleted). Further, when the graphic FG52 is extracted, the image forming apparatus 1 may erase the position information of the scanning start point ST2 from which the graphic FG52 is extracted.

  Referring to FIG. 14A, next, the image forming apparatus 1 performs the third scan of the contour OL in the right direction in FIG. 14 (along the path L21B) with the branch point P21 as the start point ST3. Start. The image forming apparatus 1 finds branch points P31 and P22 when scanning the contour OL, and then finds a start point ST3.

  After finding the branch point P31 and before finding the start point ST3, the fixed storage unit 20 stores information on the position of the start point ST3 and the location of the branch point P31 as shown in FIG. Information on the position and information on the routes L31A and L31B branched from the branch point P31 are newly stored (the route L31A and the route L22B are the same route).

  The image forming apparatus 1 determines that the figure constituted by the scanned locus is a closed curve, extracts the figure FG53 constituted by the scanned locus, and stores it in the fixed storage unit 20. Thereby, the third scan is completed. When the figure FG53 is extracted, the image forming apparatus 1 includes paths L21B, L31A, which are paths constituting the figure FG53, among the path information stored in the fixed storage unit 20, as shown in FIG. The information of L22B is deleted. Further, the image forming apparatus 1 may delete the information on the positions of the branch points P21 and P22 that no longer have the unscanned path. Further, when the graphic FG53 is extracted, the image forming apparatus 1 may delete the information on the position of the scanning start point ST3 from which the graphic FG53 is extracted.

  Referring to FIG. 15A, the image forming apparatus 1 then performs a fourth scan of the contour OL toward the left in FIG. 15 (along the path L31B) with the branch point P31 as the start point ST4. Start. The image forming apparatus 1 finds branch points P13, P12, and P22 when scanning the contour OL, and then finds a start point ST4.

  Before starting the start point ST4 after starting the fourth scan, the fixed storage unit 20 newly stores information on the position of the start point ST4, as shown in FIG. 15B. .

  The image forming apparatus 1 determines that the figure constituted by the scanned locus is a closed curve, extracts the figure FG54 constituted by the scanned locus, and stores it in the fixed storage unit 20. This completes the fourth scan. When the image forming apparatus 1 extracts the graphic FG54, as shown in FIG. 15C, the information on the paths L31B and L13B, which are the paths constituting the graphic FG53, among the information on the paths stored in the fixed storage unit 20, as shown in FIG. Erase. Further, the image forming apparatus 1 may delete the information on the positions of the branch points P13 and P31 that no longer have unscanned paths. Further, when the graphic FG 54 is extracted, the image forming apparatus 1 may erase the information on the position of the scanning start point ST4 from which the graphic FG 54 has been extracted. As a result, the information on the unscanned path stored in the fixed storage unit 20 is lost. The graphic extraction is thus completed.

  FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing the operation of the image forming apparatus according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

  Referring to FIG. 16, this flowchart is the case of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 4 in that the process of step S401 is executed after the process of step S115 and before the process of step S117. It is different from the flow chart.

  Subsequent to the process of step S115, in step S401, the control unit 10 deletes the information of the scanned path and the information of the position of the branch point that no longer has the unscanned path (S401), and the process of step S117. Proceed to

  Note that the configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment and operations other than those described above are the same as those in the first embodiment, and therefore description thereof will not be repeated.

  [Effect of the embodiment]

  According to the first to fourth embodiments, when the image forming apparatus finds a new branch point, the image forming apparatus takes a specific position (direction) toward the traveling direction among a plurality of paths branched from the branch point. Since an existing path is always selected, the outline of one figure can be scanned clockwise (or counterclockwise), and the figure can be extracted in the smallest unit. In addition, when a figure is extracted, an unscanned path is scanned among a plurality of paths branched from the branch point that has been found as the new start point and the branch point found last time. Can be extracted in the smallest unit. As a result, each figure can be appropriately extracted from an image including a plurality of figures.

  FIG. 17 is a diagram schematically showing graphics extracted in the first to fourth embodiments of the present invention.

  Referring to FIG. 17A, when image IM includes two closed curve graphics FG11 and FG12 adjacent to each other, image forming apparatus 1 extracts graphics FG61 and FG62 from image IM.

  Referring to FIG. 17B, when image IM includes two closed-curved graphics FG13 and FG15, and line segment FG14 connecting graphics FG13 and FG15, image forming apparatus 1 FG63, line segment FG64, and figure FG65 are extracted from the image IM.

  Referring to FIG. 17C, when the image IM includes a closed curve figure FG16 and a closed curve figure FG17 included in the figure FG16, the image forming apparatus 1 displays the figures FG66 and FG67 as images. Extract from IM.

  In addition, when the scanning start position is not on the closed curve but on the line segment, the scanning direction of the figure is opposite to the target direction (counterclockwise), and the figure can be extracted in the minimum unit. It may not be possible. In particular, in the second embodiment, when the branch point discovered during the current scan is discovered again after the branch point is discovered by scanning and before the start point is discovered, the current scan is performed. Discard the figure composed of the trajectory. Then, the next scan is started with the branch point that is the first found branch point among the plurality of branch points found during the discarded scan as a new start point. As a result, even if the graphic included in the image is configured by a combination of a line segment and a closed curve, the line segment and the closed curve can be separated and extracted.

  Also, when starting the next scan after extracting the figure, unless the appropriate branch point is selected as the starting point, the scanning direction of the figure will be the opposite direction (counterclockwise) to the target direction, It may not be possible to extract a figure in the smallest unit. When a plurality of figures are adjacent to each other, only the outer contours of the whole figures are scanned, and as a result, the plurality of figures may be extracted at a time without being separated from each other. In particular, in the third embodiment, the next scan is started with the branch point first found during the current scan as the start point. If the starting point of the current scan is on the outer contour of the entire figure, the first branch point found during the current scan will also be on the outer contour of the figure. ing. Therefore, according to the third embodiment, it is possible to always start scanning on the outer contour of the figure as a starting point, and to prevent the scanning direction of the figure from being opposite to the target direction. it can.

  Furthermore, according to the fourth embodiment, every time a graphic is extracted, the information on the scanned (selected) route is deleted. Therefore, as compared with the case where all the routes after branching are stored, The free space in the storage area of the fixed storage unit can be increased. As a result, it is possible to reduce the capacity of the storage area that should be secured in advance for extracting graphics.

  [Others]

  The above-described embodiments may be combined with each other. For example, in the configuration of the second embodiment, after a branch point is found by scanning and before the start point is found, scanning is performed when the branch point found at the time of scanning is found again. You may combine the structure which discards the figure comprised by the locus | trajectory, and the structure which deletes the path | route which comprises the figure, when the figure is extracted which is a structure of 4th Embodiment. Also, the configuration of the third embodiment, the configuration of starting the next scan starting from the branch point first discovered during the scan, and the configuration of the configuration of the fourth embodiment It may be combined with a configuration that deletes information on a path that configures the figure when the symbol is extracted.

  The processing in the above-described embodiment may be performed by software or by using a hardware circuit. It is also possible to provide a program for executing the processing in the above-described embodiment, and record the program on a recording medium such as a CD-ROM, a flexible disk, a hard disk, a ROM, a RAM, or a memory card and provide it to the user. You may decide to do it. The program is executed by a computer such as a CPU. The program may be downloaded to the apparatus via a communication line such as the Internet.

  The above-described embodiment is to be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 10 Control part 20 Fixed memory | storage part 30 Image reading part 40 Image forming part 50 Network I / F
60 Operation Panel 101 Image Storage Unit 102 Pre-Processing Unit 103 Contour Scanning Unit 104 Branch Point Storage Unit 105 Course Selection Unit 106 Graphic Determination Unit 107 Graphic Storage Unit FG1, FG2, FG3, FG4, FG11, FG12, FG13, FG14, FG15, FG16, FG17, FG51, FG52, FG53, FG54, FG61, FG62, FG63, FG64, FG65, FG66, FG67 Graphic or line segment IM image L11A, L11B, L11C, L12A, L12B, L13A, L13B, L21A, L21B, L21A, L21B , L22A, L22B, L23A, L23B, L31A, L31B Route OL contour P11, P12, P13, P21, P22, P23, P31 Branch point ST1, ST2, ST3, ST4 Start point

Claims (10)

An image processing apparatus for extracting each figure from an image including a plurality of figures,
Contour extracting means for extracting the contour of each of the plurality of figures from the image;
First scanning for searching for a branch point on the contour and the start point by scanning the contour extracted by the contour extraction unit with an arbitrary point on the contour extracted by the contour extraction unit as a start point Means,
Storage means for storing the position of the found branch point and a plurality of paths branched from the found branch point when a branch point is found by the first scanning means;
When a branch point is found by the first scanning unit, a path existing at a specific position in the traveling direction among a plurality of routes branched from the found branch point is detected by the first scanning unit. Selection means for selecting as a path to scan;
A graphic extraction means for extracting a graphic constituted by a trajectory scanned by the first scanning means when the first scanning means finds a starting point;
When a graphic is extracted by the graphic extraction unit, the branch point found by the first scanning unit is set as a new start point, and among the plurality of paths branched from the branch point as the new start point, An image processing apparatus comprising: a second scanning unit that scans an unscanned path.   The image processing according to claim 1, further comprising: a line segment extracting unit that extracts, as a line segment, an outline that has not been extracted as a graphic among the contours extracted by the contour extracting unit when there is no graphic to be extracted. apparatus.   When the branch point found by the first scanning unit is found again after the branch point is found by the first scanning unit and before the start point is found, the first scan is performed. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a discarding unit that discards a figure formed by the trajectory scanned by the unit.   When the branch point found by the first scanning unit is found again after the branch point is found by the first scanning unit and before the start point is found, the first scan is performed. Among the plurality of branch points found by the means, the first branch point found by the first scanning means is set as a new start point, and the plurality of paths branched from the branch point set as the new start point The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a third scanning unit that scans a path different from the path scanned by the first scanning unit.   The second scanning unit scans a branch point first discovered by the first scanning unit as a new start point among a plurality of branch points found by the first scanning unit. The image processing apparatus according to any one of 1 to 4. The second scanning means includes
In the first scanning means, when the first branch point found by the first scanning means does not have an unscanned path, the plurality of branch points found by the first scanning means have an unscanned path. Route discriminating means for discriminating whether or not there is a branching point, and
When the path discriminating unit discriminates that there is a branch point having an unscanned path among the plurality of branch points found by the first scanning unit, the first scanning unit The first unscanned path that scans the unscanned path, with the newest starting point being the first detected branch point in the first scanning means among the branch points having the unscanned path. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a scanning unit. The second scanning means includes
When the path discriminating unit determines that there is no branch point having an unscanned path among the plurality of branch points discovered by the first scanning unit, the first scanning unit A specifying means for specifying a latest scan that has found a branch point having an unscanned path among scans performed before the scan;
A second unscanned path scanning unit that scans the unscanned path with a branch point having an unscanned path, which is found during the scanning specified by the specifying unit, as a new start point; The image processing apparatus according to claim 6. A first erasing unit for erasing a path constituting the graphic extracted by the graphic extracting unit among a plurality of paths branched from the branch point stored in the storage unit;
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a second erasing unit that erases the position of the branch point from which all paths are erased among the positions stored in the storage unit. A control method of an image processing apparatus for extracting each figure from an image including a plurality of figures,
A contour extracting step of extracting the contour of each of the plurality of figures from the image;
First scanning for searching for a branch point on the contour and the start point by scanning the contour extracted in the contour extraction step with an arbitrary point on the contour extracted in the contour extraction step as a start point Steps,
A storage step of storing a position of the found branch point and a plurality of paths branched from the found branch point when a branch point is found in the first scanning step;
When a branch point is found in the first scanning step, a route existing at a specific position in the traveling direction among a plurality of routes branched from the found branch point is found in the first scanning step. A selection step to select as a path to scan;
A graphic extraction step for extracting a graphic constituted by a trajectory scanned in the first scanning step when a starting point is found in the first scanning step;
When a graphic is extracted in the graphic extraction step, the branch point found in the first scanning step is a new start point, and a plurality of paths branched from the branch point as the new start point, And a second scanning step for scanning an unscanned path. A control program for an image processing apparatus that extracts each figure from an image including a plurality of figures,
A contour extracting step of extracting the contour of each of the plurality of figures from the image;
First scanning for searching for a branch point on the contour and the start point by scanning the contour extracted in the contour extraction step with an arbitrary point on the contour extracted in the contour extraction step as a start point Steps,
A storage step of storing a position of the found branch point and a plurality of paths branched from the found branch point when a branch point is found in the first scanning step;
When a branch point is found in the first scanning step, a route existing at a specific position in the traveling direction among a plurality of routes branched from the found branch point is found in the first scanning step. A selection step to select as a path to scan;
A graphic extraction step for extracting a graphic constituted by a trajectory scanned in the first scanning step when a starting point is found in the first scanning step;
When a graphic is extracted in the graphic extraction step, the branch point found in the first scanning step is a new start point, and a plurality of paths branched from the branch point as the new start point, A control program for an image processing apparatus that causes a computer to execute a second scanning step of scanning an unscanned path.

Images