JPS5846460A - Formation system for contour picture - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To form a contour picture from given picture information without any intervention of another's hand, by synthesizing a part changing from white to black or black to white and black picture elements extracted from its circumference, and thus generating a contour picture signal. CONSTITUTION:At a subscanning-directional contour detection part 2, a black- to-white change bit detecting circuit 4 and a white-bo-black change bit detecting circuit 5 detect the contour of an image in a subscanning direction from an original picture signal (a) inputted from an original picture signal input terminal 1. At a main-scanning-directional contour detection part 9, a black-to-white change bit detecting circuit 4' and a white-bo-black change bit detecting circuit 5' detect the contour of the picture in a main scanning direction. A synthesizing circuit 12 synthesizes a subscanning-directional contour signal (k) delayed by a shift register 14 for a subscanning-directional contour signal (h) and a mainscanning-directional contour signal h', and the resulting signal is outputted as a a contour picture signal 1 to a contour picture signal output terminal 13.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a contour image forming method for forming a contour image of an image by extracting the contour portion of the image from a binarized image signal.

In conventional facsimile machines and the like, it has not been possible to extract only the outline of an image and form an outline image from only this outline. However, for printed matter such as magazines and advertisements, for example, image information consisting only of outlines such as lettering is sometimes required, and conventionally such image information consisting only of outlines requires a great deal of effort. It was created by hand.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a contour image forming method that can form a contour image from given image information without manual work. 〇The present invention will be described below based on embodiments shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the basic operation of contour image formation in this method, where a is the original image information pattern, b is contour formation in the main scanning direction from the pattern, and C is contour formation in the sub-scanning direction from the pattern. are shown respectively.

In this method, a contour image is formed according to the following aspects 1 to 11.

B) When forming an outline inside the original image information pattern (black area) 1 From the original image signal obtained by binarizing the image signal obtained by reading the original image information, in the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction, By extracting each black pixel in the part where it changes from white to black and the black pixel in the part where it changes from black to white, and composing the black pixels extracted in this way in the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction. , to form a contour image consisting of a one-pixel wide contour line.

11 From the original image signal, in the main scanning direction, a black pixel in a portion changing from white to black and n black pixels following the black pixel, a black pixel in a portion changing from black to white, and the black pixel in the portion changing from black to white, and The following m black pixels are extracted. In addition, in the sub-scanning direction, a black pixel in a portion that changes from white to black and <n' black pixels following the black pixel, a black pixel in a portion that changes from black to white, and a black pixel in front of the black pixel. Continued m
black pixels. Then, each black pixel extracted in the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction is combined.In this case, a contour image whose contour line width is thicker than in the mode i is obtained. m.

m may be different values or the same value.

In the example of Figure 1, n = 3, m = = 2, n'-5
, m = 4.

111 Main scanning direction (sub-scanning direction) from the original image signal
The black pixels in the part where the image changes from white to black and the part where the image changes from black to white are extracted in the second order.
Create a pattern. Then, using the second pattern as a target, extract black pixels in a portion that changes from white to black and a portion that changes from black to white in the sub-scanning direction (main scanning direction), and combine them with the black pixels extracted first. Synthesize.

As a result, a contour image consisting of a one-pixel wide contour line is formed. The difference between the contour image obtained in this case and the contour image obtained in the first embodiment will be described in detail later.

In addition, in the same manner as in case 11, an arbitrary number of consecutive black pixels in the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction are added to the contour image obtained as described above, and a contour line with a width of multiple pixels is added. It is also possible to form a clear contour image.

iv) When a contour image is formed outside the original image information pattern (white area) iv Create an inverted pattern by inverting the white and black areas of the original image information pattern, and about this inverted pattern A contour image is formed according to aspects 1 to ii1 above. As a result, outside the original image information pattern, the i - ii
A contour image corresponding to i is formed.

C) When a contour image is formed both inside and outside the original image information pattern (both white and black areas). By combining, a contour image is formed that spans the inside and outside of the pattern of the original image information.

2) Case where a contour image is formed by a contour line that deviates from the white and black boundary of the original image information pattern ■1 ii.
If a contour image is formed only from n, n, m, m black pixels in the embodiment, or only a part of these black pixels, a contour image thinner than the original image information pattern can be obtained. Similarly, the above ii1 and 1
Even in the embodiment (2), if a contour image is formed using only the black pixels inside or outside the black pixels without using the black pixels in the part that changes from white to black, the pattern of the original image information is better than that of the original image information. A thinner or thicker contour image can be obtained.

e) When a contour image is formed from a plurality of contour lines, for example, by combining a contour image that is thicker and a contour image that is thinner than the original image information pattern obtained in the mode v1, or A contour image consisting of a plurality of contour lines can be obtained by setting an arbitrary number of pixels other than the pixels at both ends as white pixels among the pixels constituting the contour line with a width of three pixels or more.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment in which this method is applied to a facsimile machine. Reference numeral 1 denotes an original image signal input terminal, into which an original image signal a obtained by appropriately amplifying and waveform-shaping an image signal obtained by a reading device (not shown) and then binarizing it at an appropriate threshold level is input. . 2 is a sub-scanning direction contour detection section, which detects the contour of the image in the sub-scanning direction from the original image signal a input from the original image signal input terminal 1, and creates a sub-scanning direction contour signal; (m'n'+2) Line shift register 3, black/white change bit detection circuit 4, white/black change bit detection circuit 5, m-bit contour addition circuit 6, n-bit contour addition circuit 7 It is composed of circuit 8.

9 is a main scanning direction contour detecting section, and the above (m-1-n+
2) detecting the outline of the image in the main scanning direction from the original image signal a input via the line shift register 3;
This is to create a main scanning direction contour signal h', and (m+
It consists of an n+2) bit shift register 1o, a black/white change bit detection circuit 4, a white/black change bit detection circuit 5, an m-bit contour addition circuit 6', an n-bit contour addition circuit 7, and a synthesis circuit 8.

11 inputs the contour signal in the sub-scanning direction (m'+1
) is a bit shift register. Reference numeral 12 denotes a synthesizing circuit which synthesizes the sub-scanning direction contour signal h' with the sub-scanning direction contour signal h' delayed by (m+1) bits by the (m'+1) bit shift register 14. , this is used as the contour image signal l and the contour image signal output terminal 1
Output to 3.

14 is a clock input terminal into which the clock signal p is input;
15 is a clear signal input terminal to which the clear signal q is input. The clock signal p and clear signal q are passed through each input terminal 14.15 to (m'+1) bit shift register 11 and (n-1-m+2) bit shift register 1.
0 and is supplied to the clock gate circuit 16. The clock gate circuit 16 converts the clock signal p to 0 by blocking the clock signal p during the period when the clear signal q is input, and outputs an appropriate number of clock signals O.
(m'+n'+2) is supplied to the line shift register 3.

The (rfl'+n'+2) line shift register 3
stores the original image signal a for a total of (m + n'-1-2) lines while shifting it every clock signal 0, and stores the signal continuous in the sub-scanning direction in each stored line as (m
+n/+2) bit parallel signal C1 to Crn'+n'
+2 (the subscript indicates how many lines the signal has been shifted) and output.

Here, 1 line means that main scanning was performed once,
In this embodiment, one line is 2o48 bits.

The point/white change bit detection circuit 4 receives the parallel signals C□' and Cm-1-1 to detect a portion that changes from black to white in the sub-scanning direction, and detects a black pixel in the same portion. A black/white change bit signal d in which only the corresponding bit is a black signal is output.

1, the mortar/black change bit detection circuit 6 receives the parallel signal C
By inputting m'+2 and cm'-1-i, a part that changes from white to black in the sub-scanning direction is detected, and a white/black signal is generated in which only the bits corresponding to black pixels in the same part are used as black signals. The m-bit contour addition circuit 6 outputs the changing bit signal e, and the m-bit contour addition circuit 6 outputs the parallel signal C3-
By inputting C/+1, m black pixels following the black pixel in the part that changes from black to white are detected, and only the bits corresponding to these black pixels are used as the black signal. Output f.

Further, the n-bit contour addition circuit 7 outputs a parallel signal Cm
By inputting -1-1 to Cn + m +2, the n black pixels following the black pixel in the part that changes from white to black are detected, and only the bits corresponding to these black pixels are set to black. A contour addition signal q is output as a signal.

Each of the signals d+e+f*'J is generated by the combining circuit 8.
are combined to form a sub-scanning direction contour signal. Therefore, this sub-scanning direction contour signal is a signal extracted from black pixels in the parts that change from white to black and from black to white in the sub-scanning direction, as well as black pixels (n and m) before and after these black pixels, respectively. He lives a long life.

On the other hand, processing in the main scanning direction is performed by outputting the parallel signal C/+1 to the main scanning direction contour detection section 9.

That is, the (n-1-m+2)-bit shift register 10 has all its stored contents cleared by the clear signal q before starting signal processing, and then stores the parallel signal Cm'+1 while shifting it every clock signal p. and (m −1−
n -1-2) bit parallel signal c/1~C'm 10n
-1-2 and output.

Furthermore, the m-bit contour addition circuit 6', the black/white change bit detection circuit a, the white/black change bit detection circuit d, and the n-bit contour addition circuit ge receive a parallel signal C/.

〜C'm〖(-2)
The corresponding circuits 6.4.5 and 7 operate in exactly the same way, and output the signals f'+d'r''+q' corresponding to the respective signals '+d+e+9.Then, the synthesis circuit 8' is these signals f', d
', e', and g' are combined to form a main scanning direction contour signal h'.

Therefore, the main-scanning direction contour signal h' includes black pixels in portions that change from white to black and from black to white in the main scanning direction, as well as the following black pixels (n, m), respectively, before and after these black pixels.
The signal obtained by extracting black pixels is 13'.

Here, the main scanning direction contour signal is a signal that is (m+1) bits later than the sub-scanning direction contour signal. Therefore, the sub-scanning direction contour signal is transferred to the (m+1) bit shift register 11. ) If the sub-scanning direction contour signal obtained by bit delaying and the main scanning direction contour signal h' are synthesized by the synthesis circuit 12, the above-mentioned 11.
A contour image signal l corresponding to the contour image according to the aspect is obtained at the contour image signal output terminal 13.

Figures 3 to 7 show the alphabet a written on the manuscript.
Examples will be shown in which contour images are formed in various ways for the character An.

Figure 3 a and b are two types of letters “A” with different thicknesses.
″, images recorded by conventional facsimile equipment,
This figure shows a contour image according to the aspect i and a contour image according to the eleventh aspect.

In the circuit of FIG. 2, m'-n'-m = n
When = 0, the contour image shown in the column ``Example 1 of contour image formation'' is obtained, while the contour image shown in the column ``Example 2 of image formation in the circuit of FIG. 2'' is obtained. Note that if the values of rn', n', m, and n are further increased, the width of the contour line becomes wider.

FIG. 4 shows the formation of a contour image according to contour image formation example 2 shown in FIG. 3, divided into the sub-scanning direction and the main-scanning direction. In the same figure, A is the alphabet @ A I
The image corresponding to the original image signal a obtained by reading the original image of I, K is the image corresponding to the sub-scanning direction contour signal k, " is the image corresponding to the main scanning direction contour signal h', and L is the image corresponding to the contour image signal l. This is a contour image, and the contour image is equal to the image and H' combined.

FIGS. 6a and 6b show examples of contour image formation according to the above-mentioned aspect 111, of which contour image formation example 3 is a case where the contour line is one pixel wide, and contour image formation example 4 is a case where the contour line is multi-pixel wide. are shown respectively.

As is clear from comparing FIG. 3 and FIG.
In the mode No. 11, the contour lines in the sub-scanning direction and the main scanning direction do not intersect, so there are places where the intersections are white, but in the case of the aspect No. 111, such a point is shown in FIG. This phenomenon is not observed, and a contour image with continuous contour lines is obtained.

In addition, when forming a contour image in the white mode, a sub-scanning direction contour removal circuit 17 is provided in the circuit shown in FIG. 2 as shown by a dashed line. The circuit 17 inputs the parallel signal Cm+1 from the line shift register 3 and (rn'+1) inputs the sub-scanning direction inverted contour signal i obtained by inverting the sub-scanning direction contour signal from the bit shift register 11.
is input, a sub-scanning direction contour removed signal i is created and outputted by removing the sub-scanning direction contour signal from the parallel signal Cm+1.

In this case, the sub-scanning direction contour removal signal j
is input to the (m4-n+2) bit shift register 1o instead of the parallel signal Cm+1.

FIG. 6 shows each signal in the above-mentioned mode III converted into two stages, where A, ■, ) (/, L are the original image signal a, the sub-scanning direction contour removal signal j, and Images corresponding to a sub-scanning direction contour signal k, a main scanning direction contour signal h', and a contour image signal l are shown, respectively.

FIG. 7 shows an example of contour image formation according to the aspect 1v,
Regarding the inverted original picture signal S which is the inverted original picture signal a, the above i
The outline image is formed in the manner of ii (in addition, m
-n' = m = n = O) 0 In this case, an inversion circuit 18 is further provided in the circuit shown in FIG. (m'+n'+2) is input to the line shift register 3.

In FIG. 7, A indicates an image corresponding to the original picture signal a, B indicates an image corresponding to the inverted original picture signal A, and L indicates an image corresponding to the contour image signal l.

Above, the contour image formation modes 1 to 1.2 above have been explained based on the circuit of FIG. 2 and the contour image formation examples of FIGS. 3 to 7. A detailed explanation thereof will be omitted.

Also, in the circuit shown in Figure 2, the sub-scanning direction is processed first and the main scanning direction is processed later, but conversely, the main scanning direction is processed first and the sub-scanning direction is processed later. There's not much I can say about it.

FIG. 8 shows a specific example of the circuit configuration shown in FIG.
In the figure, it is indicated as m-n'-2). The above (m + n'
-1-2) The line shift register 3 is composed of 12 shift registers 19 to 30. These shift registers 19 to 3o each correspond to 1/2 line.
024 bits, and 19, 20.21, 22.23, 24.26, 26.27, 28.29, and 30 are combined, respectively, and one line is stored in one set of these two bits. There is.

The parallel signals C1 to C6 (rrf -n'-2, so
m'+n'+2=6) are output from shift registers 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, and 30, respectively. And signal C1 is for Co (same as original image signal a),
C2 is a signal delayed by one line (2048 bits) with respect to C1, C3 with respect to C2, C4 with respect to C3, C5 with respect to C4, and C6 with respect to C5.

18' The black/white change bit detection circuit 4 includes an inverter 31 which receives the parallel signal C2 as an input, and a two-man power AND gate 3 which receives the output of this inverter 31 and the parallel signal C3 as inputs.
2, the black/white change bit signal dFiA
It is output from the ND gate 32.

The white/black change bit detection circuit 5 includes an inverter 33 which receives the parallel signal C4 as an input, and a two-man power AND gate 3 which receives the output of the inverter 33 and the parallel signal C3 as inputs.
4, and the white/black change bit signal e is AN
It is output from the D gate 34.

The m'-bit contour addition circuit 6 receives an inverter 35 which receives the parallel signal C1, a three-man AND gate 36 which receives the output of the inverter 35 and parallel signals C2 and C3, and receives the parallel signal co. Inverter 37, the output of this inverter 37, and parallel signals C1 and C3
It is composed of a three-man power AND gate 38 whose input is
Each AND, the output f1 of gate 36.38. The logical sum of f2 becomes the contour addition signal f.

The n'-bit contour addition circuit 7 has an inverter 39 that receives the parallel signal C6 as an input, a three-man power AND gate 40 that receives the output of the inverter 39 and the parallel signals C3 and C4, and receives the parallel signal C6 as an input. Inverter 41, the output of this inverter 41 and parallel signals C3 and C5
It is composed of a three-man power AND gate 42 whose input is
Each AND game) 40.42 output q1. (The logical sum of J2 becomes the contour addition signal q.

The synthesis circuit 8 consists of a six-man OR gate which receives as inputs the black/white change bit signal d, the white/black change bit signal e, the contour addition signal f1-f2, and the contour addition signal -"iq1+92.

The crossword game 1/circuit 16 consists of an inverter 44 which receives the clear signal bow n as an input, and a two-man powered NOR gate 45 which receives the output of this inverter 44 and a clock signal m, and the clock signal 0 is a NOR gate. gate 4
Output from 5.

The configuration of the main scanning direction contour detection section 12 is (m+n'-
I-2=6) Line shift register 3 is (m-1-
n-1-2=6) External r1 which replaced the bit shift register 1o: It is exactly the same as the sub-scanning direction contour detecting section 2.

That is, the black/white change bit detection circuit 4' has an inverter 47 which receives the parallel signal 02' as an input, and a two-man power circuit A which receives the output of this inverter 47 and the parallel signal C3' as input.
It consists of an ND gate 48, and the point/white change bit signal d' is output from the AND gate 48.

The white/black change bit detection circuit 5' is composed of an inverter 49 which receives the parallel signal 04' as input, and a two-man power AND gate 50 which receives the output of this inverter 49 and the parallel signal C3'. Black change bit signal e'
is output from the AND gate 60.

The m-bit contour addition circuit 6' includes an inverter 51 which receives the parallel signal C/1 as input, and an output of this inverter 51 and the parallel signal C'2. A three-man power AND gate 52 which receives C'3 as an input, an inverter 63 which receives a parallel signal Co (same as the parallel signal C3), and an output of this inverter 53 and a parallel signal c'1. c'.

It is composed of a three-man power AND gate 54 whose input is
Output of each AND gate 62.54■'1. The logical sum of f'2 becomes the contour addition signal f'.

The n-bit contour addition circuit 7' includes an inverter 55 which receives the parallel signal C'6 as input, and an output of the inverter 55 and the parallel signal C'3. Three-person AN with C'4 as input
A D gate 66, an inverter 67 which receives the parallel signal C'6, and an output of this inverter 57 and the parallel signal C'6.
'3. It is composed of a three-man power AND gate 68 whose input is C'6, and the output q1'+ of each AND gate 56.58.
The logical sum of 92' becomes the contour addition signal q.

The synthesis circuit 8' generates the signal "+"1+f'2+q
It consists of a six-person OR circuit 59 that receives '1+q'2 as input.

Further, the (ml'-1-1) bit register 14 is
Inverter 60 and three J- flip-flops 61~
63, and the sub-scanning direction contour signal is outputted from the Q output of the flip-flop 63. Furthermore, the synthesis circuit 15 performs an OR operation on the contour signal in the sub-scanning direction.
It consists of a two-man OR game 1-64 which inputs the main scanning direction contour signal h' outputted from the gate 59.

The sub-scanning direction contour removal circuit 17 is composed of a two-man power AND game 1-65 which receives the sub-scanning direction inverted contour signal i outputted from the inverter 60 and the parallel signal C3.

Further, the inverting circuit 18 includes an inverter 66.

FIG. 9 shows operating waveforms of the main scanning direction contour detecting section 12 of the circuit shown in FIG.

10, the contour adding circuits 6' and 1 are removed from the main scanning direction contour detecting section 12 of FIG.
+n+2) The operating waveforms are shown when the bit shift register 10 is a 2-bit shift register and m = n = O (in this case, C10-C10).

FIG. 11 is an example of image formation assumed to explain the operation of forming a contour image according to the eleventh aspect in the circuit of FIG. 8, where A is the image corresponding to the original image signal a, and k denotes an image corresponding to the sub-scanning direction contour signal k, d denotes an image corresponding to the main-scanning direction contour signal, and L denotes a contour image corresponding to the contour image signal l (in this case, m
' = n' - m - n = 2). 12 to 19 show operating waveform diagrams of the circuit of FIG. 8 in the case of FIG. 11.

FIG. 20 shows an example of image formation assumed to explain the operation when the above-mentioned aspect is implemented in the circuit of FIG. 8 with a contour line having a width of one pixel.

K, J, L, H are respectively J], signal ar] + 1
, 11 are shown. It's a waste, Figures 21-28
This figure is an operation waveform diagram showing the operation of the circuit shown in FIG. 8 in the case of FIG. 20.

FIG. 29 shows a case where the previous aspect of jjL jV is implemented in the circuit of FIG. 8 by forming a contour image in the form of a mountain for an inverted image signal obtained by inverting the original image signal a
This is an example of image formation assumed to explain the operation (the width of the contour line is 1 pixel), and in this case as well, A, J,
L and H' indicate images corresponding to signals a, k, dx, and h. 3 to 7 show operating waveform diagrams of the circuit of FIG. 8 in the case of FIG. 29.

Note that when applying the contour image forming method according to the present invention to a facsimile machine, the original image signal is converted into a contour image signal on the transmitter side.2.This contour image signal may be transmitted to the receiver side. , the original image signal may be converted into a contour image signal on the receiver side.

As is clear from the above description, the contour image forming method according to the present invention is capable of forming black areas that change from white to black or from black to white in the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction, respectively, from a binary image signal. A contour image signal is created by extracting a pixel, a black pixel near these pixels, or both black pixels, and composing the black pixels extracted in the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction. By creating a □contour image based on the contour image signal,
An excellent effect can be obtained in that a contour image can be formed from given image information without manual intervention.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing how to extract black pixels using the contour image forming method according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an embodiment to which the present invention is applied, and FIGS. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of forming a contour image using the circuit of FIG. 8, and FIG.
Figures 2 to 19 are operating waveform diagrams in the case of Figure 11;
20 is a diagram showing another example of contour image formation using the circuit of FIG. 8, FIGS. 21 to 28 are operational waveform diagrams in the case of FIG. 20, and FIG. 29 is the circuit of FIG. 8. 30 to 38 are operation waveform diagrams in the case of FIG. 29. 1... Original image signal input terminal, 2... Sub-scanning direction contour detection section, 3... (m'+n'-1-
2) Line shift register, 4.4', black/white change bit detection circuit, 5.5'...white/black change bit detection circuit, 6...m' pit contour addition circuit ,6
'...m-bit contour addition circuit, 7...
n'-bit contour addition circuit, de... n-bit contour addition circuit, 8, 8'... synthesis circuit, 9...
...Main scanning direction contour detection section, 10... (m+n
+2) Bit shift register, 11... (m'
+1) Bit shift register, 12...Synthesis circuit, name of agent Patent attorney Toshio Nakao and 1 other person No. 1 @ Ryo Tokukai"U 511-4 (i4fiO(8)2 Figure? 1- −−−−−−−−−−−Ir−−−6f. ta: ” emu layer'-d'' lI "-4': A, J→jT'j
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Claims (1)

[Claims] 1) From the binarized image signal, black pixels in the portions changing from white to black or from black to white in the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction, or in the vicinity of these black pixels, are A contour image signal is created by extracting a black pixel or both black pixels, and combining the black pixels extracted in the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction, and a contour image is created based on this contour image signal. A contour image forming method characterized by creating a contour image. 2) From the binarized image signal, in the main scanning direction, the black pixel in the part that changes from white to black or from black to white, the n black pixels that follow this black pixel, and the part that changes from black to white A black pixel in a portion and m black pixels following this black pixel are extracted, and a black pixel in a portion changing from white to black or from black to white and m black pixels following this black pixel in the sub-scanning direction is extracted. 3. The outline image forming method according to claim 1, which extracts black pixels, black pixels in a portion changing from black to white, and m' black pixels following this black pixel. ) From the binarized image signal, extract the black pixels in the part that changes from white to black or from black to white in the main scanning direction (sub-scanning direction), and subtract these extracted black pixels from the image signal. A contour image forming method according to claim 1, wherein an image signal is created, and black pixels in a portion changing from white to black or from black to white in the sub-scanning direction (main scanning direction) are extracted from the image signal. . 4) Create an image signal by inverting the binarized image signal,
Claim 1 for extracting black pixels from this image signal
Contour image forming method described in Section 2.