Patent ID: 8699809
Filing Date: 2014-04-15
Classification: G06K,G06T,H04N

Abstract:
1. An image processing apparatus comprising: a character extraction portion for extracting a character from raster image data; a binarization portion for binarizing the extracted character; an apex detection portion for detecting apexes which define the binarized character such that the binarized character can be completely formed with only straight lines having endpoints coinciding with the apexes; a size detection portion for detecting a size of the binarized character; a determination portion for determining, based on the size of the character, whether or not curve approximation is to be used when the character is converted from a raster format to a vector format; an image conversion portion for converting, when the determination portion determines that the curve approximation is to be used, the character from the raster format to the vector format by performing straight-line approximation or the curve approximation on each part of a contour of the character defined by the apexes detected by the apex detection portion, and for converting, when the determination portion determines that the curve approximation is not to be used, the character from the raster format to the vector format by performing the straight-line approximation on each part of the contour of the character defined by the apexes detected by the apex detection portion without performing the curve approximation thereon; and wherein the curve approximation is performed on the contour of the character when the straight-line approximation results in two approximation segments that are shorter than a predetermined length and when a lesser angle formed at an intersection of the two approximation segments is greater than a predetermined angle.