Patent ID: 6166745
Filing Date: 2000-12-26
Classification: G06K,G06T

Abstract:
A graphic form shaping apparatus for shaping a graphic form surrounded by a curved line, comprising:inputting means for inputting an input graphic form;characteristic point calculation means for calculating characteristic points including apexes and maximal points and minimal points in horizontal and vertical directions of the input graphic form;curved line approximation means for calculating representative points representative of curved lines of the input graphic form between the characteristic points and approximating the curved lines with approximate curved lines between the characteristic points and the representative points;symmetry axis candidate calculation means for calculating symmetry axis candidates which are straight lines each interconnecting two opposing ones of the characteristic points;discrimination symmetry axis determination means for selecting, from among the symmetry axis candidates, a symmetry axis candidate with which symmetry is to be discriminated;symmetry discrimination line segment calculation means for calculating symmetry discrimination line segments which are line segments each interconnecting two opposing ones of the characteristic points and the representative points with respect to the symmetry axis candidate selected by said discrimination symmetry axis determination means;symmetry axis distance calculation means for calculating symmetry axis distances which are distances between middle points of the symmetry discrimination line segments and the symmetry axis candidate;symmetry axis angle calculation means for calculating symmetry axis angles which are magnitudes of differences between angles defined by the symmetry discrimination line segments and the symmetry axis candidate and 90 degrees;symmetry discrimination means for comparing a set of statistic values of the symmetry axis distances and the symmetry axis angles with respect to the symmetry axis candidate with criteria set in advance to discriminate whether or not the input graphic form is symmetric with respect to the symmetry axis candidate to discriminate whether or not the symmetry axis candidate is a symmetry axis;symmetrical shaping processing means for moving the characteristic points and the representative points based on the symmetry with respect to the symmetry axis;storage means for storing the moved characteristic points and representative points; andoutputting means for outputting the moved characteristic points and representative points.