Abstract:
An image enhancement apparatus for performing connection processing for connecting only omissions in an input line figure, including a background figure skeletonization circuit for skeletonizing background pixel data of binary image f0 obtained by digitizing a line figure into one-line pixel data and the background pixel data, skeletonization being performed to the degree of a one-dot line width, and for generating image f1, a gap filling cirucit for generating image f2 obtained by pixel data of the one-dot line width of image f1 into on-line pixel data, a connection pixel detector for skeletonizing the on-line pixel data of image f2 by a predetermined number of steps and generating image f3, a connection candidate detector for calculating adjacent pixels of the on-line pixel of image f0 according to an AND signal of image f0 and its inverted image f0 and for generating image f4 representing a connection candidate area, a connection pixel thickening circuit for thickening the one-dot line width pixel data of image f3 within image f4 and for generating image f5, and an OR circuit for generating an OR signal of images f0 and f5.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a line figure connecting apparatus for processing disconnections of input line figures. 
     A drawing apparatus is commercially available in which drawing information representing handwritten line figures is input and printed. In such a conventional drawing apparatus, read line figures are analyzed, and symbols and connections between a plurality of symbols are recognized. 
     When such graphic processing is to be performed, it is important to correctly recognize the input line figures. However, in practice, omissions often occur in the line figure itself to be processed, or omissions are often formed in the line figure due to poor precision of an image pickup device in the drawing apparatus. For these reasons, connection processing is performed for the omissions in the input line figures. 
     In conventional connection processing, the input line figure is thickened to connect the omissions and then the thickened figure is skeletonized to restore the original size. 
     In conventional connection processing, since the input line figure is entirely thickened, thin line segments of the input line figure, e.g., parallel lines, are undesirably combined. In addition, if there is a small hole in a line segment, which represents exclusion of a value at a point in the line segment, it is undesirably changed into a black dot. Assume that a line figure having an omission shown in FIG. 1A is subjected to connection processing to obtain a line figure shown in FIG. 1B. However, according to conventional processing, line segments having the same distance as a length of an omission are connected by line segment 1, and small hole 3 is undesirably expressed as a black dot, as shown in FIG. 1C. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a connecting apparatus for performing connection processing for connecting only omissions in an input line figure. 
     In order to achieve the above object of the present invention, there is provided a line figure connecting apparatus comprising: image data input means for digitizing line figure image data into on-line pixel data and background pixel data; background figure skeletonizing means, connected to the image data input means, for skeletonizing the background pixel data of the input image data by a predetermined number of steps; gap filling means, connected to the background figure skeletonizing means, for converting into the on-line pixel data a pixel area in which the skeletonized background pixel data has a 1-dot line width; connection picture element detecting means, connected to the background figure skeletonizing means and said gap filling means, for skeletonizing the on-line picture element data obtained by the gap filling means, by a predetermined number of steps, and for detecting pixels each having a 1-dot line width; connection candidate detecting means, connected to the image data input means and the gap filling means, for calculating pixel data around the on-line pixel data of the image data input from the digitizing means to detect a connection candidate area; connection pixel thickening means, connected to the connection pixel detecting means and the connection candidate detecting means, for thickening the connection pixels detected by said connection pixel detecting means within the connection candidate area; and logical sum means, connected to the image input means and the connection pixel enlarging means, for combining on-line pixel data from the connection pixel thickening means and the image data input from the digitizing means. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other objects and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the following drawings, in which: 
     Figs. 1A through 1C are views for explaining a disadvantage of a conventional drawing apparatus; 
     FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a line figure connecting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIGS. 3A through 3G are diagrams showing connection processing procedures in the apparatus shown in FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a detailed block diagram of a background figure skeletonization circuit shown in FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 5 is a detailed block diagram of a logical filtering circuit shown in FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6A is a view showing picture element data input to a table memory shown in FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 6B is a table showing the correspondence between the input image data stored in the table memory (FIG. 5) and output picture element data; 
     FIG. 7 is a detailed block diagram of a gap filling circuit shown in FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 8 is a detailed block diagram of a connection picture element detection circuit shown in FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 9 is a detailed block diagram of a connection candidate detection circuit shown in FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 10 is a detailed block diagram of a connection picture element thickening circuit shown in FIG. 2; and 
     FIG. 11 is a detailed block diagram of an OR circuit shown in FIG. 2. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a line figure connecting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. This line figure connecting apparatus is used as, for example, a preprocessor in a graphic processing system. Line figure image f0 is input to the line figure connecting apparatus. Image f0 is a line figure input from a TV camera or scanner 4 and is digitized through A/D converter 6. For example, when image f0 shown in FIG. 1A is input, omission 5 in image f0 is subjected to connection processing, and output image f6 shown in FIG. 1B is generated and output to image data processor 18. 
     In this embodiment, a pixel on a line of the binary line figure is defined as logic &#34;1&#34;, and a background pixel is defined as logic &#34;0&#34;, or vice versa. That is, different values are assigned for the pixel on a line and the background pixel. 
     Input line figure f0 is input to background figure skeletonization circuit 7. Skeletonization circuit 7 in this embodiment does not perform skeletonization for a line width of less than one dot. 
     Assume that input image f0 shown in FIG. 1A is given as a set of pixels f0(x,y) shown in FIG. 3A. Only an on-line pixel in FIGS. 3A through 3G is given as logic &#34;1&#34; or &#34; ○ &#34;, and the background pixel of logic &#34;0&#34; is not illustrated. However, necessary background pixels are repesented by &#34;*&#34;. 
     Background figure skeletonization circuit 7 skeletonizes the background of input line image f0(x,y) by n1 steps to generate background skeletonized image f1(x,y) shown in FIG. 3B. The n1 steps are represented by an integer of 1 or more and represent a length for connection processing. For example, if n1=1, then a 2-dot width is subjected to connection processing. Skeletonization of the background corresponds to conventional thickening of a line figure. However, in this embodiment skeletonization is not a mere thickening of a line figure but differs therefrom in that the background pixels of line width (1) represented by &#34;*&#34; are not thickened but are left unchanged. &#34;Thickening&#34; is defined as an operation for changing background pixels of logic &#34;0&#34; into those of logic &#34;1&#34; to draw a line. &#34;Line width&#34; (1) is defined as a width of one-dot line. In the conventional thickening of a line figure, the background having a line width (1) is also subjected to thickening, and background information is often lost. However, in background skeletonization in this embodiment, the background having line width (1) is left unchanged. Background figure skeletonization circuit 7 comprises logical filtering circuits 19 1 , . . . 19n1 of 2×n1. Each filtering circuits 19 1  through 19n1 has an arrangement shown in FIG. 5 and comprises five shift registers 23, 25, 27, 29, and 31 and table memory 33. Each shift register 23 and 25 serves for one line buffer of input pixels, and each shift register, 27, 29 and 31 is, for example, a 3-bit shift register. Each shift register 27, 29, or 31 serves a buffer for temporarily storing 3-dot pixel data. More specifically, nine dot pixel data a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, and i are sequentially input to logical filtering circuits 19 1  through 19n1 shown in FIG. 4, and filtering circuits 19 1  through 19n1 performs serial-to-parallel conversion. Therefore, 9-dot pixel data can be simultaneously input to table memory 33. The 9-dot pixel data is input as address data to table memory 33. Each shift registers 23 or 25 delays the raster-scanned and sequentially input pixel data by one line. Shift registers 27, 29, and 31 delay the pixel data of one line ahead of the current line, the pixel data of two lines ahead of the current line, and the pixel data of the current line, by two pixels, respectively and generate signals of three succeeding pixels. Table memory 33 receives the 9-dot pixel data as address data and outputs pixel data corresponding to the input address data. Pixel data a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, and i input to table memory 33 constitute 3×3 pixel data, as shown in FIG. 6A. Table memory 33 prestores output pixel data corresponding to input pixel data a through i. The table representing their relationship is shown in FIG. 6B. By such table conversion, outputs corresponding to values of nine pixel data a through i can be obtained. Pixel data e representing the central pixel is logically filtered according to other eight adjacent pixels. 
     Logical filtering circuits shown in FIGS. 7, 8 and 10 have the same arrangement as that in FIG. 5. However, the contents (FIG. 6B) of table memories 33 for the logical filtering circuits differ from each other. In this embodiment, when one of the upper, lower, right, and left pixels (i.e., pixel data b, d, f, and h) is set at logic &#34;1&#34;, a logical filtering output for the central pixel represented by picture element data e is set at logic &#34;1&#34;. Therefore, an output value stored in table memory 33 can be represented by the following equation when a logical OR sign is represented by &#34;+&#34;: 
     
         Output Value=b+d+e+f+h 
    
     Skeletonization logical filtering basically employs the following logic and logic symmetrical therewith (i.e., inverted logic) when skeletonization from the top and the left has a priority over other skeletonization directions. The above types of logic are alternatively performed. Logical filtering circuits 19 1  through 19n1 constituting background figure skeletonization circuit 7 in FIG. 2 employ the following logic, and the inverted logic thereof, alternatively, as follows: 
     One logic Employed by Filtering Circuit: 
     If a=b=c=0 AND g=h=i=1, then the output value is set at logic &#34;0&#34;; 
     If a=d=g=0 AND c=f=i=1, then the output value is set at logic &#34;0&#34;; 
     If d=g=h=i=0 AND a=b=f=1, then the output value is set at logic &#34;0&#34;; 
     If b=c=f=i=0 AND d=h=1, then the output value is set at logic &#34;0&#34;; and 
     Otherwise, the output value is set to be &#34;e&#34;. 
     Another Logic Employed by Filtering Circuit: 
     If g=h=i=0 AND a=b=c=1, then the output value is set at logic &#34;0&#34;; 
     If c=f=i=0 AND a=d=g=1, then the output value is set at logic &#34;0&#34;; 
     If a=b=c=f=0 AND d=h=i=1, then the output value is set at logic &#34;0&#34;; 
     If a=d=g=h=0 AND b=f=1, then the output value is set at logic &#34;0&#34;; and 
     Otherwise, the output value is set to be &#34;e&#34;. 
     Gap filling circuit 9 for line width (1) receives background skeletonized image f1(x,y) and converts the background pixels having line width (1) of image f1(x,y) into logic &#34;1&#34;, thereby filling the gap. By gap filling, the pixels having line width (1) and represented by &#34;*&#34; are converted into logic &#34;1&#34;, and therefore gap-filled image f2(x,y) shown in FIG. 3C is obtained. 
     Gap-filled image f2(x,y) is substantially the same as that obtained by simply thickening the input line figure f0(x,y) by n1 steps. Gap filling circuit 9 can be arranged by one logical filtering circuit 35 shown in FIG. 7. The detailed arrangement of logical filtering circuit 35 is the same as that shown in FIG. 5. In this case, the corresponding table on the basis of the following logic is stored in table memory 33: 
     If d=f=1 OR b=h=1, then the output value is set at logic &#34;1&#34;; and 
     Otherwise, the output value is set to be &#34;e&#34;. 
     Connection picture element detection circuit 11 maintains information of background skeletonized image f1(x,y). Whenever gap-filled image f2(x,y) (i.e., the width of the line represented by &#34;1&#34; in FIG. 3C is decreased vertically and horizontally by one dot) is skeletonized by one step, detection circuit 3 calculates an OR product of gap-filled or skeletonized image f2(x,y) and background skeletonized image f1(x,y). The resultant logical OR image is defined as new skeletonized image f2(x,y). This operation is repeated by n2 steps to obtain final skeletonized image f3(x,y). It should be noted that skeletonization of less than one dot is not performed. More specifically, ##STR1## the above operations are repeated. 
     The above processing is processing opposite to skeletonization of the background and corresponds to processing in which the background is skeletonized while pixels in a line figure having a one-dot line width are left unchanged. Pixels for a line figure having a one-dot line width are obtained as connection candidates, as indicated by  ○  in FIG. 3D. Connection pixel detection circuit 11 can be realized by using three filtering circuits 37, 39, and 41 delay circuits 43 and 45, and OR gates 47 and 49, as shown in FIG. 8. First two logical filtering circuits 37 and 39 perform the above-mentioned skeletonization processing while image f1 delayed by a time required for such logical filtering processing is logically ORed with skeletonized image f2. Thereafter, a location having a one-dot line width is detected by last logical filtering circuit 41. 
     The detailed arrangement of each filtering circuit 37, 39, or 41 is shown in FIG. 5. The table memory in last logical filtering circuit 41 for detecting the location having a one-dot line width in detection circuit 11 stores an output table based on the following logic: 
     If d=f=0 AND e=1, then the output value is set at logic &#34;1&#34;; 
     If b=h=0 AND e=1, then the output value is set at logic &#34;1&#34;; and 
     Otherwise, the output value is set to be &#34;e&#34;. 
     Connection candidate detection circuit 13 receives input line image f0(x,y) and gap-filled image f2(x,y) obtained by gap filling circuit 9 and detects pixels around a line segment of f0(x,y). These pixels constitute connection candidate area image f4(x,y), as shown in FIG. 3E. The inner area defined by the line segments of image f4(x,y) is obtained as a connection candidate area. 
     Connection candidate detection processing is performed by calculating a logical AND product of gap-filled image f2(x,y) and an image obtained by inverting input line image f0(x,y) as follows: 
     
         f4(x,y)←f2(x,y) AND f0(x,y) 
    
     In connection candidate detection circuit 13, as shown in FIG. 9, delay circuit 47 delays image signal f1, the delayed signal is inverted by inverter 49, and AND gate 51 generates an AND signal of inverted output signal f0 from inverter 49 and image signal f2. 
     Connection picture element thickening circuit 15 receives skeletonized image f3(x,y) and connection candidate area image f4(x,y) and extracts only pixels corresponding to the one-dot line width in skeletonized image f3(x,y) and falling within the connection candidate area represented by image f4(x,y). In this embodiment, only pixels represented by  ○ in skeletonized image f3(x,y) shown in FIG. 3D are extracted. 
     The extracted pixels are thickened within the connection candidate area to obtain connection pixel image f5(x,y) shown in FIG. 3F. In the above processing, whenever the one-dot line figure in the skeletonized image f3(x,y) is thickened by one step, this image is logically ANDed with an image which determines connection candidate area image f4(x,y), and the operation is repeated by n3 times (where n3 represents a value equal to n1 or n1+1). 
     As a result, new pixels constituting a line segment are generated within the connection candidate area, and connection image f5(x,y) is obtained. In connection pixel thickening circuit 15, as shown in FIG. 10, an output from logical filtering circuit 53 for storing the above-mentioned thickening logic is logically ANDed by an AND gate 57 with image signal f4 delayed by the logical filtering time by delay circuit 55. 
     Connection pixel image f5(x,y) is inserted in image f0(x,y). These images are combined as an OR signal by OR circuit 17, and therefore input line figure f6(x,y) is obtained, as shown in FIG. 3G. OR circuit 17 comprises delay circuit 59 and OR gate 61, as shown in FIG. 11 and calculates an OR signal of signals f0 and f5. 
     The line figure connecting circuit according to the present invention can be easily arranged by using logical filtering circuits. Processing is performed while background information is left unchanged by skeletonizing the background. Connection pixels are obtained in only an area between two background portions. Therefore, an area (hole portion) surrounded by the line figure is undesirably filled or parallel lines are not undesirably connected. As shown in FIG. 1A, the input line image is not processed into the output line image shown in FIG. 1C. Therefore, only the omission in the input image can be easily processed, as described above, and the output line image shown in FIG. 1B can be obtained.