Patent ID: 6850239

Claim:
A three-dimensional (3-D) character data generating device for generating 3-D character data from two-dimensional (2-D) character data, comprising: an outline specifying means for specifying: (a) a first outline that is an outline of a character part included in a character; and (b) a second outline that is an outline of a hole formed in the character, in accordance with the 2-D character data; an inclusion relation specifying means for specifying a first outline of a character part, which bears inclusion relation to the specified second outline and exists nearest the hole, wherein the inclusion relation shows that the first outline includes the second outline; a dividing means for dividing an area enclosed by the first outline specified by the inclusion relation specifying means into polygons, wherein the area excludes a portion enclosed by the hole, wherein the dividing means also divides a whole area enclosed by a first outline that is not specified by the inclusion relation specifying means; and a side generating means for moving a duplicate of the character part containing the divided area, and generating a side plane based on vertexes of the duplicate and vertexes of the original character part.