Patent ID: 8149239

Claim:
An image processing apparatus for generating a two-dimensional output image based on three-dimensional data of a product model assembled from its parts, comprising: a computer system, the computer system comprising: an individual image generator to generate an individual image of each part based on the three-dimensional data; an assembly image generator to generate a parts assembly image of the entire product model with a specific part highlighted; a boundary information calculator to calculate boundary information for each part highlighted on the assembly image; an individual image arrangement calculator to obtain a center position of the highlighted part on the parts assembly image based on the boundary information, obtain a straight line dividing the parts assembly image to equally distribute the parts into respective areas defined by the straight line, and calculate a position of arrangement of the individual image of each part corresponding to the highlighted part distributed in each of the areas; and an output image generator to generate an output image in which the individual image of each part is arranged around the parts assembly image and a leading line extends from the individual image of each part to the corresponding part on the parts assembly image.