Patent ID: 8103060

Claim:
A computer-implemented image processing method, executed by a processor, for eliminating a feature point being a feature as a component of an outline, in the outline of an object included in the image of inputted image data, the method comprising: a first step of assigning feature points including at least one of a first branch point, a first end point, a second branch point, and a second end point, from branch points, end points and curve points detected as said feature points of said outline; and a second step of eliminating a middle feature point of three continuous feature points, the three continuous feature points including a first feature point, a second feature point, and the middle feature point located between the first and the second feature points, where the middle feature point is eliminated when the product of the vector formed by the first feature point and the middle feature point and the vector formed by the middle feature point and the second feature point is smaller than a predetermined threshold value.