The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 17, 1998
Filed:
May. 31, 1994
Akifumi Shirasaka, Yokohama, JP;
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image processing apparatus for smoothly drawing and outputting a contour line of a graphic image includes: an input device to input an image; a memory to store the image input by the input device; a detecting circuit to detect a stairway-like change portion in the contour line image of the image stored in the memory a contour line correcting circuit to perform the smoothing process by forming notches in the stairway-like change portions of the contour line image detected by the detecting circuit; and a display device to display the image. The contour line correcting circuit inverts the stairway-like change portions of the contour line image detected by the detecting circuit, thereby forming the notches and executing the smoothing process. The detecting circuit detects the stairway-like change portions of the contour line image having slopes of a predetermined angle or more with respect to the horizontal or vertical direction in the image stored in the memory. With this apparatus, the visually smooth image is derived without performing a complicated control operation.