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:
Feb. 12, 2008
Filed:
Oct. 29, 2004
Kazuyo Watanabe, Tokyo, JP;
Kazuyo Watanabe, Tokyo, JP;
Oki Data Corpoartion, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image processing apparatus sets an image reference position in an input image, calculates a distribution of weights from the image reference position, sets a starting position in the input image, and partitions the input image into areas by working outward from the starting position, using the distribution of weights to calculate thresholds for adding picture elements to existing areas. The distribution of weights may, for example, allow picture elements distant from the image reference position to be added to a background area more easily than picture elements closer to the image reference position. In addition, multiple starting positions may be set. These provisions enable the background to be identified as a single area without requiring user input of an outline around each non-background area.