Outlining Method for Curved and Straight Line Representation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional outlining methods for binarized images often misrepresent horizontal or vertical lines as oblique due to pixel loss during scanning, leading to unnatural and conspicuous outer contours in outlined data.
Innovation Solution
An outlining method that extracts contour pixels from binarized image data and performs straight-line approximation by calculating distances between adjacent pixels, determining whether to use a straight line based on comparisons between the lengths of connecting lines, ensuring that appropriate straight lines are maintained while smoothing other contours into curved lines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If straight-line approximation is applied to all contour pixels, then the outlining process is simplified and processing speed is improved, but horizontal or vertical lines may be misrepresented as oblique lines due to pixel loss during scanning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different processing strategies to different segments of the contour based on local characteristics. Specifically, it identifies whether each contour segment should be represented by a straight line or a curved line by analyzing the angles between adjacent line segments and comparing them to reference angles (0°, 45°, 90°, etc.). This local differentiation ensures that horizontal and vertical lines are preserved accurately while other contours are smoothly approximated, resolving the contradiction between processing speed and line representation accuracy.
2Device complexity
If conventional straight-line approximation is used, then the outlining process is computationally efficient, but the outer contour becomes unnatural and conspicuous when lines that should be horizontal or vertical are represented obliquely
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary analysis of contour pixel angles before applying straight-line approximation. By calculating the angle between adjacent contour pixels and comparing it to reference angles in advance, the system determines which segments should be treated as straight lines and which should be smoothed. This preliminary action prevents the misrepresentation of horizontal and vertical lines while maintaining computational efficiency, thus improving the natural appearance of the outer contour without significantly increasing process complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
When generating outline data, the contour pixels of the binarized image data are first extracted. Based on the extracted contour pixels, the contour of the image data is approximated to a straight line. In the straight-line approximation process, the distance between adjacent contour pixels among the extracted contour pixels is calculated. It is determined based on the result of the comparison between the length of the first straight line and the length of the second straight line whether the first straight line is used as a contour of the image data. The first straight line connects the first contour pixel and the second contour pixel adjacent to the first contour pixel. The second straight line connects the second contour pixel and the third contour pixel adjacent to the second contour pixel.