JPH0594534A - Method for separating graphic - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a graphic separating method capable of reproducing th original number of groups to be processed at its maximum while holding the features of graphic size. CONSTITUTION:The contours of respective graphic in a binary image are extracted, the contour graphics are stored, the binary image is skeletonized, the skeletonized graphic is binarized and expanded, and when a center picture element is a background picture element and plural uncontinued graphic picture elements exist in the periphery or when the center picture element is a picture element in the contour graphic at the time of expanding the image, the expansion of the center picture element is inhibited.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a graphic separation method,
For example, it relates to a figure separation method effective for separating fused figures in particle analysis.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In particle analysis, it is necessary to accurately grasp the number of particles and the particle size distribution. However, in many cases, an image in which particles are overlapped with an input system is input. It is necessary to separate the particles from each other. Here, simple figure separation can be performed by shrinking the figure a proper number of times, but at this time, the particle size data is lost, and the measured value of the particle size distribution has little meaning. Also, Minoru Okada et al .: "A method of segmenting digital figures using distance features", IEICE Transactions, J74-D-II, 6,
pp. 689-706 (1991-06) proposes an image processing method in which the number of divisions is set in advance and graphic division is performed by contraction based on the distance feature, but one fused figure is formed in a general particle image. The number of particles is non-uniform and unpredictable.

[0003]

The present invention was devised to solve such conventional problems, and preserves the characteristics of the graphic size while maximizing the original number of groups to be processed. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of separating figures that can be performed.

[0004]

The figure separation method according to the present invention reproduces the number of groups by generating a skeleton figure, expands the skeleton figure, saves the contour of the original image, and By preventing new connections,
The feature size expansion is reproduced by expanding the contour while preventing the re-fusion of the feature.

[0005]

According to the present invention, it is possible to separate fused figures and generate data effective for particle analysis and the like.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the figure separating method according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, the original image (FIG. 2) of the fused figure is taken in (step 1-1) and binarized (step 1-2). Next, as shown in FIG. 3, the contour image is registered with a specific luminance value (for example, luminance value 0) (step 1-3).

Next, the binary image in step 1-2 is skeletonized. When the skeleton is applied, first, the skeleton a of the smaller portion A of the fused figure is generated (FIG. 4), and when the skeletonization is further applied, the skeleton b of the larger portion B is generated (FIG. 5). By this skeletonization, the fused figures are separated and the original number of groups is reproduced. This skeletonized figure is binarized with a density other than the specific luminance value in step 1-3 (step 1-5).

By such a skeletonization process, the original number of groups of the original image is reproduced, but the graphic features such as individual particles, such as particle size proportion, are not reproduced. Therefore, the characteristics of each of these groups will be reproduced next. As a method of reproducing this, expansion is performed with the contour graphic as a limit, and graphic re-fusion when expansion is prevented.

To prevent re-fusion, a fusion prohibited area is extracted under the following conditions (step 1-6). Surrounding pixels A, B, C of the central pixel E of the 3 × 3 convolution of FIG.
Among D, F, G, H, and I, the pixel C and the pixel D are discontinuous. In such a case, if the central pixel E is expanded,
Pixels C and D, which may be pixels of different figures, may be connected and the separated figures may merge. That is, when the central pixel is the background pixel and there are a plurality of discontinuous graphic pixels around the central pixel, the central pixel is set as the fusion prohibition region and a mask image of the region is generated.
In addition, depending on the purpose of use, 8
Either the connection method or the connection method will be used. Similarly, the contour image obtained in step 1-3 is also used as a fusion prohibition area to generate a mask image (step 1-7).

Thereafter, expansion processing is applied to the areas other than these mask areas based on the skeletonized figure obtained in step 1-5 (step 1-8). When the processing from step 1-6 is repeated until the expansion processing is performed on all areas other than the mask area (step 1-9), a separated figure that does not impair the characteristics of the original figure size is obtained as shown in FIG. It is possible.

[0011]

The present invention has an effect of obtaining a separated figure which maximizes the original number of groups to be processed while preserving the characteristics of the figure size.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of a limit fusion image.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram of a contour image.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram in which a skeletalization process is performed on a fused figure.

FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram in which a fused figure is further subjected to skeletonization processing.

FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram in which a skeletonized figure is subjected to expansion processing.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a method of extracting a fusion prohibited area.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A contour of each figure in a binary image is extracted, the contour figure is stored, and the binary image is skeletonized.
When the skeleton figure is binarized and then expanded, when the central pixel is a background pixel and there are a plurality of discontinuous figure pixels in the surroundings, and when the central pixel is the contour figure pixel. In addition, a figure separation method characterized in that expansion of the central pixel is prohibited.