US 7,590,268 B1
Method and apparatus for representing an area of a raster image by a centerline
Peter Skirko, Santa Clara, Calif. (US)
Assigned to Adobe Systems Incorporated, San Jose, Calif. (US)
Filed on Oct. 17, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/252,503.
Int. Cl. G06K 9/00 (2006.01); G06K 9/40 (2006.01); G06K 9/42 (2006.01); G06K 9/44 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 382—118  [382/115; 382/116; 382/117; 382/254; 382/258; 382/259] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for representing an area of a raster image by a centerline, the method comprising: using a computer to perform:
receiving a planar map which represents a raster image that contains a region, wherein a face in the planar map maps to the region in the raster image, and wherein the edges of the face map to the boundary of the region;
selecting as a subregion of the region a portion of the region whose width, as measured across the region from one boundary point to another boundary point, does not exceed a maximum-width threshold, wherein both the subregion and a portion of the region outside the subregion are currently represented by an outline comprising the edges of the face;
determining a centerline for the subregion, wherein the centerline coincides with at least a portion of a medial axis of the region;
transforming the planar map so that the subregion is represented by the centerline, and so that the portion of the region outside the subregion is represented by an outline comprising a portion of the edges of the face.