PURPOSE: To provide an image processing method capable of executing at a higher speed than heretofore in respecdt to iamge thinning prodessing for thinning a binary graphic into a graphic with line width '1'.
CONSTITUTION: When conditions 3-1 (step 1) to 3-3 (step 3) are not formed, a picture element(PE) just before an objective PE and an PE corresponding to the position of the objective PE in a scanning line just before the objective PE are index-like PE values and the PEs concerned are set up to peripheral PE values, the number of 8-connections is '1' (NOT in conditions 3-4, 3-5), and when eight nearly-by PEs are expential PE values, the objective PE is set up to the peripheral PEs. When the objective PE is not an independent point (NOT in condition 3-6), an index-like PE value is applied to the objective PE.
NAKAHIRA HIROYUKI
SAKIYAMA SHIRO
MARUYAMA MASAKATSU