APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING CHARACTER OR PICTORIAL IMAGE DATA

摘要

A method of processing character data includes approximating the outline of a character with a set of functional curves or straight lines, then storing the outline specifying information to compress the amount of data, and decoding the compressed data to reproduce the character image. Sample points on the outline are selected so that the vector joining adjacent points deviates from the outline by less than a predetermined amount. Vectors having greater than a predetermined length are deemed to correspond to straight lines and are encoded as such vectors shorter than the predetermined length correspond to curved portions and are encoded by segmental polynomial approximation.