Image processing apparatus and method

摘要

An image processing apparatus which detects dotted/broken-line separator between image areas in input data. In an area divider 105 which divides image data inputted from an input unit 101 into a plurality of image areas, a labeling unit 106 which generates block areas each containing one or plural connected black pixels; a dotted/broken-line factor extractor 108 extracts block areas having a block area size smaller than a predetermined size, as candidates for dotted/broken-line separator block areas; a block area combiner combines one candidate block area with another candidate block area within a predetermined distance; and a dotted/broken-line separator detector 110 determines whether each combination of candidate block areas satisfies a shape as a separator factor between image areas. Thus, a dotted/broken-line separator between image areas can be correctly detected. <MATH>