Method and apparatus for removing dummy features from a data structure
US8219940B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 6, 2005 |
| Grant date | Jul 10, 2012 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 21, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F18/2113
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus to reduce occurrences of electrically non-functional elements, known as dummy features, from a source data structure is described. The source data structure may be image data, a vector based data structure or some other data format. Dummy features in the source data structure are detected and then deleted. Dummy features may be detected by selecting a representative dummy feature, using it as a reference pattern or polygon and comparing it to features in the source data structure. The step of comparing the selected reference to the comprises selecting a cut-off correlation threshold value, and computing the correlation coefficients between the reference and the feature. Features are selectively removed based on a comparison between their correlation coefficients and the selected cut-off correlation threshold value. This threshold value may require updating to remove all dummy features in the source data structure. When different shaped dummy features in the same data structure are encountered, a further reference feature may be selected and the process repeated.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.