METHOD FOR ACQUIRING SHORTEST DISTANCE BETWEEN OBJECTS

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To shorten the processing time for acquiring the shortest distance between objects formed of a plurality of elements. SOLUTION: This method determines an element of object based on a reading order having no geometric continuity to alignment in an alignment order having the geometric continuity of a plurality of elements constituting the object; reads position information of the element of object; roughly determines the distance between the element of object and a prescribed point, roughly determines the next element of object when the roughly determined distance Drgh exceeds the shortest distance Dmin, precisely determines the distance between the element of opbject and the prescribed point based on the position information of the element of object when the roughly determined distance Drgh is the shortest distance Dmin or less, sets it as an element distance Dobj, roughly determines the next element of object when the element distance Dobj exceeds the shortest distance Dmin, substitutes the element distance Dobj for the shortest distance Dmin when the element distance Dobj is the shortest distance Dmin or less and executes the above processing until it is decided that all the elements become the elements of object. COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT