Image processing device, image processing method, and program

• US 10,572,759 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2016
• Issued: 02/25/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rakuten Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Rakuten, Inc. (Rakuten Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Liu, Rong
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brinich, Stephen M
• Application Number:
  US15/742,024
• Publication Number:
  US 20180189589A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,330 Days
• Field of Search: 382173, 382176-182, 382197-200, 382229, 382289-292, 382301
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/62 Text, e.g. of license plates, overlay texts or captions on TV images
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 2201/01 Solutions for problems related to non-uniform document background
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/10 Character recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1456 based on user interactions

Abstract

To quickly specify a region of a character group included in an image, image obtaining means of an image processing device obtains the image data. Expansion means expands and unites a plurality of regions respectively indicating objects included in an image indicated by the image data obtained by the image obtaining means. Character region determining means determines whether all or some of the regions, which are expanded and united by the expansion means, are character regions. Processing performing means performs predetermined processing on a region that is determined by the character region determining means as a character region.

Claims

1. An image processing device comprising:

a storage unit configured to store image data; and

at least one processor configured to;

obtain the image data stored in the storage unit;

expand and unite a plurality of regions respectively indicating objects included in an image indicated by the image data;

determine whether all or some of the regions, which are expanded and united, are character regions;

perform predetermined processing on a region determined as a character region;

expand an inside of the region that is determined as a character; and

display the expanded inside of the region on a display on which the image is displayed.

2. The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein if a size of a contour of a region indicating an object included in the image or a size of the region itself is equal to or greater than a reference size, the at least one processor is configured to restrict the region from uniting with the region which is expanded.

3. The image processing device according to claim 2, wherein if the size of the contour of the region indicating the object included in the image or the size of the region itself is equal to or greater than the reference size, the at least one processor is configured to fill the region with a background color so as to restrict the region from uniting with the region which is expanded.

4. The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to restrict the region which was expanded from being determined whether the region is the character region if a size of a contour of the region or a size of the region itself is equal to or greater than the reference size.

5. The image processing device according to claim 4, wherein if the size of the contour of the region, which is expanded, or the size of the region itself is equal to or greater than the reference size, the at least one processor is configured to fill the region with the background color so as to restrict the region from being determined whether the region is the character region.

6. The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

receive specifying operation of some of the regions which is expanded and united, and

determine whether the some of the regions specified by the specifying operation are character regions.

7. An image processing method comprising:

obtaining image data stored in a storage unit which stores the image data;

expanding and uniting a plurality of regions respectively indicating objects included in an image indicated by the image data;

determining whether all or some of the regions, which are expanded and united, are character regions;

performing predetermined processing on a region that is determined as a character region;

expanding an inside of the region that is determined as a character; and

displaying the expanded inside of the region on a display on which the image is displayed.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable information storage medium for storing a program causing a computer to:

obtain image data stored in a storage unit which stores the image data;

expand and unite a plurality of regions respectively indicating objects included in an image indicated by the image data;

determine whether all or some of the regions, which are expanded and united, are character regions;

perform predetermined processing on a region that is determined as a character region;

expand an inside of the region that is determined as a character; and

display the expanded inside of the region on a display on which the image is displayed.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable information storage medium for storing a program causing a computer to:

obtain image data stored in a storage unit which stores the image data;

expand and unite a plurality of regions respectively indicating objects included in an image indicated by the image data;

determine whether all or some of the regions, which are expanded and united, are character regions;

perform predetermined processing on a region that is determined as a character region; and

if a size of a contour of a region indicating an object included in the image or a size of the region itself is equal to or greater than a reference size, restrict the region from uniting with the region which is expanded.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable information storage medium for storing a program causing a computer to:

obtain image data stored in a storage unit which stores the image data;

expand and unite a plurality of regions respectively indicating objects included in an image indicated by the image data;

determine whether all or some of the regions, which are expanded and united, are character regions;

perform predetermined processing on a region that is determined as a character region; and

restrict the region which was expanded from being determined whether the region is the character region if a size of a contour of the region or a size of the region itself is equal to or greater than the reference size.