Recognition and interpretation of graphical and diagrammatic representations
First Claim
1. A method for use in recognizing a graphical or diagrammatic representation in a computer, the method comprising:
- (a) identifying one or more symbols in the graphical or diagrammatic representation;
(b) identifying one or more relationships between the identified symbols;
(c) generating an adjacency matrix in the computer, said adjacency matrix corresponding to a graph having one or more nodes in an arrangement that represents information obtained from the identified symbols and their relationship to each other; and
(d) applying one or more rules to the adjacency matrix to modify the graph toward a desired arrangement.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for recognizing and interpreting diagrammatic and graphical representations in a computer. A user specifies a problem by inputting a graphical or diagrammatic representation of the problem. A recognition process according to the invention identifies symbols in the representation, identifies relationships between the symbols, and generates an adjacency matrix corresponding to a graph that represents information obtained from the identified symbols and their relationships to each other. The adjacency matrix may be simplified and used to produce computer-readable output for execution by other program components to solve the problem. With this invention, users can easily use their Tablet PCs, smart pens, other pen-centric computers or any other such input mechanisms (such as WACOM tablets or mouse) to “draw” their problem and solve it.
223 Citations
100 Claims
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1. A method for use in recognizing a graphical or diagrammatic representation in a computer, the method comprising:
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(a) identifying one or more symbols in the graphical or diagrammatic representation;
(b) identifying one or more relationships between the identified symbols;
(c) generating an adjacency matrix in the computer, said adjacency matrix corresponding to a graph having one or more nodes in an arrangement that represents information obtained from the identified symbols and their relationship to each other; and
(d) applying one or more rules to the adjacency matrix to modify the graph toward a desired arrangement. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method for automated recognition of a formula input graphically in a computer, comprising:
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(a) for each symbol in the formula;
(i) grouping one or more strokes together that represent the symbol;
(ii) identifying the symbol;
(iii) constructing a box around the identified symbol; and
(iv) identifying a relationship between the symbol and another symbol in the formula;
(b) generating an adjacency matrix that describes the symbols and relationships between the symbols; and
(c) simplifying the adjacency matrix by applying one or more rules to the adjacency matrix. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A method for image analysis, comprising:
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(a) receiving an image to be analyzed;
(b) receiving graphically-specified instructions that direct the analysis of the image, in which the instructions specify one or more regions of the image for the analysis;
(c) for the graphically-specified instructions;
(i) identifying the symbols that specify the instructions;
(ii) identifying relationships between the symbols;
(iii) identifying the instructions from the symbols and their relationships to each other; and
(iv) identifying the specified regions of the image associated with each of the instructions;
(d) executing the instructions on the specified regions of the image. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69)
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70. A method for diagram recognition in a computer, comprising:
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(a) receiving a graphically-specified diagram into the computer;
(b) analyzing the graphically-specified diagram and generating a graph having one or more nodes in an arrangement that represents the diagram by;
(i) identifying one or more symbols in the diagram;
(ii) constructing a box around one or more of the identified symbols and designating the box as a node in the graph; and
(iii) identifying a relationship between two or more of the identified symbols enclosed in boxes and using the relationship to specify an edge connecting the nodes that represent the boxes in the graph; and
(c) storing the graph in the computer in the form of an adjacency matrix. - View Dependent Claims (71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100)
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Specification