Lifting ink annotations from paper

• US 20060291727A1
• Filed: 06/23/2005
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Bargeron, David M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,526,129 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/218
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/40 Document-oriented image-based pattern recognition

Abstract

A computer-implemented system for obtaining ink annotations from paper comprises a comparator that compares an initial electronic version of a document with an electronic image of an annotated version of the document to identify a handwritten annotation. The system also includes an annotation lifter that extracts the handwritten annotation from the electronic image and converts the handwritten annotation into a computer-usable form. Methods for using the system are also provided.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system for obtaining ink annotations from paper, comprising:

a comparator that compares an initial electronic version of a document with an electronic image of an annotated version of the document to identify a handwritten annotation; and

an annotation lifter that extracts the handwritten annotation from the electronic image and converts the handwritten annotation into a computer-usable form.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising an image registration component that registers the electronic image of an annotated version of the document with the initial electronic version of the document.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising an image subtractor that subtracts an image of the initial electronic version of the document from the electronic image of an annotated version.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising a stroke joiner that joins a broken stroke of the handwritten annotation.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising an integrator that inserts the computer-usable form of the handwritten annotations at an appropriate anchor position within an editing version of the document.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a preprocessor that performs a preprocessing task on the image of the annotated version of the document, the preprocessing task consists of at least one of white balancing, Bayer'"'"'s effect removal, skew correction, affine correction, perspective correction, and noise removal.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising a caching component that creates the initial electronic version.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a search component that locates the initial electronic version of the document for use by the comparator.

9. A computer-implemented method for lifting handwritten annotations from a document, comprising:

comparing an initial electronic version of a document with an electronic image of an annotated version of the document;

identifying a handwritten annotation in the electronic image; and

converting the handwritten annotation into a form usable by a computer.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising registering the electronic image of the annotated version of the document with the initial electronic version.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising subtracting the image of the initial electronic version of the document from the electronic image of the annotated version.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising joining a broken stroke of the handwritten annotation.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising inserting the converted handwritten annotation into an editing version of the document.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising preprocessing of the electronic image of an annotated version of the document, the preprocessing including at least one of white balancing, removing Bayer'"'"'s effect, correcting for skew, affine correction, correcting perspective, and removing noise.

15. A computer-implemented system for lifting handwritten annotations from a document, comprising:

means for comparing an initial electronic version of a document with an electronic image of an annotated version of the document;

means for identifying a handwritten annotation in the electronic image; and

means for converting the handwritten annotation into a form usable by a computer.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising means for registering the electronic image of the annotated version of the document with the initial electronic version.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising means for subtracting the image of the initial electronic version of the document from the electronic image of the annotated version.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising means for joining a broken stroke of the handwritten annotation.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising means for inserting the converted handwritten annotation into an editing version of the document.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising preprocessing of the electronic image of an annotated version of the document, the preprocessing including at least one of white balancing, removing Bayer'"'"'s effect, correcting for skew, affine correction, correcting perspective, and removing noise.