Method and apparatus for classifying an input character

• US 20080144938A1
• Filed: 02/14/2008
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Napper, Jonathon Leigh
• Granted Patent: US 7,697,761 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/186
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1423 the instrument generating sequences of position coordinates corresponding to handwriting preprocessing or recognising digital ink G06V30/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/244 using graphical properties, e.g. alphabet type or font

Abstract

A method for classifying an input character, the method comprising the steps of, in a processing system, for a plurality of character models, decomposing the input character into one or more segments in accordance with a segmentation scheme associated with the character model, and evaluating the one or more segments against a segment model associated with the character model, by using fuzzy logic rules to produce a score indicative of the conformity with the segment model, the method further including selecting the character model that produced the highest score, and classifying the input character as a character associated with the character model that produced the highest score.

Claims

1. A method for classifying an input character, the method comprising the steps of, in a processing system:

(a) for a plurality of character models;

(i) decomposing the input character into one or more segments in accordance with a segmentation scheme associated with the character model; and

,

(ii) evaluating the one or more segments against a segment model associated with the character model, by using fuzzy logic rules to produce a score indicative of the conformity with the segment model; and

,

(b) selecting the character model that produced the highest score; and

,

(c) classifying the input character as a character associated with the character model that produced the highest score.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each character model has a plurality of associated segmentation schemes.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the method includes, determining whether the input character can be segmented with the segmentation scheme, and if the input character cannot be segmented, changing the segmentation scheme.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes classifying the input character as any one of a letter, a number, or a punctuation mark.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes assigning a score which rewards closer conformance to an ideal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes defining different rules for decomposing the input character into one or more segments for different character models.

7. An apparatus for classifying an input character, the apparatus including a processing system, the processing system being configured to:

(a) for a plurality of character models;

(i) decompose the input character into one or more segments in accordance with a segmentation scheme associated with the character model; and

,

(ii) evaluate the one or more segments against a segment model associated with the character model, by using fuzzy logic rules to produce a score indicative of the conformity with the segment model; and

,

(b) select the character model that produced the highest score; and

,

(c) classify the input character as a character associated with the character model that produced the highest score.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the apparatus includes an input surface responsive to movement of a stylus thereupon for producing an input stimulus, the processing system being configured to receive the input stimulus as the input character.