IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE READING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND RECORDING MEDIUM

• US 20080187249A1
• Filed: 11/09/2007
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: KONISHI, Yohsuke
• Granted Patent: US 8,144,994 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/306
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/10 Character recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1444 Selective acquisition, locating or processing of specific regions, e.g. highlighted text, fiducial marks or predetermined fields
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/18076 by analysing connectivity, e.g. edge linking, connected component analysis or slices

Abstract

A plurality of type identifiers are stored that contains one or a plurality of image identifiers each for identifying each of a plurality of reference images and thereby identifies a type of a document. Then, it is determined whether each of a plurality of obtained document images is similar to a reference image. When a document image is determined as being similar to a reference image, an image identifier that identifies the reference image is selected from among a plurality of image identifiers. Then, a type identifier is identified that contains the selected image identifier. Then, document images each similar to a reference image are classified for each identified type identifier.

Claims

1. An image processing method comprising the steps of:

storing a plurality of type identifiers each of which contains one or a plurality of image identifiers each for identifying each of a plurality of reference images and thereby identifies a type of a document;

determining whether each of a plurality of obtained document images is similar to a reference image;

when a document image is determined as being similar to a reference image, selecting an image identifier that identifies said reference image, from among a plurality of image identifiers;

identifying a type identifier that contains the selected image identifier; and

classifying document images each similar to a reference image, for each identified type identifier.

2. The image processing method according to claim 1, wherein document images in the number of image identifiers contained in a type identifier are classified for each type identifier.

3. The image processing method according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

at each time when a document image is determined as being similar to a reference image, counting up the number of document images determined as being similar;

determining whether the counted number of document images is equals to the number of image identifiers contained in the type identifier; and

when said number of document images is determined as being equal to the number of image identifiers, determining that said document image is the last document image to be classified to said type identifier.

4. The image processing method according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

at each time when a document image is determined as being similar to a reference image, counting up the number of document images determined as being similar;

storing the counted number of document images, as associating with the type identifier;

determining whether the number of stored document images is equals to the number of image identifiers contained in said type identifier; and

when said number of document images is determined as being equal to the number of image identifiers, determining that said document image is the last document image to be classified to said type identifier.

5. The image processing method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

storing features and image identifiers of the reference images as being associated with each other;

extracting features of a document image;

identifying an image identifier on the basis of the extracted features and the stored features of a reference image; and

determining that said document image is similar to a reference image identified by said image identifier.

6. The image processing method according to claim 1, further comprising step of:

controlling output processing for the document images is performed separately for each type identifier.

7. The image processing method according to claim 1, further comprising steps of:

receiving an instruction for storing a reference image;

setting up an image identifier that identifies one or a plurality of the reference images having been inputted;

setting up a type identifier that contains the set-up image identifier;

extracting features of said reference image; and

storing the type identifier and the image identifier having been set up as well as the extracted features, as associating with each other.

8. An image processing apparatus comprising:

a storage section for storing a plurality of type identifiers each of which contains one or a plurality of image identifiers each for identifying each of a plurality of reference images and thereby identifies a type of a document; and

a controller capable of performing operations of;

determining whether each of a plurality of obtained document images is similar to a reference image;

when a document image is determined as being similar to a reference image, selecting an image identifier that identifies said reference image, from among a plurality of image identifiers;

identifying a type identifier that contains the selected image identifier; and

classifying document images each similar to a reference image, for each identified type identifier.

9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein document images in the number of image identifiers contained in a type identifier are classified for each type identifier.

10. The image processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said controller is further capable of performing operations or:

at each time when a document image is determined as being similar to a reference image, counting up the number of document images determined as being similar;

determining whether the counted number of document images is equals to the number of image identifiers contained in the type identifier; and

when said number of document images is determined as being equal to the number of image identifiers, determining that said document image is the last document image to be classified to said type identifier.

11. The image processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said controller is further capable of performing operations of:

at each time when a document image is determined as being similar to a reference image, counting up the number of document images determined as being similar;

storing the counted number of document images, as associating with the type identifier;

determining whether the number of stored document images is equals to the number of image identifiers contained in said type identifier; and

when said number of document images is determined as being equal to the number of image identifiers, determining that said document image is the last document image to be classified to said type identifier.

12. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

features and image identifiers of the reference images are stored as being associated with each other in the storage section;

and

said controller is further capable or performing operations of;

extracting features of a document image;

identifying an image identifier on the basis of the extracted features and the stored features of a reference image; and

determining that said document image is similar to a reference image identified by said image identifier.

13. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said controller is further capable of controlling output processing for the document images separately for each type identifier.

14. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said controller is further capable of performing operations of:

receiving an instruction for storing a reference image;

when the instruction is received, setting up an image identifier that identifies one or a plurality of the reference images having been inputted;

setting up a type identifier that contains the set-up image identifier;

extracting features of said reference image; and

storing into the storage section the type identifier and the image identifier having been set up as well as the extracted features, as associating with each other.

15. An image reading apparatus comprising:

an image reading section for reading an image; and

an image processing apparatus according to claim 8;

wherein

the image read by said image reading apparatus is processed by said image processing apparatus.

16. An image forming apparatus comprising:

an image processing apparatus according to claim 8; and

an image forming section for forming an output image on the basis of the image processed by the image processing apparatus.

17. A recording medium storing thereon a computer program executable to perform the steps of:

determining whether each of a plurality of inputted document images is similar to any one of reference images;

when the document image is determined as being similar to a reference image, selecting an image identifier that identifies said reference image from among a plurality of image identifiers each for identifying a reference image;

identifying a type identifier that contains the selected image identifier, from among a plurality of type identifiers that contains one or a plurality of image identifiers and identifies a type of a document; and

classifying document images each similar to a reference image, for each identified type identifier.