Combined Image and Text Document

• US 20100172590A1
• Filed: 01/08/2009
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Michaelis, Alan John, Foehr, Oliver H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,331,677 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00326 with a data reading, recognizing or recording apparatus, e.g. with a bar-code apparatus arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus G11B31/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00331 with an apparatus performing optical character recognition character recognition G06V30/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00448 horizontally
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32128 attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0081 Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3245 of image modifying data, e.g. handwritten addenda, highlights or augmented reality information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3254 Orientation, e.g. landscape or portrait; Location or order of the image data, e.g. in memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3266 of text or character information, e.g. text accompanying an image H04N2201/3226 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3273 Display

Abstract

A combined image and text document is described. In embodiment(s), a scanned image of a document can be generated utilizing a scanning application, and text representations of text that is included in the document can be generated utilizing a character recognition application. Position data of the text representations can be correlated with locations of corresponding text in the scanned image of the document. The scanned image can then be rendered for display overlaid with the text representations as a transparent overlay, where the scanned image and the text representations are independently user-selectable for display. A user-selectable input can be received to display the text representations without the scanned image, the scanned image without the text representations, or to display the text representations adjacent the scanned image.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

generating a scanned image of a document utilizing a scanning application;

generating text representations of text that is included in the document utilizing a character recognition application;

correlating position data of the text representations with locations of corresponding text in the scanned image of the document; and

rendering the scanned image for display overlaid with the text representations as a transparent overlay, the scanned image and the text representations being independently user-selectable for display.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising generating a markup document that includes the text representations, associated display alignment information, and a reference to the scanned image for display.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising receiving a user-selectable input to display at least one of the text representations without the scanned image, or the scanned image without the text representations.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising receiving a user-selectable input to display the text representations adjacent the scanned image.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising rendering the text representations as a visual overlay for display over the scanned image to illustrate a comparison of the text representations with the corresponding text in the scanned image that reflects an accuracy of the character recognition application.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein the scanned image is displayed in a first color overlaid with the text representations displayed in a second color that contrasts with the first color to further illustrate the comparison of the text representations with the corresponding text in the scanned image.

7. A method as recited in claim 5, further comprising receiving a user-selectable input to display at least one of the text representations without the scanned image, or the scanned image without the text representations as the visual overlay.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

searching for selected text in the text representations that are displayed in a transparent color over the scanned image; and

highlighting the transparent overlay of the selected text to display an appearance that the corresponding text in the scanned image is highlighted.

9. A document representation system, comprising:

a scanned image of a document generated by a scanning application;

a character recognition application configured to generate text representations of text that is included in the document, and correlate position data of the text representations with locations of corresponding text in the scanned image of the document; and

a display application configured to initiate a display of the scanned image overlaid with the text representations as a transparent overlay, the scanned image and the text representations being independently user-selectable for display.

10. A document representation system as recited in claim 9, wherein the display application is further configured to generate a markup document that includes the text representations, associated display alignment information, and a reference to the scanned image for display.

11. A document representation system as recited in claim 9, wherein the display application is further configured to receive a user-selectable input to initiate the display of at least one of the text representations without the scanned image, or the scanned image without the text representations.

12. A document representation system as recited in claim 9, wherein the display application is further configured to receive a user-selectable input to initiate the display of the text representations adjacent the scanned image.

13. A document representation system as recited in claim 9, wherein the display application is further configured to initiate the display of the text representations as a visual overlay for display over the scanned image to illustrate a comparison of the text representations with the corresponding text in the scanned image that reflects an accuracy of the character recognition application.

14. A document representation system as recited in claim 13, wherein the display application is further configured to initiate the display of the scanned image in a first color overlaid with the text representations displayed in a second color that contrasts with the first color to further illustrate the comparison of the text representations with the corresponding text in the scanned image.

15. A document representation system as recited in claim 9, wherein the display application is further configured to:

receive a text search request for selected text;

initiate a search for the selected text in the text representations that are displayed in a transparent color over the scanned image; and

highlight the transparent overlay of the selected text to display an appearance that the corresponding text in the scanned image is highlighted.

16. One or more computer-readable media comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, direct a display application to:

initiate display of a scanned image of a document generated by a scanning application;

initiate display of text representations over the scanned image as a transparent overlay, the text representations generated from text that is included in the document and generated by a character recognition application; and

receive a user-selectable input to initiate the display of at least one of the text representations without the scanned image, or the scanned image without the text representations.

17. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 16, further comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, direct the display application to initiate the display of the text representations as a visual overlay for display over the scanned image to illustrate a comparison of the text representations with the corresponding text in the scanned image that reflects an accuracy of the character recognition application.

18. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 17, further comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, direct the display application to initiate the display of the scanned image in a first color overlaid with the text representations displayed in a second color that contrasts with the first color to further illustrate the comparison of the text representations with the corresponding text in the scanned image.

19. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 17, further comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, direct the display application to receive the user-selectable input to initiate the display of the scanned image without the text representations as the visual overlay.

20. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 16, further comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, direct the display application to:

receive a text search request for selected text;

initiate a search for selected text in the text representations that are displayed in a transparent color over the scanned image; and

highlight the transparent overlay of the selected text to display an appearance that the corresponding text in the scanned image is highlighted.