METHOD FOR AUTOMATIC CONVERSION OF PAPER RECORDS TO DIGITAL FORM

• US 20110304890A1
• Filed: 06/11/2010
• Published: 12/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Martin, Nathaniel G., Austin, Paul R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,531,906 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/403
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00331 with an apparatus performing optical character recognition character recognition G06V30/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32112 in a separate computer file, document page or paper sheet, e.g. a fax cover sheet H04N1/32122 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32149 Methods relating to embedding, encoding, decoding, detection or retrieval operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32309 in colour image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32325 the embedded data being visible
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3226 of identification information or the like, e.g. ID code, index, title, part of an image, reduced-size image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3257 relating to the original, the input device or the input process, e.g. scanner profile

Abstract

A method of scanning a set of documents in a container such as a file folder or storage box where the container contains a unique label containing identification associated with the documents in the container. The label comprises both alphanumeric characters and color information where each character is associated with a particular color. By scanning the container and analyzing the image of the container the unique identification can be retrieved with increased reliability by using both the color and alphanumeric information.

Claims

1. A method for extracting identification information from a container to facilitate the storing and indexing of electronic images produced from scanning documents contained in the container, comprising:

scanning, using a scanner, a portion of the container to generate an electronic image thereof;

electronically analyzing a predetermined area of the electronic image to identify individual colors and individual characters therein;

electronically identifying, based upon the identified colors and characters, index information for the container;

scanning, using a scanner, the documents within the container to generate image data;

electronically labeling the image data in accordance with the index information for the container; and

storing, in a data storage device, the image data at a location within the data storage device, associated with the index information for the container.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

providing a template that defines the predetermined area of the electronic image that contains the individual colors and individual characters to be analyzed.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein each character on the container is surrounded by a specific color such that the identity of the character can be verified by comparing the identity of the character with the identity of the surrounding color.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein each character on the container is printed by a specific color such that the identity of the character can be verified by comparing the identity of the character with the identity of the color used to print the character.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

electronically inserting the index information for the container into metadata of the image data.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

electronically processing image data in accordance with the index information for the container.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

accepting input from a user interface that defines the location of the label containing the character data and the color data.

8. A system for extracting identification information from a container, the container containing a plurality of documents comprising:

a scanner, the scanner generating a color digital image of objects placed on its input platen; and

a processor, operatively connected to said scanner, to receive the color digital image of a document container, the document container including a label and image data, the label including a set of alphanumeric characters and a set of color data, the set of alphanumeric data and the set of color data encoding identification information associated with the documents contained in the container;

said processor extracting from the color digital image a portion of the image that contains the image of the label;

said processor extracting from the portion of the image that contains the image of the label the alphanumeric data and the color data on the label;

said processor converting the extracted color data into an equivalent alphanumeric form;

said processor comparing the converted color data to the extracted alphanumeric data;

said processor verifying that the converted color data and the extracted alphanumeric data are the same;

electronically identifying, based upon the converted color data to the extracted alphanumeric data, index information for the container when the converted color data and the extracted alphanumeric data are the same;

said processor electronically labeling the image data in accordance with the index information for the container;

said processor causing the labeled image data to be stored in a data storage device at a location associated with the index information for the container.

9. The system as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

a user interface to enable a user to provide a template that defines the predetermined area of the color digital image that contains the color data and alphanumeric data to be analyzed.

10. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein each alphanumeric character on the container is surrounded by a specific color such that the identity of the alphanumeric character can be verified by comparing the identity of the alphanumeric character with the identity of the surrounding color.

11. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein each alphanumeric character on the container is printed by a specific color such that the identity of the alphanumeric character can be verified by comparing the identity of the alphanumeric character with the identity of the color used to print the alphanumeric character.

12. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said processor electronically inserts the index information for the container into metadata of the image data.

13. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said processor electronically processes image data in accordance with the index information for the container.