Expense Report System With Receipt Image Processing

• US 20130230246A1
• Filed: 06/14/2012
• Published: 09/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Nuggehalli, Jayasimha
• Granted Patent: US 8,990,112 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A system and method for capturing image data is disclosed. A receipt image processing service selects from a repository a template that guides data capture of receipt data from a receipt image and presents the template to a user on an image capture device. A user previews the receipt image and the selected template. If the user decides that the template does not correctly indicate locations of data areas for data items in the receipt image, then the user either updates an existing template or creates a new template that correctly indicates the location of selected data areas in the receipt image. The selected template, the updated template, or the new template is then used to extract receipt data from the receipt image. The receipt data and receipt image data are then provided to the expense report system.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions for capture of image data,

wherein processing the instructions by one or more processors causes:

receiving receipt image data from an image capture device, the receipt image data having a particular layout of data items;

selecting a template from a plurality of templates, wherein the selected template has a layout of data areas corresponding to the particular layout of data items in the receipt image data;

transferring the selected template to the image capture device for review by a user;

obtaining a data extraction template based on the review of the selected template; and

extracting receipt data from the receipt image data in accordance with the extraction template.

2. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the data extraction template is the selected template.

3. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the data extraction template is a template selected from the plurality of templates and updated.

4. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 3,

wherein the image capture device includes a touch screen;

and

wherein the updated template is obtained by;

presenting the receipt image and the selected template on the image capture device to a user; and

receiving markings from the user via the touch screen of one or more areas on the receipt image to be updated and fixing the one or more areas on the selected template to form the updated template.

5. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the data extraction template is a template selected by the user from the plurality of templates.

6. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the data extraction template is a new template.

7. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6,

wherein the image capture device includes a touch screen;

and

wherein the new template is obtained by;

presenting the receipt image and a blank template to the touch screen on the image capture device, and

receiving a new template from the image capture device that includes one or more data areas, added via the touch screen, to the blank template.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the locations of one or more data areas in the selected template are the same as the locations of the corresponding data items in the receipt image.

9. A receipt image processing system comprising:

data storage for storing a plurality of receipt image templates; and

an OCR engine for extracting receipt data from receipt image data, the OCR engine being configured to;

obtain a data extraction template from an image capture device, and

extract receipt data from the receipt image data based on the data extraction template, wherein the data extraction template is either a template selected from the data storage, an updated template, or a new template.

10. The receipt image processing system as recited in claim 9,

wherein the image capture device includes a touch screen;

and

wherein the updated template is obtained by;

presenting to the touch screen of the image capture device the receipt image and a template selected from the plurality of templates, and

receiving an updated template that includes one or more data areas, readjusted via the touch screen, on the selected template.

11. The receipt image processing system as recited in claim 10, wherein the selected template is a template selected by the user from the data storage.

12. The receipt image processing system as recited in claim 9,

wherein the image capture device includes a touch screen;

and

wherein the OCR engine is further configured to;

transfer the receipt image and a blank template to the touch screen of the image capture device, and

receive the new template from the image capture device, wherein the new template includes one or more data areas, added via the touch screen, to the blank template.

13. The receipt image processing system as recited in claim 9, wherein the new template is stored in data storage.

14. A method for capture of image data, the method comprising:

receiving receipt image data from an image capture device, the receipt image data having a particular layout of data items;

selecting a template from a plurality of templates, wherein the selected template has a layout of data areas corresponding to the particular layout of data items in the receipt image data;

transferring the selected template to the image capture device;

obtaining a data extraction template from the image capture device in response to transferring the selected template; and

extracting receipt data from the receipt image data in accordance with the extraction template.

15. The method for capture as recited in claim 14, wherein the data extraction template is the selected template.

16. The method for capture as recited in claim 14, wherein the data extraction template is a template selected from the plurality of templates and updated.

17. The method for capture as recited in claim 16,

wherein the image capture device includes a touch screen;

and

wherein the updated template is obtained by;

presenting the receipt image and an existing template on the image capture device to a user; and

receiving markings from the user via the touch screen of one or more areas on the receipt image to be updated and fixing the one or more areas on the selected template to form the updated template.

18. The method for capture as recited in claim 14, wherein the data extraction template is a template selected by the user from the plurality of templates.

19. The method for capture as recited in claim 14, wherein the data extraction template is a new template.

20. The method for capture as recited in claim 19,

wherein the image capture device includes a touch screen;

and

wherein the new template is obtained by;

presenting the receipt image and a blank template to the touch screen on the image capture device, and

receiving a new template from the image capture device that includes one or more data areas, added via the touch screen, to the blank template.