Integrated method and apparatus for character and symbol recognition
First Claim
1. A method of recognizing written items including characters and symbols, comprising the steps of:
- feeding said items to rulebases for recognition;
processing selected features of items which are not recognized during said feeding step; and
conveying said selected features corresponding to said items which are not recognized during said feeding step to neural networks for recognition.
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for recognizing written items including characters and symbols is disclosed. A scanner is utilized for scanning the characters and symbols. A recognition module is used to confidently identify the scanned characters and symbols. The recognition module includes a mechanism for recognizing characters. This mechanism includes a character recognition rule base which yields identified characters and unidentified characters. The unidentified characters are conveyed to neural networks for recognition. The recognition module also includes a mechanism for recognizing symbols. This mechanism includes a symbol recognition rule base which yields identified symbols and unidentified symbols. The unidentified symbols are conveyed to neural networks for recognition. The recognition module also includes a mechanism for context processing of the characters and symbols. The context processor utilizes a multilevel blackboard with a number of ascending levels. The blackboard combines characters and symbols into logical units. The blackboard also serves to verify the identity of the characters and symbols. The resultant data from the recognition module is placed in a metafile which is conveyed to a modification module. The modification module includes graphics editing software to edit the scanned characters and symbols. After editing, a translator is used to convert the scanned characters and symbols to a format suitable for a CAD system or data base.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. A method of recognizing written items including characters and symbols, comprising the steps of:
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feeding said items to rulebases for recognition; processing selected features of items which are not recognized during said feeding step; and conveying said selected features corresponding to said items which are not recognized during said feeding step to neural networks for recognition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method of recognizing written items including characters and symbols, comprising the steps of:
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(A) processing said characters, said character processing including; (1) recognizing fully formed characters by; (a) transmitting characters to a full character recognition rulebase, said full character recognition rulebase yielding identified characters and unidentified characters; (b) conveying said unidentified characters to full character neural networks; (2) isolating broken characters and recognizing them by; (a) conveying said broken characters to broken character neural networks; (B) processing said symbols, said symbol processing including; (1) transmitting said symbols to a symbol recognition rulebase, said symbol recognition rulebase yielding identified symbols and unidentified symbols; (2) conveying said unidentified symbols to symbol recognition neural networks; and (C) context processing said characters and symbols, said context processing including the use of a multilevel blackboard with a plurality of ascending levels, said blackboard combining characters and symbols into logical units and further serving to verify the recognition of said characters and symbols. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of recognizing written items including characters and symbols, comprising the steps of:
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(A) classifying said items as either characters or symbols; (B) processing said characters, said character processing including; (1) recognizing fully formed characters by; (a) transmitting said characters to a full character recognition rulebase, said full character recognition rulebase yielding identified characters and unidentified characters; (b) vectorizing said unidentified characters to form vectorized characters; (c) extracting features from said vectorized characters to form extracted features; (d) conveying said extracted features to full character neural networks; (2) isolating broken characters; (a) enhancing the features of said broken characters to form enhanced broken characters; (b) conveying said enhanced broken characters to broken character neural networks; (C) processing said symbols, said symbol processing including; (1) transmitting said symbols to a symbol recognition rulebase, said symbol recognition rulebase yielding identified symbols and unidentified symbols; (2) enhancing the features of said unidentified symbols to form enhanced symbols; (3) conveying said enhanced symbols to symbol recognition neural networks; and (D) context processing said characters and symbols, said context processing including the use of a multilevel blackboard with a plurality of ascending levels, said blackboard combining characters and symbols into logical units and further serving to verify the recognition of said characters and symbols. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. An apparatus for recognizing written items including characters and symbols, comprising:
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(A) a scanner for scanning said characters and symbols; (B) a recognition module, said recognition module including; (1) means for processing said characters, said character processing means including; (a) means for recognizing fully formed characters by; (i) means for transmitting said fully formed characters to a full character recognition rulebase, said full character recognition rulebase yielding identified characters and unidentified characters; (ii) means for conveying said unidentified characters to full character neural networks; (b) means for isolating and recognizing broken characters, said means including; (i) means for conveying said broken characters to broken character neural networks; (2) means for processing said symbols, said symbol processing means including; (a) means for transmitting said symbols to a symbol recognition rulebase, said symbol recognition rulebase yielding identified symbols and unidentified symbols; (b) means for conveying said unidentified symbols to symbol recognition neural networks; (3) means for context processing said characters and symbols, said context processing including the use of a multilevel blackboard with a plurality of ascending levels, said blackboard combining characters and symbols into logical units and further serving to verify the recognition of said characters and symbols; (C) a modification module including graphics editing software to edit said scanned characters and symbols; and (D) a translator to convert said scanned characters and symbols to a format suitable for a CAD system or data base. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification