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Method and apparatus for document segmentation by background analysis

  • US 5,555,556 A
  • Filed: 09/30/1994
  • Issued: 09/10/1996
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1994
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method for extracting document elements from a document image, comprising the steps of:

  • identifying at least one connected component in the document image;

    generating a minimum bounding box for each at least one connected component in the document image;

    identifying primitive background areas surrounding the at least one bounding box for the at least one connected component;

    selectively eliminating the primitive background areas such that each remaining primitive background area exceeds a minimum threshold;

    selectively combining the remaining primitive background areas in the document image which uniquely share a common edge to form major background regions;

    determining at least one set of major background regions based on intersection points between the major background regions;

    segmenting the document image into document elements based on the at least one set of determined major background regions; and

    extracting the document elements segmented by the at least one set of determined major background regions.

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