Analyzing an image of a document using alternative positionings of a class of segments
First Claim
1. A method for obtaining segment data contained in a document, said method comprising the steps of:
- storing alternative position data in a storage means, said alternative position data indicating a set of two or more alternative positionings on a document for a class of document segments;
obtaining image set data, the image set data representing said document;
providing a user with means for specifying an alternative identifier, said alternative identifier identifying one of the two or more alternative positionings;
receiving an alternative identifier specified by said user; and
using the alternative identifier and the alternative position data to obtain the segment data from the image set data.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Stored alternative position data indicate alternative positionings of a class of document segments. Data are obtained that define an image set showing a document. An alternative identifier identifying one of the alternative positionings is also obtained. The alternative identifier, the alternative position data, and the data defining the image set are used to obtain segment data defining a segment of the image set. The segment is in the class of document segments. The segment is also at the position indicated by the alternative position data for the identified positioning. To store the document in a database, the segment data and a document identifier can be stored so that a search can determine that the segment is from the document. Similarly, the segment data and a segment class identifier can be stored so that a search can determine that the segment is in the identified class of document segments. The alternative position data can include, for each of a number of document classes, a schema indicating a position for the class of document segments. For example, a schema can indicate a segment'"'"'s position relative to a document or relative to other classes of document segments. The user can mark a form to indicate one of the alternative positionings. The form can show a positioning for each class of documents, can show several positionings for a number of classes of document segments, or can show names of a number of document classes.
191 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for obtaining segment data contained in a document, said method comprising the steps of:
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storing alternative position data in a storage means, said alternative position data indicating a set of two or more alternative positionings on a document for a class of document segments; obtaining image set data, the image set data representing said document; providing a user with means for specifying an alternative identifier, said alternative identifier identifying one of the two or more alternative positionings; receiving an alternative identifier specified by said user; and using the alternative identifier and the alternative position data to obtain the segment data from the image set data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A machine for obtaining segment data contained in a document, said machine comprising:
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image input circuitry for obtaining image set data as input, said image set data representing said document; memory for storing alternative position data, said alternative position data indicating two or more alternative positionings on a document for a class of document segments; processing circuitry connected for receiving image set data from the image input circuitry and connected to the memory for accessing said alternative position data stored in the memory, said processing circuitry comprising; circuitry for obtaining an alternative identifier;
the alternative identifier identifying one of the set of alternative positionings; andcircuitry for using the alternative identifier and the alternative position data, and the image set data to obtain segment data from the image set data. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An article of manufacture comprising:
a storage medium for use in an image processing system, said storage medium having program instructions stored therein, said instructions for obtaining segment data contained in a document, said program instructions comprising; instructions for accessing alternative position data;
the alternative position data indicating a position for each of a set of two or more alternative positionings that a class of document segments could have;instructions for receiving image set data from image input circuitry coupled to said image processing system;
the image set data representing a document;instructions for providing a user with means for specifying an alternative identifier, said alternative identifier identifying one of the set of two or more alternative positionings; instructions for obtaining an alternative identifier specified by the user; and instructions for using the alternative identifier, the alternative position data, and the image set data to obtain segment data.
Specification