Character recognition method and apparatus

• US 6,035,062 A
• Filed: 08/28/1996
• Issued: 03/07/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Yoshii, Hiroto, Arai, Tsunekazu, Takasu, Eiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Kelley, Christopher S.
• Application Number:
  US08/703,799
• Time in Patent Office: 1,287 Days
• Field of Search: 382/187, 382/189, 382/227, 382/286
• US Class Current: 382/187
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/242 Division of the character sequences into groups prior to recognition; Selection of dictionaries

Abstract

A character registered in a user'"'"'s dictionary by a user is outputted prior to other character in a character recognition process. To realize this operation, the character recognition apparatus comprises a user'"'"'s dictionary (105) and a basic dictionary (103), and a user'"'"'s unique handwritten character is registered in the user'"'"'s dictionary (105). In addition, a priority order associated with the handwritten character is simultaneously designated to a priority designation section (109) and stored in a priority storing section (108). When character recognition operation is performed, the basic dictionary (103) and the user'"'"'s dictionary (105) are utilized; and the recognition result from the basic dictionary and the recognition result from the user'"'"'s dictionary are adjusted at a result adjusting section (107), by utilizing the priority obtained from the priority storing section (108). Those characters registered in the user'"'"'s dictionary (105) are outputted prior to other characters in a subsequent recognition operation.

Claims

1. A character recognition apparatus for recognizing characters by using a dictionary, comprising:

character input means for inputting a character to be registered in the dictionary;

character recognition means for recognizing the input character by using the dictionary and obtaining a candidate character and a recognition score of the candidate character;

judgment means for judging the obtained recognition score;

determination means for determining, on the basis of the judgment by said judgment means, whether or not to proceed to a user designation of a priority for recognition of the input character; and

registering means, if the priority is designated by the user, for registering the input character along with the designated priority to the dictionary so that the designated priority is used when the character is obtained as one of candidate characters in a character input mode.

3. The character recognition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the designation of the priority is set for each character to be registered.

4. The character recognition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the designation of the priority is set for each character set to be registered.

5. The character recognition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the designation of the priority enables a selection between an obligatory output mode in which a designated character is always outputted as a first candidate, and a normal output mode in which an order of candidates for the designated character is not changed.

10. The character recognition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said judgment means judges whether or not the input character is resemblant to another character.

11. The character recognition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said judgment means judges on the basis of comparison the score of the candidate character with a predetermined threshold.

12. The character recognition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said judgment means judges whether or not the input character is resemblant to another character registered in the dictionary.

13. The character recognition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said registering means registers the input character along the predetermined information in a case where said determination means determines that the priority for recognition of the input character is not designated by the user.

14. The character recognition apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

discrimination means for discriminating whether or not there is a character, having a priority registered in said dictionary, in candidate characters obtained by said character recognition means;

sort means for sorting said candidate characters when said discrimination means discriminates that the character, having a priority registered in said dictionary.

15. The character recognition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said character recognition means recognizing a character by using a dictionary in which a priority of a character is registered.

16. The character recognition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein designation of a priority for recognition is made by using a window-style user interface.

17. The character recognition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said character input by said input means is a handwritten character.

18. The character recognition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said dictionary includes a basic dictionary and a user'"'"'s dictionary.

19. The character recognition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said character is input by a tablet.

20. The character recognition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said character is input by a digitizer.

2. A memory medium storing computer-executable process steps for recognizing characters by using a dictionary, the process comprising the steps of:

inputting a character to be registered in the dictionary;

recognizing the input character by using the dictionary and obtaining a candidate character and a recognition score of the candidate character;

judging the obtained recognition score;

determining, on the basis of the judgment by said judgment step, whether or not to proceed to a user designation of a priority for recognition of the input character; and

registering the input character, if the priority is designated by the user, along with the designated priority to the dictionary so that the designated priority is used when the character is obtained as one of candidate characters in a character input mode.

6. A character recognition method for recognizing an inputted character in a character recognition apparatus where unique handwritten characters and associated character codes are registered in a dictionary and where the dictionary is utilized at the time of character recognition operation, comprising the steps of:

inputting a character to be registered in the dictionary;

recognizing the input character by using the dictionary and obtaining a candidate character and a recognition score of the candidate character;

judging the obtained recognition score;

determining, on the basis of the judgment by said judgment step, whether or not to proceed to a user designation of a priority for recognition of the input character; and

registering the input character, if the priority is designated by the user, along with the designated priority to the dictionary so that the designated priority is used when the character is obtained as one of candidate characters in a character input mode.

7. The character recognition method according to claim 6, wherein the designation of the priority is set for each character to be registered.

8. The character recognition method according to claim 6, wherein the designation of the priority is set for each character set to be registered.

9. The character recognition method according to claim 6, wherein the designation of the priority enables a selection between an obligatory output mode in which a designated character is always outputted as a first candidate, and a normal output mode in which an order of candidates for the designated character is not changed.

21. The character recognition method according to claim 6, wherein said judgment step judges whether or not the input character is resemblant to another character.

22. The character recognition method according to claim 6, wherein said judgment step judges on the basis of comparison the score of the candidate character with a predetermined threshold.

23. The character recognition method according to claim 6, wherein said judgment step judges whether or not the input character is resemblant to another character registered in the dictionary.

24. The character recognition method according to claim 6, wherein said registering step registers the input character along the predetermined information in a case where said determination step determines that the priority for recognition of the input character is not designated by the user.

25. The character recognition method according to claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

discriminating whether or not there is a character, having a priority registered in said dictionary, in candidate characters obtained by said character recognition step;

sorting said candidate characters when said discrimination step discriminates that the character, having a priority registered in said dictionary.

26. The character recognition method according to claim 6, wherein said character recognition step recognizing a character by using a dictionary in which a priority of a character is registered.

27. The character recognition method according to claim 6, wherein designation of a priority for recognition is made by using a window-style user interface.

28. The character recognition method according to claim 6, wherein said character input by said input step is a handwritten character.

29. The character recognition method according to claim 6, wherein said dictionary includes a basic dictionary and a user'"'"'s dictionary.

30. The character recognition method according to claim 6, wherein said character is input by a tablet.

31. The character recognition method according to claim 6, wherein said character is input by a digitizer.