System and method for imaging test answer sheets having open-ended questions
First Claim
1. A method for storing information from a test answer booklet comprising a plurality of answer pages, at least one answer page containing an answer to an open-ended question, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a database of answer page forms comprising data on a physical location of each answer and a type of answer for each page in an answer booklet, the answer type comprising either an answer to an open-end question or an answer to a multiple-choice question;
performing an optical mark recognition scan on each answer page to detect a presence of indicia within a predetermined spectral range, the indicia comprising a mark indicative of a page number;
translating the mark into a page number and tracking the page number of the answer page being scanned;
performing a visual image scan on each answer page to form a digital image of the answer page;
determining from the page number and the forms database whether the page being scanned contains an answer to an open-ended question; and
if the page being scanned contains an answer to an open-ended question, storing the digital image of the answer page.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An imaging system includes two sets of cameras: a first set for capturing optical mark or optical character recognition data and a second set for capturing visual images. Full visual images of pages containing answers to open-ended questions are retained and are retrievable by a reader such that an area of interest wherein the answer is expected is displayed, but the remaining area is also available for viewing. The system permits the alignment of a page based upon edge detection if the page contains only an open-ended answer, obviating the need for timing tracks. Hardware and software elements cooperate to store the image temporarily in a server having a response time commensurate with the scanner. The image is then processed with the use of high-performance index imaging for optical storage and retrieval, and then routed to a long-term storage device.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for storing information from a test answer booklet comprising a plurality of answer pages, at least one answer page containing an answer to an open-ended question, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a database of answer page forms comprising data on a physical location of each answer and a type of answer for each page in an answer booklet, the answer type comprising either an answer to an open-end question or an answer to a multiple-choice question;
performing an optical mark recognition scan on each answer page to detect a presence of indicia within a predetermined spectral range, the indicia comprising a mark indicative of a page number;
translating the mark into a page number and tracking the page number of the answer page being scanned;
performing a visual image scan on each answer page to form a digital image of the answer page;
determining from the page number and the forms database whether the page being scanned contains an answer to an open-ended question; and
if the page being scanned contains an answer to an open-ended question, storing the digital image of the answer page. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
providing a test answer booklet;
separating the booklet into unitary pages; and
advancing each page sequentially along a predetermined path having an optical mark recognition imaging means an a visual imaging means positioned therealong.
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3. The method recited in claim 2, further comprising the step, following the page number tracking step, of determining whether the answer pages are in sequence.
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4. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of advancing an answer page along a predetermined path, and wherein:
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the optical mark recognition scan performing step comprises utilizing a camera positioned along the predetermined path having an infrared filter thereon to detect a pencil mark; and
the visual image scan performing step comprises utilizing a camera substantially unfiltered for infrared wavelengths positioned along the predetermined path.
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5. The method recited in claim 4, wherein the optical mark recognition scan performing step further comprises detecting a pencil mark based upon a greyscale, for detecting a correction or an erasure.
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6. The method recited in claim 4, wherein the filtered camera comprises a first filtered camera positioned on a first side of the predetermined path and a second filtered camera positioned on a second side of the predetermined path, for scanning for optical marks on both sides of a page during a single pass, and wherein the unfiltered camera comprises a first unfiltered camera positioned on the first side of the predetermined path and a second unfiltered camera positioned on the second side of the predetermined path, for scanning a visual image on both sides of a page during a single pass.
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7. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising the step, following the visual image scanning step, of displaying an image of a page to an operator in real time, for performing a check on scanning quality.
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8. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the digital image storing step comprises temporarily storing the digital image in a server having a response time sufficiently fast to keep pace with the visual image scanning step.
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9. The method recited in claim 8, wherein the digital image storing step further comprises the step, following the temporary storing step, of performing a high-performance image indexing on the visual image.
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10. The method recited in claim 9, wherein the digital image storing step further comprises the step, following the indexing step, of transferring the digital image to a long-term optical storage system.
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11. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the answer page further contains an optical mark answer to a multiple-choice question and a plurality of preprinted indicia, the method further comprising the steps of:
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detecting the locations of the preprinted indicia; and
utilizing the preprinted indicia locations to precisely localize the optical mark answer.
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12. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
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providing a header page database comprising data on a physical location of file sorting data on a header page;
performing an optical mark recognition scan on a header page to detect a presence of header indicia within the predetermined spectral range, the header indicia comprising data indicative of a succeeding answer booklet; and
storing the header data with the stored digital images for tracking the answer booklet pages.
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13. A method for storing information from a test answer booklet comprising a plurality of answer pages, at least one answer page containing an answer to an open-ended question, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a database of answer page forms comprising data on a physical location of each answer and a type of answer for each page in an answer booklet, the answer type comprising either an answer to an open-end question or an answer to a multiple-choice question;
performing an optical character recognition scan on each answer page to detect a presence of indicia within a predetermined spectral range, the indicia comprising a mark indicative of a page number;
translating the character into a page number and tracking the page number of the answer page being scanned;
performing a visual image scan on each answer page to form a digital image of the answer page;
determining from the page number and the forms database whether the page being scanned contains an answer to an open-ended question; and
if the page being scanned contains an answer to an open-ended question, storing the digital image of the answer page.
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14. A method for storing information from a test answer page, the page comprising an answer to an open-ended question, the method comprising the steps of:
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advancing a page along a predetermined path;
detecting an edge of the page along the predetermined path;
performing a visual image scan on the page along the predetermined path to form a digital image of the answer page;
utilizing the detected edge to align the digital image; and
storing the aligned image of the page. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A method for storing information from a test answer booklet comprising a plurality of answer pages, at least one answer page containing an answer to an open-ended question, the method comprising the steps of:
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electronically detecting and translating an indicium indicative of a page number on an answer page;
accessing a forms database to determine whether the answer page contains an answer to an open-ended question;
performing a visual image scan on the answer page to form a digital image thereof; and
storing the visual image scan in an electronic storage unit if the accessing step provides a determination that the answer page contains an open-ended question. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification