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Method and system for processing images of forms which have irregular construction and/or determining whether characters are interior to a form

  • US 6,289,120 B1
  • Filed: 02/02/1998
  • Issued: 09/11/2001
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/31/1997
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A method of processing an image, comprising the steps of:

  • obtaining an image which includes document image data;

    determining a form candidate using the document image data;

    extracting provisional ruled lines from the form candidate;

    determining a structure of the form candidate by analyzing the provisional lines in a horizontal and vertical direction, including, determining whether or not the form candidate corresponds to a figure, determining whether or not the form candidate corresponds to a graph, determining whether or not the form candidate corresponds to a frame, and determining whether or not the form candidate corresponds to a form; and

    determining if character candidates which are proximate to the form candidate which is determined to correspond to a form are inside or outside the corresponding form, wherein the step of determining if the character candidates which are proximate to the form are inside or outside the corresponding form comprises;

    determining if the character candidates are between a first perimeter of the corresponding form in a first viewpoint;

    determining if the character candidates are between a second perimeter of the corresponding form, the second perimeter being opposite the first perimeter, in a second viewpoint opposite the first viewpoint; and

    determining that the character candidates are inside the corresponding form when it is determined that character candidates are not between the first perimeter in the first viewpoint, and are not between the second perimeter in the second viewpoint.

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