Address reader, sorting machine such as a mail thing and character string recognition method
First Claim
1. An address reader method of recognizing a receiver address on a surface of mail, said address reader method comprising:
- inputting an image of the surface of mail;
segmenting said image into at least one character string candidate;
extracting at least one address area candidate based on said at least one character string candidate;
selecting one of said at least one address area candidate as a receiver address area of the mail by analyzing each of said at least one address area candidate based on predetermined position information indicating a usual position of a receiver address area, character direction information indicating a character direction of a character string appropriate for said predetermined position information, and key character string information including a character string having plural characters most likely to exist in a receiver address; and
recognizing characters in character strings of the selected address area candidate as a receiver address.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An address reader method and apparatus for recognizing a receiver address on a surface of mail. An image of the surface of the mail is input and segmented into at least one character string candidate. At least one address area candidate is extracted from the image based upon the segmented character string candidate. One address area candidate extracted from the image is selected as a receiver address by analyzing each address area candidate based on predetermined position information indicating a usual position of a receiver address area, character direction information indicating a character direction of a character string appropriate for the predetermined position information, and key character string information indicating a character string most likely to exist in a receiver address. Characters in character strings of the selected address area candidate are recognized as a receiver address.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. An address reader method of recognizing a receiver address on a surface of mail, said address reader method comprising:
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inputting an image of the surface of mail;
segmenting said image into at least one character string candidate;
extracting at least one address area candidate based on said at least one character string candidate;
selecting one of said at least one address area candidate as a receiver address area of the mail by analyzing each of said at least one address area candidate based on predetermined position information indicating a usual position of a receiver address area, character direction information indicating a character direction of a character string appropriate for said predetermined position information, and key character string information including a character string having plural characters most likely to exist in a receiver address; and
recognizing characters in character strings of the selected address area candidate as a receiver address. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
determining a direction of each character string included in each address area candidate.
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3. An address reader method according to claim 1, wherein said selecting comprises:
comparing each character string included in each address area candidate to key character strings, each having characters most likely to exist in a receiver address.
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4. An address reader method according claim 1, wherein said selecting comprises:
comparing each character string included in each address area candidate to key character strings which indicate cities most likely to be included in a receiver address area.
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5. An address reader method according to claim 1, wherein said position information includes information indicating a usual position of a key character string in a receiver address area.
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6. An address reader method according to claim 1, wherein said selecting comprises:
testing each address area candidate to determine whether said address area candidate is an address area candidate most likely to contain a receiver address.
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7. An address reader method according to claim 6, wherein said testing comprises:
making an assumption that character strings contained in said address area candidate are in a particular character direction and analyzing said character strings based on the assumption.
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8. An address reader method according to claim 7, wherein said making an assumption comprises:
detecting characters of a character string based on reference character information.
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9. An address reader method according to claim 1, wherein said selecting comprises:
analyzing, based on position relation information, relative positions between address area candidates which include key character strings so as to distinguish between an address area candidate containing a receiver address and an address area candidate containing a sender address.
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10. An address reader method according to claim 1, wherein said selecting comprises:
referring to sender information to determine whether each address area candidate indicated as containing a key character string contains sender information.
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11. An address reader apparatus for recognizing a receiver address on a surface of mail, said address reader apparatus comprising:
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an image input apparatus which inputs an image of the surface of mail;
an address processing apparatus which segments said image into at least one character string candidate, extracts at least one address area candidate based on said at least one character string candidate, and selects one of said at least one address area candidate as a receiver address area of the mail by analyzing each of said at least one address area candidate based on predetermined position information indicating a usual position of a receiver address area, character direction information indicating a character direction of a character string appropriate for said predetermined position information, and key character string information including a character string having plural characters most likely to exist in a receiver address; and
an address recognition module which recognizes characters in character strings of the selected address area candidate as a receiver address. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A mail sorting machine for sorting mail, comprising:
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a scanner which scans a surface of the mail and outputs an image of the surface of the mail based on the scan;
an address reader apparatus for recognizing a receiver address on a surface of mail, said address reader apparatus comprises;
an image input apparatus which inputs said image of the surface of the mail from said scanner, an address processing apparatus which segments said image into at least one character string candidate, extracts at least one address area candidate based on said at least one character string candidate, and selects one of said at least one address area candidate as a receiver address area of the mail by analyzing each of said at least one address area candidate based on predetermined position information indicating a usual position of a receiver address area, character direction information indicating a character direction of a character string appropriate for said predetermined position information, and key character string information including a character string having plural characters most likely to exist in a receiver address, and an address recognition module which recognizes characters in character strings of the selected address area candidate as a receiver address; and
a sorter which sorts the mail based on the receiver address recognized by said address recognition module. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification