Automatic template and field definition in form processing
First Claim
1. A method for processing a plurality of input images containing variable content that is filled into respective, fixed templates, the method comprising:
- storing a set of one or more reference templates in a memory;
comparing the images to collect a group of the images that do not match any of the one or more stored reference templates and which have a high degree of similarity therebetween;
combining the images in the group so as to distinguish the variable content from a fixed portion common to a preponderant number of the images in the group;
processing the fixed portion to reconstruct a new template, not previously stored in the memory, that is common to at least some of the images among the preponderant number; and
extracting information from the images using the reconstructed template.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for processing a plurality of input images containing variable content that is filled into respective, fixed templates. The method includes comparing the images to collect a group of the images having a high degree of similarity therebetween, and combining the images in the group so as to distinguish the variable content from a fixed portion common to a preponderant number of the images in the group. The fixed portion is processed to reconstruct the fixed template that is common to at least some of the images among the preponderant number, and information is extracted from the images using the reconstructed template.
-
Citations
23 Claims
-
1. A method for processing a plurality of input images containing variable content that is filled into respective, fixed templates, the method comprising:
-
storing a set of one or more reference templates in a memory;
comparing the images to collect a group of the images that do not match any of the one or more stored reference templates and which have a high degree of similarity therebetween;
combining the images in the group so as to distinguish the variable content from a fixed portion common to a preponderant number of the images in the group;
processing the fixed portion to reconstruct a new template, not previously stored in the memory, that is common to at least some of the images among the preponderant number; and
extracting information from the images using the reconstructed template. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A method for processing a group of images containing variable information that is filled into a common template, the method comprising:
-
processing one or more of the images automatically to determine respective locations of fields in the images that are filled in with the variable information;
automatically extracting the information from the fields;
processing the one or more images manually, so as to record by manual key-in, for each of the fields, the information filled into the field in conjunction with an identification of the field;
automatically comparing the manually-recorded information with the automatically-extracted information to find, for each of the fields, a correspondence between the identification of the field and its location; and
processing additional images in the group to automatically extract the variable information therefrom and, using the correspondence, to identify the extracted information. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. Image processing apparatus, comprising:
-
an image input device, which is adapted to provide a plurality of input images containing variable content that is filled into respective, fixed templates;
a memory, which is arranged to store a set of one or more reference templates; and
a processor, which is adapted to receive and compare the images to collect a group of the images that do not match any of the one or more stored reference templates and which have a high degree of similarity therebetween, to combine the images in the group so as to distinguish the variable content from a fixed portion common to a preponderant number of the images in the group, to process the fixed portion to reconstruct the fixed a new template, not previously stored in the memory, that is common to at least some of the images among the preponderant number, and to extract information from the images using the reconstructed template. - View Dependent Claims (19)
-
-
20. Image processing apparatus, comprising:
-
an image input device, which is adapted to provide a group of images containing variable information that is filled into a common template; and
a processor, which is adapted to process one or more of the images automatically to determine respective locations of fields in the images that are filled in with the variable information, to automatically extract the information from the fields and to compare the automatically-extracted information with manually-extracted information, recorded by manual key-in in manual processing of the images and including, for each of the fields, the information filled into the field in conjunction with an identification of the field, so as to automatically find, for each of the fields, a correspondence between the identification of the field and its location, and to process additional images in the group to automatically extract the variable information therefrom and, using the correspondence, to identify the extracted information. - View Dependent Claims (21)
-
-
22. A computer software product for processing a plurality of input images containing variable content that is filled into respective, fixed templates, wherein a set of one or more reference templates is stored in a memory accessible to a computer, the product comprising a computer-readable medium in which computer program instructions are stored, which instructions, when read by the computer, cause the computer to compare the images to collect a group of the images that do not match any of the one or more stored reference templates and which have a high degree of similarity therebetween, to combine the images in the group so as to distinguish the variable content from a fixed portion common to a preponderant number of the images in the group, to process the fixed portion to reconstruct a new template, not previously stored in the memory, that is common to at least some of the images among the preponderant number, and to extract information from the images using the reconstructed template.
-
23. A computer software product for processing a group of images containing variable information that is filled into a common template, the product comprising a computer-readable medium in which computer program instructions are stored, which instructions, when read by a computer, cause the computer to process one or more of the images automatically to determine respective locations of fields in the images that are filled in with the variable information, to automatically extract the information from the fields and to compare the automatically-extracted information with manually-extracted information, recorded by manual key-in in manual processing of the images and including, for each of the fields, the information filled into the field in conjunction with an identification of the field, so as to automatically find, for each of the fields, a correspondence between the identification of the field and its location, and to process additional images in the group to automatically extract the variable information therefrom and, using the correspondence, to identify the extracted information.
Specification