System and method for automated symbolic recognition including multi-phase symbolic reshaping
First Claim
1. A method of automatically recognizing alphanumeric symbols, comprising:
- (a) receiving digital information indicative of an unrecognized alphanumeric symbol;
(b) computing one or more arcpolys of the unrecognized alphanumeric symbol;
(c) computing at least one symbolic representation of the unrecognized alphanumeric symbol based on the arcpolys;
(d) generating a plurality of candidate lists of alphanumeric symbols;
(e) generating a reduced list of candidate alphanumeric symbols and alphanumeric confidence levels from the plurality of candidate lists based on the symbolic representation of the unrecognized alphanumeric symbol and a stored candidate list, wherein the reduced candidate list contains candidates which are common to a plurality of candidate lists;
(f) determining a best candidate in the reduced list of candidate alphanumeric symbols and automatically validating the best candidate;
(g) if the best candidate cannot be validated, performing a multi-phase symbolic reshaping on the arcpolys so as to obtain a different symbolic representation of the unrecognized alphanumeric symbol so that the unrecognized alphanumeric symbol can be recognized;
(h) wherein the multi-phase symbolic reshaping includes a phase comprising;
criteria-based region growing and splitting of arcpolys so that they better conform to a plurality of alphanumeric symbol models included in a stored candidate list; and
computing a multi-stage post-processing of arcpolys so that they better conform to a plurality of alphanumeric symbol models; and
(i) wherein the criteria based growing and splitting comprises;
computing row-based median and column-based median to derive a threshold used for grouping polyline points into cluster(s) of points;
detecting significant bends on adjoining lines or detecting significant line size(s) for arcpolys which comprise a (I) line and an arc, or (II) line and a line, and splitting them at a splitting point whereby the two arcpolys best conform to stored alphanumeric symbol models; and
detecting arcpolys which are significantly more extended than a half circle and splitting them at a splitting point whereby the two arcpolys best conform to stored alphanumeric symbol models.
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Abstract
An automated symbolic recognition system and method includes a three phase symbolic reshaping scheme during the symbol recognition process that includes: (a) deriving dissimilarity level from alphanumeric ID'"'"'s net topological variation and the integration of each of its arcpoly structural variation(s) signifying a reasonably accurate confidence level for the goodness of recognition, thus establishing a mechanism that derives dissimilarity level (or cost value) between image and database features including shape, size and topological relationship, (b) determining the reshaping or transformation of an arcpoly to another arcpoly by introducing variations to the original arcpoly to alter its shape and orientation and deriving at each step, the new cost value as a function of variation(s) present and imposed, and (c) determining the equivalent representation of an arcpoly by a succession of smaller and adjoining arcpoly(s) in order, or vice versa.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method of automatically recognizing alphanumeric symbols, comprising:
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(a) receiving digital information indicative of an unrecognized alphanumeric symbol; (b) computing one or more arcpolys of the unrecognized alphanumeric symbol; (c) computing at least one symbolic representation of the unrecognized alphanumeric symbol based on the arcpolys; (d) generating a plurality of candidate lists of alphanumeric symbols; (e) generating a reduced list of candidate alphanumeric symbols and alphanumeric confidence levels from the plurality of candidate lists based on the symbolic representation of the unrecognized alphanumeric symbol and a stored candidate list, wherein the reduced candidate list contains candidates which are common to a plurality of candidate lists; (f) determining a best candidate in the reduced list of candidate alphanumeric symbols and automatically validating the best candidate; (g) if the best candidate cannot be validated, performing a multi-phase symbolic reshaping on the arcpolys so as to obtain a different symbolic representation of the unrecognized alphanumeric symbol so that the unrecognized alphanumeric symbol can be recognized; (h) wherein the multi-phase symbolic reshaping includes a phase comprising; criteria-based region growing and splitting of arcpolys so that they better conform to a plurality of alphanumeric symbol models included in a stored candidate list; and computing a multi-stage post-processing of arcpolys so that they better conform to a plurality of alphanumeric symbol models; and (i) wherein the criteria based growing and splitting comprises; computing row-based median and column-based median to derive a threshold used for grouping polyline points into cluster(s) of points; detecting significant bends on adjoining lines or detecting significant line size(s) for arcpolys which comprise a (I) line and an arc, or (II) line and a line, and splitting them at a splitting point whereby the two arcpolys best conform to stored alphanumeric symbol models; and detecting arcpolys which are significantly more extended than a half circle and splitting them at a splitting point whereby the two arcpolys best conform to stored alphanumeric symbol models. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for automatically recognizing alphanumeric symbols, comprising:
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(a) means for receiving digital information indicative of an unrecognized alphanumeric symbol; (b) means for computing one or more arcpolys of the unrecognized alphanumeric symbol; (c) means for computing at least one symbolic representation of the unrecognized alphanumeric symbol based on the arcpolys; (d) means for generating a plurality of candidate lists of alphanumeric symbols; (e) means for generating a reduced list of candidate alphanumeric symbols and alphanumeric confidence levels from the plurality of candidate lists based on the symbolic representation of the unrecognized alphanumeric symbol and a stored candidate list, wherein the reduced candidate list contains candidates which are common to a plurality of candidate lists; (f) means for determining a best candidate in the reduced list of candidate alphanumeric symbols and automatically validating the best candidate; (g) means for performing a multi-phase symbolic reshaping on the arcpolys, if the best candidate cannot be validated, so as to obtain a different symbolic representation of the unrecognized alphanumeric symbol so that the unrecognized alphanumeric symbol can be recognized; (h) wherein the means for multi-phase symbolic reshaping includes a phase comprising; criteria-based region growing and splitting of arcpolys so that they better conform to a plurality of alphanumeric symbol models included in a stored candidate list; and computing a multi-stage post-processing of arcpolys so that they better conform to a plurality of alphanumeric symbol models; and (i) wherein the means for criteria based growing and splitting comprises; computing row-based median and column-based median to derive a threshold used for grouping polyline points into cluster(s) of points; detecting significant bends on adjoining lines or detecting significant line size(s) for arcpolys which comprise a (I) line and an arc, or (II) line and a line, and splitting them at a splitting point whereby the two arcpolys best conform to stored alphanumeric symbol models; and detecting arcpolys which are significantly more extended than a half circle and splitting them at a splitting point whereby the two arcpolys best conform to stored alphanumeric symbol models. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification