Image processor for character recognition

• US 7,454,060 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2007
• Issued: 11/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Fujiwara, Yoko
• Primary Examiner(s): Desire; Gregory M
• Application Number:
  US11/806,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20070237394A1
• Time in Patent Office: 536 Days
• Field of Search: 382/176, 382/184, 382/224, 382/282, 382/182
• US Class Current: 382/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/10 Character recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/162 Quantising the image signal

Abstract

In image processing of a document having image data of a document including an image with character images on a background image, the character images and the background image thereof are separated. First, areas in correspondence to the character images from the image data are extracted, and character code data are generated based on the extracted areas in the image data. On the other hand, the character image in the image data is replaced with the background image. The character images are reproduced with reference to the character code data at the positions of the character images. On the other hand, the original character images are deleted from the image data. The character images on the background image is complemented based on the background image data. Then the character images based on the character code data and the background image thereof are synthesized.

Claims

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

(a) obtaining image data of an original image, the original image having character images provided on a background image;

(b) conducting character recognition of the image data as a first process, including the steps of;

(b-1) preprocessing the image data for character recognition;

(b-2) extracting areas from the image data which correspond to the character images; and

(b-3) generating character code data based on the extracted character images;

(c) conducting a second process on the image data based on the first process, including the step of replacing the extracted areas with the background image with reference to the image data; and

(d) storing data obtained by conducting the second process on the image data and the character code data along with a relationship between them.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein in the step (a) the image data is obtained from an image reader which optically reads the original image on a document and generates the image data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein in the step (b-3) the character code data are generated in reference to color information of the character images.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein in the step (b-3) the character code data are not generated from a character image that has color change.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein in the step (b-2) the areas are extracted character by character.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein in the step (b-2) the areas are extracted in the unit of word.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein in step (d) each of the data obtained by conducting the second process and the character code data is stored in a data file as an object.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein in step (c) the second process further includes the step of trimming an area out of the background image to which the extracted areas have been replaced, and wherein in step (d) the data corresponding to the trimmed area is stored as the object.

9. An image processing apparatus comprising:

an image reader which reads image data of an original image, the original image having character images provided on a background image;

character recognition device conducting character recognition of the image data including;

a preprocessing device preprocessing the image data for character recognition;

an extractor which extracts areas from the image data which correspond to the character images; and

a converter which generates character code data based on the extracted character images;

a replacer which replaces the extracted character images with the background image with reference to the image data; and

a storage device which stores the replaced image data and the character code data along with a relationship between them.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the image reader optically reads the original image on a document and generates the image data.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the character code data are generated in reference to color information of the character images.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the character code data are not generated from a character image that has color change.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the extractor extracts character images character by character.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the extractor extracts character images in the unit of word.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the replaced image data and the character code data is stored in a data file as an object.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the replacer further trims an area out of the background image to which the extracted character images have been replaced and wherein data corresponding to the trimmed area is stored as an object.

17. A computer readable medium embodying a computer program for image processing comprising computer-readable instructions for causing a computer to execute the steps of:

(a) obtaining image data of an original image, the original image having character images provided on a background image;

(b) conducting character recognition of the image data as a first process, including the steps of;

(b-1) preprocessing the image data for character recognition;

(b-2) extracting areas from the image data which correspond to the character images; and

(b-3) generating character code data based on the extracted character images;

(c) conducting a second process on the image data based on the first process, including the step of replacing the extracted areas with the background image with reference to the image data; and

(d) storing data obtained by conducting the second process on the image data and the character code data along with a relationship between them.

18. The computer readable medium embodying a computer program of claim 17, wherein in the step (a) the image data is obtained from an image reader which optically reads the original image on a document and generates the image data.

19. The computer readable medium embodying a computer program of claim 17, wherein in the step (b-3) the character code data are generated in reference to color information of the character images.

20. The computer readable medium embodying a computer program of claim 19, wherein in the step (b-3) the character code data are not generated from a character image that has color change.

21. The computer readable medium embodying a computer program of claim 17, wherein in the step (b-2) the areas are extracted character by character.

22. The computer readable medium embodying a computer program of claim 17, wherein the step (b-2) the areas are extracted in the unit of word.

23. The computer readable medium embodying a computer program of claim 17, wherein in step (d) each of the data obtained by conducting the second process and the character code data is stored in a data file as an object.

24. The computer readable medium embodying a computer program of claim 23, wherein in step (c), the second process further includes the step of trimming an area out of the background image to which the extracted areas have been replaced, and wherein in step (d) the data corresponding to the trimmed area is stored as the object.