Classification and standardization of field images associated with a field in a form

• US 8,792,730 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2012
• Issued: 07/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Barrus, John W.
• Primary Examiner(s): MARIAM, DANIEL G
• Application Number:
  US13/414,710
• Publication Number:
  US 20130236110A1
• Time in Patent Office: 874 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 382/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/414 Extracting the geometrical structure, e.g. layout tree; Block segmentation, e.g. bounding boxes for graphics or text

Abstract

A system and method for processing form images including strokes. A stroke identification module identifies the position of each stroke in each of form image. A geometry engine identifies a group of overlapping strokes from an overlay of the plurality of form images. The geometry engine generates a field bounding box encompassing the group of strokes and generates a field image from each form image based on the field bounding box. A label detector analyzes an area around the field image in the form image and generates a label image. A field image classifier determines stroke features for field images associated with a field. The field image classifier classifies the field images into one or more groups based on the stroke features. A stroke standardizer determines a representative image for field images associated with a field.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for classifying a plurality of field images, the method comprising:

receiving the plurality of field images associated with a field;

determining, with one or more processors, stroke features for each of the plurality of field images;

analyzing, with the one or more processors, the stroke features to determine one or more patterns;

classifying the plurality of field images into one or more groups based on the one or more patterns;

retrieving field images in a first group from the one or more groups;

determining a representative image from the retrieved field images based on the stroke features;

replacing the field images of the first group with the representative image; and

generating a table with the plurality of field images including the representative image for the field images that are classified as being part of the first group.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the stroke features include at least one of a stroke length, a stroke curvature, a stroke angle, a number of strokes, timing, a pressure profile and stray markings.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request for the plurality of field images from a user device; and

providing the table to the user device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating an ordinal number for each of the one or more groups; and

sorting the plurality of form images in the table based on the one or more ordinal numbers.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the representative image is selected based on having at least one of a least number of stray markings and being a least complicated field image.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

replacing the plurality of field images with the representative image.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a feature vector with the stroke features for each of the plurality of field images.

8. A system for classifying a plurality of field images, the system comprising:

a field image classifier for receiving the plurality of field images associated with a field, determining stroke features for each of the plurality of field images, analyzing the stroke features to determine one or more patterns and classifying the plurality of field images into one or more groups based on the or more patterns;

a stroke standardizer for retrieving field images in a first group from the one or more groups, for determining a representative image from the retrieved field images based on the stroke features and for replacing the field images of the first group with the representative image; and

a user interface engine for generating a table with the plurality of field images including the representative image for the field images that are classified as being part of the first group.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the stroke features include at least one of a stroke length, a stroke curvature, a stroke angle, a number of strokes, timing, a pressure profile and stray markings.

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising a table generator coupled to the field image classifier, the table generator for receiving a request for the plurality of field images from a user device.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the field image classifier further generates an ordinal number for each of the one or more groups.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the user interface engine provides the table to the user device and sorts the plurality of form images in the table based on the one or more ordinal numbers.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the representative image is selected based on having at least one of a least number of stray markings and being a least complicated field image.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the stroke standardizer further replaces the plurality of field images with the representative image.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the field image classifier further generates a feature vector with the stroke features for each of the plurality of field images.

16. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer useable medium including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

receive a plurality of field images associated with a field;

determine stroke features for each of the plurality of field images;

analyze the stroke features to determine one or more patterns;

classify the plurality of field images into one or more groups based on the or more patterns;

retrieve field images in a first group from the one or more groups;

determine a representative image from the retrieved field images based on the stroke features;

replace the field images of the first group with the representative image; and

generate a table with the plurality of field images including the representative image for the field images that are classified as being part of the first group.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, further causing the computer to:

receive a request for the plurality of field images from a user device; and

provide the table to the user device.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, further causing the computer to:

generate a feature vector with the stroke features for each of the plurality of field images.

19. The computer program product of claim 16, further causing the computer to:

generate an ordinal number for each of the one or more groups; and

sort the plurality of form images in the table based on the one or more ordinal numbers.

20. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the representative image is selected based on having at least one of a least number of stray markings and being a least complicated field image.