Ambiguity reduction for image alignment applications
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- partitioning a template into blocks using an image processor, said template comprising a user-fillable pre-printed form;
scanning an image using an optical scanner, said image comprising said pre-printed form having user markings;
aligning said image to said template using said image processor;
matching image features with template features in said blocks of said template using said image processor;
identifying displacement vectors for differences of said image features from said template features using said image processor;
determining normalized cross correlation (NCC) between blocks of said image and each block of said template using said image processor;
identifying peaks in said NCC using said image processor;
selecting a displacement vector for a peak with highest NCC for each said block of said template using said image processor;
identifying ambiguous template features in said image based on said displacement vector using said image processor;
removing said ambiguous template features from said image using said image processor; and
iteratively combining blocks and determining NCC for each said block of said template using said image processor to remove said ambiguous template features from said image using said image processor.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
According to exemplary systems and methods, a template is partitioned into blocks using an image processor. An image is scanned using an optical scanner. The image is aligned to the template. Image features are matched with template features in the blocks of the template. Displacement vectors are identified for differences of the image features from the template features. Normalized cross correlation (NCC) is determined between blocks of the image and each block of the template using the image processor. Peaks in the NCC are identified. A displacement vector is selected for a peak with highest NCC for each the block of the template. Ambiguous template features are identified in the image based on the displacement vector. Blocks are iteratively combined and NCC determined to remove the ambiguous template features.
16 Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A method comprising:
-
partitioning a template into blocks using an image processor, said template comprising a user-fillable pre-printed form; scanning an image using an optical scanner, said image comprising said pre-printed form having user markings; aligning said image to said template using said image processor; matching image features with template features in said blocks of said template using said image processor; identifying displacement vectors for differences of said image features from said template features using said image processor; determining normalized cross correlation (NCC) between blocks of said image and each block of said template using said image processor; identifying peaks in said NCC using said image processor; selecting a displacement vector for a peak with highest NCC for each said block of said template using said image processor; identifying ambiguous template features in said image based on said displacement vector using said image processor; removing said ambiguous template features from said image using said image processor; and iteratively combining blocks and determining NCC for each said block of said template using said image processor to remove said ambiguous template features from said image using said image processor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. A method, comprising:
-
receiving a template into an image processor, said image processor comprising a special purpose machine that is specialized for processing image data, said template comprising a user-fillable pre-printed form; providing electronic instructions to said image processor to cause said image processor to partition said template into blocks; receiving a scan of an image into said image processor, said image comprising said pre-printed form having user markings; providing electronic instructions to said image processor to cause said image processor to align said scan of said image to said template; providing electronic instructions to said image processor to cause said image processor to match image features with template features in said blocks of said template; providing electronic instructions to said image processor to cause said image processor to identify displacement vectors for differences of said image features from said template features; providing electronic instructions to said image processor to cause said image processor to determine normalized cross correlation (NCC) between blocks of said image and each block of said template; providing electronic instructions to said image processor to cause said image processor to identify peaks in said NCC; providing electronic instructions to said image processor to cause said image processor to select a displacement vector for a peak with highest NCC for each said block of said template; providing electronic instructions to said image processor to cause said image processor to identify ambiguous template features in said image based on said displacement vector; providing electronic instructions to said image processor to cause said image processor to remove said ambiguous template features from said image; and providing electronic instructions to said image processor to cause said image processor to iteratively combine blocks and determine NCC for each said block of said template to remove said ambiguous template features from said image. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A system, comprising:
-
an image processor receiving a template and partitioning said template into blocks, said template comprising a user-fillable pre-printed form; and an image capture device operatively connected to said image processor, said image capture device scanning an image to produce a scan, said image comprising said pre-printed form having user markings, said image processor aligning said scan to said template, said image processor matching features of said scan with features of said template in said blocks of said template, said image processor identifying displacement vectors for differences of said features of said scan from said features of said template, said image processor determining normalized cross correlation (NCC) between blocks of said scan and each block of said template, said image processor identifying peaks in said NCC, said image processor selecting a displacement vector for a peak with highest NCC for each said block of said template, said image processor identifying ambiguous template features in said scan based on said displacement vector, said image processor removing said ambiguous template features from said scan; and said image processor iteratively combining blocks and determining NCC for each said block of said template to remove said ambiguous template features from said scan. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
Specification