Method for automatic conversion of paper records to digital form
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for extracting identification information from a container to facilitate the storing and indexing of electronic images produced from scanning documents contained in the container, comprising:
- scanning, using a scanner, a portion of the container to generate electronic data representing an electronic image of the scanned portion of the container, the electronic data including color space image data representing an individual color and alphanumeric data representing an individual alphanumeric character;
electronically analyzing the color space image data within a predetermined area of the electronic image to identify the individual color within the analyzed predetermined area of the electronic image;
electronically analyzing the alphanumeric data within a predetermined area of the electronic image to identify the alphanumeric individual character within the analyzed predetermined area of the electronic image;
electronically identifying, based upon both the identified color and the identified alphanumeric character, index information for the container;
scanning, using a scanner, the documents within the container to generate image data;
electronically labeling the image data in accordance with the identified index information for the container; and
storing, in a data storage device, the image data at a location within the data storage device, associated with the identified index information for the container.
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Abstract
A method of scanning a set of documents in a container such as a file folder or storage box where the container contains a unique label containing identification associated with the documents in the container. The label comprises both alphanumeric characters and color information where each character is associated with a particular color. By scanning the container and analyzing the image of the container the unique identification can be retrieved with increased reliability by using both the color and alphanumeric information.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for extracting identification information from a container to facilitate the storing and indexing of electronic images produced from scanning documents contained in the container, comprising:
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scanning, using a scanner, a portion of the container to generate electronic data representing an electronic image of the scanned portion of the container, the electronic data including color space image data representing an individual color and alphanumeric data representing an individual alphanumeric character; electronically analyzing the color space image data within a predetermined area of the electronic image to identify the individual color within the analyzed predetermined area of the electronic image; electronically analyzing the alphanumeric data within a predetermined area of the electronic image to identify the alphanumeric individual character within the analyzed predetermined area of the electronic image; electronically identifying, based upon both the identified color and the identified alphanumeric character, index information for the container; scanning, using a scanner, the documents within the container to generate image data; electronically labeling the image data in accordance with the identified index information for the container; and storing, in a data storage device, the image data at a location within the data storage device, associated with the identified index information for the container. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system for extracting identification information from a container, the container containing a plurality of documents comprising:
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a scanner, the scanner generating color digital image data of objects placed on its input platen; and a processor, operatively connected to said scanner, to receive the color digital image data and to convert the color digital image data into color space image data representing an individual color and alphanumeric data representing an individual alphanumeric character; said processor extracting, from the color digital image data, a portion of the color digital image data that contains a label; said processor analyzing the color space image data of the portion of the color digital image data that contains the label to identify a color of the portion of the color digital image data that contains the label; said processor converting the identified color into an equivalent alphanumeric form; said processor analyzing, the alphanumeric data of the portion of the color digital image data that contains the label to identify the alphanumeric character in the portion of the color digital image data that contains the label; said processor comparing the equivalent alphanumeric form of the converted identified color to the identified alphanumeric character in the portion of the color digital image data that contains the label to verify that the equivalent alphanumeric form of the converted identified color and the identified alphanumeric character are the same; said processor, when the equivalent alphanumeric form of the converted identified color and the identified alphanumeric character are verified as the same, identifying, based upon the equivalent alphanumeric form of the converted identified color and the identified alphanumeric character, index information for the container when the equivalent alphanumeric form of the converted identified color and the identified alphanumeric character are the same; said processor labeling the image data in accordance with the identified index information for the container; said processor causing the labeled image data to be stored in a data storage device at a location associated with the identified index information for the container. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification