# US 12,597,285 B2 · Image processing apparatus with automated division of scanned forms into individual documents, and image processing method and storage medium for same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,597,285 B2 - Document ID: US12597285B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/193,250 - Filed: 2023-03-30 - Published: 2023-11-16 - Granted: 2026-04-07 - Earliest claimed: 2022-05-13 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Kenta Inoue - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12597285B2 ## CPC - G06V 30/418: Document matching, e.g. of document images - G06V 30/412: Layout analysis of documents structured with printed lines or input boxes, e.g. business forms or tables - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING ## Abstract An image processing apparatus obtains scanned images by scanning forms of a plurality of types; manages page counts associated with feature information of previous scanned images of respective form types; analyzes each of the scanned images to determine, based on the feature information, whether the analyzed scanned image is similar to any of the previous scanned images; and divides the scanned images based on a scanned image to determined to be similar to any of the previous scanned images and the page count associated with the any of the previous scanned images. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image processing apparatus comprising: at least one memory that stores instructions; and at least one processor that executes the instructions to: obtain scanned images by using a scanner; manage page counts and feature information of images included in respective forms in association with the respective forms; execute a similar form determination based on feature information of the respective scanned images and the feature information of the images included in respective form types; determine a dividing position based on a result of a comparison between a first page count in each document when the scanned images are divided into multiple documents using candidate dividing positions corresponding to each of pages corresponding to similar images determined by the similar form determination and a second page count managed in association with each of the forms used by the similar form determination; and divide the scanned images based on the determined dividing position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the candidate dividing positions are determined as dividing positions to be used in a case where the first page count for each document obtained by dividing the scanned images based on the candidate dividing positions matches the second page count associated with a corresponding similar form. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor further transmits information for displaying a setting screen including the determined dividing position, wherein the scanned images are divided based on a dividing position selected by a user via the setting screen. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein information for displaying a list screen that displays information on the scanned images is transmitted, and a first region and a second region are separately displayed on the list screen, the first region being a region to display scanned images for which the user needs to set the dividing position via the setting screen, the second region being a region to display the scanned images after being divided by the division. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The image processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a reason why the scanned images were not divided by the division unit is displayed in the first region. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the information necessary for displaying the setting screen are provided to an apparatus connected to a display apparatus to perform control so as to display the setting screen. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in a case where a new form including a plurality of pages is scanned, feature information of an image of a first page among the plurality of pages and a page count of the plurality of pages are managed in association with the new form. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the feature information is information on arrangement of a character string region. ### Claim 9 An image processing method comprising: obtaining scanned images by using a scanner; managing page counts and feature information of images included in respective forms in association with the respective forms; executing a similar form determination based on feature information of the respective scanned images and the feature information of the images included in respective form types; determining a dividing position based on a result of a comparison between a first page count in each document obtained by dividing the scanned images into multiple documents using candidate dividing positions corresponding to each of pages corresponding to similar images determined by the similar form determination and a second page count managed in association with each of the forms used by the similar form determination; and dividing the scanned images based on the determined dividing position. ### Claim 10 A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a program which causes a computer to perform an image processing method, the image processing method comprising: obtaining scanned images by using a scanner; managing page counts and feature information of images included in respective forms in association with the respective forms; executing a similar form determination based on feature information of the respective scanned images and the feature information of the images included in respective form types; determining a dividing position based on a result of a comparison between a first page count in each document when the scanned images are divided into multiple documents using candidate dividing positions corresponding to each of pages corresponding to similar images determined by the similar form determination and a second page count managed in association with each of the forms used by the similar form determination; and dividing the scanned images based on the determined dividing position.