Method and apparatus for removing redundant information from digital documents

Method for removing redundant information from digital documents, comprising the steps of:

• analyzing each image in said document;
• extracting statistical features from each said image, wherein said features are selected from the group consisting of:
• number of image regions;
• histogram of colors;
• relative size of regions;
• texture of regions;
• and
• weighted regions graph
• determining whether same features exist;
• IF same features exist, THEN
• deciding that images are similar;
• removing redundant image;
• and
• terminating said step of analyzing each image;
• OTHERWISE,
• postponing removal of image;
• analyzing corresponding text and data parts of image;
• determining whether there is an ambiguity;
• IF there is an ambiguity, THEN
• performing image understanding process;
• making a final decision on removal of image;
• and
• returning to said step of removing redundant image;
• OTHERWISE,
• proceeding to said step of
• terminating said step of analyzing each image.

Apparatus for removing redundant information from digital documents, comprising:

• means for organizing text into sentences and paragraphs;
• means for analyzing said sentences and said paragraphs;
• means for comparing said sentences and paragraphs with other documents;
• and
• means for identifying redundancies between said documents.

Apparatus for removing redundant information from digital documents, comprising:

• means for analyzing each image in said document;
• means for extracting statistical features from each said image, wherein
• said features are selected from the group consisting of:
• number of image regions;
• histogram of colors;
• relative size of regions;
• texture of regions;
• and
• weighted regions graph
• means for determining whether same features exist;
• IF same features exist, THEN
• means for deciding that images are similar;
• means for removing redundant image;
• and
• means for terminating said means for analyzing each image;
• OTHERWISE,
• means for postponing removal of image;
• means for analyzing corresponding text and data parts of image;
• means for determining whether there is an ambiguity;
• IF there is an ambiguity, THEN
• means for performing image understanding;
• means for making a final decision on removal of image;
• and
• means for returning to said means for removing redundant image;
• OTHERWISE,
• means for terminating said means for analyzing each image.