System and method for identifying and extracting character strings from captured image data

A system of processing captured image data including image data corresponding to at least one string of characters comprising:

• edge detector for detecting edges within the image data to generate an edge representation having an associated plurality of edge pixels of a single pixel width, the edge representation including at least magnitude and direction information for each edge pixel;
• bounding area definition creator including at least an edge pixel labeler for assigning edge pixel labels to each edge pixel dependent on pixel connectedness and direction information;
• bounding area definition filter for filtering bounding area definitions using direction information to identify character foreground and background information;
• and
• line definition creator for merging filtered adjacent bounding area definitions to form a line definition dependent on the adjacent bounding area definitions relative location to each other.

A computer readable medium containing a computer program for processing images wherein the computer program performs:

• detecting edges within the image data to generate an edge representation having an associated plurality of edge pixels of a single pixel width, the edge representation including at least magnitude and direction information for each edge pixel;
• assigning edge pixel labels to each edge pixel dependent on pixel connectedness;
• creating bounding area definitions each corresponding to a character using direction information and dependent on similar edge pixel labels;
• filtering bounding area definitions using direction information to identify character foreground and background information;
• and
• merging filtered adjacent bounding area definitions to form a line definition dependent on the adjacent bounding area definitions relative location to each other.