US 5,644,656 AGranted

Method and apparatus for automated text recognition

AssigneeMassachusetts Institute of Technology

InventorsMohamad A. Akra, Sanjoy K. Mitter

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Abstract

A method, and related apparatus, for recognizing alphanumeric characters within a sample includes applying ideal alphanumeric character templates to the sample to identify each template which is included substantially within the sample. A template will be considered to be included substantially within the sample even if the sample has portions thereof with which the template does not substantially correspond or substantially match. That is, a template can be considered to be included substantially within the sample even if the template and the sample do not have a substantially one-to-one symmetrical correspondence. Of all of the templates which are identified as included substantially within the sample, the template having the most information (e.g., the template which requires the largest number of data points to define its shape) is selected as a recognized version of the sample.

Claims18

Dependent claims

Apparatus for recognizing alphanumeric characters within a sample, comprising:

(A) a data storage device for storing a plurality of first sets of data, each of the first sets of data is representative of a different alphanumeric character template and includes a plurality of data points which together define the shape of the template;
(B) a template applicator for:
receiving a second set of data which is representative of a sample to be recognized and which includes a plurality of data points which together define the shape of the sample,
accessing the first sets of data and applying each of the first sets of data to the second set of data according to a single-sided Hausdorff function to identify each template shape which is included substantially within the sample shape regardless of whether the sample shape has other portions thereof within which the template shape is not substantially included and thus regardless of whether the sample shape and the template shape have a substantially one-to-one symmetrical correspondence, and
outputting a plurality of third sets of data, each of the third sets of data is representative of at least one of the template shapes identified as included substantially within the sample shape;
and
(C) a template selector for:
receiving the third sets of data,
manipulating the third sets of data to determine which third set of data represents the template shape or shapes having the largest number of data points and designating that third set of data as representative of a recognized version of the sample, and
outputting a fourth set of data which is representative of the recognized version of the sample.

7 more elements

A method for recognizing alphanumeric characters within a sample, comprising:

(A) receiving a first set of data which is representative of a sample to be recognized and which includes a plurality of data points which together define the shape of the sample;
(B) accessing a plurality of second sets of data, each of the second sets of data is representative of a different alphanumeric character template and includes a plurality of data points which together define the shape of the template;
(C) applying each of the second sets of data to the first set of data according to a single-sided Hausdorff function to identify each template shape which is included substantially within the sample shape regardless of whether the sample shape has other portions thereof within which the template shape is not substantially included and thus regardless of whether the sample shape and the template shape have a substantially one-to-one symmetrical correspondence;
(D) providing a plurality of third sets of data, each of the third sets of data is representative of at least one of the template shapes identified as included substantially within the sample shape;
(E) manipulating the third sets of data to determine which third set of data represents the template shape or shapes having the largest number of data points and designating that third set of data as representative of a recognized version of the sample;
and
(F) outputting a fourth set of data which is representative of the recognized version of the sample.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.