Method, system, processor and program product for distinguishing between similar forms

A method for identifying at least one distinguishing feature between an input new blank form B and a stored blank form A, comprising the steps of:

• a) identifying at least one property in the input blank form which is sufficiently distinguishable from a corresponding property in the stored blank form;
• said identified property complies at least with a criterion that relates to the likelihood that the property is retained substantially invariable under use of the input form;
• said property constitutes a verification property;
• and
• b) in the case that no property is identified in said step (a), identifying at least one property in the other form which is sufficiently distinguishable from a corresponding property in the input form;
• said identified property complies at least with a criterion that relates to the likelihood that the property is retained invariable under use of the input form;
• said property constitutes a rejection property.

A method for classifying an input form as corresponding to a candidate blank form from among a list of candidate blank forms;

• each one of said candidate forms is associated with at least one verification property or rejection property vis-a-vis respective form in said list;
• said verification property corresponds to a property in said each one that sufficiently distinguishes it vis-a-vis another form in the list;
• said rejection property corresponds to a property in said another form that sufficiently distinguishes it vis-a-vis said candidate form;
• the method comprising the steps of:
• a) selecting a candidate form from said list;
• for the verification property associated with said candidate form, if any, perform:
• in the case that the verification property substantially mismatches a corresponding property in the input form, indicating that said candidate form does not correspond to said input form;
• or, for said rejection property associated with said candidate form, if any perform:
• in the case that the rejection property substantially matches a corresponding property in the input form, indicating that said candidate form does not correspond to said input form;
• and
• b) in the case that the stipulations of step (a) are not met in respect of a number of said candidate forms indicating that said candidate form is classified as corresponding to said input form.

A system for identifying at least one distinguishing feature between an input new blank form B and an already stored blank form A, the system includes a processor and associated memory comprising:

• a) a device for obtaining first and second images that correspond to said form A and form B, respectively;
• b) aligning device for substantially aligning the first image with respect to the second image or vise versa;
• c) box processing device for defining boxes in the second image, each box constituting a sub-image in said second image that corresponds to an area in the blank form B;
• d) box ranking device for ranking the boxes so as to give rise to respective box rank scores, ranking criteria used for ranking each box includes a first criterion:
• the Likelihood that the area in the blank form B is a fill-in area;
• said system further including a decision unit capable of:
• e) identifying a box from among the boxes of step (d) such that at least the following conditions are met:
• i) it is sufficiently distinguishable from a corresponding box of said first image, and
• ii) it has a good box rank score, said box constituting a verification box;
• f) in the case that no box is identified in (e), identifying a box from among the boxes of said first image such that at least the following conditions are met:
• i) it is sufficiently distinguishable from a corresponding box of said second image, and
• ii) it has a good box rank score, said box constituting a rejection box.

A system for identifying at least one distinguishing feature between an input new blank form B and other blank form A, the system comprising a processor and associated memory capable of:

• a) identifying at least one property in the input new blank form B which is sufficiently distinguishable from a corresponding property in the other blank form A;
• said identified property complies at least with a criterion that relates to the likelihood that the property is retained substantially invariable under use of the form;
• said property constitutes a verification property;
• and
• b) in the case that no property is identified in (a), identifying at least one property in the other blank form A which is sufficiently distinguishable from a corresponding property in the input new blank form B;
• said identified property complies at least with a criterion that relates to the likelihood that the property is retained invariable under use of the input new blank form B;
• said property constitutes a rejection property.

A system for classifying an input form as corresponding to a candidate blank form from among a list of candidate blank forms;

• each one of said candidate forms is associated with at least one verification property or rejection property vis-a-vis respective form in said list;
• said verification property corresponds to a property in said candidate form that sufficiently distinguishes it vis-a-vis another form in the list;
• said rejection property corresponds to a property in said another form that sufficiently distinguishes it vis-a-vis said candidate form;
• the system comprising a processor and associated memory capable of:
• a) selecting a candidate form from said list;
• for the verification property associated with said candidate form, if any perform:
• in the case that the verification property substantially mismatches a corresponding property in the input form, indicating that said candidate form does not correspond to said input form;
• or, for the rejection property associated with said candidate form, if any perform:
• in the case that the rejection property substantially matches a corresponding property in the input form, indicating that said candidate form does not correspond to said input form;
• and
• b) in the case that the stipulations of step (a) are not met in respect of a number of said candidate forms indicating that said candidate form is classified as corresponding to said input form.

A processor having associated memory that includes data usable by an application selected from a group that includes form training and form classification applications;

• the data includes data being representative of:
• a plurality of a similar forms, each form is associated with:
• at least one verification property which is sufficiently distinguishable vis-a-vis the verification property of another form;
• said verification property complies at least with a criterion that relates to the likelihood that the verification property is retained substantially invariable under use of the associated said each form;
• and
• at least one rejection property of said another form which is sufficiently distinguishable vis-a-vis the rejection property of said form;
• said rejection property complies at least with a criterion that relates to the likelihood that the rejection property is retained substantially invariable under use of the associated said each form.

A computer program product for identifying at least one distinguishing feature between an input new blank form B and an already stored blank form A, said computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code thereon, said computer readable program code comprising:

• computer program code means for obtaining a first image corresponding to a previously stored blank form A and a second image corresponding to an input new blank form B;
• computer program code means for aligning said first image and said second image;
• computer program code means for boxing sub-images in said second image, each boxed sub-image corresponding to an area in said new blank form B;
• computer program code means for ranking said boxed sub-images to determine respective box rank scores, each box rank score indicating the likelihood that a corresponding boxed sub-image is a fill-in area in said new blank form B;
• computer program code means for distinguishing said boxed sub-images from a corresponding box of said first image;
• and
• computer program code means for identifying verification boxes and rejection boxes from distinguished said boxed sub-images responsive to said box rank scores.