Character recognition system and method

A method for recognizing a character corresponding to a written symbol, said method comprising:

• providing a pixel representation of the written symbol;
• segmenting said pixel representation, yielding a segmented symbol;
• doing a vector quantization on said segmented symbol, yielding a vector representation of said written symbol;
• for possible class(i), i ranging from 1 to N, N being the number of different possible classes:
• providing a vector representation(i) for each class(i);
• computing a similarity score(i) using said vector representation (i) of said symbol and said vector representation for class(i);
• and
• comparing said similarity score(i) to a threshold(i);
• and
• if only one of said similarity score(x) is superior than the corresponding threshold(x), x ranging form 1 to N:
• assigning to said written symbol a computer-readable code corresponding to said class(x).

A system for translating a written document into a computer-readable document, said system comprising:

• a document digitizer for creating a pixel representation of the document;
• a controller coupled to said digitizer for:
• receiving said pixel representation of the written document;
• identifying a field in said pixel representation of the written document;
• segmenting said field, thereby yielding a segmented symbol;
• performing a vector quantization on said segmented symbol;
• comparing said vector quantization of said segmented symbol with said predetermined vector quantization of each said class, thereby assigning a similarity score between said segmented symbol and each said class;
• and
• determining if only one of said similarity scores exceeds a predetermined threshold;
• wherein, when only one said similarity score exceeds said predetermined threshold, assigning to said segmented symbol a said computer-readable code corresponding to a said class for which said only one similarity score exceeds said predetermined threshold;
• an output device coupled to said controller for displaying said segmented symbol;
• and
• at least one input device coupled to said controller for entering a computer-readable code of a humanly recognized character among displayed segmented symbols.

A system for translating a written document into a computer readable document, said system comprising:

• means for providing a pixel representation of the written document;
• means for providing a vector base comprising a plurality of classes, each said class corresponding to a computer-readable code and comprising a predetermined vector quantization of said corresponding computer-readable code;
• means for identifying a field into said pixel representation of the written document;
• means for segmenting said field, thereby yielding a segmented symbol;
• means for performing a vector guantization on said segmented symbol;
• means for comparing said vector quantization of said segmented symbol with said predetermined vector quantization of each said class, thereby assigning a similarity score between said segmented symbol and each said class;
• and
• means for determining if only one of said similarity scores exceeds a predetermined threshold;
• wherein when only one said similarity score exceeds said predetermined threshold, assigning to said segmented symbol a said computer-readable code corresponding to a said class for which said only one similarity score exceeds said predetermined threshold.