System and method for locating a target region in an image

A method for identifying a target region in an image that is captured by an imaging device, the target region having boundaries defined by a set of discrete delimiters, the method, comprising:

• generating a binary-colored image from the image, wherein the binary-colored image comprises darker-shaded pixels and lighter-shaded pixels;
• identifying a speckle pixel from the binary-colored image;
• removing the speckle pixel from the binary-colored image by converting the speckle pixel to a lighter-shaded pixel;
• analyzing a color of a target pixel located at a search location and neighboring pixels of the target pixel to determine whether the target pixel corresponds with a discrete delimiter;
• locating a portion of the set of discrete delimiters;
• and
• identifying the target region using a portion of the set of discrete delimiters.

An apparatus for identifying a target region in an image, the target region having boundaries defined by a set of discrete delimiters, the apparatus, comprising:

• a color converting module operable to generate a binary-colored image from the image, wherein the binary-colored image comprises first-shaded pixels and second-shaded pixels;
• a delimiter module coupled to the color converting module, the delimiter module operable to analyze a color of a target pixel located at a search location and neighboring pixels of the target pixel to determine whether the target pixel is a portion of a discrete delimiter;
• wherein the delimiter module is further operable to locate a portion of the set of discrete delimiters;
• and
• a target region identifier module coupled to the delimiter module, the target region identifier module operable to identify the target region using the portion of the set of discrete delimiters.

A system for automatically locating a signature field in a target region of an image captured by a barcode reader, the target region having rectangular boundaries defined by multiple graphical delimiters in the image, the method, comprising:

• means for optionally decreasing darkness in color at or near edge portions of the image;
• means for generating a binary-colored image from the image, wherein the binary-colored image comprises darker-shaded pixels and lighter-shaded pixels;
• means for performing de-speckling by converting a speckle pixel in the binary-colored image to a lighter shade;
• means for generating a search pattern comprising multiple search locations that spatially correspond with pixels in the image;
• means for determining a color of multiple search pixels in the binary-colored image that correspond or substantially correspond in location to the multiple search locations;
• means for identifying a darker-shaded pixel in the multiple search pixels as a candidate pixel that is a portion of one of multiple graphical delimiters;
• means for analyzing colors of neighboring pixels of the candidate pixel to compute a weight value of the candidate pixel;
• and
• means for saving the candidate pixel as a located graphical delimiter of multiple graphical delimiters if the weight value of the candidate pixel exceeds or approximates a weight threshold.