Identifying user marks using patterned lines on pre-printed forms

A method comprising:

• providing electronic instructions to an image processor to cause said image processor to automatically replace solid lines of user-fillable areas of a form-based print job with patterned lines, said patterned lines printed on said user-fillable pre-printed forms having the same dimensions as said solid lines that said patterned lines replace;
• providing electronic instructions to a printing device to cause said printing device to print said form-based print job with said patterned lines to print user-fillable pre-printed forms;
• receiving a scan of at least one of said user-fillable pre-printed forms having user markings thereon into said image processor;
• providing electronic instructions to said image processor to produce an altered scan by removing only lines having said patterned lines from said scan and leaving said user markings in said altered scan;
• providing electronic instructions to said image processor to identify user-supplied characters by performing automated character recognition on said user markings in said altered scan;
• and
• providing electronic instructions to said image processor to output said user-supplied characters.

A system comprising:

• an image processor;
• a printing device operatively connected to said image processor, said printing device printing a form-based print job having user-fillable areas comprising patterned lines to print user-fillable pre-printed forms, said patterned lines on said user-fillable pre-printed forms being printed to have the same dimensions as solid lines of a pre-printed form that said patterned lines replace;
• and
• an optical scanner operatively connected to said image processor, said optical scanner scanning at least one of said user-fillable pre-printed forms having user markings thereon to produce a scan,
• said image processor producing an altered scan by removing only lines having said patterned lines from said scan and leaving said user markings in said altered scan,
• said image processor identifying user-supplied characters by performing automated character recognition on said user markings in said altered scan, and
• said image processor outputting said user-supplied characters.

A device comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a communications device operatively connected to said processor and to external devices,
• said processor replacing solid lines of user-fillable areas of a form-based print job with patterned lines to have the same dimensions as said solid lines that said patterned lines replace,
• said communications device providing electronic instructions to a printing device to cause said printing device to print said form-based print job having said user-fillable areas comprising said patterned lines to print user-fillable pre-printed forms,
• said communications device receiving a scan of at least one of said user-fillable pre-printed forms having user markings thereon from an optical scanner,
• said processor producing an altered scan by removing only lines having said patterned lines from said scan and leaving said user markings in said altered scan,
• said processor identifying user-supplied characters by performing automated character recognition on said user markings in said altered scan, and
• said processor outputting said user-supplied characters.