Patent EP0138445A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0138445A2
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EP
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Method and apparatus for segmenting character images
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1984-09-25
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2004-09-25
Abstract
Abstract @ The invention is directed to apparatus for segmenting into individual character images a coded representation of a line of characters printed on a document including a scanner for scanning along the line of characters and for generating data signals representing images of the characters. A profile generator responsive to the data signals generates a line profile segment for each character scanned. Each profile segment extends in a line parallel to the direction of scanning and represents the size of a respective character in the direction of scanning. The apparatus also includes segmentation means which utilises the profile segments to establish in the data signals segmentation points defining boundaries between adjacent character images. The apparatus is characterised in that the segmentation means comprises position determining means for determining the position of the centre of each of said profile segments, a linear function generator for generating a linear function dependent upon the position of the centre of at least one of the profile segments, and analysing means for utilising the linear function to establish the positions of segmentation points. The invention also includes a method of segmenting into individual character images a coded representation of a line of characters printed on a document utilising the above apparatus.
Inventors
- 👤 Gregory Martin Bednar
- 👤 George Bernard Fryer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 12:07
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06V; G06V30/00; G06V30/10; G06V30/14; G06V30/148; G06V30/158
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
166 words
Apparatus for segmenting into individual character images a coded representation of a line of characters printed on a document comprising a scanner tor scanning along said line of characters and tor generating data signals representing images of said characters, a profile generator responsive to said data signals tor generating a line profile segment for each character scanned, each profile segment extending in a line parallel to the direction of scanning and representing the size of a respective character in said direction of scanning, and segmentation means utilising said profile segments to establish in said data signals segmentation points defining boundaries between adjacent character images, characterised in that said segmentation means comprises position determining means for determining the position of the centre of each or said profile segments, a linear tunction generator tor generating a linear tunction dependent upon the position ot the centre of at least one of said profile segments, and analysing means for utilising said linear function to establish the positions of segmentation points.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
166 words
Apparatus for segmenting into individual character images a coded representation of a line of characters printed on a document comprising a scanner tor scanning along said line of characters and tor generating data signals representing images of said characters, a profile generator responsive to said data signals tor generating a line profile segment for each character scanned, each profile segment extending in a line parallel to the direction of scanning and representing the size of a respective character in said direction of scanning, and segmentation means utilising said profile segments to establish in said data signals segmentation points defining boundaries between adjacent character images, characterised in that said segmentation means comprises position determining means for determining the position of the centre of each or said profile segments, a linear tunction generator tor generating a linear tunction dependent upon the position ot the centre of at least one of said profile segments, and analysing means for utilising said linear function to establish the positions of segmentation points.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
87 words
Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 for segmenting into individual character images a coded representation of a line ot characters printed on a document at a predetermined pitch, said pitch being defined as the distance between corresponding points on adjacent characters, characterised in that said segmentation means comprises selection means tor selecting a profile segment which satisfies predetermined size criteria, and in that said linear function generator generates a linear runction dependent upon said predetermined pitch and the position ot the centre of said selected profile segment.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
72 words
Apparatus as claimed in Claim 2 for segmenting into individual character images a coded representation of a line ot characters printed on a document at a predetermined pitch in preferred character locations, characterised in that said analysing means utilises said linear tunction to establish the positions of the centres of the preferred character locations and utilises said positions ot the centres of preferred character locations to establish the positions ot segmentation points.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
96 words
Apparatus as claimed in Claim 3 characterised in that said linear tunction generator generates a linear function which can be represented on a graph having an X-axis and a Y-axis by a straight line having an equation: where c i = distance along the X-axis of the centre of the ith preferred character location (i = 1, 2, 3,,,), a = pitch of the characters, n = distance along the Y-axis of the representation of the ith preterred character location, and b = distance along the X-axis of the intercept of the line with the X-axis.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
120 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 for segmenting into individual character images a coded repesentation of a line of characters printed on a document in preterred character locations, characterised in that said linear function generator generates a linear function which can be represented on a graph having and X-axis and a Y-axis by a straight line having an equation: where c. i = distance along the X-axis of the centre of the ith preferred character location, e = slope of the line corresponding to the pitch of the characters, y. = distance along the Y-axis of the representation of the ith preterred character location, and d = distance along the X-axis of the intercept of the line with the X-axis,
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
108 words
by utilising a least squares regression technique involving the establishment of the minimum value of the expression: where m = total number of characters for which profile segments have been generated, x i = distance along the X-axis ot the centre of the profile segment of the ith character, ana e, y and d have the values defined above, by suitably selecting the values of d and e, and in that said analysing means utilises said linear function to establish the positions of the centres of the preferred character locations and utilises said positions of the centres ot preferred character locations to establish the positions of segmentation points.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
108 words
by utilising a least squares regression technique involving the establishment of the minimum value of the expression: where m = total number of characters for which profile segments have been generated, x i = distance along the X-axis ot the centre of the profile segment of the ith character, ana e, y and d have the values defined above, by suitably selecting the values of d and e, and in that said analysing means utilises said linear function to establish the positions of the centres of the preferred character locations and utilises said positions of the centres ot preferred character locations to establish the positions of segmentation points.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
69 words
Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims characterised in that said scanner comprises means tor scanning along said line of characters in a plurality ot parallel scan lines and tor generating for each scan line a set of data signals, and in that said profile generator comprises means for logically combining corresponding portions ot said sets of data signals in order to generate said profile segments.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
140 words
A method of segmenting into individual character images a coded representation of a line of characters printed on a document comprising scanning along said line ot characters and generating data signals representing images of said characters, generating trom said data signals a line profile segment for each character scanned, each protile segment extending in a line parallel to the direction ot scanning and representing the size of a respective character in said direction of scanning, and utilising said profile segments to establish in said data signals segmentation points defining the boundaries between adjacent character images, characterised by determining the position of the centre of each ot said profile segments, generating a linear tunction dependent upon the position of the centre of at least one of said profile segments, and utilising said linear tunction to establish the positions of segmentation points.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
140 words
A method of segmenting into individual character images a coded representation of a line of characters printed on a document comprising scanning along said line ot characters and generating data signals representing images of said characters, generating trom said data signals a line profile segment for each character scanned, each protile segment extending in a line parallel to the direction ot scanning and representing the size of a respective character in said direction of scanning, and utilising said profile segments to establish in said data signals segmentation points defining the boundaries between adjacent character images, characterised by determining the position of the centre of each ot said profile segments, generating a linear tunction dependent upon the position of the centre of at least one of said profile segments, and utilising said linear tunction to establish the positions of segmentation points.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
111 words
A method as claimed in Claim 7 of segmenting into individual character images a coded representation of a line of characters printed on a document in preterred character locations at a predetermined pitch, said pitch being defined as the distance between corresponding points on adjacent characters, characterised by selecting a profile segment which satisfies predetermined size criteria, generating a linear function dependent upon said predetermined pitch and the position of the centre of said selected profile segment, utilising said linear function to establish the positions of the centres of the preferred character locations and utilising said positions of the centres of preferred character locations to establish the positions ot segmentation points.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
99 words
A method of segmenting characters as claimed in Claim 8 characterised by utilising as said linear function a function which can be represented on a graph having an X-axis and a Y-axis by a straight line having an equation: where c i = distance along the X-axis ot the centre of the ith preferred character location (i = 1, 2, 3,,,), a = pitch of the characters, n i = distance along the Y-axis of the representation of the ith preferred character location, and b = distance along the X-axis of the intercept of the line with the X-axis.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
218 words
A method as claimed in Claim 7 of segmenting into individual character images a coded representation of a line of characters printed on a document in preferred character locations, characterised by generating a linear function which can be represented on a graph having and X-axis and a Y-axis by a straight line having an equation: where c = distance along the X-axis ot the centre of the ith preferred character location, e = slope ot the line corresponding to the pitch of the characters, y i = distance along the Y-axis of the representation of the ith preferred character location, and d = distance along the X-axis ot the intercept of the line with the X-axis, by utilising a least squares regression technique involving the establishment of the minimum value of the expression: where m = total number of characters for which protile segments have been generated, x. = distance along the X-axis of the centre ot the protile segment of the ith character, and e, y and d have the values detined above, by suitably selecting the values of d and e, and utilising said linear function to establish the positions of the centres of the preferred character locations and utilises said positions of the centres of preterred character locations to establish the positions of segmentation points.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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