Patent EP0146351A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0146351A2
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EP
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Document processing system and method
Assignee: NCR Canada Ltd
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Filing: 1984-12-13
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2004-12-13
Abstract
Abstract @ A document processing system and method for locating intelligence data such as the monetary amount on a document (24). The documents (24) are sensed by an imaging device (58) to provide intelligence data which is presented in the form of a matrix of binary data which corresponds to image data associated with a financial document (24) such as a check or deposit slip. From the matrix of binary data, an input character located on a predetermined side of the data is examined. If the input character is identified as a clue character, it means, generally, that a portion of the matrix of binary data which is associated with the clue character may be the binary data associated with the monetary amount. In the embodiment described, the clue characters are asterisks and dollar signs of different expected varieties. Having found the binary data associated with the monetary amount, it can be subjected to character recognition techniques to machine-read the monetary amount on the document (24).
Inventors
- 👤 Zahirul Hoque
- 👤 Akihiro Oka
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 08:52
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K17/00; G06V; G06V10/00; G06V10/20; G06V10/24; G06V10/245; G06V30/00; G06V30/40; G06V30/41; G06V30/414; G06V30/10; G07; G07D; G07D7/00; G07D7/06; G07D7/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
192 words
A document processing system (10) for processing documents (24) containing intelligence data in the form of characters associated with the documents (24) in which the intelligence data is associated on each document (24) with a clue character on the document (24), characterized in that the intelligence data and clue character are provided in the form of a matrix of binary data corresponding to image data associated with at least a portion of said document (24) on which said intelligence data and clue character are located, including: data storage means (138) for receiving and storing said matrix of binary data; means for withdrawing from said data storage means (138) a character data portion of said binary data of said matrix corresponding to a character which may be a clue character or a character of said intelligence data, said character data having machine-readable topographical features which are indicative of the character associated therewith; and evaluating means (132) for evaluating said machine-readable topographical features of said character data to determine whether or not said character data is indicative of a said clue character, thereby identifying the location of the intelligence data on the document (24).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
192 words
A document processing system (10) for processing documents (24) containing intelligence data in the form of characters associated with the documents (24) in which the intelligence data is associated on each document (24) with a clue character on the document (24), characterized in that the intelligence data and clue character are provided in the form of a matrix of binary data corresponding to image data associated with at least a portion of said document (24) on which said intelligence data and clue character are located, including: data storage means (138) for receiving and storing said matrix of binary data; means for withdrawing from said data storage means (138) a character data portion of said binary data of said matrix corresponding to a character which may be a clue character or a character of said intelligence data, said character data having machine-readable topographical features which are indicative of the character associated therewith; and evaluating means (132) for evaluating said machine-readable topographical features of said character data to determine whether or not said character data is indicative of a said clue character, thereby identifying the location of the intelligence data on the document (24).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
117 words
A document processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that said evaluating means (132) includes: means for determining the physical size of said character data; and comparison means for comparing said physical size of said character data with predetermined criteria to determine whether said character data has a physical size which is greater than or smaller than said predetermined criteria; said character data whose physical size is smaller than said predetermined criteria being referred to as small character data, said evaluating means (132) being adapted to evaluate said machine-readable topographical features of said small character data to determine whether or not said small character data is indicative of a said clue character of a first type.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
59 words
A document processing system according to claim 2, characterized in that said clue character of a first type is an asterisk, and in which said means for receiving said small character data and for evaluating said machine-readable topographical features of said small character data also includes means for locating a hole in the centre of said small character data.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
144 words
A document processing system according to claim 2, characterized in that said character data whose physical size is greater than said predetermined criteria from said comparison means is referred to as large character data; said evaluating means (132) further including: receiving means for receiving said large character data; means coupled to said receiving means for determining the height and width of said large character data; and means for comparing said height and width of said large character data to select said large character data which has a width to height ratio of less than one, said evaluating means (132) being further adapted to evaluate the machine-readable topographical features of said large character data having a width to height ratio of less than one to determine whether or not said last named character data is indicative of a said clue character of a second type.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
A document processing system according to claim 4, characterized in that said intelligence data relates to the monetary amount on a said document, and said clue character of said second type is a dollar sign.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
55 words
A document processing system according to claim 5, characterized in that said evaluating means (132) includes: first identifying means for determining whether or not said large character data is indicative of a slanted dollar sign; and second identifying means for determining whether or not said large character data is indicative of a straight dollar sign.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
A document processing system according to any one of the preceding claims, including optical imaging means (58) adapted to produce image data of at least a portion of a document (24), and converting means (78, 80) adapted to convert said image data to said matrix of binary data.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
166 words
A method of processing documents (24) each containing intelligence data in the form of characters associated with the documents (24), in which the intelligence data is associated with a clue character on the document (24), characterized by the steps of: (a) sensing the intelligence data and clue character from the document (24) in the form of a matrix of binary data corresponding to image data associated with at least a portion of said document (24); (b) receiving and storing said matrix of binary data in data storage means (138); (c) withdrawing from said data storage means (138) a character data portion of said binary data of said matrix corresponding to a character which may be a clue character or a character of said intelligence data, said character data having machine readable topographical features which are indicative of the character associated therewith; and (d) evaluating said machine-readable topographical features of said character data to determine whether or not said character data is indicative of a clue character.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
166 words
A method of processing documents (24) each containing intelligence data in the form of characters associated with the documents (24), in which the intelligence data is associated with a clue character on the document (24), characterized by the steps of: (a) sensing the intelligence data and clue character from the document (24) in the form of a matrix of binary data corresponding to image data associated with at least a portion of said document (24); (b) receiving and storing said matrix of binary data in data storage means (138); (c) withdrawing from said data storage means (138) a character data portion of said binary data of said matrix corresponding to a character which may be a clue character or a character of said intelligence data, said character data having machine readable topographical features which are indicative of the character associated therewith; and (d) evaluating said machine-readable topographical features of said character data to determine whether or not said character data is indicative of a clue character.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
109 words
A method according to claim 7, characterized in that said evaluating step includes the steps of: (e) determining the physical size of said character data; (f) comparing the physical size of said character data with predetermined criteria to determine whether said character data has a physical size which is greater than or smaller than said predetermiend criteria, said character data whose physical size is smaller than said predetermined criteria being referred to hereinafter as small character data; and (g) evaluating said machine-readable topographical features of said small character data to determine whether or not said small character data is indicative of a said clue character of a first type.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method according to claim 9, characterized in that said step (g) includes the steps of: (h) examining the center of said small character data to determine whether or not a hole exists thereat; and (i) identifying said small character data as an asterisk with hole when a hole exists at step (h).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
84 words
A method according to claim 10, characterized in that said step (h) includes the steps of: (j) utilizing an examining window which includes rows and columns of said character data to search for corners of said examining window which corners are formed by binary data of a first type, and (k) examining predetermined portions of rows and columns of said character data adjacent to said examining window in search for binary data of said first type whose presence indicates that a said hole exists.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
108 words
A method according to claim 9, characterized in that said character data whose physical size is greater than said predetermined criteria, as determined by said comparing step, is referred to hereinafter as large character data, and in which said step (d) further includes the steps of: (1) determining the height and width of said large character data; (m) comparing the height and width of said large character data; and (n) evaluating said machine-readable topographical features of said large character data whose associated width-to-height ratio is less than one to determine whether or not said last-named large character data is indicative of a clue character of a second type.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
108 words
A method according to claim 12, characterized in that said clue character of said second type is a dollar sign and in which said character data is formed by a matrix of columns and rows of binary data, said evaluating step (n) including the steps of: (o) using the number of binary transitions in said columns as being indicative of a dollar sign of a slanted variety; and (p) using the number of closed rows of binary data of a first type which exist in said character data in association with the height of said character data as being indicative of a dollar sign of a straight variety.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
130 words
A method according to claim 13, characterized in that said character data has first and second column boundaries and first and second row boundaries, and in which said evaluating step (n) further includes the steps of: (q) using the number of binary digits of a first type in said first and second row boundaries as being indicative of a dollar sign of a slanted variety; (r) using the first binary digit of said first type which is encountered when proceeding from said first column boundary towards said second column boundary for each successive said row of binary data when proceeding from said first row boundary towards said second row boundary to develop a curve which said curve is used as being indicative of a dollar sign of a slanted variety.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
116 words
A method according to claim 14, characterized in that said step (n) further comprises the steps of: (s) using the first binary digit of said first type which is encountered when proceeding from said second column boundary towards said first column boundary for each successive said row of binary data when proceeding from said second row boundary towards said first row boundary to develop a second curve, which said second curve is used as being indicative of a dollar sign of a slanted variety; and (t) evaluating said first-named curve and said second curve according to predetermined criteria to determine whether or not said character data is indicative of a dollar sign of a slanted variety.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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