Data processing system and method for selecting customized character recognition processes and coded data repair processes for scanned images of document forms

Claim 2

The method of claim 1, which further comprises: said form processing template including a first process step definition for a first character recognition process of a first field and a second process step definition for a second character recognition process of a second field on said document form; said form processing template including a third process step definition for determining whether said second field is related to said first field and whether character recognition of said second field should be omitted; omitting character recognition processing of said second field in response to said third process step definition.

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 or 2, which further comprises: said form processing template including a first process step definition for a first character recognition process of a first field and a second process step definition for a second character recognition process of a second field on said document form; said form processing template including a third process step definition for determining whether said second field is related to said first field and whether character recognition of said second field should be omitted; performing said first character recognition process of said first field and generating first recognition coded data; determining that said first recognition coded data has a first certainty value; omitting character recognition processing of said second field in response to said third process step definition and said first certainty value.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1, 2 or 3, which further comprises: said form processing template including a first process step definition for a first coded data repair process of a first field and a second process step definition for a second coded data repair process of a second field on said document form; said form processing template including a third process step definition for determining whether said second field is related to said first field and whether coded data repair of said second field should be omitted; omitting coded data repair processing of said second field in response to said third process step definition.

Claim 10

In a data processing system, a method for repairing character recognition errors for digital images of document forms, comprising: inputting a document form processing template including a first sequence specification for a first plurality of character recognition processes including first occurring and second occurring character recognition processes, said template including a second sequence specification for a second plurality of coded data repair processes, including first occurring and second occurring coded data repair processes; inputting a digital document image of a document form and extracting a field image from said document image, forming a corresponding extracted field image; selecting said first occurring character recognition process specified in said first plurality in said template and generating first recognition coded data from said extracted field image and generating first recognition error data using said first occurring character recognition process; determining that said first recognition error data is greater than a first predetermined value, and in response thereto, selecting said second occurring character recognition process specified in said first plurality in said template and generating second recognition coded data from said extracted field image and generating second recognition error data using said second occurring character recognition process; selecting said first occurring coded data repair process specified in said second plurality in said template and operating on said second recognition coded data and said second recognition error data to generate first repaired coded data using said first occurring coded data repair process; and determining that said first repaired coded data has less certainty than a second predetermined value, and in response thereto, selecting said second occurring coded data repair process specified in said second plurality in said template and operating on said second recognition coded data and said second recognition error data to generate second repaired coded data using said second occurring coded data repair process.

Claim 11

In a data processing system, a method for repairing character recognition errors for digital images of document forms, comprising: inputting a document form processing template including a first sequence specification for a first plurality of character recognition processes including first occurring and second occurring character recognition processes, said template including a second sequence specification for a second plurality of coded data repair processes, including first occurring and second occurring coded data repair processes; inputting a digital document image of a document form and extracting a field image from said document image, forming a corresponding extracted field image; selecting said first occurring character recognition process from said first plurality in said template and generating first recognition coded data from said extracted field image and generating first recognition error data using said first occurring character recognition process; determining that said first recognition error data is greater than a first predetermined value, and in response thereto, selecting said second occurring character recognition process from said first plurality in said template and generating second recognition coded data from said extracted field image and generating second recognition error data using said second occurring character recognition process; assembling a machine generated data structure (MGDS) which includes a field data segment including a coded data buffer portion and an error buffer portion for said extracted field image; inserting said second recognition coded data into said coded data buffer portion and inserting said second recognition error data into said error buffer portion of said field data segment; transferring said MGDS to said second plurality of coded data repair process, for repairing said second recognition coded data; augmenting said MGDS with a repair segment which includes a repair data buffer portion; selecting said first occurring coded data repair process from said second plurality in said template and operating on said second recognition coded data and said second recognition error data to generate first repaired coded data using said first occurring coded data repair process; determining that said first repaired coded data has less certainty than a second predetermined value, and in response thereto, selecting said second occurring coded data repair process from said second plurality in said template and operating on said second recognition coded data and said second recognition error data to generate second repaired coded data using said second occurring coded data repair process; inserting said second repaired coded data into said coded data buffer portion of said field data segment and inserting said second recognition coded data into said repair data buffer portion of said repair segment; and transferring said MGDS to a utilization device and accessing the contents of said coded data buffer portion of said field data segment for use as a corrected form of coded data representing said extracted field image.

Claim 12

In a data processing system, a method for assembling a document form processing template for defining a processing sequence to convert a document image into corrected coded data, comprising: inputting document form data specifying a plurality of fields on a document form; defining a first character recognition process sequence using said document form data, specifying a first plurality of character recognition processes for generating first recognition coded data for a first field of said plurality of fields; and defining a first coded data repair process sequence using said document form data, specifying a second plurality of coded data repair processes, for use in repairing character recognition errors of said first recognition coded data for said first field and generating first corrected coded data for said first field.

Claim 13

The method for assembling a document form processing template of claim 12, which further comprises: defining a second character recognition process sequence using said document form data, specifying a third plurality of character recognition processes for generating second recognition coded data for a second field of said plurality of fields; defining a second coded data repair process sequence using said document form data, specifying a fourth plurality of coded data repair processes, for use in repairing character recognition errors of said second recognition coded data for said second field and generating second corrected coded data for said second field; and said second character recognition process sequence including a process step definition for determining whether said second field is related to said first field and whether character recognition of said second field should be omitted.

Claim 14

The method for assembling a document form processing template of claim 12 or 13, which further comprises: defining a second character recognition process sequence using said document form data, specifying a third plurality of character recognition processes for generating second recognition coded data for a second field of said plurality of fields; defining a second coded data repair process sequence using said document form data, specifying a fourth plurality of coded data repair processes, for use in repairing character recognition errors of said second recognition coded data for said second field and generating second corrected coded data for said second field; and said second coded data repair process sequence including a process step definition for determining whether said second field is related to said first field and whether coded data repair of said second field should be omitted.

Claim 15

The method for assembling a document form processing template of claim 12, 13 pr 14, which further comprises: defining a second character recognition process sequence using said document form data, specifying a third plurality of character recognition processes for generating second recognition coded data for a second field of said plurality of fields; defining a second coded data repair process sequence using said document form data, specifying a fourth plurality of coded data repair processes, for use in repairing character recognition errors of said second recognition coded data for said second field and generating second corrected coded data for said second field; and said second coded data repair process sequence including a process step definition for determining whether said second field is related to said first field and whether repaired coded data of said first field should be cross-checked with repaired coded data of said second field.

Claim 16

A computer program for execution in a data processing system, to perform a process for repairing character recognition errors for digital images of document forms, the program when executed, performing the steps of: inputting a document form processing template including a first sequence specification for a first plurality of character recognition processes and a second sequence specification for a second plurality of coded data repair processes; inputting a digital document image of a document form and extracting a field image from said document image, forming a corresponding extracted field image; selecting a character recognition process from said first plurality specified in said template and generating recognition coded data from said extracted field image and generating recognition error data using said selected character recognition process; and selecting a coded data repair process from said second plurality specified in said template and operating on said recognition coded data and said recognition error data to generate repaired coded data using said selected coded data repair process.

Claim 17

A computer program for execution in a data processing system, to perform a process for assembling a document form processing template for defining a processing sequence to convert a document image into corrected coded data, the program when executed, performing the steps of: inputting document form data specifying a plurality of fields on a document form; defining a first character recognition process sequence using said document form data, specifying a first plurality of character recognition processes for generating first recognition coded data for a first field of said plurality of fields; defining a first coded data repair process sequence using said document form data, specifying a second plurality of coded data repair processes, for use in repairing character recognition errors of said first recognition coded data for said first field and generating first corrected coded data for said first field; defining a second character recognition process sequence using said document form data, specifying a third plurality of character recognition processes for generating second recognition coded data for a second field of said plurality of fields; defining a second coded data repair process sequence using said document form data, specifying a fourth plurality of coded data repair processes, for use in repairing character recognition errors of said second recognition coded data for said second field and generating second corrected coded data for said second field; and said second character recognition process sequence including a process step definition for determining whether said second field is related to said first field and whether character recognition of said second field should be omitted.

Claim 18

A data processing system, for repairing character recognition errors for digital images of document forms, comprising: first input means for inputting a document form processing template including a first sequence specification for a first plurality of character recognition processes and a second sequence specification for a second plurality of coded data repair processes; second input means for inputting a digital document image of a document form and extracting a field image from said document image, forming a corresponding extracted field image; selection means coupled to said first input means, for selecting a character recognition process from said first plurality specified in said template; recognition means coupled to said selection means and said second input means and generating recognition coded data from said extracted field image and generating recognition error data using said selected character recognition process; and said selection means selecting a coded data repair process from said second plurality specified in said template; repair means coupled to selection means and said recognition means for operating on said recognition coded data and said recognition error data to generate repaired coded data using said selected coded data repair process.

Claim 19

A data processing system for assembling a document form processing template for defining a processing sequence to convert a document image into corrected coded data, comprising: input means for inputting document form data specifying a plurality of fields on a document form; processor means coupled to said input means, for defining a first character recognition process sequence using said document form data, specifying a first plurality of character recognition processes for generating first recognition coded data for a first field of said plurality of fields; said processor means defining a first coded data repair process sequence using said document form data, specifying a second plurality of coded data repair processes, for use in repairing character recognition errors of said first recognition coded data for said first field and generating first corrected coded data for said first field; said processor means defining a second character recognition process sequence using said document form data, specifying a third plurality of character recognition processes for generating second recognition coded data for a second field of said plurality of fields; said processor means defining a second coded data repair process sequence using said document form data, specifying a fourth plurality of coded data repair processes, for use in repairing character recognition errors of said second recognition coded data for said second field and generating second corrected coded data for said second field; and said second character recognition process sequence including a process step definition for determining whether said second field is related to said first field and whether character recognition of said second field should be omitted.