Patent US2121394A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US5793887A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5793887A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for alignment of images for template elimination
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
•
Filing: 1993-11-16
•
Granted: 1998-08-11
•
Expires: 2013-11-16
Abstract
Abstract The present application concerns an improved method and apparatus for fine alignment for template elimination. This method involves the steps of dividing a filled-in template image and a reference template image into vertical bands of a given number w of columns of picture elements, employing the OCS algorithm to correlate lines in the vertical bands of the filled-in form, herein referred to as vertical input bands, to lines in the corresponding bands of the reference template image, and constructing a new input image in which each line is moved into its new position--this new image being used as input image, e.g. for template elimination.
Inventors
- 👤 Aviad Zlotnick
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 06:54
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/41; H04N1/411; H04N1/4115; G; G06; G06V; G06V10/00; G06V10/20; G06V10/24
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
169 words
A method of aligning a reference template image with a filled-in template image comprising the steps of: a) correlating lines in said reference template image to lines in said filled-in template image by finding corresponding pairs of projections in a first direction of said lines; b) determining a displacement of the two projections of lines of each of said corresponding pairs in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction and evaluating the number of picture elements each line of said filled-in template image has to be shifted to achieve a match between said pairs of projections, said step of determining including using f(a,b)=1+MIN(a,b), where a represents picture elements in each of said lines in said reference template and b picture elements in each of said lines in said filled-in template, as a matching function to evaluate quality of said match; and c) generating a new input image by shifting the picture elements of lines of said filled-in template image perpendicular to said first direction using the determined displacement.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
169 words
A method of aligning a reference template image with a filled-in template image comprising the steps of: a) correlating lines in said reference template image to lines in said filled-in template image by finding corresponding pairs of projections in a first direction of said lines; b) determining a displacement of the two projections of lines of each of said corresponding pairs in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction and evaluating the number of picture elements each line of said filled-in template image has to be shifted to achieve a match between said pairs of projections, said step of determining including using f(a,b)=1+MIN(a,b), where a represents picture elements in each of said lines in said reference template and b picture elements in each of said lines in said filled-in template, as a matching function to evaluate quality of said match; and c) generating a new input image by shifting the picture elements of lines of said filled-in template image perpendicular to said first direction using the determined displacement.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein either f(a,b)=|w-(a-b)| or f(a,b)=|h-(a-b)| is used as said matching function, a representing picture elements in each of said lines in said reference template, b representing picture elements in each of said lines in said filled-in template, w and h being the width and height, respectively, of said reference and said filled-in templates.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
121 words
The method according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of: a) correlating lines in said reference template image to lines in said new input image by finding corresponding pairs of projections of said lines in said reference template image and said new input image in said second direction; b) determining a displacement of the two projections of lines of each said pair in said first direction and evaluating the number of picture elements each line of said new input image has to be shifted to achieve a match between said pairs of projections; and c) generating a new input image by shifting the picture elements of lines of said filled-in template image in said first direction using the determined displacement.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
67 words
The method according to claim 3, wherein said reference template image is divided into reference bands having a plurality of rows of picture elements, and said new input image is divided into corresponding input bands having a plurality of rows of picture elements, prior to carrying out steps a)-c) of claim 2, these steps being carried out separately for each reference band and its corresponding input band.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
67 words
The method according to claim 4 wherein projections of lines in a direction parallel to said rows are determined by summing the number of black picture elements of each row of the respective image or band, and wherein projections of lines in a direction parallel to said columns are determined by summing the number of black picture elements of each column of the respective image or band.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
67 words
The method according to claim 2, wherein said reference template image is divided into reference bands having a plurality of columns of picture elements, and said filled-in template image is divided into corresponding input bands having a plurality of columns of picture elements, prior to carrying out steps a)-c) of claim 1, these steps being carried out separately for each reference band and its corresponding input band.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method according to claim 2 wherein said new input image and said reference template are taken as input for template elimination to separate the lines of said reference template from the contents of said filled-in template.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
189 words
An apparatus for the alignment of a reference template image and a filled-in template image having a processor and a storage for storing said reference template image and said filled-in template image, said apparatus comprising: means for correlating lines in said reference template image by finding corresponding pairs of projections in a first direction of said lines; means for determining the displacement of the two projections of lines of each said corresponding pair in a second direction, said second direction being perpendicular to said first direction and means for evaluating the number of picture elements of each line said filled-in template image has to be shifted to achieve a match between pairs of projections, said determining means including means for using f(a,b)=1+MIN(a,b), where a represents picture elements in each of said lines in said reference template and b picture elements in each of said lines in said filled-in template, as a matching function to evaluate quality of said match; and means for generating a new input image by shifting the picture elements of lines of said filled-in template image in said second direction as determined by said determining means.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
189 words
An apparatus for the alignment of a reference template image and a filled-in template image having a processor and a storage for storing said reference template image and said filled-in template image, said apparatus comprising: means for correlating lines in said reference template image by finding corresponding pairs of projections in a first direction of said lines; means for determining the displacement of the two projections of lines of each said corresponding pair in a second direction, said second direction being perpendicular to said first direction and means for evaluating the number of picture elements of each line said filled-in template image has to be shifted to achieve a match between pairs of projections, said determining means including means for using f(a,b)=1+MIN(a,b), where a represents picture elements in each of said lines in said reference template and b picture elements in each of said lines in said filled-in template, as a matching function to evaluate quality of said match; and means for generating a new input image by shifting the picture elements of lines of said filled-in template image in said second direction as determined by said determining means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
57 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein f(a,b)=|w-(a-b)| or f(a,b)=|h-(a-b)|, a representing picture elements in each of said lines in said reference template, b representing picture elements in each of said lines in said filled-in template, w and h being the width and height, respectively, of said reference and said filled-in templates, is used as said matching function.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
123 words
The apparatus according to claim 9 further comprising: means for correlating lines in said reference template image to lines in said new input image by finding corresponding pairs of projections of said lines in said reference template image and said new input image in said second direction; means for determining the displacement of the two projections of lines of each said pair in said first direction and means for evaluating the number of lines the picture elements of said new input image has to be shifted to achieve a match between said pairs of projections; and means for generating a new input image by shifting the picture elements of said filled-in template image in said first direction as determined by said determining means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus according to claim 10 further comprising means for dividing said reference template image into reference bands having a plurality of rows of picture elements, and for dividing said new input image into corresponding input bands having a plurality of rows of picture elements.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus according to claim 9 further comprising means for dividing said reference template image into reference bands having a plurality of columns of picture elements, and for dividing said filled-in template image into corresponding input bands having a plurality of columns of picture elements.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
132 words
A method of aligning a filled-in template image with a reference template image, said filled-in and said reference template image each having a plurality of rows and columns of pixel elements, said method comprising the steps of: matching each row of said filled-in template image to a corresponding row of said reference template image; determining whether there exists an offset between each row of a pair of matched rows, said step of determining including the step of using f(a,b)=1+MIN(a,b), where a represents picture elements in each of said lines in said reference template and b picture elements in each of said lines in said filled-in template, as a matching function to evaluate quality of said match; and adjusting said row of said filled-in template to eliminate said offset if said offset exists.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
132 words
A method of aligning a filled-in template image with a reference template image, said filled-in and said reference template image each having a plurality of rows and columns of pixel elements, said method comprising the steps of: matching each row of said filled-in template image to a corresponding row of said reference template image; determining whether there exists an offset between each row of a pair of matched rows, said step of determining including the step of using f(a,b)=1+MIN(a,b), where a represents picture elements in each of said lines in said reference template and b picture elements in each of said lines in said filled-in template, as a matching function to evaluate quality of said match; and adjusting said row of said filled-in template to eliminate said offset if said offset exists.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method according to claim 13 wherein f(a,b)=|w-(a-b)| or f(a,b)=|h-(a-b)|, a representing picture elements in each of said lines in said reference template, b representing picture elements in each of said lines in said filled-in template, w and h being the width and height, respectively, of said reference and said filled-in templates, is used as said matching function.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method of claim 14 further comprising the steps of: matching each column of said adjusted filled-in image to a corresponding column of said reference template image; determining whether there exists an offset between each column of a pair of matched columns; and adjusting said column of said filled-in template to eliminate said offset if said offset exists.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
79 words
The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of using one of two matching functions to evaluate quality of the column matches between the reference template image and the filled-in image: f(a,b)=1+MIN(a,b), or f(a,b)=|w-(a-b)| and f(a,b)=|h-(a-b), a representing picture elements in each of said lines in said reference template, b representing picture elements in each of said lines in said filled-in template, w and h being the width and height, respectively, of said reference and said filled-in templates.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
135 words
An apparatus for aligning a filled-in template image with a reference template image, said filled-in and said reference template image each having a plurality of rows and columns of picture elements, said apparatus comprising: means for matching each row of said filled-in template image to a corresponding row of said reference template image; means for determining whether there exists an offset between each row of a pair of matched rows, said step of determining including the step of using f(a,b)=1+MIN(a,b), where a represents picture elements in each of said lines in said reference template and b picture elements in each of said lines in said filled-in template, as a matching function to evaluate quality of said match; and means for adjusting said row of said filled-in template to eliminate said offset if said offset exists.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
135 words
An apparatus for aligning a filled-in template image with a reference template image, said filled-in and said reference template image each having a plurality of rows and columns of picture elements, said apparatus comprising: means for matching each row of said filled-in template image to a corresponding row of said reference template image; means for determining whether there exists an offset between each row of a pair of matched rows, said step of determining including the step of using f(a,b)=1+MIN(a,b), where a represents picture elements in each of said lines in said reference template and b picture elements in each of said lines in said filled-in template, as a matching function to evaluate quality of said match; and means for adjusting said row of said filled-in template to eliminate said offset if said offset exists.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
57 words
The apparatus of claim 17 wherein f(a,b)=|w-(a-b)| or f(a,b)=|h-(a-b)|, a representing picture elements in each of said lines in said reference template, b representing picture elements in each of said lines in said filled-in template, w and h being the width and height, respectively, of said reference and said filled-in templates, is used as said matching function.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
61 words
The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising: means for matching each column of said adjusted filled-in image to a corresponding column of said reference template image; means for determining whether there exists an offset between each column of a pair of matched columns; and means for adjusting said column of said filled-in template to eliminate said offset if said offset exists.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
77 words
The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising means for using one of two matching functions to evaluate quality of column matches between the reference template image and the filled-in image: f(a,b)=1+MIN(a,b), or f(a,b)=|w-(a-b)| and f(a,b)=|h-(a-b)|, a representing picture elements in each of said lines in said reference template, b representing picture elements in each of said lines in said filled-in template, w and h being the width and height, respectively, of said reference and said filled-in templates.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5182656A
Cited
US5542007A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-08-10 | 2002-02-09 | 2002-08-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-08-10 | 2006-02-09 | 2006-08-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-08-10 | 2010-02-09 | 2010-08-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |