US5875261A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of and apparatus for optical character recognition based on geometric and color attribute hypothesis testing
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
•
Filing: 1991-12-20
•
Granted: 1999-02-23
•
Expires: 2011-12-20
Abstract
Abstract Method of, and apparatus for, optical character recognition of predominate and non-predominate color coded characters based on hypothesis testing utilizing both geometric optical character recognition and color coded optical character recognition techniques. In this hypothesis testing technique, geometric OCR is used to generate a null hypothesis that a target character has been recognized, and an alternative hypothesis that the target character has not been recognized. Color coded OCR is used to select either the null hypothesis or the alternative hypothesis. Alternatively, the roles of geometric OCR and color coded OCR may be reversed such that color coded OCR is used for hypothesis generation, and geometric OCR is used for hypothesis selection.
Inventors
- 👤 Greg Fitzpatrick
- 👤 William J. Johnson
- 👤 Robert S. Keller
- 👤 Marvin L. Williams
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 06:08
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K7/00; G06K7/10; G06K7/12; G06F; G06F18/00; G06F18/20; G06F18/25; G06F18/254; G06V; G06V30/00; G06V30/10; G06V30/19; G06V30/191; G06V30/1918; G06V30/22; G06V30/224
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
131 words
A method of recognizing a color coded character, wherein said character comprises plural pixels which are of a first color, said first color pixels being predominate so as to allow humans to distinguish said character and a small amount of a second color associated with said character, said second color being non-predominate so as to be non-distracting to humans, but distinguishable by a color scanner, comprising the steps of: processing said character in a first processing step by an optical character recognition means selected from an optical character recognition group consisting of geometric optical character recognition and non-predominate color coded optical character recognition; and processing said character in a second precessing step by an optical character recognition means from said optical character recognition group not selected in said first processing step.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
131 words
A method of recognizing a color coded character, wherein said character comprises plural pixels which are of a first color, said first color pixels being predominate so as to allow humans to distinguish said character and a small amount of a second color associated with said character, said second color being non-predominate so as to be non-distracting to humans, but distinguishable by a color scanner, comprising the steps of: processing said character in a first processing step by an optical character recognition means selected from an optical character recognition group consisting of geometric optical character recognition and non-predominate color coded optical character recognition; and processing said character in a second precessing step by an optical character recognition means from said optical character recognition group not selected in said first processing step.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said first processing step further comprises: generating a null hypothesis that a character is recognized and an alternative hypothesis that said character is not recognized, and wherein said second processing step further comprises: selecting one hypothesis from a hypothesis group consisting of said null hypothesis and said alternative hypothesis.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
80 words
The method of claim 2, wherein said step of selecting one hypothesis from a hypothesis group consisting of said null hypothesis and said alternative hypothesis, further comprises the steps of: calculating, by said optical character recognition means from said optical character recognition group not selected in said first processing step, a probability of a hypothesis from said hypothesis group; and selecting one hypothesis from said hypothesis group consisting of said null hypothesis and said alternative hypothesis based on said probability.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
60 words
The method of claim 3, wherein said step of selecting a hypothesis from said hypothesis group consisting of said null hypothesis and said alternative hypothesis based on said probability, further comprises the steps of: selecting said alternative hypothesis if said probability is greater than a threshold; and selecting said null hypothesis if said probability is not greater than said threshold.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
60 words
The method of claim 3, wherein said step of selecting a hypothesis from said hypothesis group consisting of said null hypothesis and said alternative hypothesis based on said probability, further comprises the steps of: selecting said null hypothesis if said probability is greater than a threshold; and selecting said alternative hypothesis if said probability is not greater than said threshold.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
126 words
An apparatus for recognizing a color coded character, wherein said character comprises plural pixels which are of a first color, said first color pixels being predominate so as to allow humans to distinguish said character and a small amount of a second color associated with said character, said second color being non-predominate so as to be non-distracting to humans, but distinguishable by a color scanner, comprising: a first means for processing said character by an optical character recognition means selected from an optical character recognition group consisting of geometric optical character recognition and non-predominate color coded optical character recognition; and a second means for processing said character by an optical character recognition means from said optical character recognition group not selected in said first processing step.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
126 words
An apparatus for recognizing a color coded character, wherein said character comprises plural pixels which are of a first color, said first color pixels being predominate so as to allow humans to distinguish said character and a small amount of a second color associated with said character, said second color being non-predominate so as to be non-distracting to humans, but distinguishable by a color scanner, comprising: a first means for processing said character by an optical character recognition means selected from an optical character recognition group consisting of geometric optical character recognition and non-predominate color coded optical character recognition; and a second means for processing said character by an optical character recognition means from said optical character recognition group not selected in said first processing step.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
57 words
The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said first means further comprises: means for generating a null hypothesis that a character is recognized and an alternative hypothesis that said character is not recognized, and wherein said second means further comprises: means for selecting one hypothesis from a hypothesis group consisting of said null hypothesis and said alternative hypothesis.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
80 words
The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said means for selecting one hypothesis from a hypothesis group consisting of said null hypothesis and said alternative hypothesis, further comprises: means for calculating, by said optical character recognition means from said optical character recognition group not selected in said first means, a probability of a hypothesis from said hypothesis group; and means for selecting one hypothesis from said hypothesis group consisting of said null hypothesis and said alternative hypothesis based on said probability.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
61 words
The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said means for selecting a hypothesis from said hypothesis group consisting of said null hypothesis and said alternative hypothesis based on said probability, further comprises: means for selecting said alternative hypothesis if said probability is greater than a threshold; and means for selecting said null hypothesis if said probability is not greater than said threshold.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
61 words
The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said means for selecting a hypothesis from said hypothesis group consisting of said null hypothesis and said alternative hypothesis based on said probability, further comprises: means for selecting said null hypothesis if said probability is greater than a threshold; and means for selecting said alternative hypothesis if said probability is not greater than said threshold.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
134 words
A method of permitting the recognition of a color coded character, wherein said character comprises plural pixels which are of a first color, said first color pixels being predominate so as to allow humans to distinguish said character and a small amount of a second color associated with said character, said second color being non-predominate so as to be non-distracting to humans, but distinguishable by a color scanner, comprising the steps of: providing a first means for processing said character by an optical character recognition means selected from an optical character recognition group consisting of geometric optical character recognition and non-predominate color coded optical character recognition; and providing a second means for processing said character by an optical character recognition means from said optical character recognition group not selected in said first processing step.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
134 words
A method of permitting the recognition of a color coded character, wherein said character comprises plural pixels which are of a first color, said first color pixels being predominate so as to allow humans to distinguish said character and a small amount of a second color associated with said character, said second color being non-predominate so as to be non-distracting to humans, but distinguishable by a color scanner, comprising the steps of: providing a first means for processing said character by an optical character recognition means selected from an optical character recognition group consisting of geometric optical character recognition and non-predominate color coded optical character recognition; and providing a second means for processing said character by an optical character recognition means from said optical character recognition group not selected in said first processing step.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
67 words
The method of claim 11, wherein said step of providing a first means further comprises: providing means for generating a null hypothesis that a character is recognized and an alternative hypothesis that said character is not recognized, and wherein said step of providing a second means further comprises: providing means for selecting one hypothesis from a hypothesis group consisting of said null hypothesis and said alternative hypothesis.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
89 words
The method of claim 12, wherein said step of providing means for selecting one hypothesis from a hypothesis group consisting of said null hypothesis and said alternative hypothesis, further comprises the steps of: providing means for calculating, by said optical character recognition means from said optical character recognition group not selected in said first processing step, a probability of a hypothesis from said hypothesis group; and providing means for selecting one hypothesis from said hypothesis group consisting of said null hypothesis and said alternative hypothesis based on said probability.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
69 words
The method of claim 13, wherein said step of providing means for selecting one hypothesis from said hypothesis group consisting of said null hypothesis and said alternative hypothesis based on said probability, further comprises the steps of: providing means for selecting said alternative hypothesis if said probability is greater than a threshold; and providing means for selecting said null hypothesis if said probability is not greater than said threshold.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
69 words
The method of claim 13, wherein said step of providing means for selecting one hypothesis from said hypothesis group consisting of said null hypothesis and said alternative hypothesis based on said probability, further comprises the steps of: providing means for selecting said null hypothesis if said probability is greater than a threshold; and providing means for selecting said alternative hypothesis if said probability is not greater than said threshold.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2978675A
Cited
US3938088A
Cited
US3990043A
Cited
US4009466A
Cited
US4829568A
Cited
US4876735A
Cited
US4831657A
Cited
US5257323A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-02-22 | 2002-08-24 | 2003-02-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-02-22 | 2006-08-24 | 2007-02-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-02-22 | 2010-08-24 | 2011-02-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |