Patent EP0881592A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0881592A2
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EP
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Text/image selection from document images
Assignee: Xerox Corp
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Filing: 1998-05-28
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2018-05-28
Abstract
Abstract A method carried out in an image processing system in which images of documents are captured by an image capture device, such as a video camera, comprising: (a) displaying successive images captured by the video camera, each image being defined by greyscale image data and containing text matter, (b) receiving a first user input (mouse button click) defining the start of a selection and a first position within the displayed image, (c) in response to the first user input, freezing the displayed image, (d) determining the skew angle of text matter with respect to the field of view of the video camera, (e) receiving at least one further user input (further button click; drag of cursor), including a final user input (mouse button release), defining the end of a selection, and for the or each further user input, (f) determining, using the skew angle determined in step (d), the position, shape and dimensions of a selection element in dependence upon at least said first position, and (g) displaying the selection element superimposed on said frozen displayed image. The selection element may be a rectangle, or a selection vlock highlighting one or more words of text.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael J. Dr. Taylor
- 👤 Joe S.C. Lee
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 11:08
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06V; G06V30/00; G06V30/10; G06V30/14; G06V30/1444; G06V30/146; G06V30/1473
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
165 words
A method carried out in an image processing system in which images of documents are
captured by an image capture device, comprising: (a) displaying successive images captured by the image capture device, each image being
defined by greyscale and/or colour image data and containing text matter, (b) receiving a first user input defining the start of a selection and a first position within the
displayed image, (c) in response to the first user input, freezing the displayed image, (d) determining the skew angle () of text matter with respect to the field of view of the
image capture device, (e) receiving at least one further user input, including a final user input defining the end of a
selection, and for the or each further user input, (f) determining, using the skew angle determined in step (d), the position, shape and
dimensions of a selection element in dependence upon at least said first position, and (g) displaying the selection element superimposed on said frozen displayed image.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) comprises determining the skew angle of a first
portion of text matter at or adjacent said first position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein said final user input defines a second position within
the displayed image, and said selection element comprises a rectangle having two opposing
corners coincident with said first and second positions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the selection comprises the selection of one or more
words of said text matter within said displayed image, and said selection element comprises a
selection block overlaying said one or more words.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
70 words
The method of claim 4, wherein step (f) comprises the substeps of: (f1) determining a word separation value (s w ) min from measured values of separation
between adjacent pairs of characters in said text matter, and (f2) determining the dimensions of the selection block in the direction of flow of said text
matter as a function of the word separation value (s w ) min determined in step (f1).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
101 words
The method of claim 5, wherein step (f1) comprises the substeps of: (f1i) using a portion of said text matter, preferably at or adjacent said first position, forming
a histogram of frequency versus inter-character spacing for each pair of adjacent characters within
said portion, (f1ii) using a plurality of different Gaussian curves, determining which curve is a best fitting
curve, said best-fitting curve forming a best fit with a predetermined mode of the histogram formed
in step (f1i), and (f1iii) determining an estimate point on the inter-character spacing axis of the histogram at
which the best-fitting curve satisfies a predetermined criteria.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 6, wherein the estimate point corresponds to the value (s w ) min =
µ k =+3σ k , where: and
Claim 8
Independent Claim
92 words
The method of any of claims 4 to 7, wherein step (f) further comprises: (f3) determining the line spacing (s l ) between adjacent lines of said text matter, and (f4) determining the dimensions of the selection block in the direction perpendicular to the
flow of said text matter as a function of said line spacing (s l ); and/or wherein step (f) further
comprises: (f5) determining the horizontal (column) limits of the text matter, and (f6) determining whether said first and second positions are on different lines of said text
matter.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
148 words
The method of claim 9, wherein, if the determination in step (f6) is positive, step (f2) further
comprises: (f2i) for an upper portion of the selection block, overlaying text matter between said first
position and the right hand horizontal (column) limit of the text matter, and (f2ii) for a lower portion of the selection block, overlaying text matter between said second
position and the left hand horizontal (column) limit of the text matter); and/or wherein step (f2)
further comprises: (f2iii) where the line of text containing said first position is separated by one or more further
lines from the line of text containing said second position, for an internal portion of said selection
block overlaying said one or more further lines, using as the left hand and right hand sides of said
internal portion the left hand and right hand, respectively, horizontal (column) limits of said text
matter.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
73 words
A programmable image processing system when suitably programmed for carrying out the
method of any of the preceding claims, the system including a processor, and a memory, an image
capture device, an image display device and a user input device, the processor being coupled to
the memory, image capture device, image display device and user input device, and being operable
in conjunction therewith for executing instructions corresponding to the steps of said method(s).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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