JPH01259470A - Character recognizing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily discriminate the position of an unrecognizable character with a picture input part by executing the character recognition of image data, which show character information, and transferring a recognized result and the position of the unrecognizable character, etc., to an output side together with the image data when the presence of the unrecognizable character is detected. CONSTITUTION:Original picture data from a picture input part 200 are inputted by the image data and on the basis of the image data, whether the image data are character patterns or not is discriminated. Then, character recognition is executed on the basis of the image data to be decided as the character pattern. At such a time, when the image data can not be recognized by a recognizing means 204, recognized result information are given to the image data and the image data are returned to the picture input part 200. Thus, when the unrecognizable character is detected, the character position or the recognized result is outputted together with an original image. Thus, an erroneous input position or the unrecognizable character position can be easily grasped in an original.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention inputs image data obtained by optically reading handwritten characters, OCR fonts, etc., performs character recognition based on the image data, and converts it into a character code. This relates to a character recognition device that outputs

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in this type of character recognition device, when an unrecognized character is detected, it is assumed that there was an error in writing on an OCR sheet, an error in reading the image, etc., and the sending side that sent the image data It was designed to notify users that there were unrecognized characters on the terminal or image input section. The processing of such a conventional character recognition device will be explained with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 5, which is shown in the case of a communication terminal. When an incoming call occurs in step S60, image data from the other party's terminal is received and stored in the memory in step S61. In step S62, it is checked whether the accumulated image data is image data obtained by reading a normal document or image data obtained by reading an OCR sheet. If it is not an OCR sheet, the document is processed in step S66, but if it is an OCR sheet, the process advances to step S63.
Character recognition is performed based on the OCR pattern and step S64
Proceed to. It is checked in step S64 whether or not an unrecognized character exists, and if an unrecognized character exists, step S64 is performed.
65, the sending terminal was informed that there were unrecognized characters.

[Problem to be solved by the invention] However, in the above conventional example, the image input unit and the sending terminal are
There is a problem in that it is not possible to know the location of incorrect entries on the CR sheet or the location of unrecognized characters, and it takes a lot of time and effort to correct or detect unrecognized characters.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional example, and when an unrecognized character is detected, the character position and recognition result are output together with the original image, thereby identifying the incorrect input position or unrecognizable character position in the original. The object of the present invention is to provide a character recognition device that can be easily understood.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the character recognition device of the present invention has the following configuration. That is, the character recognition device inputs document image data from an image input section as image data and performs character recognition based on the image data, and includes determining means for determining whether or not it is a character pattern based on the image data. , recognition means that performs character recognition based on image data determined to be a character pattern;
and a return means for adding recognition result information to the image data determined to be unrecognizable by the recognition means and returning it to the image input section.

[Operation] In the above configuration, document image data from the image input section is input as image data, it is determined whether it is a character pattern based on the image data, and character recognition is performed based on the image data determined to be a character pattern. I do. At this time,
When the recognition means determines that the image data is unrecognizable, it operates to add recognition result information to the image data and send it back to the image input unit.

[Embodiments] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[Description of Communication Terminal (FIGS. 1 and 2)] FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a character recognition device according to an embodiment.

Reference numeral 200 denotes an image input unit that optically reads and inputs the original image 201 and outputs it as image data. Note that this image input section 200 may be a communication terminal that is installed separately from this apparatus and transmits data in the form of image data to this character recognition apparatus. Reference numeral 202 denotes a determination unit that determines whether or not the input image data is OCR data.This determination is made, for example, based on the mark written at a predetermined position on the OCR sheet shown in FIG. This is done by determining whether the format is read data or not. 203 is a memory that stores the image data that has passed through the determination unit 202; 204 is a character recognition unit that inputs the determination result from the determination unit 202 and the image data stored in the memory 203 and performs character recognition.

A recognition result output unit 205 outputs the character recognition results, and the recognized characters are output as code data. here,
If unrecognizable characters exist in the image data in the memory 203, they are output as unrecognizable information 206. Then, this unrecognizable information 206 and the memory 2
The input image data of No. 03 are respectively correlated and sent back to the image input unit 200. As a result, on the image input section 200 side, among the output image data,
Unrecognized characters and their locations can be confirmed.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a character recognition device according to an embodiment. The communication terminal of this embodiment will be explained by taking as an example a character recognition device that is connected to a telephone line network and is capable of transmitting and receiving image information.

In the figure, 100 indicates the character recognition device main body of the embodiment, and 10
Reference numeral 1 denotes a CPU that controls the entire apparatus 100 according to control programs and various data stored in the ROM 102. Reference numeral 103 is used as a work area for the CPU 101, as well as a modem 105 and a keypad 107, which will be described later.
RAM that stores image data etc. input by
It is. A modem 105 performs input/output control between the public line 108 and the device 100, which converts digital signals into AC signals and outputs them to the line 108, converts AC signals on the line 108 into digital signals, and outputs the signals to the device 100. I am typing. 1
A keyboard 07 is operated by an operator to input various data. Data input from the keyboard 107 is input to the system bus 104 via the I10 controller 106.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of an OCR sheet format. Here, a string of characters (numbers) handwritten in the entry area 21 of the sheet is read and recognized. Here, the character string entered by hand is a numeric string having a configuration similar to that of a 7-segment display.

[Operation Description (Figures 1 to 4)] Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the character recognition operation by the CPU 101 in the character recognition device of the embodiment, and the control program that executes the control shown in this flowchart is R.
It is stored in OM102.

When an incoming call is detected in step S1, in step S2, the image signal input through the subscriber line 108 of the telephone network is converted by the modem 105, and then input via the bus 104.
Store it in the data memory of AM103. In step S3, image data is determined based on the image data stored in the RAM 103, and, for example, the OC as shown in FIG.
Check whether the image data is the one read from the R sheet. O.C.
If it is not the image data of the R sheet, proceed to step S4;
Performs normal image processing of image data.

In step S3, if the data is not read from the OCR sheet, the process proceeds to step S5, where character recognition is performed based on the image data stored in the RAM 103.

Then, in step S6, it is checked whether or not an unrecognized character exists, and if an unrecognized character exists, step S7
Then, the received image stored in the RAM 103 is output to the communication line 108 via the modem 105, and is returned to the transmitting communication terminal that sent the image data. Then, in step S8, the transmitting communication terminal is notified of the position data indicating the unrecognizable character portion or the recognition result of the entire OCR sheet, and in step S9, the communication terminal becomes idle and the process ends.

In addition, if there are characters that cannot be recognized in this example,
The location of unrecognized characters, recognition results, etc. are output to the sending terminal that sent the image data, but the receiving terminal is equipped with a display unit to display position data indicating unrecognized parts, recognition results, etc. Alternatively, the operator may be informed of this, and the operator may be allowed to make decisions regarding subsequent treatment.

Furthermore, although this embodiment has been described in the case of a communication terminal, the present invention is not limited thereto, and can also be applied to an offline character recognition device.

Furthermore, the transmitting terminal for transmitting image data and the like in this embodiment may be a communication device as in the embodiment, or may be an image input device equipped with a scanner or the like. In this case, it is preferable that the image input device is equipped with a display unit such as a display for displaying image data, and is configured to be able to display the unrecognizable position specified by the recognition device, recognition results, and the like.

As explained above, according to this embodiment, when an unrecognized character is detected by the character recognition device on the receiving side that has received image data, the character position and recognition result as well as the input image data are returned to the sending side. This has the effect of reducing the time required for detecting and correcting erroneous entries on the sending terminal side, which is located far from the receiving side (character recognition unit), and reducing the burden on the operator.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, character recognition is performed on image data indicating character information, and when the presence of an unrecognized character is detected, the result and the position of the unrecognized character are transferred to the image data. By transferring the information to the output side, the position of the unrecognizable character can be easily determined by the image input unit.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of a character recognition device according to an embodiment, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a character recognition device according to an embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of an OCR sheet format. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the recognition processing operation in the character recognition device of the embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the conventional character recognition processing. In the figure, 100...Character recognition device, 101...CPU
, 102...ROM, 103...RAM, 1
04... Bus, 105... Modem, 106... Bow 10 controller, 107... Keyboard, 108...
...Communication line, 200...Image input section, 201...
Original, 202... Judgment unit, 203... Memory, 20
4...Character recognition unit, 205...Recognition result output unit. Figure 1 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A character recognition device that inputs document image data from an image input section as image data, and performs character recognition based on the image data, and determines whether or not it is a character pattern based on the image data. a recognition means for performing character recognition based on the image data determined to be a character pattern; and a recognition means for performing character recognition on the basis of the image data determined to be a character pattern; 1. A character recognition device comprising a return means for sending a message back to an input section.