JPH09305705A - Optical character reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical character reader with which the read processing of a reading medium can be simplified and more accelerated. SOLUTION: This reader is provided with an infrared back flash 3 for irradiating a reading object medium with light from the opposite side of a reading face and an entire control part 6 for irradiating the medium with light from the infrared back flash 3 when there is the instruction of reading, discriminating the external form position of the reading object medium based on a picture image read by a camera 1 when the medium is irradiated with light, storing that position information and performing character recognition by segmenting the picture image to perform the character recognition based on the information of that external form position and the picture image when there is no light irradiation.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical character reader for reading information from a machine-readable passport (hereinafter referred to as MRP) medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an optical reading device, M
To set the MRP medium for reading the information of the RP medium, as shown in FIG. 5, the immigration officer sets the MRP medium 20 received from the customer in the image data input section 22 of the reader section 21 and then the switch. Press or MR
Image data is acquired and characters are recognized when the P medium passes through the sensor of the image data input unit 22.

[0003]

However, in the conventional optical character reading apparatus, when the immigration officer sets the MRP medium 20, it sets it in the image data input section 22 of the reader section 21 with the reading surface facing down. It takes time to visually check the owner of the MRP medium 20 or the MRP medium 20 itself after acquiring the image, or the image data acquisition cannot be started unless the reading sensor is passed when the MRP medium 20 is set. The part 21 becomes large, and there is a problem that it is an obstacle because the reader part is arranged beside the desk.

[0004]

An optical character reader according to the present invention is an optical character reader that recognizes a character on a medium to be read based on the read image image by reading an image of a medium to be read by a camera. In the character reading device, a light irradiation unit that irradiates light from the side opposite to the reading surface of the medium to be read, and when a reading instruction is given, the light irradiation unit irradiates the light, and the camera when the light is irradiated reads the light. Based on the image image
A control unit that determines the outer shape position of the medium to be read, stores the position information, and cuts out an image image for character recognition based on the information of the outer position and the image image when there is no light irradiation and performs character recognition. And with.

[0005]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Embodiment 1. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an optical character reading device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a camera for acquiring image data of an MRP medium,
Reference numeral 2 is a desk for reading the MRP medium, 3 is an infrared backflash (light source) which is embedded in the desk 2 and radiates infrared rays from the back of the MRP medium, 4 is an image data acquisition start switch, and 5 is the outer shape acquired by the camera 1. An area memory A for storing address data, 6 is an area memory B for storing character data obtained by the camera 1, and an overall control unit 7 for controlling the camera 1 and the infrared backflash 3 is stored.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the acquired image data of this embodiment. First, the immigration inspector is the MRP
Upon receiving the medium, the reading unit for the MRP medium is opened on the desk 2. Then, by pressing the image data acquisition start switch 4, the infrared backlash 3 is turned on, and the camera 1 that acquires the image data at that moment captures the image data. As shown in FIG. The image data of the outline of the MRP is obtained by the difference in the contrast with the surroundings due to the principle of backlighting, and the outline address data of the MRP medium is obtained from the image data.

Here, the acquisition of the outline address data of the MRP medium will be described. First, the outline image data is regarded as black data due to the principle of backlighting, and the overall control unit 7
Counting up the X-direction address in order to find a horizontal black dot, changing from a white dot to a black dot and continuing five or more black dots, the data at the first address of the black dot data is regarded as the external address data. , And stores the data in the area memory A5. Then, by performing the above-mentioned operations at several points, several black point data regarding the outer shape of the MRP medium are stored in the area memory A5.

Then, by connecting the black point data of the several points, the address data of the outer shape of one side can be obtained. On the other side, the address data of the outer shape can be obtained by counting down the X-direction address and performing the same processing as above. Through these processes, the left and right outer shape address data are stored in the area memory A5.

Also, in the case of finding a black dot in the vertical direction, the vertical direction external address data is stored in the area memory A5 by counting up and down the Y-direction address and performing the same processing as in the left and right. .
The outer shape address data of the MRP medium can be obtained from the left, right, upper and lower data stored in the area memory A5.

Then, at the next moment when the infrared backlash 3 is turned on, by taking a picture with the camera 1 continuously, the character data of the MRP medium can be obtained as shown in FIG. 2 (b). Data can be stored in the area memory B6.

Then, by combining the outline address data stored in the area memory A5 and the character data stored in the area memory B6, as shown in FIG. 2C, the read character information on the MRP medium is read. Since it is possible to determine the position, the image data at the position where character recognition is desired on the MRP medium is cut out from the area memory B6, and character recognition is performed based on the cut out image data.

In this embodiment, the MR for character recognition is desired.
The P medium is continuously shot by the camera 1, the outer shape is acquired at the first time, the image data of the character is acquired at the second time, the data is combined, and the image of the portion for performing the character recognition is cut out to perform the character recognition. Therefore, the labor of setting the MRP medium can be saved, and the outer shape image by the infrared backflash can be easily read, and the outer shape processing can be simplified.
The processing speed can be increased. In addition, it requires less space on the desk, improves operability, reduces operator fatigue, and does not need to change the orientation of the MRP medium, which shortens the processing time, thus increasing the number of people to be processed per unit time. It is possible to reduce the number of operators.

Embodiment 2 FIG. In this embodiment, the MRP
The image data of the medium is automatically acquired according to the state of the MRP medium. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an optical character reading device according to another embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a camera for acquiring image data of an MRP medium, 2 is a desk for reading the MRP medium, 3 is an infrared backflash (light source) which is embedded in the desk 2 and emits infrared rays from the back of the MRP medium, 5 An area memory A for storing the outer shape address data acquired by the camera 1, an area memory B for storing the character data acquired by the camera 1, and a general control unit 7 for controlling the camera 1 and the infrared backflash 3 Reference numerals 8 are automatic reading control units that perform angle recognition and time control for automatically acquiring an image of the MRP medium on the desk 2.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the angle recognition of the MRP medium of this embodiment. First, the immigration officer
Upon receiving the RP medium, the reading section of the MRP medium is opened on the desk 2.

Then, the overall control section 6 always continuously lights up the infrared backflash 3 and then instructs the automatic reading control section 8 to take a picture with the camera 1 and activates the automatic reading control section 8. Then, as in the first embodiment, after the infrared backflash 3 is turned on, the MRP is captured by the camera 1 which acquires image data at the next moment, so that the MRP is generated due to the difference in contrast with the surroundings due to the principle of backlight of the camera. After the address data of the outer shape is stored in the area memory A5, angle recognition and time control are always performed. Then, by controlling the bending angle and time by recognizing the angle of the outline image data, the outline address data →
It is designed to automatically start to acquire an image of character data.

Now, angle recognition for automatic start will be described. First, the area memory A5 stores external address data.
As shown in FIG. 4, the bending angle of the MRP medium is obtained,
The bending angle of this MRP medium is tan θ1 = y1 / x1,
tan θ2 = y2 / x2, θ = 180 ° −θ1−θ2. Then, when this θ is equal to or greater than a certain angle and a certain time has elapsed at that angle (that is, when a certain angle continues several times), the automatic reading start condition is set.

When the automatic reading control unit 8 judges that the reading is automatically started, the overall control unit 6 turns on the infrared backflash 3 as in the first embodiment, and the camera 1 at the next moment. The image data of the outline is obtained by taking the image, and the address data of the outline is obtained from the area memory A.
By storing the data in No. 5 and taking pictures continuously with the camera 1 at the next moment, MRP character data can be obtained, and the data is stored in the area memory B6.

Then, by combining the outer shape address data stored in the area memory A5 and the character data stored in the area memory B6, as shown in FIG. 2C, the read character information on the MRP medium is read. Since it is possible to determine the position, the image data at the position where character recognition is desired on the MRP medium is cut out from the area memory B6, and character recognition is performed based on the cut out image data.

In this embodiment, since the MRP medium reading is started automatically by the bending angle and time control based on the angle recognition of the outline image data, the operability is further improved and operator fatigue is reduced. It will be less, and it will be possible to prevent the immigration officer from being aware of the leader section.

In this embodiment, the MRP medium reading is automatically started by the bending angle and time control based on the angle recognition of the outer shape image data. You may make it correct the deformation | transformation of data.

In the first and second embodiments, an example of reading the MRP medium is shown, but other documents or documents related to OA may be read.

[0022]

As described above, according to the present invention, the light irradiating means irradiates light from the side opposite to the reading surface of the medium to be read, and when the control means gives a reading instruction, the light irradiating means. The external position of the medium to be read is determined based on the image image read by the camera when the light is applied, and the position information is stored, and the external position information and the light irradiation are not performed. Based on the image image at that time, the image image for character recognition is cut out and character recognition is performed, so that it is possible to save the trouble of setting the medium to be read and to easily read the outer shape image, so that the outer shape processing can be performed. Simpler, faster processing, less reading space, better operability and less operator fatigue Ri, since the processing time is shortened, the processing number per unit time is increased, an effect of being able to the operator in a small number of people.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of an optical character reading device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining acquired image data according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of an optical character reading device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining angle recognition of the MRP medium according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a conventional optical reading device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Camera 2 Desk 3 Infrared Back Flash 4 Startup Switch 5 Area Memory A 6 Area Memory B 7 Overall Control Section 8 Automatic Reading Control Section

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An optical character reading device for recognizing a character on a medium to be read based on the read image image by reading an image image of the medium to be read by a camera, the opposite side of a reading surface of the medium to be read. The light irradiation means for irradiating light from the side, and when there is a reading instruction, the light irradiation means is caused to emit light, and the medium to be read is based on the image image read by the camera when the light is irradiated. Discriminating the outer position of the, and storing the position information, based on the information of the outer position and the image image when there is no light irradiation,
An optical character reading device comprising: a control unit that cuts out an image for character recognition and performs character recognition. 2. The outer shape position of the medium to be read is discriminated based on the image image read by the camera when the light is emitted from the light emitting means at predetermined time intervals, and the position is determined. Automatic reading control for storing information, detecting the degree of opening of the medium to be read based on the information of the stored outer shape position, and automatically outputting a reading instruction to the control means when the medium is opened by a predetermined angle or more. The optical character reader according to claim 1, further comprising means. 3. The control means further corrects the image image in the absence of the light irradiation, based on the data of the opening degree of the medium to be read detected by the automatic reading control means. The optical character reading device according to claim 2, wherein