JPS5941232B2 - character recognition device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a character recognition device that allows character recognition to be easily performed with a simple configuration.

In conventional devices of this type, it is necessary to extract newly necessary features in the secondary judgment from the coded strings and character patterns obtained in the primary judgment process, which takes a large amount of processing time. There were drawbacks such as increased cost of the device. The present invention eliminates these drawbacks and will be explained below along with examples thereof.

In FIG. 1, 1 is a circuit that scans the characters to be read written on a form, photoelectrically converts them, and obtains a binary signal, and 2 is a memory that stores the binary signal of the character pattern obtained in circuit 1. , 3 traces the character outline in a fixed direction (e.g. clockwise) from the reference point (e.g. the bottom edge of the character) based on the contents of the memory 2, and codes the direction for each unit length of the outline (e.g. 0 to 7). This is a conversion circuit that converts the information stored in the memory 2 into the direction code string information of the outline of the character. Reference numeral 4 indicates a memory for storing the character outline direction code string obtained by the conversion circuit, and reference numeral 5 indicates a memory for storing standard patterns of all character categories to be read.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a primary judgment circuit, which refers to all character categories one by one from among the standard patterns for all characters, and uses the line segment separation information (for example, the above direction code string) specified by the standard pattern for each character category. The above direction code string is divided into line segments based on a certain number of consecutive directions, and the line segment characteristics (for example, length, Compare the degree of unevenness, etc.) and the suitability of the above direction code string.

In this case, if all the direction code strings divided into line segments match the standard pattern of one character category, that character category is determined to be a judgment candidate character category, and is set in the judgment candidate category register 7.
Furthermore, when dividing the line segment based on the standard pattern and comparing the features, the primary judgment circuit 6 divides the line segment based on the character feature register set command stored in the standard pattern memory 5 together with the corresponding standard pattern line segment information. The X and Y axis coordinate position of the break point of the next line segment, the number of direction codes up to that point, and other commanded information are set in the commanded character feature register 8. A determination circuit 9 performs a secondary determination (final character determination) for each candidate character category stored in the register 7, based on the character feature information stored in the register 8.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be explained.

For example, in the standard pattern of the character category "J" written in the memory 5, line segment separation information is stored so that the pattern is separated into line segments at points A-G in FIG. 2A. In addition, the Y-axis coordinates of point B and point E with respect to point A are in the character feature register 8.
Set commands to be set are stored at addresses 1 and 2 of . Now, if the content set at address 1 of the character feature register 8 is y1, and the content set at address Y2-y1 of the character feature register 8 is set as Y2, then in the secondary judgment Y2 is calculated and the character category J to determine whether this value is appropriate.

This judgment is performed by matching the line segment features with the standard pattern (this is
This is done because it is not clear to distinguish between `` and '' as shown in the cap in FIG. In this way, in contrast to the uniform processing performed in the primary determination, the secondary determination uses the contents of the character feature register 8 to individually evaluate each character selected as a candidate in the primary determination. It is a method that flexibly determines the characteristics of a category, and 2.
It is appropriate that the next determination process itself takes the form of a stored program using a microcomputer or the like. As is clear from the above embodiments, according to the present invention, the position information of the X, Y coordinates or direction code string set in the register during the primary determination process is used as is in the secondary determination process.
This eliminates the need for the process of extracting newly required features from the coded string or character generation pattern in the next determination, which has the advantage of reducing processing time and hardware costs.

Further, in the present invention, even if a read figure is judged by the primary judgment circuit and the character cannot be identified, the character listed as a candidate is stored in the judgment candidate register, and the secondary judgment circuit is used to identify the character. Since only the listed characters are determined in detail, this method has the advantage of reducing cost compared to a method that compares all character patterns.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a character recognition device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a pattern diagram of character categories. 3...Conversion circuit, 6...Primary judgment circuit, 8...Character information register.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 A binary signal memory that stores the character pattern obtained by scanning the character to be read and converting it into a binary value, and tracing the character outline from the reference point of the character pattern in this binary signal memory and converting it into direction code string information. A conversion circuit, a standard pattern memory storing standard patterns of all characters to be read, and direction code string information of the conversion circuit and a standard pattern of the standard pattern memory are compared for each predetermined line segment.
a next judgment circuit; a judgment candidate category register that stores characters as judgment candidate characters if they meet predetermined criteria in the first judgment circuit; and an XY-axis coordinate position for each line segment of the character judged by the first judgment circuit. and a character feature register that stores direction code string information, and a secondary determination circuit that performs character determination based on the signal stored in the character feature register for each determination candidate character of the determination candidate category register. .