Bill Processing via Highlight Detection and OCR Extraction

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for processing bills and invoices require manual data entry or complex procedures, lacking efficiency in handling documents with extraneous color-based indicators, especially for electronic payments.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method that utilizes a computing apparatus to process bills with manually or computer-generated highlighted sections, allowing for electronic payment processing by identifying and extracting data from highlighted areas within images of printed or electronic bills, using techniques like optical character recognition and pixel analysis to distinguish highlighted fields.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If manual data entry is used for bill processing, then accuracy can be maintained, but time consumption and labor requirements increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata entry accuracyVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical data entry with an automated optical recognition system. The system captures images of highlighted bill sections using a camera or scanner, then uses optical character recognition (OCR) technology to automatically extract and process the data, eliminating the need for manual typing while maintaining accuracy through image-based data capture

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-service bill processing by allowing users to simply highlight the relevant bill sections and then automatically processing the data through the system. The automated extraction and processing occurs without requiring user intervention in the data entry process, making the system serve itself rather than requiring manual labor

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If complex procedures are used for bill processing, then data validation can be improved, but ease of operation decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata validationVSAvoidoperational simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses color-based highlighting as a simple user interface mechanism. Users highlight bill sections using colored markers or digital highlighting tools, and the system automatically detects these color changes to identify relevant data fields. This simple color-based interaction replaces complex form-filling procedures while maintaining reliable data validation through automated extraction

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces an intermediary processing layer between the user and the data extraction process. The intermediary component automatically detects highlighted sections, extracts data using OCR, validates the information, and prepares it for processing. This intermediary layer handles the complexity of data validation while presenting a simple interface to the user

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If manual highlighting is used to identify bill data, then user control over data selection is improved, but processing efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser controlVSAvoidprocessing efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of highlighting and then manually processing with an automated optical recognition system. The system captures the highlighted sections through imaging and automatically extracts the data, maintaining user control over which sections are highlighted while eliminating the time-consuming manual processing steps that followed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables efficient electronic bill payment processing without manual data entry, allowing users to highlight sections of bills using mobile devices, improving convenience and accuracy through automated data extraction and masking techniques.

Implementation Method 1

using techniques like optical character recognition and pixel analysis to distinguish highlighted fields

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectOptical character recognition:

Implementation Method 2

acquiring an image of the manually highlighted paper bill (e.g., using a camera or other image capture device of a mobile communication or computing device)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectImage capture: Photography

Data Source

PatentUS9436937B1Highlight-based bill processing

Publication Date: 2016.09.06 INTUIT INC

AI summary

Document processing utilizing extraneous highlight added to the document. Sections or fields of a document including data utilized for document processing are marked or highlighted for processing. For example, a paper or printed document may be manually highlighted by a highlighter pen, or the highlight may be computer generated. An image of the highlighted bill is acquired. Highlighted sections within the image are identified, and bill data within the highlighted fields is extracted and utilized for bill processing.