Character String Image Classification for Robust Search Matching

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing search technologies struggle with efficiently finding corresponding character strings due to fluctuations such as case differences, mistypes, and variations in character encoding, leading to inefficient searches and time consumption.

Innovation Solution

A search device generates character string images using a classifier trained on preprocessed images, allowing it to output corresponding character strings based on classification results, thereby reducing the impact of fluctuations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If traditional character string search methods are used, then search operations can be performed, but search accuracy deteriorates due to fluctuations such as case differences, mistypes, and character encoding variations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesearch accuracyVSAvoidrobustness to fluctuations

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts character strings into image representations (visual copies) rather than processing the text directly. By generating images of character strings and using image recognition to identify them, the system creates a visual copy that is invariant to text-based fluctuations such as case differences, encoding variations, and minor typing errors, thereby improving search accuracy while maintaining adaptability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces traditional text-based mechanical search operations with image-based recognition. Instead of comparing character codes and strings directly, the system uses image processing and recognition techniques to identify character strings, substituting the mechanical text comparison process with visual pattern recognition that is more robust to fluctuations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If traditional character string search methods are used, then search operations can be performed, but search efficiency deteriorates due to time-consuming processing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesearch efficiencyVSAvoidsearch time

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary conversion of character strings into image representations before the actual search operation. By pre-processing the text data into visual format and storing these image representations, the system eliminates the need for complex text comparison during search operations, significantly improving search efficiency and reducing the time required for character string matching

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12437568B2Search device, search system, search method, and storage medium

Publication Date: 2025.10.07 KK TOSHIBA

AI summary

A search device generates a character string image of a first character string by using the first character string. The search device inputs the character string image to a classifier. The classifier outputs a classification of a character string according to an input of an image. The search device outputs another character string based on a classification result of the classifier. The other character string is different from the first character string.