OCR Reference String Auto-Expansion via Preliminary Action

Solution Overview

Problem

Users face a higher burden when verifying character recognition results in OCR systems, as characters or symbols referring to previous reference character strings require manual searching and input, increasing the verification workload.

Innovation Solution

An information processing apparatus that includes a processor configured to acquire character recognition results and automatically replace characters or symbols referring to previous reference character strings with the actual reference character strings, reducing the user's verification burden.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If characters or symbols referring to reference character strings are recognized as-is in OCR, then the character recognition process is simple, but the user verification burden increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecharacter recognition processVSAvoiduser verification burden

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by automatically replacing reference character indicators with their corresponding reference character strings before presenting the data to the user. The processor identifies characters or symbols indicating reference to previous character strings and proactively substitutes them with the actual reference strings, so that users receive fully expanded data without manual intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements self-service by enabling automatic resolution of reference character strings without user intervention. The processor autonomously detects reference indicators, searches for corresponding reference strings in previous entries, and performs replacements, allowing the system to serve itself rather than requiring user assistance for verification.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If users manually search and verify reference character strings, then accuracy can be ensured, but time consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveverification accuracyVSAvoidverification time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by automatically replacing reference character indicators with their corresponding reference character strings before presenting the data to the user. The processor identifies characters or symbols indicating reference to previous character strings and proactively substitutes them with the actual reference strings, so that users receive fully expanded data without manual intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by automatically verifying and replacing reference character strings, providing users with confirmed, accurate data. The processor continuously monitors for reference indicators and systematically replaces them with verified reference strings, ensuring accuracy while eliminating the time users would otherwise spend on manual verification.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Ease of operation

If automatic replacement of reference character strings is implemented, then user burden is reduced, but processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser verification burdenVSAvoidprocessing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements self-service by enabling automatic resolution of reference character strings without user intervention. The processor autonomously detects reference indicators, searches for corresponding reference strings in previous entries, and performs replacements, allowing the system to serve itself rather than requiring user assistance for verification.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces an intermediary processing layer that automatically handles the complex task of identifying and replacing reference character strings. The processor acts as an intermediary between the raw OCR output and the user interface, systematically resolving references before data presentation, thereby shielding users from processing complexity while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11659106B2Information processing apparatus, non-transitory computer readable medium, and character recognition system

Publication Date: 2023.05.23 FUJIFILM BUSINESS INNOVATION CORP

AI summary

An information processing apparatus includes a processor configured to acquire a result of character recognition of a character string formed on a medium and read by scanning that is subject to character recognition and replace a character or a symbol in a subject with a reference character string that is referred to by the character or the symbol.