Reference Line Setting for Character Recognition

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing techniques fail to accurately set reference lines for character recognition in images with unclear character outlines or low contrast between characters and their backgrounds, leading to degraded recognition accuracy.

Innovation Solution

A device and method that acquire and recognize characters, using stored line position information to set reference lines based on the alignment direction of characters, employing methods like least squares and statistical distribution analysis to accurately position reference lines.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If reference lines are set based on character outline detection, then the method is simple, but the accuracy deteriorates when character outlines are unclear or contrast is low

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesimplicity of reference line setting methodVSAvoidaccuracy of reference line setting

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces line position information as an intermediary element. Instead of directly detecting character outlines to set reference lines, the system uses pre-stored line position information that maps character positions to reference line positions. This intermediary approach allows accurate reference line setting without requiring clear character outlines or high contrast, resolving the contradiction between method simplicity and setting accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If character recognition is performed on images with unclear outlines or low contrast, then more images can be processed, but recognition accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to process various image qualityVSAvoidcharacter recognition accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-storing line position information for characters in advance. This pre-computed information is then used to set reference lines for new images, allowing the system to handle images with unclear outlines or low contrast without sacrificing accuracy. The preliminary storage of reference line positioning data enables the system to adapt to various image qualities while maintaining recognition accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10311318B2Reference line setting device, reference line setting method and reference line setting program

Publication Date: 2019.06.04 RAKUTEN GROUP INC

AI summary

A reference line setting device includes an image acquisition means to acquire an image containing a character region, a recognition means to recognize characters from the character region of the image by a specified recognition method, a line position information acquisition means to acquire line position information of a plurality of characters out of the characters recognized by the recognition means with reference to a storage means storing, for each character, line position information concerning a position which at least two reference lines pass through in a vertical direction of characters, the reference lines being lines drawn in an alignment direction of characters, along which a certain part of each character is to be placed, and a setting means to set each of the reference lines to the image based on a plurality of line position information for each reference line acquired by the line position information acquisition means.