Method of determining usability of a document image and an apparatus therefor
View Patent ↗A method of processing a document comprises the steps of (a) scanning a document to capture image data associated with the document, (b) processing at least a portion of the captured image data to calculate a first count of pixels associated with a corner of the document, (c) processing at least a portion of the captured image data to calculate a second count of pixels associated with the corner of the document, and (d) determining if the corner of the document is missing or has a fold based upon the first count of pixels associated with the corner of the document and the second count of pixels associated with the corner of the document. The usability of the captured image data associated with the document is determined based upon the amount of information found missing from the image of the document due to, for examples, a torn or folded corner. If the torn or folded corner is determined to be large enough, then the corresponding image of the document is determined to be unusable.
1. A method of processing a document, the method comprising:
scanning the document to capture digitized image data which is representative of an image of the document;
calculating a first value based upon a first image data portion which is representative of at least a portion of a corner of the document image;
calculating a second value based upon a second image data portion which is representative of at least a portion of the corner of the document image;
comparing the first calculated value with a first predetermined threshold value to determine if the corner of the document image is missing; and
comparing the second calculated value with a second predetermined threshold value to determine if a missing corner of the document image is the result of a fold after the corner is determined to be missing based upon the comparison of the first calculated value with the first predetermined threshold value.
2. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
selecting a third predetermined threshold value which is different from the first predetermined threshold value when a missing corner of the document image is unable to be determined to be the result of a fold;
comparing the first calculated value with the third predetermined threshold value to determine if a corner of the document image is missing; and
comparing the second calculated value with the second predetermined threshold value to determine if a missing corner of the document image is the result of a fold after the corner is determined to be missing based upon the comparison of the first calculated value with the third predetermined threshold value.
3. A method according to claim 2 , wherein the second predetermined threshold value is different from the first predetermined threshold value.
4. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
concluding that the document image is unusable when a missing corner of the document image is determined to be the result of a fold.
5. A method of processing a document, the method comprising:
scanning a document to capture pixel data which is representative of an image of the document;
calculating a first count of pixels associated with a corner of the document image;
calculating a second count of pixels associated with the corner of the document image;
determining if the corner of the document image is missing based upon the first count of pixels associated with the corner of the document image; and
if the corner in the document image is determined to be missing, determining if the missing corner is the result of a fold based upon the second count of pixels associated with the corner of the document image.
6. An apparatus comprising:
means scanning a document to capture digitized image data which is representative of an image of the document;
means for calculating a first value based upon a first image data portion which is representative of at least a portion of a corner of the document image;
means for calculating a second value based upon a second image data portion which is representative of at least a portion of the corner of the document image;
means for comparing the first calculated value with a first predetermined threshold value to determine if the corner of the document image is missing; and
means for comparing the second calculated value with a second predetermined threshold value to determine if a missing corner of the document image is the result of a fold after the corner is determined to be missing based upon the comparison of the first calculated value with the first predetermined threshold value.
7. An apparatus according to claim 6 , further comprising:
means for selecting a third predetermined threshold value which is different from the first predetermined threshold value when a missing corner of the document image is unable to be determined to be the result of a fold;
means for comparing the first calculated value with the third predetermined threshold value to determine if a corner of the document image is missing; and
means for comparing the second calculated value with the second predetermined threshold value to determine if a missing corner of the document image is the result of a fold after the corner is determined to be missing based upon the comparison of the first calculated value with the third predetermined threshold value.
8. An apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the second predetermined threshold value is different from the first predetermined threshold value.
9. An apparatus according to claim 6 , further comprising:
means for concluding that the document image is unusable when a missing corner of the document image is determined to be the result of a fold.
10. An apparatus comprising:
means for scanning a document to capture pixel data which is representative of an image of the document;
means for calculating a first count of pixels associated with a corner of the document image;
means for calculating a second count of pixels associated with the corner of the document image;
means for determining if the corner of the document image is missing based upon the first count of pixels associated with the corner of the document image; and
means for, if the corner in the document image is determined to be missing, determining if the missing corner is the result of a fold based upon the second count of pixels associated with the corner of the document image.