Automatic determining image and non-image sides of scanned hardcopy media
View Patent ↗A system and method for determining the image and ancillary image sides of scanned hardcopy media. Hardcopy prints typically provide ancillary data to supply additional information for an area of interest and can enhance the analysis of key data in the print. Postcards, for example, provide a unique form of ancillary data. On the back of a postcard image, ancillary data information such as stamps, user notes, dates, addresses, and other types of annotation can be found. This data typically provides additional information to a reader of the postcard. Dual sided scanners provide both the image and ancillary (i.e., non-image) scans simultaneously. In addition, ancillary data can be in a variety of formats, such as audio, video and the like. When a hardcopy print is scanned the scanner provides two image files that represent the image and ancillary image sides of the print. However, given two image files that represent a hardcopy print scan, the front and back need to be automatically identified as to which is of primary interest to a user.
1. A method for determining a primary side of a double-sided hardcopy media, comprising:
scanning a first side of a hardcopy media to produce a first file;
scanning a second side of the hardcopy media to produce a second file; and
analyzing the first and second files of the scanned hardcopy media for determining the side of primary interest, including comparing the image content of the first side to the image content of the second side by comparing a normalized compression ratio of the first file with a normalized compression ratio of the second file.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing the image content further comprises comparing color of the first file with color of the second file.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating an image/non-image indicator from the analyzed digital files by:
calculating a normalized compression ratio of the first image file;
calculating a normalized compression ratio of the second image file;
indicating the first side as the image side file when the normalized compression ratio of the first image file is less than the normalized compression ratio of the second image file; and
indicating the first side as the non-image side file when the normalized compression ratio of the first image file is greater than the normalized compression ratio of the second image file.
4. The method of claim 3 further comprising storing the indicator in the EXIF header of the image side file.
5. The method of claim 3 further comprising storing the ancillary image side file in the EXIF header of the image side.
6. A system for determining a primary side of a double-sided hardcopy media, comprising:
a scanner for digitizing a first side of a hardcopy media to produce a first file and digitizing a second side of the hardcopy media to produce a second file; and
a processor for analyzing the first and second files of the scanned hardcopy media for determining the side of primary interest, wherein the processor compares normalized compression ratio of the first file with a normalized compression ratio of the second file.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein processor compares the image content of the first side to the image content of the second side.
8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the processor compares the color of the first file with color of the second file.
9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the processor compares the hardcopy media characteristics of the first side to hardcopy media characteristics of the second side.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the hardcopy media characteristics include a surface reflectance of the first side of the hardcopy media and a surface reflectance of the second side of the hardcopy media.
11. A method for determining a primary side of a double-sided hardcopy media, comprising:
scanning a first side of a hardcopy media to produce a first file;
scanning a second side of the hardcopy media to produce a second file; and
analyzing the first and second files of the scanned hardcopy media for determining the side of primary interest, including comparing the image content of the first side to the image content of the second side by comparing a histogram of the first file with a histogram of the second file.
12. A method for determining a primary side of a double-sided hardcopy media, comprising:
scanning a first side of a hardcopy media to produce a first file;
scanning a second side of the hardcopy media to produce a second file; and
analyzing the first and second files of the scanned hardcopy media for determining the side of primary interest by comparing hardcopy media characteristics of the first side to hardcopy media characteristics of the second side including comparing the characteristics of one or more layers of the first side of the hardcopy media with characteristics of one or more layers of the second side of the hardcopy media.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein analyzing the first and second files further comprises detecting steganographic marks.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein detecting steganographic marks further comprises detecting photo-finisher marks on the first or second side of the hardcopy media.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein detecting steganographic marks further comprises detecting consumer marks on the first or second side of the hardcopy media.
16. The method of claim 13 , wherein detecting steganographic marks further comprises detecting manufacturer marks on the first or second side of the hardcopy media.
17. The method of claim 12 , wherein scanning the first and sides of a hardcopy media further comprises scanning the first and second sides of a hardcopy media substantially simultaneously.