Method for object recognition and describing structure of graphical objects
View Patent ↗The invention involves a method for processing of machine-readable forms or documents of non-fixed format. The method makes use of, for example, a structural description of characteristics of document elements, a description of a logical structure of the document, and methods of searching for document elements by using the structural description. A structural description of the spatial and parametric characteristics of document elements and the logical connections between elements may include a hierarchical logical structure of the elements, specification of an algorithm of determining the search constraints, specification of characteristics of every searched element, and specification of a set of parameters for a compound element identified on the basis of the aggregate of its components. The method of describing the logical structure of a document and methods of searching for elements of a document may be based on the use of the structural description.
1. An apparatus configured to store data for access by an application program being executed on a data processing system, the data related to a structural description of the spatial and parametric characteristics of an element and logical connections with other elements of a non-fixed layout document, the apparatus comprising:
a processor:
a storage coupled to the processor:
wherein the storage is configured to store a data structure, wherein the data structure includes information related to the non-fixed layout document;
wherein the data structure is configured to include a plurality of assigned descriptions of logical connections of the element with the other elements, wherein the assigned descriptions of logical connections are represented as a hierarchical sequence of elements;
wherein the data structure is further configured to include a plurality of assigned descriptions of spatial connections of the element, wherein the spatial connections relate to the other elements and a plurality of assigned descriptions of parametric characteristics of the element;
wherein the data structure is configured to include an assigned algorithm for determining element search constraints and an assigned set of parameters for identification of a compound element on the basis of aggregate constituents, wherein the compound element is made up of a combination of the element and a plurality of the other elements.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the storage is configured to store
a variant of the element; and
an algorithm of estimating a quality rating of an obtained variant of the element.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the algorithm of estimating the quality rating of the obtained variant of the element is set in a form of a reference table.
4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the algorithm of estimating the quality rating of the obtained variant of the element is set in the form of a graph.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the data structure further includes
an auxiliary brief description for determination of a spatial orientation of an image of the non-fixed layout document.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the data structure further includes
an auxiliary brief description for selecting a type of the non-fixed layout document; a plurality of comprehensive descriptions; and
a selected comprehensive description for the non-fixed layout document, the selected comprehensive description being selected from the plurality of comprehensive descriptions.
7. A method for identifying a layout of a paper-based non-fixed layout document, the method comprising:
acquiring an electronic image of the paper-based non-fixed layout document; creating a structural description of the spatial, parametric characteristics of an element and logical connections thereof with other elements that may be in the electronic image of the paper-based non-fixed layout document, comprising:
identifying and storing an assigned description for each of a plurality of logical connections between elements;
identifying and storing an assigned description of spatial characteristics of each of the elements;
identifying and storing an assigned description of parametric characteristics of each of the elements;
identifying and storing an assigned algorithm that is capable of determining element search constraints; and
identifying an assigned set of parameters for identification of a compound element on the basis of the aggregate of its constituents, said assigned set of parameters including one or more logical connections represented as a hierarchical sequence of elements.
8. The method as recited in claim 7 , further comprising:
creating and storing an algorithm capable of estimating a quality rating for any variant of elements that may be in the electronic image of the paper-based non-fixed layout document.
9. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the algorithm capable of estimating the quality rating for any variant of elements that may be in the electronic image of the paper-based non-fixed layout document is set in the form of a reference table.
10. The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises:
specifying an auxiliary brief description for determination of a spatial orientation of the electronic image of the paper-based non-fixed layout document.
11. The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises:
specifying a plurality of comprehensive descriptions for types of documents;
searching the electronic image of the paper-based non-fixed layout document and
identifying, using the plurality of comprehensive descriptions for types of documents, a type of document and its corresponding comprehensive description.
12. A system, comprising a computing device; and a computer-readable medium coupled to the computing device and having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations for identifying a layout of a paper-based non-fixed layout document comprising:
acquiring an electronic image of the paper-based non-fixed layout document; creating a structural description of the spatial, parametric characteristics of an element and logical connections thereof with other elements that may be in the electronic image of the paper-based non-fixed layout document, comprising:
identifying and storing an assigned description for each of a plurality of logical connections between elements;
identifying and storing an assigned description of spatial characteristics of each of the elements;
identifying and storing an assigned description of parametric characteristics of each of the elements;
identifying and storing an assigned algorithm that is capable of determining element search constraints; and
identifying an assigned set of parameters for identification of a compound element on the basis of the aggregate of its constituents, said assigned set of parameters including one or more logical connections represented as a hierarchical sequence of elements.
13. The method as recited in claim 12 , further comprising:
creating and storing an algorithm capable of estimating a quality rating for any variant of elements that may be in the electronic image of the paper-based non-fixed layout document.
14. The method as recited in claim 13 , wherein the algorithm capable of estimating the quality rating for any variant of elements that may be in the electronic image of the paper-based non-fixed layout document is set in the form of a reference table.
15. The method as recited in claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises:
specifying an auxiliary brief description for determination of a spatial orientation of the electronic image of the paper-based non-fixed layout document.
16. The method as recited in claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises:
specifying a plurality of comprehensive descriptions for types of documents; searching the electronic image of the paper-based non-fixed layout document and identifying, using the plurality of comprehensive descriptions for types of documents, a type of document and its corresponding comprehensive description.