JP4092768B2 - Character recognition device and character recognition method - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a character recognition device and a character recognition method, and more particularly to a character recognition device and a character recognition method that can easily correct a character that is easily misrecognized in a handwritten character string.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In a conventional character recognition device, handwritten characters (name, address, etc.) on a form are read, character recognition is performed, and the result is displayed to the operator. The operator then finds and corrects the misrecognized character manually while comparing it with the original handwritten character or based on experience.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, manually correcting a misrecognized character has a problem that it takes time to work and lowers work efficiency. In addition, since the character shape of the erroneously recognized character is often similar to the character shape of the original character, the operator may miss the character that has been erroneously recognized, thereby degrading the reliability of character recognition.
[0004]
In order to solve this problem, a word dictionary in which names, place names, words, idioms (hereinafter referred to as words) are registered, and character recognition results are collated with words in the word dictionary to recognize characters. When the result does not match the word in the word dictionary, it is determined that the recognition is incorrect and the operator makes corrections.
However, when a misrecognized character is in the word dictionary, it is regarded as a correct recognition, so that the reliability of character recognition deteriorates.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
As a result of research conducted by the inventor of the present invention, when characters are recognized by a character recognition device, for example, “shi” and “sat”, “un” and “end”, “ji” and “ji”, “day” And “eyes”, “large” and “dog”, “see” and “shellfish”, “A” and “D”, and similar characters that are easily misrecognized.
[0006]
Therefore, the present invention provides a general field in which a frame for entering characters is provided, a frame for entering a correct character that is a correct character when there is a character that is easily misrecognized, and an erroneous character. Reading means for reading a form provided with a frame for entering erroneous characters and a caution character designation field provided, and a frame for entering characters in the general field and correct characters in the caution character designation field A character recognizing means for recognizing characters entered in a frame for entering a character and an erroneous character entered therein, and when the erroneous character that is easily misrecognized exists in the general field, the character is There is provided a character recognition device comprising character replacement means for replacing with a positive character that is easily misrecognized.
[0007]
In the above character recognition device, contents are entered in the general field of the form, and correct characters (for example, “shi”) and erroneous characters (for example, “sat”) that are easily misrecognized are entered in the required character designation field. Characters that are easily misrecognized and erroneous characters in the character designation field needing attention are recognized, and if there is an erroneous character that is easily misrecognized in the general field, the character is replaced with an easily recognizable positive character. This makes it possible to automatically replace misrecognized erroneous characters in general fields with easily misrecognized positive characters, eliminating the need to manually correct misrecognized characters and improving work efficiency. And the reliability of character recognition is improved.
[0008]
According to the present invention, in the character reader configured as described above, the correct character that is easily misrecognized and the display unit that displays the erroneous character obtained by performing recognition, and the correct character or erroneous character that is easily misrecognized are erroneously recognized. A character recognition apparatus comprising: a correct character that is easy to be erroneously recognized in the case where it is recognized, or an input means for correcting the erroneous character.
[0009]
In the above character recognition device, correct characters that are easily misrecognized and erroneous characters in the character-required character designation field that has been recognized are displayed to the operator, and if the correct or misrecognized correct characters are erroneously recognized, the operator Will correct those characters. For this reason, it is possible to prevent characters in the general field from being replaced with characters that have been misrecognized, thereby improving work efficiency and character recognition reliability.
[0010]
Further, the present invention provides the character reader of the above configuration, wherein the display means displays a character string when the erroneous character that is easily misrecognized exists in the character string of the general field, and the character replacement means Provides a character recognizing device that replaces the erroneously easily misrecognized character in the character string with the easily misrecognized normal character only when pointed out by the input means.
[0011]
In the above character recognition device, a character string that contains erroneous characters that are easily misrecognized in the general field is displayed to the operator before replacing the erroneous characters that are easily misrecognized with the correct characters that are easily misrecognized. Determine whether to replace. For this reason, it is possible to prevent characters that should not be replaced from being replaced, and work efficiency and reliability of character recognition are improved.
[0012]
In addition, the present invention provides a general field in which a frame for entering characters is provided, a frame for entering a correct character that is a correct character when there is a character that is easily misrecognized, and an erroneous character. A frame in which a form having a frame for entering erroneous characters and a required character designation field provided is read by reading means, and a character in the general field and a correct character in the special character designation field are entered. Recognize characters entered in the frame for entering characters and wrong characters in the character recognition means, and display the correct characters and erroneous characters that are easy to misrecognize to the operator by display means , is input by the input means when the correction of the erroneous recognition easily positive character or erroneous character which the erroneously recognized easily positive character or erroneous characters are misrecognized, the misidentification in the general field Its erroneously recognized easily erroneous character displayed on said display means in a display mode different from the other characters, the erroneous easily easily erroneous character erroneously recognized the recognition in the general field when is likely erroneous character exists Provided is a character recognition method characterized by replacing a normal character with a character replacement means .
[0013]
In the above character recognition method, correct characters that are easily misrecognized or erroneous characters are recognized by the operator, and before replacing misrecognized characters that are easily misrecognized with correct characters that are easy to misrecognize. It is possible to let the operator determine whether or not to replace characters, and to automatically replace erroneous characters in the general field that are easy to be mistakenly recognized with positive characters that are easy to misrecognize when the operator instructs to replace characters. , Work efficiency and character recognition reliability will improve.
[0014]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited thereby.
-First embodiment-
FIG. 1 is a block diagram functionally showing the character recognition apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
[0015]
The character recognition apparatus 100 includes a form reading apparatus 10 that reads a form C to obtain a document image, a layout analysis unit 20 that divides the document image into areas of characters, tables, ruled lines, diagrams, and photographs, and characters in the document image. A character recognition unit 30 that performs character recognition on the region and the table region, a character replacement unit 40 that replaces erroneous characters that are easily misrecognized as will be described later, with correct characters that are easy to misrecognize, and instructions to the character replacement unit 40 An input unit 41 for giving or correcting a character; a word collating unit 50 for collating a result of character recognition with a word in the word dictionary 51 and determining a character to be output; and a character to be output as image data. An output forming unit 70 for conversion and a display unit 70 for displaying the image data are provided.
[0016]
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the character recognition apparatus 100 in hardware.
The character recognition apparatus 100 includes a CPU 81 that controls the entire apparatus based on programs stored in a ROM 82 and a hard disk 84, a ROM 82 that stores an operating system, programs, data, and the like, and a RAM 83 that is used as a work area for the CPU 81. A hard disk 84 for storing data, programs, the word dictionary 51, and the like, a display 85 for displaying the result of character recognition or characters to be output, etc., and giving instructions for operation, including characters (including numbers and symbols) A keyboard 86 having keys for inputting an input, a mouse 87 for giving an operation instruction and pointing out a place on the display 85, and a modem 88 for connecting the apparatus to another computer via a communication line. A scanner 89 that reads a form and obtains a document image , And a bus 80 for connecting the above units, respectively.
[0017]
The scanner 89 has a function as the form reading device 10 in FIG. Further, the CPU 81 has functions as the layout analysis unit 20, the character recognition unit 30, the character replacement unit 40, the word collation unit 50, and the output formation unit 60 in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 shows an example of a form C used in the present invention. Here, in order to explain the present invention, a “family registration card” is used as a representative form, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention can be applied to any form.
[0018]
This form C includes a general field F1 and a cautionary character designation field F2. The general field F1 is provided with a frame for handwriting the name, age, and occupation code of the whole family. In the caution character designation field F2, when there is a character that is easily misrecognized in the general field F1, a frame W1 for entering a correct character (hereinafter referred to as a correct character that is easily misrecognized) and an erroneous character ( Hereinafter, a frame W2 for handwritten entry of an erroneous character that is easily misrecognized) is provided.
[0019]
If there is a character that is easily misrecognized in the general field F1, the writer himself or a staff member who operates the scan 89 to read the form C can identify the correct character and the erroneous character that are easily misrecognized in each of the frames W1 and W2. Fill out. For example, in the example of FIG. 3, the character “shi” of the last name “shikata” is easy to misrecognize as “sat”. Therefore, “shi” is entered in the frame W1 as a correct character that is easy to misrecognize and misrecognized. “Sat” is written in the frame W2 as an easy erroneous character.
[0020]
Next, character recognition processing in the character recognition device will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
In step S1, the scanner 89 reads the general field F1 and the caution character designation field F2 of the form C to obtain a document image.
In step S2, the CPU 81 recognizes easy-to-recognize correct characters and erroneous characters entered in the frames W1 and W2 in the caution character designation field F2. Here, for example, it is assumed that “Sat” is recognized as a positive character that is easily misrecognized, and “Shi” is recognized as an erroneous character that is easily misrecognized.
[0021]
In step S3, the CPU 81 displays the recognized correct characters and erroneous characters that are easily misrecognized on the screen G of the display 85 to the operator as shown in FIG.
In step S4, the operator confirms whether or not correct characters and erroneous characters that are easily erroneously recognized are correctly recognized. This confirmation is performed while looking at the original form C or while looking at the document image. If the correct character and the erroneous character that are easily misrecognized are correctly recognized, the process proceeds to step S6. If the correct character that is easily misrecognized and the erroneous character is not correctly recognized, the process proceeds to step S5.
[0022]
In step S <b> 5, the operator corrects correct characters and erroneous characters that are easily misrecognized as shown in FIG. 6 using the keyboard 86. Since “shi” and “sat” are entered in each of the frames W1 and W2 of the form C in FIG. 3, the correct character that is easily misrecognized by the operator is corrected as “shi”, and the erroneous character that is easily misrecognized. To “Sat”.
In step S6, the CPU 81 recognizes characters in the general field F1 and displays them on the screen G of the display 85 to the operator as shown in FIG. Here, it is assumed that “Shi” of the surname “Shikata” is mistakenly recognized as “Sat”.
[0023]
In step S7, the CPU 81 determines whether there is an erroneous character that is easily misrecognized in the character string recognized in the general field F1. If there is an erroneous character that is easily misrecognized in the character string recognized in the general field F1, the process proceeds to step S8, and if there is no erroneous character easily misrecognized in the character string recognized in the general field F1, the process proceeds to step S9. Note that the erroneous character that is easily misrecognized is “Sat”, and as shown in FIG. 7, since there are “Taro Hijikata” and “Hanako Hijikata” in the recognized character string of the general field F1, the CPU 81 It is determined that there is an erroneous character that is easily misrecognized in the character string recognized by F1.
[0024]
In step S8, the CPU 81 replaces an erroneous character that is easily misrecognized in the character string recognized in the general field F1 with a correct character that is easily misrecognized. As a result, as shown in FIG. 8, the characters “Taro Hijikata” and “Hanako Hijikata” are automatically replaced with “Shi”, so that “Taro Shikata” and “Hanako Shikata” are automatically changed. Will be corrected.
In step S <b> 9, the CPU 81 collates the character string recognized in the general field F <b> 1 with the words in the word dictionary in the hard disk 84. If there is the same word in the word dictionary, the recognized character string is determined as a character to be output. If there is no identical word in the word dictionary, a message is displayed to the operator to make manual correction. Since word matching is the same as in the prior art, the description thereof is omitted.
[0025]
The character recognition apparatus 100 recognizes a correct character that is easily misrecognized in the sensitive character designation field F2 of the form C and an erroneous character that is easily misrecognized, recognizes the general field F1 of the form C, and recognizes the character in the general field F1. If there is an erroneous character that is easily misrecognized, the character is replaced with a positive character that is easily misrecognized. For this reason, misrecognized erroneous characters in general fields can be automatically replaced with easy-to-recognize correct characters, eliminating the need to manually correct misrecognized characters and improving work efficiency and characters. Recognition reliability is improved.
-Second Embodiment-
Since the character recognition device according to the second embodiment of the present invention has the same configuration as the character recognition device 100, the description thereof is omitted.
[0026]
In the first embodiment, correct characters and erroneous characters that are easy to be erroneously recognized by the operator are confirmed, and if the character recognition is incorrect, correct characters and erroneous characters that are erroneously recognized are corrected. In the second embodiment, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 9, the operator does not confirm the recognition of the correct character and the erroneous character that are easily erroneously recognized.
[0027]
Note that steps S1 and S2 and steps S6 to S9 in the flowchart of FIG. 9 are the same as steps S1 and S2 and steps S6 to S9 in the flowchart of FIG.
In the character recognition device of the second embodiment, the process can proceed without operator intervention, so the work efficiency is improved. For example, when reading a large amount of forms, if all forms are set in the scanner and reading is started, the operator can leave the display and perform another work. In this case, after all the forms have been read, the correct character that is easily misrecognized by the operator and the erroneous character are confirmed, and if the character recognition is incorrect, the correction work may be performed collectively.
-Third embodiment-
In the first and second embodiments, all erroneous characters that are easily misrecognized in the general field are replaced with easy-to-recognize correct characters. In the third embodiment described below, the operator instructs to replace the characters. Replace characters only when
[0028]
Since the character recognition device according to the third embodiment of the present invention has the same configuration as that of the character recognition device 100, the description thereof is omitted.
The character recognition apparatus according to the third embodiment performs character recognition using steps S81 to 85 shown in FIG. 10 instead of step S8 in the flowchart of FIG. 4 or FIG. In addition, description of step S1-step S7 and step S9 is abbreviate | omitted.
[0029]
In step S81, the display mode of erroneous characters that are easily misrecognized in the general field F1 is changed as shown in FIG. 11, and the cursor is moved to the characters. In the example of FIG. 11, the character “Sat” of “Taro Hijikata” is displayed in the middle, but it is also possible to change the font and color of the character, display it in gray out, or blink it.
[0030]
In step S82, it is determined whether or not there has been an instruction from the operator to replace erroneous characters that are easily misrecognized with correct characters that are easily misrecognized. If there is an instruction to replace the character from the operator, the process proceeds to step S83, and if there is no instruction to replace the character from the operator, the process proceeds to step S84.
In step S83, the character at which the cursor is positioned is replaced with a correct character that is easily misrecognized. If the operator instructs to replace the character “Sat” of “Taro Hijikata” in step S82, “Taro Hijikata” is corrected to “Taro Shikata” in step S83.
[0031]
In step S84, it is checked whether or not it has been confirmed whether or not to replace all erroneous characters that are easily misrecognized in the general field F1. If confirmation has been performed for all erroneous characters that are likely to be erroneously recognized, the process proceeds to step S9 in FIG. 4 or FIG. 9. If confirmation has not been performed for all erroneous characters that are likely to be erroneously recognized, the process proceeds to step S85. In step S85, the display mode of the erroneous character that is likely to be erroneously recognized next in the general field F1 is changed and the cursor is moved to the character. For example, in the example of FIG. 11, the characters “Sat” of “Hanakata Hanako” are displayed in a hollow shape and the cursor is moved to the characters. Then, Step S82 to Step S84 are repeated.
[0032]
In the character recognition device of the third embodiment, the operator confirms whether or not to replace characters when replacing erroneous characters that are easily misrecognized in the general field with correct characters that are easily misrecognized. For this reason, it is possible to prevent characters that should not be replaced from being replaced, so that the work efficiency and the reliability of character recognition are improved.
[0033]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, in the present invention, the reading means for reading the general field and the caution character designation field provided in the form, the characters in the general field, and the correct characters that are easily misrecognized in the caution character designation field. A character recognizing means for recognizing an erroneous character, and a character replacement means for replacing the character with the correct easy-to-recognize character when the erroneous character easily misrecognized exists in the character string of the general field. A character recognition device is provided. For this reason, misrecognized erroneous characters in general fields can be automatically replaced with easy-to-recognize correct characters, eliminating the need to manually correct misrecognized characters and improving work efficiency and characters. Recognition reliability is improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram functionally showing a character recognition device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the character recognition apparatus of FIG. 1 in hardware.
FIG. 3 is a view showing an example of a form used in the present invention.
4 is a flowchart of character reading processing in the character recognition device of FIG. 1; FIG.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of confirmation of recognition of a character requiring special attention.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of correction of a caution designation character.
FIG. 7 is a view showing an example of a correction screen.
FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of correction of characters that are easily misrecognized.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a character reading process in the character recognition device of the second embodiment.
FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a character reading process in the character recognition device according to the third embodiment.
FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of changing the display mode of characters.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Character recognition apparatus 10 Form reading apparatus 20 Layout analysis part 30 Character recognition part 40 Character replacement part 41 Input device 50 Word collation part 51 Word dictionary 60 Output formation part 70 Display part

Claims (5)

To fill in a general field provided with a frame for entering characters and a frame for entering correct characters as correct characters and incorrect characters as incorrect characters when there are easily misrecognized characters in the general field. A reading means for reading a form having a frame and a required character designation field provided ,
Character recognition means for recognizing characters entered in a frame for entering a character in the general field and a character for entering a correct character in the required character designation field and a character for entering an erroneous character ;
A character recognition device comprising: character replacement means for replacing an erroneous character that is easily misrecognized with the correct character that is easily misrecognized in the general field. In claim 1,
Display means for displaying the positive characters and the erroneous characters that are easily misrecognized, obtained by performing recognition,
A character recognition apparatus comprising: an input unit for correcting a correct character or an erroneous character that is easily misrecognized when the correct character or erroneous character that is easily recognized is erroneously recognized. In claim 2,
The display means displays the erroneous character that is easily misrecognized in a display mode different from other characters when the erroneous character that is easily misrecognized exists in the general field,
The character recognition device, wherein the character replacement means replaces the erroneous character that is easy to be erroneously recognized with the correct character that is easily erroneously recognized only when pointed out by the input means. To fill in a general field provided with a frame for entering characters and a frame for entering correct characters as correct characters and incorrect characters as incorrect characters when there are easily misrecognized characters in the general field. Read the form with the frame and the required character designation field provided by the reading means ,
Recognize the characters entered in the frame for entering the characters in the general field and the correct characters in the required character designation field and the characters entered in the frame for entering erroneous characters by the character recognition means ,
Displaying the correct characters and erroneous characters that are easily misrecognized to the operator by display means ,
When correct characters that are easily misrecognized or incorrect characters are misrecognized, correct characters that are easily misrecognized or correction of erroneous characters are input by the input means ,
Displayed on the display unit at the erroneous recognition easily erroneous character different from the other character display mode when the erroneously recognized easily erroneous characters in the general field is present,
Character recognition method characterized by replacing the character substitution means to the erroneously recognized easily positive characters recognizable erroneous character erroneously said in the general field. To fill in a general field provided with a frame for entering characters and a frame for entering correct characters as correct characters and incorrect characters as incorrect characters when there are easily misrecognized characters in the general field. Read the form with the frame and the required character designation field provided by the reading means ,
Recognize the characters entered in the frame for entering the characters in the general field and the correct characters in the required character designation field and the characters entered in the frame for entering erroneous characters by the character recognition means ,
Character recognition method characterized by replacing the character substitution means to the erroneously recognized easily positive characters recognizable erroneous character erroneously said in the general field.

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