JPS6318786B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a character extraction method for cutting out characters written in a character entry frame on a form using the character entry frame.

Conventional methods of this type print small, high-density marks outside of each character entry frame, and cut out characters by detecting these marks. If there is, or if characters are written near the mark outside the character writing frame, there is a drawback that it becomes difficult to cut out the characters.

In order to eliminate these drawbacks, this invention
The system detects the character entry frame and cuts out the characters, and the drawings will be explained in detail below.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.
A one-line area of form 1 where a character entry frame is printed with a low density and characters are written in the character entry frame is photoelectrically converted by lowering the density of the character entry frame and increasing the density of the character. The conversion means 2 performs photoelectric conversion. The density of each pixel in the area for one row obtained as a result of this photoelectric conversion is stored in the storage means 3 through the data line C1. The stored contents of the storage means 3 are sent to the character entry frame position detection means 4 through the data line C2. The above character entry frame position detection means 4
, the number of pixels with a predetermined density is counted in the row and column directions. When this number exceeds the predetermined values in each of the row and column directions, it is assumed that there is a character entry frame at that position, and this character entry frame position information is sent to the character cutting means 5 through the data line C3. The character cutting means 5 cuts out characters using the character entry frame position information and the stored contents sent from the storage means 3 through the data line C4.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are diagrams for explaining specific examples of the present invention. An area for one line including the character pattern 7 written in the character writing frame 6 printed at low density on the form 1 is photoelectrically converted by the photoelectric conversion means 3, and each of the areas obtained as a result of the photoelectric conversion is The density of the pixel is stored in the storage means 3.
In the character entry frame position detecting means 4, pixels having a density of 1 are counted in the column direction b to obtain a histogram 8. Histogram 8 above and column direction default value TH1
The character entry frame position information 9 in the row direction a is obtained. Next, using the character entry frame position information 9 in the row direction a, a pattern 12 separated by left and right character entry frames is obtained. Next, pixels with a density of 1 are added in the row direction a
The histogram 10 is calculated and compared with the default value TH2 in the row direction to obtain the character entry frame position information 11 in the column direction b. The character cutting means 5 cuts out a character pattern 7 for one character by using the character entry frame position information 9, 11 and the stored contents of the storage means 3. In the figure, the numerical value written corresponding to each pixel represents the density, and the density of the pixel whose density is 0 is not written and left blank.

Because of this structure, there is no need for marks for cutting out characters, and since information on a character entry frame made up of many pixels is used, it is less susceptible to the effects of dirt and the like.

Although the case where the pattern is cut out by obtaining the character entry frame position information in the row direction and the column direction has been described above, the cutout may be simplified using only the character entry frame position information in the row direction.

As described above, according to the present invention, since the character entry frame is detected and the characters are cut out by utilizing the low density of the character entry frame, there is no need for marks for character entry, and there is no need for marks near the character entry frame. Even when vertical or horizontal lines are drawn on the image, there is a difference in density, so the character writing frame can be distinguished from these lines, which has the advantage of stably cutting out characters.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are diagrams for explaining specific examples of the invention. In the figure, 1 is a form, 2 is a photoelectric conversion means, 3 is a storage means, 4 is a character writing frame position detection means, 5 is a character cutting means, 6 is a character writing frame, 7 is a character pattern, 8 and 10 are histograms, 9 and 11 are character entry frame position information, 12 is a pattern including character patterns separated by left and right character entry frames, and C1 to C4 are data lines. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In the character cutting method that cuts out the characters written in the character writing frame of a form where the character writing frame consisting of vertical and horizontal straight lines is printed at low density,
a photoelectric conversion means that optically scans the form and performs photoelectric conversion to obtain image density information; and a density of each pixel in the reading area of at least one line of the form obtained by the photoelectric conversion means. and a character entry frame position detection means for detecting the position of the character entry frame by counting the number of pixels whose density is a default value stored in the storage means in the row and column directions, A character cutting method characterized in that a character pattern stored in the storage means is cut out using character writing frame position information obtained by a character writing frame position detecting means.