Character reading apparatus

U.S. Patent Number: 5381488

Abstract: A character reading apparatus optically reads a recording medium and stores an image information as multi-value image in the multi-value image memory (3). The image information stored in the multi-value image memory (3) is scanned in the horizontal direction (character line direction). The maximum value for the pixel data of each line is detected by maximum density value extraction unit (4). When all the scanning in the horizontal direction has been completed, maximum value data (A1) is obtained. Differential data (A2) is obtained by differentially processing this maximum value data (A1), and a domain is obtained as the height of the character line. When the height of the character line have been obtained, the image information of the multi-value image memory (3) is scanned in the vertical direction. As in the horizontal direction, the maximum values for each scan in the vertical direction are extracted by maximum density value extraction unit(4). When all the scanning in the vertical direction has been completed, maximum value data (B1) is obtained. Differential data (B2) is obtained by differentially processing maximum value data (B1). The position of each character is obtained from differential data (B2). Then, character identification is executed by sending the portion of the multi-value image information within the domains of the character line and character positions to the character identification unit (6).

Inventors: Suda; Masato (Tokyo, JP), Nakamura; Yoshikatu (Tokyo, JP), Takagi; Nobuaki (Tokyo, JP)

Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Tokyo, JP)

Application Number: 07/786,046

Issued: 1995-01-10

Expired: 2007-01-10

Classes: 382/174

Field of search: 382/9,18,53 358/462

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