| US 7,580,571 B2 | ||
| Method and apparatus for detecting an orientation of characters in a document image | ||
| Yoshihisa Ohguro, Tokyo (Japan) | ||
| Assigned to Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo (Japan) | ||
| Filed on Jul. 19, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/183,852. | ||
| Claims priority of application No. 2004-211884 (JP), filed on Jul. 20, 2004. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2006/0018544 A1, Jan. 26, 2006 | ||
| Int. Cl. G06K 9/00 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 382—181 [382/276] | 34 Claims |
| 1. An image processing method, comprising: using a processor to perform the steps of:
extracting a predetermined number of consecutive characters from a document image;
converting the consecutive characters into a set of symbols using layout information obtained from the consecutive characters;
and
detecting an orientation of the consecutive characters based on occurrence probabilities of the set of symbols obtained using
a plurality of reference images, each reference image corresponding to one of the predetermined orientations,
wherein the plurality of reference images includes four types of reference images, each type corresponding to one of four
orientations, the four types of reference images being prepared for at least one of a vertical character line and a horizontal
character line.
|