Abstract: A method to improve the efficacy of optical character recognition (OCR) includes scanning an electronically stored representation of a whole or partial document, identifying an image having text in the electronically stored representation of a whole or partial document, identifying the text within the image, and generating a plurality of bounding boxes around the identified text using blob detection. The method also includes grouping together certain text bounding boxes of the plurality of text bounding boxes that are vertically aligned with each other to generate a plurality of aligned text bounding boxes and performing OCR on the aligned text bounding boxes to generate a plurality of OCR groups of text. In addition, the method includes generating a resultant representation of a whole or partial document electronically using the plurality of OCR groups of text and saving the resultant representation of a whole or partial document electronically.

Abstract: A system to preprocess images to increase accuracy of optical character recognition (OCR) includes a processor, and a memory coupled to the processor. The processor is configured to scan an electronically stored representation of a whole or partial document, identify an image in the electronically stored representation, and recognize row-based text within the electronically stored representation. In addition, the processor is configured to align the row-based text vertically, generate a resultant electronically stored representation of the whole or partial document having the row-based text aligned, and save the resultant electronically stored representation for subsequent OCR processing. The electronically stored representation of the whole or partial document may contain at least one image having a JPG, TIF, GIF, PNG, or BMP, type of format.

Abstract: A method to convert visually orientated objects to embedded text is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, the method includes scanning an electronically stored document, identifying at least one visually orientated object within the document, analyzing the at least one visually orientated object to generate a textual description of the at least one visually orientated object, and embedding the textual description within the electronically stored document, and storing a converted document with the embedded textual description for distribution to users of text to speech synthesizers and Braille output devices. In addition, the method includes identifying text characters within the at least one visually orientated object. The text characters within the at least one visually orientated object are used in generating the textual description of the visually orientated object.

Abstract: A method to convert visually orientated objects to embedded text is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, the method includes scanning an electronically stored document, identifying at least one visually orientated object within the document, analyzing the at least one visually orientated object to generate a textual description of the at least one visually orientated object, and embedding the textual description within the electronically stored document, and storing a converted document with the embedded textual description for distribution to users of text to speech synthesizers and Braille output devices. In addition, the method includes identifying text characters within the at least one visually orientated object. The text characters within the at least one visually orientated object are used in generating the textual description of the visually orientated object.