Abstract: According to one embodiment, a character recognition apparatus includes a detection unit and a recognition unit. The detection unit detects each character candidate from an image. The recognition unit recognizes each character candidate based on a plurality of character recognition dictionaries corresponding to a plurality of degrees of different character chipping.

Abstract: An information recognition processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention includes a storage unit configured to store statistical information indicating results of identification information recognition processing in which an image of a first object to be read is read to acquire a plurality of first read images of different image brightness levels, and recognition of identification information included in the first read image of each brightness level is tried, an image reading unit configured to read an image of a second object to be read to acquire a plurality of second read images of different image brightness levels, and a recognition unit configured to preferentially execute a recognition process of identification information included in the second read image of a predetermined brightness level of the plurality of second read images of the different image brightness levels, based on the statistical information.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an update apparatus of an address database includes an accumulation unit, a display unit, an unregistered data input unit, and an update unit. The accumulation unit accumulates an image that includes pieces of information, which have been successfully settled halfway, and other pieces of information, which have failed to be settled, of full address information included in an image to be processed. The display unit displays the image accumulated in the accumulation unit. The unregistered data input unit inputs information of a part of address information which is not registered in the address database while the image is displayed on the display unit. The update unit updates the address database by the information input by the unregistered data input unit.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a centralized information processing apparatus includes an information acquisition unit configured to acquire image data, sorting destinations arranged in a descending order of scores obtained by character recognition and score information items thereof, and sorting information, a recognition-rate processing unit configured to provide information related to a recognition rate for each sorting destination, a changed parameter value acquisition unit configured to acquire a new parameter value, a simulation executing unit configured to execute a simulation of a character recognition process for the image data by using the changed parameter value, a difference list providing unit configured to form and provide a difference list indicating different content between new sorting information obtained as the simulation result and original sorting information, and a parameter changing unit configured to change the parameter value to the new parameter value.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a postal indicium detection method includes detecting whether or not one of a first face and a second face of a sheet corresponds to a picture card specific face, detecting a postal indicium candidate from the second face based on a first detection result indicating that the first face corresponds to the picture card specific face, and detecting the postal indicium candidate from the first face based on a second detection result indicating that the second face corresponds to the picture card specific face.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention includes a first image reading unit configured to read an image from an object to be read by visible light, a second image reading unit configured to read an image from the object to be read by invisible light, a first detection unit configured to detect a background image from a first read image read by the first image reading unit, a registration unit configured to register feature information indicative of a feature of the background image detected by the first detection unit, and a second detection unit configured to detect an image indicative of code information from a second read image read by the second image reading unit on the basis of the feature information registered in the registration unit.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a barcode processing apparatus comprises a reading unit configured to read an image of a barcode configured by a plurality of bars laid out at a predetermined interval, each bar being formed by a plurality of ink dots, and a barcode recognition unit configured to filter the read image using a mask which has a width smaller than the predetermined interval and larger than a width of one bar, and corresponds to a length of one bar so as to extract a group of a plurality of ink dots, to couple the plurality of ink dots in the extracted group, to detect one bar based on the coupling result, and to recognize a barcode configured by a plurality of detected bars.

Abstract: An information recognition processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention includes a storage unit configured to store statistical information indicating results of identification information recognition processing in which an image of a first object to be read is read to acquire a plurality of first read images of different image brightness levels, and recognition of identification information included in the first read image of each brightness level is tried, an image reading unit configured to read an image of a second object to be read to acquire a plurality of second read images of different image brightness levels, and a recognition unit configured to preferentially execute a recognition process of identification information included in the second read image of a predetermined brightness level of the plurality of second read images of the different image brightness levels, based on the statistical information.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention includes a first image reading unit configured to read an image from an object to be read by visible light, a second image reading unit configured to read an image from the object to be read by invisible light, a first detection unit configured to detect a background image from a first read image read by the first image reading unit, a registration unit configured to register feature information indicative of a feature of the background image detected by the first detection unit, and a second detection unit configured to detect an image indicative of code information from a second read image read by the second image reading unit on the basis of the feature information registered in the registration unit.

Abstract: An addressee recognizing apparatus recognizes the addressee of matter to be delivered. A database stores a description format including at least a described position, the number of character lines, and the length of each character line in a sender area on the matter to be delivered. When a scanner obtains an image, a plurality of addressee candidate areas are obtained from the image. The apparatus determines whether the description format for each of the extracted candidates matches the description format for the sender area stored in the database. If the description format for the candidate is determined to match the description format for the sender area, the candidate is prohibited from being recognized as the addressee area.

Abstract: A pattern recognition method is applied to processing of causing an information processing apparatus to recognize a pattern in a plurality of steps. The information processing apparatus detects recognition candidates which can be recognition candidates of each step. The information processing apparatus expands the recognition candidates of the next step belonging to each detected recognition candidate of each step. The information processing apparatus calculates the evaluation value of each expanded recognition candidate based on an a posteriori probability on condition of all recognition processing results for a recognition candidate which has undergone recognition processing. The information processing apparatus selects recognition candidates based on the calculated evaluation value of each recognition candidate. The information processing apparatus determines a recognition result based on the selected recognition candidates.

Abstract: A first face detecting section detects the face of a passerby based on an image obtained from a first camera set to be easily recognized by the passerby. A second face detecting section detects the face of the passerby based on an image obtained from a second camera set so that the camera will be difficult to be recognized by the passerby. A classifying section classifies the passerby based on the detection results of the faces by the first and second face detecting sections and adjusts a threshold value for authentication based on the classification result. The face collating section calculates the similarity between the face of the passerby and each of faces of registrants and determines whether the passerby is a registrant or not according to whether the degree of calculated similarity is not lower than the adjusted threshold value for authentication.

Abstract: A search processing section searches information stored in an address database, using a first character series, e.g., a postal code input through an input device as a search key, for a second character series corresponding to an address. A character recognition processing section performs character recognition with respect to a predetermined area in the image, using a character dictionary, and generates candidates for a character series including a name or designation, a postal code, an address, etc. A character image selection processing section selects a character series corresponding to the searched second character series from the generated candidates. A character image storage section stores correlation between each of the characters constituting the selected character series and a character image thereof.

Abstract: An addressee recognizing apparatus recognizes the addressee of matter to be delivered. A database stores a description format including at least a described position, the number of character lines, and the length of each character line in a sender area on the matter to be delivered. When a scanner obtains an image, a plurality of addressee candidate areas are obtained from the image. The apparatus determines whether the description format for each of the extracted candidates matches the description format for the sender area stored in the database. If the description format for the candidate is determined to match the description format for the sender area, the candidate is prohibited from being recognized as the addressee area.

Abstract: Character recognition apparatus includes field storage means provided for storing field data indicating specified fields on entry sheets, image scanner provided for reading images appearing on the top side and back-transfer images on the entry sheets, back-transfer image processing means provided for processing back-transfer images in the specified fields read by the image scanner in reference to the field storage means and character recognition means provided for executing character recognitions for the images processed by the back-transfer image processing means.

Abstract: In an image compression device, an image input section performs image input processing to input an image having characteristics which are recognition objects, a conversion processing section performs conversion processing to convert a pixel value of each pixel forming the image into a pixel value suitable for coding while retaining the characteristics which are the recognition objects in the image input by the image input processing, and a coding section performs coding processing as compression processing with respect to the image constituted of each pixel converted by the conversion processing.

Abstract: An international mail determination unit determines whether or not the postal matter of interest is foreign mail, on the basis of the collation results of the seal description information collation unit, address format collation unit, address word collation unit, delivery area code format collation unit, and country name identification word collation unit (or some of these units). When the international mail determination unit determines that the postal matter of interest is foreign mail, the country name determination unit determines a country as a destination of that postal matter on the basis of the collation results of the above five collation units (or some of these units).

Abstract: An image processing system capable of facilitating the highly accurate character recognition on the colored input images. In this system, an input image data to be processed is entered, and a color separation of the input image data is determined according to geometrical data for each image portion of the input image data, and color data for each image portion and a background of the input image data. Then, the input image data is appropriately processed according to the determined color separation. Also, in this system, at least one of color image data and gray scale image data according to the input image data are stored along with and binary image data according to the input image data, and the binary image data are processed by looking up the at least one of the color image data and the gray scale image data.

Abstract: A pattern recognition system capable of handling the non-Gaussian feature vector distribution in the feature vector space such that the recognition rate can be improved while using the pattern matching based on the assumption of the Gaussian feature vector distribution. In the system, a nonlinear transformation for each recognizable category is applied to the feature vector extracted from the input pattern to be recognized, to obtain a transformed feature data for the input pattern, where the nonlinear transformation maps linearly inseparable distributions in a vector space containing the feature vector onto linearly separable distributions. Then, the transformed feature data for the input pattern is compared with reference feature model for each recognizable category indicating a feature vector distribution for each category, to find a category of the input pattern as that of the reference feature model closest to the transformed feature data for the input pattern.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for pattern recognition utilizing the multiple similarity method, capable of taking structural features of a pattern to be recognized into account, so that sufficiently accurate pattern recognition can be achieved even when the pattern may involve complicated and diverse variations.