Abstract: Image processing method and apparatus are provided. A histogram of image information is obtained. A peak position is detected from the histogram obtained. A small area is decided by using the detected peak position as a reference. A histogram of the decided small area of the image information is obtained. A specific point is determined from the peak position of the histogram of the small area obtained. The size of small area is decided in accordance with a peak width of the histogram of the image information. The image information is inputted by a scanner. A table can be used as image information and the specific point which is decided is an intersection of ruled lines of the table. A cell area of the table is judged from the intersection decided.

Abstract: In a character recognition method and apparatus, image information is input, the input image information is displayed, a desired area in the input image information is assigned, the number of characters contained in the assigned area is calculated, and the size of a picture frame for displaying a result of character recognition of the image information is determined according to the calculated number of characters.

Abstract: This character recognition method is capable of determining the direction of row of characters, applicable to a language which can be written in horizontal or vertical direction, such as Japanese. The method takes projections in both directions, by counting black pixels, and compares the obtained counts with a threshold value (or with each other). The text is identified as horizontally or vertically written, respectively, according as the count exceeds the threshold value more in the horizontal or vertical direction. A projection is taken again in the perpendicular direction, after the writing direction is determined, to extract each character, which is subjected to character recognition in known manner. Thus the method can achieve automatic recognition, without instruction of the direction of writing by the operator.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for automatically determining the order of reading a plurality of text areas, when an original constituted of the plurality of text areas is input as an image. For this purpose, the structure of text areas is analyzed hierarchically by dividing text areas into groups (plural text areas constituting one article) in consideration of the positional relation of the text areas with a separator, a figure and text areas, rather than simply ordering from top to bottom, so as to also cope with a complex layout such as a newspaper. Also, the connectivity of text areas is judged by making use of information, such as the text contents of the text areas or a connection mark in the text.

Abstract: An apparatus for recognizing characters or patterns from handwritten information. The apparatus is provided with plural methods of recognition, and a suitable method of recognition is selected according to the requirement of the user for recognizing the handwritten information.