The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 25, 1992
Filed:
Dec. 21, 1990
Robert Lougheed, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
James Beyer, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Environmental Research Institute of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Abstract
A computer system and method for repairing address blocks and ZIP codes numerical groups before segmentation of the ZIP code in an optical character recognizer. The system repairs the image based upon classification of the image as normal or otherwise. If the class is otherwise, background inclusions and gaps are filled in. If the class is normal, small noise pixel elements are eliminated. Once the ZIP code is located, non-horizontal and horizontal gaps are filled in between strokes and small strokes. The amount of dilation of the strokes and small strokes depends on the size of the strokes. The strokes are dilated and then the dilated area is eroded and shaped to conform to the original strokes. The repair connects strokes before segmentation of the ZIP code block into individual digits.