Analyzing an image of a document using alternative positionings of a

Abstract

Stored alternative position data indicate alternative positionings of a class of document segments. Data are obtained that define an image set showing a document. An alternative identifier identifying one of the alternative positionings is also obtained. The alternative identifier, the alternative position data, and the data defining the image set are used to obtain segment data defining a segment of the image set. The segment is in the class of document segments. The segment is also at the position indicated by the alternative position data for the identified positioning. To store the document in a database, the segment data and a document identifier can be stored so that a search can determine that the segment is from the document. Similarly, the segment data and a segment class identifier can be stored so that a search can determine that the segment is in the identified class of document segments. The alternative position data can include, for each of a number of document classes, a schema indicating a position for the class of document segments. For example, a schema can indicate a segment's position relative to a document or relative to other classes of document segments. The user can mark a form to indicate one of the alternative positionings. The form can show a positioning for each class of documents, can show several positionings for a number of classes of document segments, or can show names of a number of document classes.