JPH0684018A - Character recognizing device and registering method in the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a character recognizing device and a registering method capable of simply executing character registering processing in the character input operation of the device. CONSTITUTION:The character recognizing device for executing character recognition based upon inputted hand-writing information is provided with a storage part 7 for storing inputted hand-writing information, a recognition part 2 for referring to a reference dictionary 3 and a registering dictionary 4 based upon the hand-writing information and recognizing a corresponding character, a display part 6 for displaying a recognized character candidate recognized by the recognition part 2, and a recognition registering part 8 for rearranging the candidate order of candidate characters displayed on the display part 6 and registering the order-rearranged candidates in the dictionary 4.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a character recognition device for performing character recognition based on input handwriting information and a registration method in the device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There is known a character recognition device for identifying and inputting a character based on the handwriting of a character drawn by handwriting on a coordinate input surface such as an input tablet. In such a character recognition device, a trajectory (handwriting) that is a handwriting peculiar to the user and whose recognition rate tends to be low (handwriting).
A registration function is provided for registering data in association with a specific character code. Such a registration process is performed by a special application for registration that is activated completely independently of the character recognition input when the user instructs the start of the registration process.

[0003]

Generally, there are roughly two cases in which a user uses such a registration function. First of all, since the corresponding character is not included in the dictionary of the recognition device used, the character may be newly registered and added. Secondly, since the trajectory of the character input by the user does not match the data in the dictionary provided in the recognition device, there is a possibility that the probability of being erroneously recognized is very high. In any of these cases, it is very likely that the user will not recognize the input characters at all or will recognize them erroneously in any case. Therefore, in such a case, the user tries to register the character code corresponding to the locus of the character in order to improve the input efficiency. However, in the conventional method, it is not possible to know which character is registered by the user only after first inputting a handwritten character and viewing the recognition result. Moreover, since such a registration process must be performed without leaving the character input mode, not only is the operation troublesome for the user,
In the registration process, the same character as that at the time of input must be input again, and if the difference between the character actually input and the registered character is large, the effect of the registration will not appear.

The present invention has been made in view of the above conventional example, and an object of the present invention is to provide a character recognition device and a registration method in the device which can easily perform a character registration process during a character input operation. And

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the character recognition device of the present invention has the following configuration. That is, a character recognition device for recognizing characters based on input handwriting information, wherein a storage unit that stores the input handwriting information and a corresponding character is recognized by referring to a dictionary memory based on the handwriting information. Recognizing means, candidate character displaying means for displaying the recognized character candidates recognized by the recognizing means, and registering means for exchanging the candidate order of the candidate characters displayed by the candidate character displaying means and registering them in the dictionary memory. Equipped with.

In order to achieve the above object, the registration method in the character recognition device of the present invention comprises the following steps. That is, it is a registration method in a character recognition device that performs character recognition based on input handwriting information, and a step of storing the input handwriting information, indicating the stored handwriting information, and responding to the handwriting information. And a step of recognizing the corresponding character by referring to the dictionary memory based on the input handwriting information.

[0007]

In the above structure, the dictionary memory is referenced to recognize the corresponding character based on the input handwriting information,
The recognized character candidates that have been recognized are displayed. The candidate order of the displayed candidate characters can be changed and registered in the dictionary memory. According to another invention, the input handwriting information is stored, the stored handwriting information is designated, and the character code corresponding to the handwriting information is registered in the dictionary memory. In this way, based on the input handwriting information,
It operates to refer to the dictionary memory and recognize the corresponding character.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the functional arrangement of the character recognition apparatus of this embodiment.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an input unit, which is composed of, for example, a coordinate input device such as a tablet, and a character or the like that the user wants to recognize on the tablet surface is used with a pen or the like. By drawing with handwriting, the character to be recognized is input. The character data thus input is input in the form of a set of coordinate points designated by a pen or the like on the tablet surface. Further, the input unit 1 outputs the input coordinate data for one character to the recognition unit 2 and at the same time is sent to and stored in the storage unit 7.

In the figure, a recognition unit 2 is a known character recognition unit, which inputs coordinate data indicating a locus for one character and refers to the basic dictionary 3 and the registered dictionary 4 to identify a character code as a recognition result. , A plurality of candidate characters are output with the recognition score as one candidate. Reference numeral 5 denotes a candidate registration selection unit, which is a recognition unit 2
Display multiple candidates output by arranging in order of score,
The user is supposed to obtain a correct recognition result. Here, a registration calling function is added to the normal candidate selection unit so that when the user intends to register the recognition by looking at the recognition candidates, the user can immediately call from the candidate selection screen. A display unit 6 displays a candidate registration selection screen and the like. Reference numeral 8 denotes a recognition registration unit, which operates when the candidate registration selection unit 5 gives an instruction to call registration. The recognition unit 8 stores the characteristic data in the registered dictionary 4 in the dictionary format used by the recognition unit 2 using the locus of one character input from the input unit 1 and stored in the storage unit 7 as input data.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the character recognition apparatus of this embodiment, and portions common to FIG. 1 are designated by the same numbers.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 21 denotes an input pen for designating coordinates on the tablet surface of the input unit 1.
The coordinate position designated by is output to the system bus 30 via the interface unit 22. The display unit 6 is provided below the transparent tablet of the input unit 1 and displays the handwriting of characters input by handwriting on the tablet surface and the recognition result thereof. 24 is a CPU that controls the entire apparatus according to a control program stored in the ROM 25,
The functions of the recognition unit 2, the candidate registration selection unit 5, the storage unit 7 and the recognition registration unit 8 shown in FIG.
And RAM 27. The ROM 25 stores the control program of the CPU 24 and various data such as a character font corresponding to a character code. Two
Reference numeral 6 denotes a dictionary memory used for recognition, and the dictionary memory 26 includes the above-mentioned basic dictionary 3 and registered dictionary 4. 27 is an RA used as a work area for the CPU 26 and for temporarily storing various data.
It is M. Reference numeral 29 denotes an external memory such as a hard disk, which inputs and stores various data via the controller 28. It should be noted that the above-mentioned dictionary memory is the external memory 2
9 may be stored.

Next, with reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B, the operation of the character recognition apparatus of this embodiment will be described.

FIG. 2A is a view showing the tablet surface of the input unit 1, and the display contents in this figure are displayed on the display unit 6 provided below the transparent tablet surface. Reference numeral 301 denotes a handwritten character input area, in which each character is input by the input pen 21 in each square area of this area. FIG. 3A shows an example when the user manually inputs "I am a doctor." In this state,
When the recognition button 302 is instructed by the input pen 21, the recognition operation by the recognition unit 2 is started. At this time, the data indicating the locus of characters input by the user is stored in the storage unit 7 for each character.

FIG. 3 (B) shows a state in which the recognition result by the recognition unit 2 is displayed. Here, the character of each square is recognized, the character font corresponding to the character code of the recognized character is read from the ROM 25, and the display unit 6
Is displayed in. On this screen, the recognition result and each recognition character candidate can be displayed. That is, as shown in FIG. 3B, the handwritten character input area 3
By designating the square of 01 (in the example of FIG. 3,
“Ne”) and its recognition candidate character (“Ne” “Wa”) is 304
It is displayed in the area indicated by. In this case, although the user has input "wa" in the square 302, the character is recognized as "ne".

Here, when a character as shown in the grid 303 of FIG. 3A is input, if the order of the recognition candidates is always as shown in FIG. I want to register "" as the highest priority candidate character. Further, if there is no "wa" in the recognition candidates, it means that the character written by one's handwriting is not recognized, so that the recognition candidate character is desired to be registered. In such a case, the recognition registration unit 8 in FIG. 1 can be activated by pointing the registration button 305 with the pen 21.

Next, referring to the flowchart of FIG.
The operation from the input of handwritten characters to the selection of registration in the character recognition device of this embodiment will be described. The control program for executing this process is stored in the ROM 25.

First, in step S1, as shown in FIG. 3A, a character to be recognized is input on the tablet of the input unit 1. The handwriting of the character thus input is displayed on the display unit 6 as if it were directly drawn on the tablet. In this way, characters are sequentially input to the cells in the character input area 301, and character data (handwriting data) is stored for each cell, and then the recognition button 302 is pressed.
Is instructed, the process proceeds from step S2 to step S3,
The character recognition process is started.

In this recognition process, recognition is performed for each character, and a candidate for each character and its score are output. Next, in step S4, the character code corresponding to the character having the best score is obtained from the character candidates for the result of the recognized character for each character frame, and the character pattern corresponding to the character code is read from the ROM 25. Fig. 3 (B)
Is displayed. Next, based on these recognition results, when it is desired to select a candidate, as shown in the instruction example in FIG.
The process moves to step S5 for determining whether or not the candidate is selected.

As shown in FIG. 3 (B), when any of the cells displaying the recognition result is designated, the process proceeds to step S6, and candidate characters are displayed as shown in FIG. 3 (B). If the grid is not designated, the process proceeds to step S11, and it is determined whether or not the end of the recognition input is instructed.

At step S6, the display field 3 shown in FIG.
As indicated by 04, a candidate list and a registration instruction button 305 are displayed. In this state, for example, when the character "wa" is designated, the process proceeds from step S7 to step S8, and the candidate order replacement process is performed. As a result, the score of the selected candidate character (“wa” in this example) is set as the maximum score, the process returns to step S4 as the first candidate, and the above process is repeated.

When the registration button 305 is designated, the process proceeds from step S9 to step S10 to start the registration process. At this time, the locus of input of the corresponding character stored in the storage unit 7 in step S1 is also given as a parameter. After that, the registered character is added as a candidate having the highest score, the process returns to step S4 and is displayed again on the display unit 6. In the registration processing of step S10, for example, a new registration screen is displayed on the display unit 6, and the order of the recognition candidate characters is changed on the screen, or when there is no corresponding character candidate, the character is input, etc. I do. If neither candidate replacement nor registration is instructed, the process proceeds to step S11 to check whether another key button has been instructed, and if so, the process proceeds to step S12 and the process corresponding to the instructed button is performed.

As described above, the desired character can be registered as it is while confirming the recognition result of the character handwritten by the user. Further, although the registration button 305 is displayed on the candidate selection screen in the present embodiment, the registration button may be displayed or provided in advance on the tablet surface. Further, it is also possible to display a symbol or the like indicating registration as one of the recognition candidate characters, and to activate the registration process by instructing the symbol.

In the above-described first embodiment, the registration is performed when the candidate of the recognition result is selected, but in the second embodiment, the registration is performed after the characters are input. However, the character loci at the time of input are stored in the storage unit 7 only for those selected as candidates and those corrected.
At the time of registration, the handwriting of the character stored in the storage unit 7 is displayed again on the display unit 6 to select whether or not to register.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a registration screen in the second embodiment.

In the figure, reference numerals 402 to 404 are locus display areas for displaying one of the input character loci shown in FIG. 3A which has been selected as a candidate or which has been corrected. Here, the other blank cells are used as an area for inputting a locus of a character to be newly registered independently of the input as in the conventional case. Reference numerals 412 to 414 represent types of character loci, and the locus areas 402 to
The type of the character locus displayed in 404 is indicated as one selected as a candidate (412), corrected (413), or one input to register completely (414). There is. According to FIG. 5, the character "wa" in the locus area 402 was selected as a candidate at the previous recognition input, and the character "shi" in the locus area 403 was input at the time of recognition input. , Indicates that the candidate has been corrected and erased because there is no intended character in the candidate. The “person” in the locus area 404 is newly written for new registration on this input screen, not at the time of recognition input. These are 41
Depending on the types of 2 to 414, they are indicated as “candidate”, “correction”, and “new”, respectively.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the operation of the storage unit 7 at the time of recognition input in the character recognition apparatus of the second embodiment. A storage operation of a character locus used for registration will be briefly described with reference to this drawing.

This flow chart is based on step S in FIG.
This is a process that is activated after the processes from 1 to step S3, and that part is omitted for simplicity of explanation. Further, the processes of steps S4 to S8 are exactly the same as the processes of steps S4 to S8 of FIG. 4, and thus the description thereof will be omitted. The control program for executing this process is stored in the ROM 25.

In step S21, it is determined whether or not the correction button displayed on the display unit 6 is instructed when the intended character is not displayed in the recognition result candidates or when a typographical error is input. When the correction processing is instructed here, the process proceeds to step S22 to erase the character previously input for correction and input a new character. At this time, in order to store the character locus before correction, the locus before correction is temporarily stored and delivered to the processing of the next step S23. In step S23, when executed after the candidate replacement process of step S8, the locus of the characters of the candidate replaced and the flag indicating the candidate replacement are stored. On the other hand, after the correction processing in step S22, the character trajectory before correction and the flag indicating the correction processing that have been sent are stored. When it is determined that the recognition input process is finished in step S25, the storage area of the input characters is released, and the locus and type stored in step S23 are saved as information stored for registration. deep.

As described above, if the storage unit 7 for registration is prepared, when the registration process is activated, based on the stored information, 402 to 404 in FIG. The locus information indicated by 414 and its type information can be extracted. In this way, it is possible to easily register a character that was not successfully recognized by recognition input during recognition registration or a character that is not in the recognition dictionary.

The present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices or an apparatus composed of a single device. Further, it goes without saying that the present invention can also be applied to the case where it is achieved by supplying a program for implementing the present invention to a system or an apparatus.

As described above, according to the second embodiment,
It stores the information about the character locus that was entered during recognition input,
By selecting whether or not to register the information, the user can easily and easily register a character that is not in the recognition dictionary or a character whose recognition accuracy rate is poor. Further, it is convenient because it is possible to save the trouble of inputting a locus for re-registering at the time of registration.

[0034]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to easily perform a character registration process during a character input operation.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a functional configuration of a character recognition device of this embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a character recognition device of this embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of inputting a character to an input unit and a display example of a recognition result thereof in the character recognition device of the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing character recognition and candidate character selection / registration processing in the character recognition apparatus of the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a registration process according to the second embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Input part 2 Recognition part 3 Basic dictionary 4 Registration dictionary 5 Candidate registration selection part 6 Display part 7 Storage part 8 Recognition registration part 24 CPU 25 ROM 27 RAM

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued Front Page (72) Shigeki Mori Inventor Shigemaruko 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Eiji Takasu 3-30-2 Shimomaruko Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Incorporated (72) Inventor Tsunekazu Arai 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A character recognition device for recognizing characters based on input handwriting information, which corresponds to a storage unit for storing the input handwriting information and a dictionary memory based on the handwriting information. A recognition means for recognizing characters, a candidate character display means for displaying the recognized character candidates recognized by the recognition means, and a candidate character candidate order displayed by the candidate character display means are exchanged and registered in the dictionary memory. A character recognition device comprising: a registration unit. 2. A character recognition device for recognizing characters based on input handwriting information, comprising: a storage unit for storing the input handwriting information; and an instruction for the handwriting information stored in the storage unit. A registration means for registering a character code corresponding to handwriting information in a dictionary memory, and a recognition means for recognizing a corresponding character by referring to the dictionary memory based on the input handwriting information are provided. Character recognizer. 3. A registration method in a character recognition device for recognizing characters based on input handwriting information, the method comprising: storing the input handwriting information; indicating the stored handwriting information; A character recognition device comprising: a step of registering a character code corresponding to information in a dictionary memory; and a step of recognizing a corresponding character by referring to the dictionary memory based on input handwriting information. How to register.