Patent ID: 6501864
Filing Date: 2002-12-31
Classification: G06K

Abstract:
A method for handling a variety of specific data media, on each of which various pieces of data containing at least one unique piece of data are recorded in a different specific format, comprising the steps of:(a) registering identification information of each of the various specific data media into a document identification dictionary based on an inputted image of the individual specific data medium, said registering step including (a1) extracting an image of the unique piece of data together with a position and a size of the unique data piece from the inputted image of the individual specific data medium, and (a2) registering a combination of the extracted image, position and size of the unique data piece into the document identification dictionary as the identification information associated with the individual specific data medium; and (b) identifying an given data medium based on an inputted image of the given data medium using the registered identification information of each of the various specific data media, said identifying step including (b1) extracting from the inputted image of the given data medium an image of a selected piece of data together with a position and a size of the selected data piece, said selected data piece to correspond to the registered identification information of the individual data medium, and (b2) consulting the document identification dictionary for one specific data medium whose identification information is substantially equivalent to a combination of the extracted image, position and size of the selected data piece, to thereby identify the given data medium with one of the various specific data media, wherein said method further comprises verifying the identification information of each of the various specific data media registered in the document identification dictionary based on a re-inputted image of the individual specific data media subsequently to said registering step, said verifying step including (1) extracting from the re-inputted image of the individual specific data medium an image of the unique piece of data together with a position and a size of the image of the unique data piece, and (2) collating a combination of the image, position and size of the unique data piece extracted from the re-inputted image with the registered identification information of the individual specific data medium in the document identification dictionary, thereby verifying whether the individual specific data medium is identifiable in terms of the registered identification information, and wherein said identifying step is carried out after each of the various specific data medium is verified to be identifiable in terms of the associated identification information in said verifying step.