Abstract:
Disclosed is a document analysis system and method. The document analysis system includes an interim analyzer configured to perform an interim document analysis to identify a number of interim regions on a digital document at an interim pixels-per-inch (PPI). The document analysis system also includes a complete analyzer configured to perform a complete analysis on at least one of the interim regions at a second PPI, thereby generating at least one complete region therefrom. The document analysis system and method provides significant flexibility to the user with a number of options relative to the analysis of the regions of information of interest in a digital document and to limit analysis to such preferred regions.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention is generally related to document analysis and, more particularly, is related to a document analysis system and method to flexibly control he analysis of a scanned document or other digital representation of a document. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     More and more documents are generated using word processors and the like and are stored on memory devices such as hard drives, floppy disks, compact disks and other mass storage media. Nonetheless, paper and other similar media will continue to be used far into the future. Consequently, there will continually be a need to scan the substance portrayed on such media so that such information may be manipulated on a computer or other like device. 
     However, the scanning of paper documents to make the content thereon available in a digital environment may be time consuming and costly. In particular, one problem is that the processing of various regions of scanned documents may take a long time requiring the user to wait for an analysis of a whole document. Oftentimes, a user may only want to access a portion of the text, artwork, or other region data types of the scanned document, rather than the entire document. For example, one may wish to obtain specific paragraphs of text from a document. 
     However, current users are often forced to wait while scan converter technology analyzes an entire document to determine the specific data types of the various regions which are ultimately applied to processing pipelines such as optical character recognition pipelines, etc. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a document analysis system and method. In one embodiment, the document analysis system includes a software implementation on a processor circuit, although dedicated logical circuits may be employed as well. The document analysis system includes an interim analyzer configured to perform an interim document analysis to identify a number of interim regions on a document at an initial setting of pixels-per-inch (PPI). The document system also includes a complete analyzer configured to perform a complete analysis on at least one of the interim regions at a second, higher PPI, thereby generating at least one complete region therefrom. The present invention provides significant flexibility to the user with a number of options relative to the analysis of the regions of information of interest in a document, and to limiting the analysis to such preferred regions. 
     The present invention can also be viewed as providing a method for controlling document region analysis. In this regard, the method can be broadly summarized by the following steps: performing an interim document analysis to identify a number of interim regions on a document at an initial pixels-per-inch (PPI); and, performing a complete analysis on at least one of the interim regions at a second, higher PPI, thereby generating at least one complete region therefrom. 
     The present invention has numerous advantages, a few of which are delineated hereafter as merely examples. Specifically, the present invention provides the user with a fast display of the various regions of information on a document and allows the user to control further analysis of these regions and identify the type of information contained therein before processing the regions in an appropriate processing pipeline which may use optical character recognition algorithms, etc. The present invention is also simple in design, user friendly, robust, reliable, and efficient in operation, and easily implemented for mass commercial production. 
    
    
     Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional features and advantages be included herein within the scope of the present invention. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present invention. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a document analysis system according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a drawing of a first interface screen shown on a display screen of the document analysis system of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a drawing of a second interface screen shown on the display screen of the document analysis system of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a block diagram of document analysis logic stored and executed by the document analysis system of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an interim analysis subroutine of the document analysis logic of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a manual selection subroutine of the document analysis logic of FIG. 4; and 
     FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a complete region analysis subroutine of the document analysis logic of FIG.  4 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIG. 1, shown is a block diagram of a document analysis system  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention. The document analysis system  100  includes a computer system  103  which comprises a processor  106 , and a volatile/nonvolatile memory  113  (“memory  113 ”), both of which are coupled to a local interface  116 . The computer system  103  further comprises a video interface  119 , a number of input interfaces  123 , a modem  126 , a number of output interfaces  129 , and a mobile data storage device  133 , all of which are also coupled to the local interface  116 . The memory  113  may include, for example, a random access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), a hard drive, and other like devices, or any combination of these devices. Note that the term volatile refers to memory devices that generally lose data stored therein upon loss of power, and non-volatile refers to memory devices that do not lose data upon loss of power. 
     The document analysis system  100  also includes a display device  136  which is coupled to the local interface  116  via the video interface  119 . The document analysis system  100  also includes several input devices, namely, a keyboard  139 , a mouse  143 , a microphone  146 , and a scanner  149  which are all coupled to the local interface  116  via the various input interfaces  123 . In addition, the modem  126  is coupled to an external network  153 , thus allowing the computer system to send and receive data via the external network  153 . The external network  153  may be, for example, the Internet, local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), or other similar network. 
     The document analysis system  100  may further include audio speakers  156 , a printer  159 , or other output devices which are coupled to the local interface  116  via the output interfaces  129 . The mobile data storage device  133  may be one of several such devices that allow storage of data on a mobile platform such as a floppy disk drive, compact disc drive, mobile hard drive, mobile fixed memory, or other similar data storage device. 
     The document analysis system  100  also includes document analysis logic  170  which is generally stored on the memory  113  along with data  176 . In one embodiment of the present invention, the memory  113  comprises a combination of RAM, ROM, and a hard drive, although other combinations may be used. In this embodiment, the document analysis logic  170  is software that is stored on the hard drive and the data  176  is also stored on the hard drive. When the document analysis system  100  is operational, pertinent portions of the document analysis logic  170  are loaded into the RAM and are executed by the processor  106 . During operation of the document analysis system  100 , the document analysis logic  170  may access pertinent portions of the data  176  stored on the hard drive, loading them into the RAM for various purposes. For example, the data  176  may comprise a bit map image of a scanned document received from the scanner  149 . The data  176  may also be accessed via the mobile data storage  133  or the external network  153 . 
     The display device  136  is employed to display any one of a number of interface displays  181  which are viewed by the user. The user interfaces with the computer system  103  via the input devices such as the keyboard  139 , mouse  143 , or microphone  146 . The user receives audio output from the audio speakers  156  and the computer system  103  may print out various documents created on the printer  159 . 
     Note that although the above implementation of the present invention is discussed in terms of a processor circuit and software, it is understood that other embodiments of the present invention include a dedicated logical circuit which accomplishes the functionality of the document analysis logic  170 , or a combination circuit which includes a processor circuit with software and specific dedicated circuits. It is understood that all such permutations of various implementations are included herein. 
     Turning to FIG. 2, shown is a first interface display  181   a  which appears on the display device  136 . Across the top, the first interface display  181   a  includes several buttons, including a “Redo” button  203 , an Auto Analysis button  206 , a Priority Menu button  209 , a Stop/Clear button  213 , and a Process Regions button  216 . The first interface display  181   a  also includes an interim pixels-per-inch (PPI) indicator  219  which includes a PPI pulldown button  223 . Note that these buttons may be depressed or activated by manipulating a pointer to the location of the button with the mouse  143  and pressing an appropriate button on the mouse  143 . Use of the mouse  143  in this manner is termed “clicking” on a particular button. Also, a voice command received from the microphone  146  and interpreted by appropriate speech recognition software may also be employed to activate the buttons or otherwise execute the functions associated with the buttons. The first interface display  181   a  also includes a document display region  226  within which a digital document  229  is displayed. Within the digital document  229  are several interim regions  233  which are numbered from one to six. The interim regions  233  are generated based on a data file which comprises a digital representation of a hardcopy document that was scanned by the scanner  149 . The digital document may be in the form of a bit map image or other like format. 
     According to the present invention, the digital document  229  is generated by scanning a hardcopy document by the scanner  149 . Then, an interim analysis is performed on the digital document  229  to identify the particular types of information on the document at an interim PPI. The significance of the pixels-per-inch of the analysis of the digital document warrants further explanation. 
     The digital document  229  is actually comprised of numerous pixels lined in rows across the front of the document as is the case, for example, of a bit map image, etc. The pixels are created, for example, by the action of the scanner  149 . In analyzing the digital document  229 , the rows of pixels are scrutinized with a specified resolution of a specified number of pixels-per-inch being examined to determine the boundaries of regions of text or other region data types. That is to say that not all of the pixels are examined, only a specified number of the pixels are examined per inch. The pixels examined per inch may by mapped quickly and readily from a source document with a higher PPI. According to the present invention, the interim PPI is generally less than the PPI value necessary to accurately determine the precise nature of the information on the digital document  229 . Thus, based on the interim analysis, an estimate of the precise nature of the information on the digital document  229  is obtained. A significant benefit of the interim analysis is that it is fast compared to a complete and precise analysis of the digital document  229 . 
     In performing the interim analysis, there are multiple document analysis algorithms that may be employed which include manhattan page formats and non-manhattan page formats. The algorithm used should feature segmentation that is course enough to ensure that information of a single region data type which is contained in a single region is not split up into two regions. A preferable algorithm is termed a “projection cut” or “block segmentation” algorithm which uses successive vertical and horizontal cuts through the document. Other algorithms include a “connected component/smearing” algorithm as described by Wong et al., “Document Analysis System,” J. Res. Development, vol. 6, pp. 642-656, November 1982, which is incorporated herein by reference, as well as a “threshold, smear, and connected component” algorithm. A further explanation of such algorithms is found in Pavlidis et al., “Page Segmentation and Classification,” CVGIP: Graphical Models and Image Processing, vol. 54, no. 6, November 1992, pp. 484-496, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     The interim analysis examines the digital document  229  and obtains the estimate of the nature of the information on the digital document  229  by detecting interim regions  233 . Generally, the area of each interim region  223  has predominant characteristics based upon the interim analysis, indicating that the content of the interim region  233  is of a single type, which are generally classified as text, photos, line art, or other region data type. Due to the fact that the interim analysis is performed at the relatively low interim PPI which may be, for example, approximately equal to 30 PPI, it is possible that a single interim region  233  may actually contain one or more actual regions of differing region data type. This is because the relatively lower PPI of the interim analysis does not differentiate between regions which end up with a similar appearance at the lower PPI due to smearing, projection profile interference, connected component overlap, etc. 
     Once the digital document  229  has been generated and the interim regions  233  have been identified, the interim regions  233  are displayed in a manner to indicate that they are, in fact, interim regions  233 . For example, the interim regions  233  may include a predetermined border such as a dashed line or other type of line. The interim regions  233  may appear in a different color or may appear as a specific icon. In light of the foregoing, it should be apparent that the interim regions  233  may have any one of a multitude of appearances limited only by the capabilities of the display device  136  and driving software. All such permutations of the appearance of the interim regions  233  are included herein. 
     The user may highlight any one of the interim regions  233  in order to further manipulate such regions in some manner by selecting (e.g. by clicking once with the mouse) the desired interim region  229 . Once an interim region is highlighted, then the user may alter the region by moving the borders or the user may delete the highlighted interim region  233  altogether. 
     The present invention facilitates the further or complete analysis of the interim regions  233  in order to ascertain the actual region or regions contained therein. Once a particular interim region  233  has undergone the complete analysis, the content of the actual region or regions contained therein are displayed for further manipulation by the user. In this manner, the interim regions  233  which have not undergone the complete analysis are differentiated from the actual regions resulting from the complete analysis of a former interim region  233 . Note that the complete analysis is performed at a higher PPI than the interim analysis such as, for example, 75-100 PPI or higher. 
     Once the interim analysis is performed and the interim regions  233  are identified on the digital document  229 , the user is faced with several options to further analyze the digital document  229 . Specifically, in the case that the user finds that the interim regions  233  lack enough detail such as in the case, for example, of a repeated use with a similar type of document, the user may enter a new interim PPI in the interim PPI indicator  219  or the PPI pulldown button  223  may be depressed to pull down a list of potential interim PPI&#39;s from which the user may make a choice by clicking on the appropriate interim PPI with the mouse  143 . Thereafter, the user may click on the Redo button  203  which sets a Redo flag stored in the memory  113  to a logical “1” and the document analysis system  100  performs the interim analysis once more at the newly entered interim PPI. 
     The user may also click on the Auto Analysis button  206  at which time the document analysis system  100  begins a complete analysis of each of the interim regions  233  according to a predetermined priority number that is assigned to each of the interim regions  233 . If the user wishes to perform the complete analysis on a select interim region  233  or a select number of the interim regions  233 , then the user can simply “double click” on the specific interim region(s)  233 . The Priority Queue button  209  causes a second interface display (not shown) to appear on the display device  136  to manipulate the regions which are included in an interim region analysis queue, as will be discussed. 
     The user may click on the Stop/Clear button  213  which causes analysis of any selected region to cease and, the Auto Analysis button  206  is released if depressed. Finally, the “Process Regions” button  216  is provided which, when activated, allows the user to send those regions which have undergone a complete analysis to an appropriate processing pipeline such as optical character recognition algorithm, photo editor, word processor, publisher, document creator, form package, web page maker, databases, facsimiles, copy machines, printers or other similar pipelines. With reference to FIG. 3, shown is a second interface display  181   b  according to another embodiment of the present invention. The second interface display  181   b  includes an interim region priority queue  301  and a non-selected interim region list  303 . The second interface display  181   b  also includes an add button  306 , a remove button  309 , a move up button  313 , and a move down button  316 . After the interim analysis is performed, the identified interim regions are listed in the non-selected interim region list  303 . These listed interim regions  233  are then selected to be placed in the interim region analysis queue  301  in a number of ways. 
     For example, a region may be selected by double clicking on that interim region  233  visible on the interface when viewing the first interface display  181   a  (FIG.  2 ). Also, all of the regions may be selected by clicking on the Auto Analysis button  206  (FIG.  2 ). Finally, an interim region  233  may be highlighted by clicking on that region in the non-selected interim region list  303  and then clicking on the add button  306 . Likewise, an interim region  233  in the interim region analysis queue  301  may be removed therefrom by highlighting the particular interim region  233  and then clicking on the remove button  309 . 
     Note that the interim regions  233  are listed in the interim region analysis queue  301  according to a predetermined priority, with top priority being assigned to the top most interim region  233  listed. The top priority is assigned based on the order in which the interim regions  233  are selected. In addition, the priority of the interim regions  233  may be rearranged by highlighting the appropriate region and depressing the move up and move down buttons  313  and  316  appropriately. The end result is that the highlighted region is advanced up or down the interim region analysis queue  301  accordingly. Alternatively, a single click on the interim region (as opposed to a double click) in the first interface display  181   a  causes that region to move to the top of the queue  301 . According to the present invention, any interim region  233  placed in the interim region analysis queue  301  and at the top priority undergoes the complete analysis to identify the precise nature of the information contained within the interim regions  233  in question. 
     With reference to FIG. 4, shown is a flow chart of the document analysis logic  170  (FIG. 1) according to an embodiment of the present invention. The document analysis logic  170  begins with block  403  in which a specific digital document  229  is identified for the interim analysis. This may be accomplished, for example, by choosing a document from a pick list or a scanned document may automatically be selected. If a digital document  229 , then the document analysis logic  170  proceeds to block  406 . If not, then the document analysis logic  170  loops back into block  406  where it ultimately remains until a document is identified. In block  406  an interim analysis subroutine is executed as will be discussed. 
     In block  409 , the document analysis logic  170  determines whether the Auto Analysis button  206  (FIG. 2) is depressed. If the Auto Analysis button  206  is not depressed, then the operating logic proceeds to block  413 . If it is depressed, then the document analysis logic  170  proceeds to block  416 . In block  413 , a manual selection subroutine is executed as will be discussed. In block  416 , the document analysis logic  170  places all non-selected interim regions  233  with a complete region flag equal to a logical “0” into the interim region analysis queue  301 . The “non-selected” interim regions are those that have not been placed in the interim region analysis queue  301 . Thereafter, the document analysis logic  170  progresses to block  419 . 
     In block  413 , a manual selection subroutine is executed which controls the operation of the document analysis system  100  when the Auto Analysis button  206  (FIG. 2) is not depressed. Thereafter, the document analysis logic  170  progresses to block  419  in which a complete region analysis subroutine  419  is executed. Once the complete region analysis subroutine  419  is executed, the document analysis logic  170  moves to block  423  in which the redo flag is examined. If the redo flag is equal to a logical “1”, then the document analysis logic  170  reverts back to block  406  where the interim analysis subroutine is executed once again. If the redo flag is equal to a logical “0” then the document analysis logic progresses to block  426  in which it is determined whether the document analysis logic  170  is completed. This occurs, for example, when all of the complete region flags are set to a logical “1” or when the user causes the logic to end by depressing the process regions button  216  (FIG. 2) which causes those regions with a complete region flag set to a logical “1” to be applied to appropriate processing pipelines such as optical character recognition algorithms, etc. Also, the user may select a cancel option which may be included in the first interface display  181   a  to end the logic  170 . If in block  426 , the document analysis logic  170  is not yet finished, then the logic  170  reverts back to block  409 . If the logic  170  is finished, then the document analysis logic  170  ends. 
     Turning to FIG. 5, shown is a flow chart of the interim analysis subroutine  406 . The interim analysis subroutine  406  begins with block  433  in which the interim analysis is performed on an identified digital document  229  (FIG. 2) at the interim PPI. Note that the digital document  229  depicted may have been scanned into the document analysis system  100  using the scanner  149  (FIG. 1) or loaded into the memory  113  from the external network  153  (FIG.  1 ), or the mobile data storage  133  (FIG.  1 ), etc. 
     Thereafter, the subroutine progresses to block  436  where the first interface display  181   a  (FIG. 2) is depicted on the display device  136  (FIG. 1) which shows the digital document  229  and the interim regions  233  identified by the interim analysis of block  433 . The interim regions  233  are displayed with an interim indication as discussed previously to differentiate between those regions that have undergone the complete analysis and those that have not. Thereafter, in block  439 , a number of complete region flags, each flag being associated with one of the interim regions  233  is set to a logical “0”. The complete region flags may be, for example, a number of predefined bits in the memory  113  or other memory location accessible by the processor  106  (FIG.  1 ). 
     The logic of the interim analysis subroutine in conjunction with the appropriate hardware of the document analysis system may be viewed as an interim analyzer which generates the interim regions  233  based upon the digital document  229 . 
     With reference to FIG. 6, shown is a flow chart of the manual selection subroutine  413 . Beginning with block  453 , the user may alter or delete one or more of the interim regions  233  displayed on the first interface display  181   a . For example, the user may click on a particular interim region  233  to highlight it and adjust the location of borders to a known dimension according to known characteristics of the particular interim region  233  by manipulating borders with the mouse  143  (FIG.  1 ). Thus, the borders and corners of the interim regions  233  are generally active, interactive, tunable, or adjustable. The user may also delete an interim region by clicking on the particular interim region to highlight it and depressing the delete button, etc. If alteration or deletion of a particular interim region  233  is detected in block  453 , then the subroutine moves to block  456  in which the complete region flag of the altered/deleted interim region  233  is set to a logical “1” which indicates that the altered/deleted interim region  233  need not be subjected to a complete analysis. If no alteration or deletion of an interim region occurs in block  453  or if a complete region flag has been set to a logical “1” in block  456 , then the subroutine progresses to block  459 . 
     In block  459 , the subroutine determines whether the Redo button  203  (FIG. 2) has been depressed. If the Redo button  203  has been depressed, the subroutine progresses to block  463  where a redo flag is set to a logical “1”. The redo flag may be, for example, a predefined bit in the memory  113  or other appropriate memory location. If the Redo button  203  has not been depressed as determined in block  459  or if the redo flag has been set to a logical “1” in block  463 , then the subroutine progresses to block  466 . 
     In block  466 , the subroutine determines if the user has added a particular interim region  233  to the interim region analysis queue  301  (FIG. 3) by either double clicking on the region while viewing the first interface display  181   a  (FIG. 2) or by clicking on the add button  306  to add a particular highlighted region  233  while viewing the second interface display  181   b . If the addition of an interim region  233  to the interim region analysis queue  301  has been detected, then the subroutine progresses to block  469 . If not, then the subroutine ends and returns to the flow chart of FIG.  4 . In block  469 , the selected interim region  233  is placed in the interim region analysis queue if the corresponding complete region flag is a logical “0”. Thereafter, the subroutine ends and returns to the flow chart of FIG.  4 . 
     With reference then, to FIG. 7, shown is a flow chart of the complete region analysis subroutine  419 . Beginning with block  503 , the subroutine determines whether an interim region  233  (FIG. 2) has been placed in the interim region analysis queue  301  (FIG.  3 ). If one or more of the interim regions  233  has been placed in the queue  301 , then the subroutine  419  progresses to block  506 . If not, then the subroutine  419  ends and returns to the flow chart of FIG.  4 . Note then, that the region analysis subroutine  419  generally waits until at least one interim region  233  has been placed into the queue  301  before performing further functionality. 
     In block  506 , the subroutine  419  executes a complete analysis of the top priority region in the queue  301 . The top priority is generally determined on a first selected-first analyzed basis. While the complete analysis is being performed on the top priority region in the queue  301 , the subroutine  419  then progresses to block  509  and examines the queue  310  to see if the top priority has been altered while it undergoes a complete analysis. If such is the case, then the subroutine  419  moves to block  513  where the complete analysis is halted on the former priority region and the results of the as yet uncompleted analysis are stored in the memory  113  (FIG. 1) to be continued when that interim region is once again the top priority region. Thereafter, the subroutine  419  reverts back to block  506  in which the new top priority region undergoes a complete analysis. Note that the logic of block  506  may be viewed as a complete analyzer which provides a complete analysis of the interim regions  233  which are applied thereto. 
     If the priority was not altered in block  509 , then the subroutine  419  moves to block  516  where it is determined whether any of the interim regions  233  in the queue  301  have been altered or deleted, or if an interim region  233  has finished the complete analysis. If not then the subroutine progresses to block  519  and If so, then the subroutine  419  progresses to block  523 . In block  523 , the complete region flag of the altered/deleted/completed interim region  233  is set to a logical “1”indicating that the region need not undergo a complete analysis. Thereafter, the subroutine  419  moves on to block  526  in which the particular altered/deleted/completed interim region  233  is removed from the queue  301  where the subroutine  419  is repeated without the d/deleted/completed interim region  233 . 
     Upon reaching block  519 , the subroutine  419  determines whether a particular region has been removed from the queue  301  by pressing the remove button  309  in the second interface display  181   b . If such is the case, then the subroutine  419  moves to block  524  where the Auto Analysis button  206  is released if it is depressed. Thereafter, the subroutine  419  reverts to block  526  to remove the desired interim region  233  from the queue  301 . If no region has been removed in block  519 , then the subroutine  419  moves to block  529  where it is determined whether an interim region  233  has been added to the queue  301  by either double clicking on a desired interim region  233  on the first interface display  181   a  (FIG.  2 ), clicking on the Auto Analysis button  206  (FIG.  2 ), or clicking on the add button  306  in the second interface display  181   b  (FIG.  3 ). If so, then the subroutine  419  moves to block  533  in which the desired interim region  233  is added to the queue  301  if the corresponding complete region flag is set to a logical “0”. In the case where the Auto Analysis button  203  has been depressed, several regions may be added to the queue at once except those regions having a complete region flag set to a logical “1”. If no interim region  233  is to be added to the queue  301  in block  529  or if the appropriate interim region(s)  233  have been added to the queue  301  in block  533 , then the subroutine  419  progresses to block  536 . 
     In block  536 , the subroutine determines whether the Redo button  203  or the Stop/Clear button  213  have been depressed. If so, then the subroutine  419  progresses to block  539  in which the analysis of the top priority interim region  233  in the queue  301  ceases, all interim regions  233  are removed from the queue  301 , the Auto analysis button  206  is released if depressed, and the redo flag is set to a logical “1”if the redo button  203  has been depressed. Thereafter, the subroutine  419  ends and returns to the low chart of FIG.  4 . If neither the Redo button  203  nor the Stop/Clear button  213  have been depressed in block  536 , then the subroutine  419  reverts back to block  503 . 
     Thus, according to the subroutine  419 , the interim regions  233  placed in the queue  301  are continually processed unless the user stops the processing by some sort of action, the document analysis system  100  reacting appropriately to provide a flexible platform for document analysis. 
     The present invention provides several distinct advantages to the user in analyzing documents. For example, the present invention provides a user with quick access to the content of a document via the interim analysis from which the user may further guide the analysis to be performed in an efficient manner. For example, if the user were only interested in a specific region data type such as text, then, knowing what the document actually looks like, the user may delete interim regions which would otherwise be directed to artwork or photo processing applications. This would save the time that the document analysis system would have expended in performing a complete analysis on the unwanted artwork. Thus, the present invention saves time and expense involved in analyzing documents. 
     In addition, the flow charts of FIGS. 4-7 show the architecture, functionality, and operation of a possible implementation of the document analysis logic  170  (FIG.  1 ). In this regard, each block represents a module, segment, or portion of code, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the blocks may occur out of the order noted in FIGS. 4-7. For example, two blocks shown in succession in FIGS. 4-7 may in fact be executed substantially concurrently or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved, as will be further clarified below. 
     The document analysis logic  170 , which preferably comprises an ordered listing of executable instructions for implementing logical functions, can be embodied in any computer-readable medium for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device, such as a computer-based system, processor-containing system, or other system that can fetch the instructions from the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device and execute the instructions. In the context of this document, a “computer-readable medium” can be any means that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The computer readable medium can be, for example but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagation medium. More specific examples (a nonexhaustive list) of the computer-readable medium would include the following: an electrical connection (electronic) having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette (magnetic), a random access memory (RAM) (magnetic), a read-only memory (ROM) (magnetic), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory) (magnetic), an optical fiber (optical), and a portable compact disc read-only memory (CDROM) (optical). Note that the computer-readable medium could even be paper or another suitable medium upon which the program is printed, as the program can be electronically captured, via for instance optical scanning of the paper or other medium, then compiled, interpreted or otherwise processed in a suitable manner if necessary, and then stored in a computer memory. 
     Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiment(s) of the invention without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the invention. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of the present invention.