Patent Publication Number: US-2005120296-A1

Title: Method and apparatus for processing image data

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION  
      This invention is based on U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/526,209, entitled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING IMAGE DATA”, filed Dec. 1, 2003 in the name of Bruce W. Zeuli, herby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to data processing with data entry systems.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      Data processing of data capture forms such as medical records, insurance forms, and the like, often involves the use of third party data entry personnel or optical character recognition (OCR) software to visually inspect and transfer data images into computer databases for further processing. Conventionally, data entry personnel rely on their language skills and abilities to discern what data characters they are viewing. For example, medical data forms often contain data such as age, height, weight, diagnosis, etc. Data entry personnel view such data and then enter what they interpret from forms into a computer database often by typing the information using a computer keyboard. OCR is often used in lieu of, or to assist, the data entry personnel by matching images of data to known data patterns. Unfortunately, data may be obscured to a point where OCR errors are introduced into the entered data at which point data entry personnel may be used to correct such errors. Data entry personnel are less prone to data error due to their intelligence and adaptability to varying types of image data.  
      Generally, data entry personnel are trained to enter data they view from a variety of forms and displays. Unfortunately, data input by the data entry personnel may include confidential information such as a credit card numbers, social security numbers, etc. While many data entry personnel keep such sensitive data confidential, some data entry personnel as well as other persons associated with data processing environments that have access to such confidential data may not. Having access to such confidential data may allow unscrupulous individuals, for example, to steal an identity of an individual for personal gain. Often, data entry companies institute programs such as background checks, secure data areas, investigative personnel, etc. to help prevent data stealing. Unfortunately, such data theft prevention measures often work less than adequately. The problem is further exacerbated by data entry personnel housed in offshore facilities operated with inadequate data theft regulations.  
      One ongoing concern of data entry is effectively matching data entry workload to data entry staff. For example, having too few data entry personnel for a given workload may mean that data entry work may be delayed and include unnecessary errors. However, too many data entry personnel for a given work load increase overhead costs reducing profitability. Virtually all data entry companies struggle with matching the workload to their staff on an ongoing basis. To overcome this issue, many data entry firms often hire data personnel only when needed and then layoff the excess staff when they are not required. While this may work to keep profitability within acceptable levels, it often causes demoralization of such laid off staff that have to cope with variable income and often sporadic work schedules. Additionally, such laid off staff may become less efficient as they are not working consistently.  
      Therefore, what is needed is a method and apparatus to allow data to be entered while maintaining confidentiality. In addition, a method and apparatus is needed to effectively provide a more even workflow to data entry personnel thereby allowing data entry companies to provide a more consistent work flow to a more consistently sized data entry staff increasing productivity and efficiency.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      An aspect of the present invention is a method of data entry processing. The method includes receiving at least one image having image data thereon providing at least some context thereto, fragmenting the at least one image into a plurality of image fragments where at least some of the plurality of image fragments has some of the image data thereon. The method includes displaying an arrangement of at least some of the image fragments having some of the image data thereon such that at least some of the context of the at least one image is removed therefrom.  
      An aspect of the present invention is a method of providing image data to data entry personnel for data entry thereof. The method includes fragmenting at least one image having image data thereon into a plurality of image fragments, wherein some of the image fragments have at least some of the image data and displaying at least some of the plurality of image fragments in an arrangement that conceals at least some context associated with the at least one image.  
      An aspect of the present invention is a computer readable medium storing a software program that, when executed by a processor of a computer, causes the computer to perform operations of fragmenting at least one image having image data thereon into a plurality of fragmented images, wherein at least some of the fragmented images include some of the image data. The operations include displaying an arrangement of at least some of the fragmented images that removes at least some context associated with the at least one image.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      So that the manner in which the above recited features, advantages and objects of the present invention are attained and can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to the embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings.  
      It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the present invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments.  
       FIG. 1  is a high-level illustration of one embodiment of a data processing system in accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention.  
       FIG. 2  is a high-level illustration of one embodiment of data processor of the data processing system of  FIG. 1  in accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention.  
       FIG. 3  is a flow diagram of one embodiment of a method of processing data images in accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention.  
       FIG. 4  is a high-level illustration of one embodiment of data collection form images in accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention.  
       FIG. 5  is a high-level illustration of one embodiment of processing data collection form images in accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention.  
       FIG. 6  is a high-level illustration of one embodiment of processing data collection form images in accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention.  
       FIG. 7  is a high-level illustration of one embodiment of data structures related to data collection information in accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention.  
       FIG. 8  is a high-level illustration of one embodiment of data structures related to data collection information in accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention.  
       FIG. 9  is a high-level illustration of one embodiment of data entry processing in accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention.  
       FIG. 10  is a high-level illustration of one embodiment of a display of processed collection form data in accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a more thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to one of skill in the art that the present invention may be practiced without one or more of these specific details. In other instances, well-known features have not been described in order to avoid obscuring the present invention.  
      Aspects of the invention are described in terms of confidential and non-confidential information, concealing information, context associated with information, and fragmenting information. Confidential information is defined herein as information to be protected from unauthorized disclosure. Non-confidential information is information not to be protected from unauthorized disclosure. Concealing information is defined herein to keep information from being seen, observed, or discovered. Context is defined herein as information associated with a contextual environment, such as a document, that combined with surrounding information, imparts an associated contextual meaning. For example, consider the case of a confidential sentence stating “Mr. Smith has terminal cancer”. Such a confidential sentence contextually associates such an individual “Mr. Smith” with the diagnosis of “terminal cancer”. Disassociating such contextually associated terms changes a contextual meaning. For example, in this case concealing “Smith” from such sentence “Mr. Smith has terminal cancer”, changes the contextual nature of the sentence from it original confidential state to a non-confidential state. Fragment is defined herein as disassociating a word, phrase, image, symbol, data field, and the like, associated with a contextual environment such as a document, form, etc., from its original contextual environment in order to remove at least some associated contextual meaning therefrom.  
      As will be described below, aspects of one embodiment pertain to specific method steps implementable on computer systems. In one embodiment, the invention may be implemented as a computer program-product for use with a computer system. The programs defining the functions of at least one embodiment can be provided to a computer via a variety of computer-readable media (i.e., signal-bearing medium), which include but are not limited to, (i) information permanently stored on non-writable storage media (e.g. read-only memory devices within a computer such as read only CD-ROM disks readable by a CD-ROM or DVD drive; (ii) alterable information stored on a writable storage media (e.g. floppy disks within diskette drive or hard-disk drive); or (iii) information conveyed to a computer by communications medium, such as through a computer or telephone network, including wireless communication. The latter specifically includes information conveyed via the Internet. Such signal-bearing media, when carrying computer-readable instructions that direct the functions of the invention, represent alternative embodiments of the invention. It may also be noted that portions of the product program may be developed and implemented independently, but when combined together are embodiments of the invention.  
       FIG. 1  is a high-level illustration of one embodiment of a data processing system  100  in accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention. Data processing system  100  includes at least one data processor  108  in communication with one or more data entry terminals  124 A-N via transmission connection  120 , where data entry terminal  124 N is indicative of an “N” number of terminals. Data entry terminals  124 A-N may be selected from virtually any data entry terminal  124 A-N that may be used to advantage such as computer terminals, network terminals, and the like. Transmission connection  120  may be configured from a plurality of interconnections such as telephone wires, cables, twisted pair, and others, including wireless connections, adapted to provide a communication connection. Transmission connection  120  may be configured to operate as a network such as a peer-to-peer network, Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), and the like. Transmission connection  120  may be configured as a hard wired connection using interconnection standards such as IEEE 1394, Universal Serial Bus (USB), and the like, or wireless connection using standards such as 802.11, blue tooth, and the like. Transmission connection  120  may be configured to work over a larger network connection such as the Internet.  
      In one aspect of the present invention, data processor  108  is configured to receiver image data from at least one input device  102 . The input device  136  can be any device configured to give input to the data processing system  100 . For example, a keyboard, keypad, light-pen, touch-screen, track-ball, or speech recognition unit could be used. In one aspect, input device  102  may include one or more imaging devices configured to provide an image of an object such as a data collection form such as insurance forms, medical forms, etc. Such input device  102  may include data imaging systems such as scanners, digital cameras, and the like configured to capture images from forms, photos, etc. Input device  102  may include other types of data capture systems such as digital signature terminals, fingerprint devices, x-ray machines, reflective image processing systems, sonic imaging devices (ultrasound), blue print machines, copiers, fax machines, personal data devices (PDA), personal hand-held computers, electronic writing tablets, and the like. Such input device  102  may be configured to process data derived from software based image generation such as computer aided drawing (CAD) software, bitmap software, paint software, and virtually any type of image conversion software such as optical character recognition (OCR) that converts images to electronic data.  
      Data processor  108  may provide data to output device  116  via bus  112  in response to data received from at least one input device  102 . Output device  116  is preferably any conventional display screen and, although shown separately from input device  102 , output device  116  and input device  102  could be combined. For example, a display screen with an integrated touch-screen, and a display with an integrated keyboard, or a speech recognition unit combined with a text speech converter could be used.  
      In one operational aspect, images from one or more data collection forms are processed by input device  102  and transmitted to processor  108 . Data processor  108  provides a display of image data associated with such data collection forms to data entry personnel via data entry terminals  124 A-N. Such image data display may be arranged to remove at least some contextual association between a respective data collection form and image data display. Data entry personnel view, interpret, and enter such image data display into data entry terminals  124 A-N. Data processor  108  processes such entered data and may provide a display therefrom having at least some association between a respective data collection form and such entered data to an end user, for example, via output device  116  as described further below.  
       FIG. 1  is merely one configuration for data processing system  100 . Embodiments of the present invention can apply to any comparable configuration, regardless of whether the data processing system is a complicated multi-user apparatus, a single-user workstation, or network appliance that does not have non-volatile storage of its own.  
       FIG. 2  is a high-level illustration of one embodiment of data processor  108  of the data processing system  100  of  FIG. 1  in accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention. In one aspect, data processor  108  includes Central Processing Unit (CPU)  204  and memory  220 . The CPU  204  may be under the control of an operating system that may be disposed in memory  220 . Virtually any operating system supporting the configuration functions disclosed herein may be used. Memory  220  is preferably a random access memory sufficiently large to hold the necessary programming and data structures of the invention. While memory  220  is shown as a single entity, it should be understood that memory  220  may in fact comprise a plurality of modules, and that memory  220  may exist at multiple levels, from high speed registers and caches to lower speed but larger direct random access memory (DRAM) chips.  
      Illustratively, memory  220  may include data processing program  222  that, when executed on CPU  204 , controls at least some operations of data processing system  100 . Processing program  222  may use any one of a number of different programming languages. For example, the program code can be written in PLC code (e.g., ladder logic), a higher-level language such as C, C++, Java, or a number of other languages. While processing program  222  may be a standalone program, it is contemplated that processing program  222  may be combined with other programs.  
      In one aspect, memory  220  may include image data structure  224 . Image data structure  224  may include a plurality of images of data used, for example, to display to an end user via output device  116  and data entry terminals  124 A-N as described below. In another aspect of the present invention, memory  220  may include identification data structure  228 . Identification data structure  228  may be used to associate images of data to other data used to identify such images of data as described herein.  
       FIG. 3  is a flow diagram of one embodiment of a method  300  of processing data images in accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention. Method  300  is entered into for example when processing program  222  is activated. At  304 , at least one document image is obtained. For example, input device  102  may be configured to scan a document such as a medical record form and transmit the resultant image data to data processor  108  via transmission signal  104 . At  308 , at least some of one or more non-searchable data images, such as an insurance form for example, are fragmented into a plurality of separate images, i.e. image fragments some of which are as described below with respect to  FIGS. 4-9 .  
      At  312 , such image fragments are associated with at least one unique identifying number. Such at least one unique identifying number may be derived using one or more algorithms or processes configured to assign a unique identity to each separate image fragment. For example, a random number generator may be used to generate a random unique identification number for an image fragment. For purposes of clarity, unique identifying numbers are discussed. However, it is contemplated that virtually any methodology or system configured to identify an image may be used. For example, one or more separate image fragments may be identified using identification techniques such as color-coding, image pattern tattooing, watermarks, and other methods of uniquely identifying images. Such image fragments are processed to place them into a desired display order at  316 . For example, such image fragments may be randomly assigned a display order. Such image fragments may also be assigned in a particular defined order. Such a particular order may be correlated to a number of different data entry locations. Consider the case where each data form contains five data fields of information. Such data fields may be “name”, “address”, “social security number”, “telephone”, and “address”, for example. Each data field may be directed to a different data entry location. Therefore, five data entry locations may be used where one data entry location may data enter names, while another data entry location may enter addresses, and so forth. Each data entry location may be separated from one another in a variety of ways. Such data entry location may be disposed in separate geographical locations such as different parts of a building, different buildings, different cities, or even different countries, and so forth.  
      At  320 , at least some of the fragmented images are assigned to two or more locations. While two or locations may be used, it is contemplated that one location may be used where by the fragmented images are randomly displayed to the one location, for example. In addition, fragmented images may include one or more “seeded” bogus image fragments. Such bogus image fragments may be used to further contextually disassociate fragmented data from an original data source. For example, for a data form only having two data fields to process such as a credit card number and expiration date, bogus credit card numbers may be combined within actual credit card number images to further disassociate a particular credit card number with a particular expiration data. Further, such bogus information may be used to detect fraud. For example, if a bogus credit card number is used externally to a data entry location, an association may be established between the bogus credit card number and the data entry location. Such an association may be used by, for example, by data theft investigators to help determine who is responsible for disclosing such bogus credit card information to individuals unauthorized to utilize such data.  
      At  324 , at least some image fragments are transmitted to one or more data entry locations for data entry processing therefrom. For example, a plurality of image fragments having non-searchable data from a plurality of forms, such as a medical record forms filled out by a plurality of patients, are sent to one or more data entry locations for data processing thereof. At such data entry locations, data entry personnel view, interpret, and enter data associated with at least some image fragments into data gathering systems such as data processing system  100 . At  328 , method  300  checks to see if such data entry processing is done. If data entry processing is finished, method  300  ends at  320 . If however, data entry processing is not finished, method  300  returns to  304 .  
     OPERATIONAL EXAMPLE  
       FIG. 4  is a high-level illustration of one embodiment of data collection form images  402 , 404  in accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention. For purposes of clarity, data collection form images  402  and  404  are described in terms of data collection forms configured to collect confidential and non-confidential data from individuals. However, it is contemplated that such data collection forms may be derived from a plurality of different sources used to collect confidential and non-confidential data having at least some context such as may be found on proprietary drawings, figures, sketches, artwork, printed circuit layouts, software code, signs, posters, photographs, and the like.  
      Data collection form images  402 , 404  may be derived from virtually any type of form, having at least some non-searchable data such as data embedded thereon and integral thereto that is image processed for example by input device  102 . In one aspect of the present invention, data form images  402 , 404  may be derived from data collection forms such as medical record forms, insurance forms, mortgage qualification forms, credit card information collection forms, warranty cards, and the like having confidential and non-confidential data embedded thereon contextually associated with each of such data collection forms. For example, a medical record form may include one or more embedded data that is contextually associated with a patient, e.g., a medical patient filled out a medical data collection form with medical information about himself or herself. Data disposed thereon such forms is generally formed using external data entry processes such as handwriting, typewriting, stamping, painting, drawing, printing, stenciling, silk screening, photography, and the like. Data may also be created using other methods such as printing a document entered into a user&#39;s computer. For example, a user may fill out a data collection form in a word processor and scan such a data collection form to create data collection form image  402 , 404 .  
      In one embodiment, data collection form images  402  and  404  provide at least some context associated with data thereon to persons viewing such forms  402 , 404 . For example, personnel visually inspecting such data collection forms  402  and  404  may contextually associate fields of such data collection form images  402 , 404  to the data collection form  402 , 404  being visually inspected. In one aspect, data collection forms  402  and  404  may be data collection forms used to derive personal information from individuals. Illustratively, data collection form  402  may be a confidential medical information collection form that includes data fields such as company field  406 , patient&#39;s name field  408 , insured&#39;s name field  410 , date of birth data field  412 , social security data field  414 , and diagnosis data field  416 . Data collection form  404  may be another medical information collection form which includes data fields such as company field  440 , patient&#39;s name field  442 , insured&#39;s name field  444 , date of birth data field  446 , social security data field  448 , and diagnosis data field  450 .  
      Illustratively, data collection form images  402  and  404  include handwritten data embedded thereon. For example, data collection form image  402  includes patient&#39;s name field  408  having a handwritten “Johann, Bach”  418  data entry, insured&#39;s name field  410  having a handwritten “Johann, Bach Sr.”  420  data entry, and date of birth data field  412  having a handwritten “Mar. 27, 1685”  422  data entry. Data collection form image  402  also includes a handwritten social security number “234-56-7890” disposed within social security data field  414 , and a handwritten diagnosis of “Deaf”  426  disposed in diagnosis field  416 .  
      Data collection form image  404  includes patient&#39;s name field  440  having a handwritten “Betsy, Ross”  460  data entry, insured&#39;s name field  444  having a handwritten “John, Ross”  462  data entry, and date of birth data field  446  having a handwritten “Jan. 1, 1752”  464  data entry. Data collection form image  404  also includes a handwritten social security number “289-45-000” disposed within social security data field  448 , and a handwritten diagnosis of “Carpel Tunnel”  468  disposed in diagnosis field  450 .  
       FIG. 5  is a high-level illustration of one embodiment of processing data collection form images  402 , 404  in accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention. For purposes of clarity,  FIG. 5  is described in terms of imaging image data with respect to a fixed imaging region size relative each data field  406 - 416  e.g., imaging regions may have a fixed width and length. However it is contemplated that imaging region sizes may be variable. For example, imagining regions may be dynamically sized such that imaging system such as found in input device  102  may image only certain areas of a data collection form image region being imaged having a predetermined change in contrast, shade, color, printing, etc.  
       FIG. 5  illustrates data collection form  402  being image processed by for example, data processor  108  to fragment data collection form image  402  into a plurality of image fragments  502 - 512 . In one aspect of the present invention, data collection form image  402  is imaged within a section of each data field  408 - 416  to derive at least one image fragment  502 - 512  associated with data  418 - 426  embedded thereon. For example, patient&#39;s name field  408  is imaged to derive handwritten “Johann, Bach” data entry  418  as a separate image fragment  502 . Insured&#39;s name field  410  is imaged to provide handwritten “Johann, Bach Sr.” data entry  420  as an image fragment  504 . Date of birth data field  412  is imaged to derive handwritten “Mar. 27, 1685” data entry  422  as image fragment  506 .  
      To further remove context from data  418 - 426  within each field  408 - 416 , an imaging process may image more than one region within a data entry field  408 - 416 . For example, only part of handwritten social security number “234-56-7890”  424  disposed within social security data field  414  is imaged to derive a partial social security number “234-56-” as image fragment  508 . Further, another part of handwritten social security number “234-56-7890”  424  disposed within social security data field  414  is imaged to derive a partial social security number “7890” as image fragment  510 . Thus, in this embodiment, a data collection image  402  is imaged processed to derive one or more image fragments  502 - 512  therefrom.  
       FIG. 6  illustrates data collection form  404  being image processed by for example, data processor  108  to fragment data collection form image  404  into a plurality of image fragments  602 - 612 . In one aspect of the present invention, data collection form image  404  is imaged within a section of each data field  440 - 450  to derive at least one image fragment associated with image data  460 - 468  embedded thereon. For example, patient&#39;s name field  442  is imaged to derive handwritten “Betsy, Ross” data entry  460  as a separate image fragment  602 . Insured&#39;s name field  444  is imaged to provide handwritten “John, Ross” data entry  462  as an image fragment  604 . Date of birth data field  448  is imaged to derive handwritten “Jan. 1, 1752” data entry  464  as image fragment  606 .  
      To further remove context from data  460 - 468  within each field  440 - 450 , an imaging process may image several sections within a data entry field  440 - 450  to provide a plurality of fragmented images therefrom. For example, only part of handwritten social security number “289-45-0000”  466  disposed within social security data field  448  is imaged to derive partial social security number “289-45-” as image fragment  608 . Further, another part of handwritten social security number “289-45-0000”  466  disposed within social security data field  448  is imaged to derive partial social security number “0000” as image fragment  610 . Thus, in this embodiment, data collection image  404  is imaged processed to derive one or more image fragments  602 - 612  therefrom.  
      In summary,  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6  illustrate an image process whereby a single image is processed by an imaging system  100  to derive a plurality of fragmented images of data derived from data collection forms, for example. In one aspect, such imaging system  100  may be configured such that image fragments, e.g., image fragment  504 , from at least one single data entry, such as a “name” data entry  418 , for example, may be image fragmented until such data entry loses contextual meaning associated with source data collection form image  402 , 404 . For example, image fragmenting a name image data “Bruce” to remove “Bu” from “Bruce” data creates two separate image data “Br” and “uce” that when separated from one another removes a contextual meaning that “Br” means “Bruce” as “Br” may be indicative of other words such as “Brown”, “Brush”, “Brian”, “Brad”, etc. In addition, while imaging system  100  may derive a plurality of fragmented images of data derived from images of data collection forms, for example, imaging system  100  may process such data collection form images  402 , 404  to conceal at least some context from data entry personnel. For example, data collection form  402  may be processed to conceal a social security number from view by one data entry personnel, and then provide a second data collection form  402  that discloses at least the social security number to another data personnel.  
       FIG. 7  is a high-level illustration of one embodiment of a data structure  224  related to data collection information in accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention. In one aspect of the present invention, data structures  224  include reference header row  702  and data description row  704 . Data structure  224  also include one or more data rows  706 , 708 . Illustratively, data structure  224  includes data row  706  that includes image fragments  502 - 512  stored therein from data collection form image  402 . Data structure  224  includes data row  708  that includes image fragments  602 - 612  stored therein from data collection form image  404  (See  FIG. 4 ). Data structure  224  includes at least one data column  720 - 728  configured to store at least one fragmented image data. For example data column  720  includes column descriptor of “A” that is associated with a name image data in column  720 . Data column  772  includes column descriptor “B” associated with date of birth image data for each patient name in a respective data row  706 - 708 . Data column  724  includes a column descriptor “C” associated with an insured&#39;s name image data for each patient name within a respective data row  706 - 708 . Data column  726  includes column descriptor “D” associated with a social security number image data for each patient name within a respective data row  706 - 708 . Data column  728  includes column descriptor “E” associated with a diagnosis image data for each patient name within a respective data row  706 - 708 .  
      In one aspect, one or more image fragments  502 - 512  and  602 - 612  may be associated with a respective data row  706 - 708  and data column  720 - 728 . In one configuration, image fragments  502 - 512  from data collection form image  402  are stored in a data row  706  and data column  720  an assigned a unique data location identifier. For example, image fragment  502  is assigned data location identifier A 1  indicative of data row  706  and data column  720 . Other image fragments  504 - 512  are similarly stored and identified. For example, image fragment  504  may be stored in data row  706  and data column  722  an assigned data location identifier B 1 .  
      Image fragments  602 - 612  from data collection form image  404  are stored in a data row  708  and data columns  720 - 728  an assigned a unique data location identifier. For example, image fragment  602  is stored in data location number A 2  indicative of data row  708  and data column  720 . Other image fragments  604 - 612  are disposed similarly. For example, image fragment  604  is stored in data row  708  and data column  722  an assigned data location identifier B 2 . In summary, at least some image fragments  502 - 512  are stored in data row  706  and assigned a respective data location identifier such as identifier A 1  through F 1 , for example. At least some image fragments  602 - 612  are stored in data row  708  and assigned a respective data location identifier such as identifier A 2  through F 2 , for example.  
       FIG. 8  is a high-level illustration of one embodiment of a data structure  228  related to data collection information in accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention. Illustratively, data structure  228  includes header row  810  and a plurality of data rows  810 - 832 . Data structure  228  includes data column  802 , data column  804 , and data column  806 . Data column  802  may be configured to store an image fragment identifier, e.g., A 2 , therein. For example, identifier A 1  may be stored in data column  802  and row  810 , further B 1  may be stored in data column  802  and row  812 , and so forth. Data column  804  may be configured to store a unique identification number assigned to each identifier A 1 -F 2 . Unique identification numbers may be derived several ways. For example, unique identification numbers may be randomly generated numbers. In one aspect, unique identification numbers are randomly assigned to a respective identifier A 1 -F 2 . For example, with respect to data row  810 , data column includes identifier “A 1 ” and unique identification number “6597841278”.  
      In one aspect, column  806  associates a workload matching identifier to a respective identifier A 1 -F 2 . Workload matching identifiers may be used to more equally distribute data entry work to a plurality of data entry terminals  124 A-N. For example, consider the case where three data entry companies have ten data entry terminals  124 A-N each and are not staffed to meet a data entry demand for more than ten data entry personnel each for a given data entry schedule, unless they hire more data entry personnel. If image fragments  502 - 512  and  602 - 612  require more than ten data entry personnel to finish the work on such schedule, workload matching identifiers may be configured to associate a portion of image fragments  502 - 512  and  602 - 612  to each company thereby “sharing” the work load amongst each data entry company relative to their data entry capacity. This is especially advantageous when for example several companies have significantly different workload capabilities and often have to change staffing to match such workload capabilities to meet data entry demand. Thus in summary, processing system  100  fragments image data into a plurality of image fragments  502 - 512  and  602 - 612 . Such image fragments  502 - 512  and  602 - 612  may be stored in a respective location A 1 -F 2  in memory  220 . Image fragments  502 - 512  and  602 - 612  may then be assigned a unique identification number  804  and a workload matching identifier  806 .  
       FIG. 9  is a high-level illustration of one embodiment of data entry processing in accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention. For purposes of clarity, image fragments  502 - 512  and  602 - 612  are described in terms of unaltered images. However, it is contemplated that such image fragments  502 - 512  and  602 - 612  may be further image processed to distort such image fragments  502 - 512  and  602 - 612  from being visually associated. For example, such image fragments  502 - 512  and  602 - 612  may be visually distorted using techniques such as enlargement, stretching, shading, and the like, to remove image association between two or more image fragments  502 - 512  and  602 - 612 .  
      Illustratively, data entry terminals  124 A-N includes a respective data entry display screen  126 A-N. For example, data entry display screen  124 A may provide data entry personnel data entry view  902 . Data entry view  902  includes, for example, image data to enter  904  on one side of the display screen  124 A, and data entered  908  by such a data entry personnel using data entry terminal  124 A on an adjacent side of display screen  124 A. Data entry view  902  may include a plurality image fragments  502 - 512  and  602 - 612  corresponding to their unique identification number  804  and dissociated assignment to data entry terminal  124 A. For example, as illustrated in data entry view  902 , a dissociated display of image data to enter  904  for data entry terminal  124 A includes name image fragment  604 , partial social security number image fragment  510 , birth date image fragment  606 , partial social security number image fragment  608 , diagnosis image fragment  512 , and birth date image fragment  506 . Further, as illustrated in data entry view  920 , a dissociated display of image data to enter  922  for data entry terminal  124 N includes insured&#39;s name image fragment  504 , partial social security number image fragment  610 , name image fragment  502 , name image fragment  602 , diagnosis image fragment  612 , and partial social security number image fragment  508 . Therefore, as such plurality image fragments  502 - 512  and  602 - 612  are dissociated in display assignment, data entry personnel are bared from associating such plurality image fragments  502 - 512  and  602 - 612  to one another and therefore are bared from associating such image fragments  502 - 512  and  602 - 612  to a particular data collection form image  402 , 404 . Further, without data collection form images  402  and  404 , others associated with such data entry processing are barred from associating such plurality image fragments  502 - 512  and  602 - 612  to one another and therefore are bared from associating such image fragments  502 - 512  and  602 - 612  to a particular data collection form image  402 , 404 .  
      In one aspect, bogus image fragments (not shown) may be used to further discourage associating such image fragments  502 - 512  and  602 - 612  to a particular data collection form image  402 , 404 . For example, if two or more data entry personnel are collaborating in an attempt to associate image fragments  502 - 512  and  602 - 612 , such bogus fragments may be used to discourage such collaboration by identifying the collaborators. For example, such bogus fragments may lead investigators to such unscrupulous data entry personnel. Further, when such unscrupulous data entry personnel are discovered, they may provide knowledge to others considering such collaboration that attempting such collaboration may get them into trouble.  
      In one operational embodiment, data entry personnel view, interpret, and enter data from such image data  502 - 512  and  602 - 612  accordingly into a corresponding entry field of enter data view  908 , 924 . For example, at data entry terminal  124 A partial social security number image fragment  510  having a partial social security number of  7890  associated with image data  424  is viewed, interpreted, and may be entered as data entry “7890”  930  by data entry personal into data entry field  934 . At another data entry terminal  124 N, social security number image fragment  508  having a partial social security number of “234-56-” also associated with image data  424  is viewed, interpreted, and may be entered as data entry “234-56-”  932  by another data entry personal into data entry field  938 .  
      In summary, a respective data entry personnel observes, interprets, and enters such image data fragments  502 - 512  and  602 - 612  on their respective data entry terminals  124 A-N. Each of the image data fragments  502 - 512  and  602 - 612  are assigned in a disassociated order to different data entry terminals  124 A-N to dissociate the context of image data fragments  502 - 512  and  602 - 612  from the context of each other and of the data collection form images  402  and  404 . Such contextual dissociation bars data personnel from contextually associating such data to each other and either data collection image  402  and  404  thereby maintaining data confidentiality.  
       FIG. 10  is a high-level illustration of one embodiment of a display  1000  of processed collection form data in accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention. Illustratively, an output device  116  may be configured as a visual display terminal  1010  such on a computer monitor  116 -A. In one operational embodiment, once data entry personal have viewed interpreted, and entered image data to enter  904 , 922  as illustrated in  FIG. 9 , such entered data  908 , 924  is stored in memory  220  as described herein. Processing system  108  may be configured by an end user, for example, to associate and display such entered data  908 , 924  stored in memory  220  for one or more data collection images  402 ,  404 .  
      In one aspect, display  1000  illustrates a searchable database display  1020  of data collection form image  402 . With reference to  FIG. 9 , to display entered data  908 , 924  associated with a respective data collection image, i.e., patient, processing system  108  retrieves and associates entered data  908 , 924  relative to unique identification numbers stored in memory  220 . For example, to display the full social security number of “234-56-7890” from collection image data  424 , social security image fragment  510  having entered data of “7890” and social security image fragment  508  having entered data of “234-56-” are retrieved from memory  220  using respective unique identification numbers. Such entered social security image data are then combined and displayed on computer screen  116 -A as social security data “234-56-7890”.  
      While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.