Patent Document ID: 5402504
Application ID: 07750156

Base Claim:
1. In a digital processing system, a method of processing a binary text image containing at least a first region containing at least a first word having a first type style and a second region containing at least a second word having a second type style to identify locations of said first words having said first type style, comprising the steps of: a) eroding said binary text image with a first structuring element to provide a first destination image having a plurality of remaining pixels, said first structuring element more likely to provide a hit in said first region than in said second region; and b) morphologically processing said remaining pixels of said first destination image to create a mask image substantially masking said locations of said first words.

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Claim 37:
37. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of creating said mask image from said plurality of remaining pixels comprises the steps of: a) dilating said first destination image to produce a second destination image containing a plurality of closely spaced lines in said first region and a plurality of isolated lines in said second region; b) closing said second destination image to connect individual ones of said plurality of closely spaced lines and produce a third destination image; and c) opening said third destination image to remove said plurality of isolated lines from said second region resulting in said mask image substantially masking said locations of said first words.