Patent Document ID: 5455872
Application ID: 08051972

Base Claim:
1. In a data processing system, including a scanner, a plurality of character recognition means, a recognition station processor and a monitoring and correction station processor, a method for selecting which one of said plurality of character recognition means to use for recognizing a character in a field in a document image, comprising the steps of: generating a character form confidence factor in the recognition station processor, for each of said plurality of character recognition means; generating a field type confidence factor in the recognition station processor, for each of said plurality of character recognition means; inputting an adaptive probability weighting factor from said monitoring and correction station processor to said recognition station processor, for each of said plurality of character recognition means; generating a first guess character and first confidence value and a second guess character and second confidence value, using each of said plurality of character recognition means; computing a recognition means choice confidence factor in said recognition station processor, as a product of said character form confidence factor, said field type confidence factor, and said adaptive probability weighting factor, times a difference between said first confidence value and said second confidence value; and selecting one of said plurality of character recognition means in said data processing system, having a maximum value for said recognition means choice confidence factor.

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Claim 4:
4. The method of claim 1, which further comprises: monitoring and correcting said first guess character in a manual monitoring and correction station processor in said data processing system; accumulating an error count for one of said plurality of character recognition means in said monitoring and correction station processor; and computing a new value for said adaptive probability weighting factor in said monitoring and correction station processor, for at least one of said plurality of character recognition means, by modifying said adaptive probability weighting factor with a value derived from said error count.