Patent Document ID: 5581633
Application ID: 08548414
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A character segmenting apparatus segmenting a character based on connection data imparted to each segment pattern, and in which a character string pattern is formed by arranging a plurality of character segment patterns, each segment pattern comprising one of a pattern formed by one character and a small segment pattern formed by a part of one character, said character segmenting apparatus comprising: extracting means for extracting the character segment pattern on the basis of the connection data; character size calculating means for calculating a first histogram of one of a lengthwise character size and a crosswise character size of rectangles circumscribing the character segment pattern extracted by said extracting means and, concurrently, calculating an average character size and a first variance value of the average character size based on the first histogram; character pitch calculating means for calculating a second histogram of a pitch between the rectangles in said character size calculating means and, concurrently, calculating an average character pitch and a second variance value based on the second histogram; integrating means for integrating together the character segment patterns forming the one character while changing character integrating conditions in accordance with the average character size and the first variance value and the average character pitch and the second variance value; and segment integrating means for integrating the small segment pattern by distinguishing the small segment pattern in the character segment pattern based on the average character size obtained by said character size calculating means.