OCR by me

Introduction to Optical Character Recognition (OCR): 

Introduction to Optical Character Recognition (OCR) MADAN H R

Summary: 

Summary Overview of OCR System Requirements Advantages and Disadvantages Operation and Management Questionnaire Design and Preparation

OCR (Optical Character Recognition): 

OCR (Optical Character Recognition) Function & Features of OCR/ICR ICR, OCR and OMR Compared Optical Mark Reader (OMR) OCR/ ICR

OCR (Optical Character Recognition): 

OCR (Optical Character Recognition) Also referred to as Optical Character Reader “…a system that provides a full alphanumeric recognition of printed or handwritten characters at electronic speed by simply scanning the form .” Intelligent Character Recognition (ICR) is used to describe the process of interpreting image data, in particular alphanumeric text. Sometimes OCR is known as ICR

Functions & Features of OCR: 

Functions & Features of OCR Forms can be scanned through a scanner and then the recognition engine of the OCR system interpret the images and turn images of handwritten or printed characters into ASCII data (machine-readable characters). The technology provides a complete form processing and documents capture solution. Allows an open, scalable and workflow. Includes forms definition, scanning, image pre-processing, and recognition capabilities.

Functions & Features of OCR: 

Functions & Features of OCR Delivers an easy training process for building the character library OCR finds character pattern matches from a library of taught characters - Watch a Real Application Video Optical Character Verification (OCV) confirms the presence of desired characters in a specific location

Functions & Features of OCR: 

Functions & Features of OCR Compares text with transmitted strings from Industrial Ethernet protocol sources Transmits decoded ASCII text strings using RS-232, TCP/IP Ethernet , and Ethernet/IP or Modbus TCP/IP industrial Ethernet protocols

Functions & Features of OCR: 

Functions & Features of OCR Date Lot Inspection for food packaging, can and bottling processing.

Functions & Features of OCR: 

Functions & Features of OCR Date Lot Inspection for pharmaceutical and medical packaging.

ICR,OCR and OMR Differences: 

ICR,OCR and OMR Differences ICR and OCR are recognition engines used with imaging; OMR is a data collection technology that does not require a recognition engine. OMR cannot recognize hand-printed or machine-printed characters.

Optical Mark Reader (OMR): 

Optical Mark Reader (OMR) Forms An OMR works with a specialized document and contains timing tracks along one edge of the form to indicate scanner where to read for marks which look like black boxes on the top or bottom of a form. The cut of the form is very precise and the bubbles on a form must be located in the same location on every form. Storage With OMR, the image of a document is not scanned and stored. Accuracy OMR is simpler than OCR. designed properly, OMR has more accuracy than OCR.

OCR/ ICR: 

OCR/ ICR Forms OCR/ ICR is more flexible since no timing tracks or block like form IDs required. The image can float on a page. ICR/ OCR technology uses registration mark on the four-corners of a document, in the recognition of an image. Respondents place one character per box on this form. The use of drop color reduces the size of the scanner’s output and enhances the accuracy. Storage/ retrieval If the document needs to be electronically stored and maintained, then OCR/ ICR is needed. OCR/ICR technologies, images can be scanned, indexed, and written to optical media.

OMR-OCR/ICR Compared: 

OMR-OCR/ICR Compared

System Requirements: 

System Requirements Minimum capacity PC Requirements: Processor: Pentium 200 MHz RAM: 32 MB Disk: 4 GB Form modules are designed to operate in a batch processing; Run under LAN and PC based platforms and take full advantage of the graphical user interface and 32 bit processing power available with most Windows versions. Software: OCR with ICR capability software Questionnaire Design Software

System Requirements (cont.): 

System Requirements (cont.) Scanner OCR scanners with minimum capacity: Duplex scanning Speed: 60 sheets/ min Automatic Document Feeder (ADF): Scanning can take a significant amount of time, and the system lets user scan up without doing the OCR.

Advantages and Disadvantages: 

Advantages and Disadvantages Advantages of Using Images Rather Than Paper Quicker processing; no moving or storage of questionnaires near operators Savings in costs and efficiencies by not having the paper questionnaires Scanning and recognition allowed efficient management and planning for the rest of the processing workload Reduced long term storage requirements, questionnaires could be destroyed after the initial scanning, recognition and repair Quick retrieval for editing and reprocessing Minimizes errors associated with physical handling of the questionnaires

Advantages and Disadvantages: 

Advantages and Disadvantages Disadvantages of Using Images Rather Than Paper Accuracy While OCR technology can be effective in converting handwritten or typed characters, it does not give as high accuracy as of OMR for reading data, where users are actually marking forms Additional workload to data collectors OCR has severe limitations when it comes to human handwriting Characters must be hand-printed with separate characters in boxes

Operation and Management: 

Operation and Management OCR Process Stages Document Scanning process Scanning speed will be determined by the quality of the scanner machines, the size of non-drop out color. Paper quality, cleanness, weights. Recognizing process The recognizing process is to interpret images. The right memory (dictionary) and the configuration threshold will determine the accuracy of interpretation of the ICR. Verifying Process To compare the value of the interpreted image with the real image of the form. Processing can be in geographic order or in random order.

Operation and Management (cont.): 

Operation and Management (cont.) Image Manipulation Electronic questionnaires can be sent to specialist operators then back to the original operator if necessary Same questionnaire can be worked on simultaneously by two or more persons Electronic questionnaires are readily available for post census analysis (easier access to questionnaires) Parts of various questionnaires on screen at once for inter record editing Able to view the relevant field book entry on screen in conjunction with questionnaires which is helpful for coding and editing

Operation and Management (cont.): 

Operation and Management (cont.) Coding Assistance The problems are simpler for the operator to identify Can use images of questions that will not be captured (scanned but not recognized) to help the coding process. ex, light pencil. Operator can magnify images to read characters not discernible to the naked eye Appropriate software ensures that the data is validated as the forms are read. Checks to ensure selections on a form are filled in. Possible to distinguish between intended marks and marks that have been erased.

Operation and Management (cont.): 

Operation and Management (cont.) OMR Scanner Speed Factors Skew : Each document is moved from an automatic feeder into ascanner and angle of skew is sometimes introduced. De-skew : Analyze the image bit- map, calculates and returns the angle of skew up to +/-25. Example. De-skew often refer to %, which is the pixel shift. 10% is a 20-pixel shift in a line of 200 pixels or one tenth of an inch in an inch long line.

Operation and Management (cont.): 

Operation and Management (cont.) Landscape Detection and Auto Rotation : landscape detection will automatically detect and rotate appropriate images 90 degrees. White Page Detection: Normally, a double-sided scanner creates two images per scanners page. However, if the back or front page is blank, there is no need to store this image. White page detection Allows the user to avoid storing blank page.

OCR Field Operation (cont.): 

OCR Field Operation (cont.) Reasons of Error- Reading of OCR Bad condition of the form because of dirt, folded, crumple, etc. Forms fed into OCR scanner are not straight (at an angle); Incompletely filled Reduce Error-Reading of OCR Checking the questionnaires for completeness and consistencies; Preparation of own memory (dictionary); Defining permissible margins of OCR reading errors Particular Care in Writing Numbers or Alphabetic One box contains only one character; Characters should not extend outside designated boxes; Unnecessary lines of characters such as points, decorative strokes, hooks, etc. are prohibited. Strokes should not be ended with flourishes or extensions. All lines should be connected without breaks; All lines or dots should be pressed with the same pressure. Value Checking Steps: Verify that the information captured by OMR is the same with the questionnaire Control for Blank: If the information is blank, what type of control must be taken. Control steps should be taken if the information image is partial or no information to assure the quality of generated files. Missing Questionnaire; Make sure that the entire questionnaires are scanned completely, no missing and no duplication as well. Therefore control procedures including to produce control tables to compare with manual work.

Slide 24: 

(OCR )  tool used in pharmaceutical , food and beverage, and other packaging inspection applications to read and verify printed text

Slide 25: 

Mark Inspection for IC packages and discrete components.

THANK YOU!: 

Workshop on international standards, contemporary technologies and regional cooperation Noumea, New Caledonia, 4 – 8 February 2008 THANK YOU!