CHARACTER RECOGNITION METHOD

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the accuracy of handwriting/printing discrimination in character recognition processing to attain a shorter processing time by character recognition and improved recognition accuracy. SOLUTION: A layout of a form is analyzed and divided to each group consisting of an item area and a character entry column continued thereto, and character recognition of the item area is performed first. Based on the character recognition result of the item area, a character type of the character entry column belonging to the same group is determined, and handwriting/printing discrimination of the character entry column is performed based on a characteristic quantity suitable for performing the handwriting/printing discrimination of the character type. Based on the result, handwriting character recognition processing or printed character recognition processing is performed. An accurate discrimination method can be selected according to the character type by performing the handwriting/printing discrimination processing as the above, and the accuracy of handwriting/printing discrimination can be enhanced. COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT