OPTICAL CHARACTER READING SYSTEM

PURPOSE:To obtain use of a handy OCR by reading out characters, etc., entered on a general purpose form, by extracting entry layout information by means of read out characters, etc., and by obtaining character data and an entry method after the information is processed. CONSTITUTION:A read-out result 11 of a general purpose form read out by a popular OCR1 is stored in a temporary memory device 2 with a character array matching to a format of said form including a blank. An output 21 of the temporary memory device 2 is extracted as an output 31 of entry layout information in a layout information extracting part 3. The output 31 classifies data groups belonging to the same group with respect to the character array, recognizes an entry position in a format information extracting part 4, and its result is given to a readout output part 5 as a format information 41. Finally unnecessary data are removed by utilizing the format information 41 while contents 21 temporarily stored are read out, and only data necessary for the purpose of an entering person are outputted as a final output 51.