Document cleanup using page frame detection

When a page of a book is scanned or photocopied, textual noise (extraneous symbols from the neighboring page) and/or non-textual noise (black borders, speckles, ...) appear along the border of the document. Existing document analysis methods can handle non-textual noise reasonably well, whereas textual noise still presents a major issue for document analysis systems. Textual noise may result in undesired text in optical character recognition (OCR) output that needs to be removed afterwards. Existing document cleanup methods try to explicitly detect and remove marginal noise. This paper presents a new perspective for document image cleanup by detecting the page frame of the document. The goal of page frame detection is to find the actual page contents area, ignoring marginal noise along the page border. We use a geometric matching algorithm to find the optimal page frame of structured documents (journal articles, books, magazines) by exploiting their text alignment property. We evaluate the algorithm on the UW-III database. The results show that the error rates are below 4% each of the performance measures used. Further tests were run on a dataset of magazine pages and on a set of camera captured document images. To demonstrate the benefits of using page frame detection in practical applications, we choose OCR and layout-based document image retrieval as sample applications. Experiments using a commercial OCR system show that by removing characters outside the computed page frame, the OCR error rate is reduced from 4.3 to 1.7% on the UW-III dataset. The use of page frame detection in layout-based document image retrieval application decreases the retrieval error rates by 30%.     

Document segmentation using polynomial spline wavelets

Wavelet transforms have been widely used as effective tools in texture segmentation in the past decade. Segmentation of document images, which usually contain three types of texture information: text, picture and background, can be regarded as a special case of texture segmentation. B-spline wavelets possess some desirable properties such as being well localized in time and frequency, and being compactly supported, which make them an effective tool for texture analysis. Based on the observation that text textures provide fast-changed and relatively regular distributed edges in the wavelet transform domain, an efficient document segmentation algorithm is designed via cubic B-spline wavelets. Three-means or two-means classification is applied for classifying pixels with similar characteristics after feature estimation at the outputs of high frequency bands of spline wavelet transforms. We examine and evaluate the contributions of different factors to the segmentation results from the viewpoints of decomposition levels, frequency bands and wavelet functions. Further performance analysis reveals the advantages of the proposed method.     

A neuro-fuzzy approach for segmentation of human objects in image sequences

We propose a novel approach for segmentation of human objects, including face and body, in image sequences. Object segmentation is important for achieving a high compression ratio in modern video coding techniques, e.g., MPEG-4 and MPEG-7, and human objects are usually the main parts in the video streams of multimedia applications. Existing segmentation methods apply simple criteria to detect human objects, leading to the restriction of the usage or a high segmentation error. We combine temporal and spatial information and employ a neuro-fuzzy mechanism to overcome these difficulties. A fuzzy self-clustering technique is used to divide the base frame of a video stream into a set of segments which are then categorized as foreground or background based on a combination of multiple criteria. Then, human objects in the base frame and the remaining frames of the video stream are precisely located by a fuzzy neural network constructed with the fuzzy rules previously obtained and is trained by a singular value decomposition (SVD)-based hybrid learning algorithm. The proposed approach has been tested on several different video streams, and the results have shown that the approach can produce a much better segmentation than other methods.     

Color image segmentation using neuro-fuzzy system in a novel optimized color space

Segmentation is one of the most important pre-processing steps toward pattern recognition and image understanding. It is often used to partition an image into separate regions, which ideally correspond to different real-world objects. In this paper, novel color image segmentation is proposed and implemented using fuzzy inference system in optimized color space. This system, which is designed by neuro-adaptive learning technique, applies a sample image as an input and can reveal the likelihood of being a special color for each pixel through the image. The intensity of each pixel shows this likelihood in the gray-level output image. After choosing threshold value, a binary image is obtained, which can be applied as a mask to segment desired color in input image. Besides using fuzzy systems, optimizing color space for segmentation is another feature of proposed method. This optimizing is implemented by genetic algorithms and influence on system accuracy. Two applications of developed method are discussed, and still it could be applicable in wide range of color image segmentation or object detection purposes.     

Document segmentation using textural features summarization and feedforward neural network

Document Segmentation is a process that aims to filter documents while identifying certain regions of interest. Generally, the regions of interest include texts, graphics (image occupied regions) and the background. This paper presents a novel top-bottom approach to perform document segmentation using texture features that are extracted from the specified/selected documents. A mask of suitable size is used to summarize textural features, and statistical parameters are captured as blocks in document images. Four textural features that are extracted from masks using the gray level co-occurrence matrix (glcm) include entropy, contrast, energy and homogeneity. Furthermore, two statistical parameters extracted from corresponding masks are the modal and median pixel values. The extracted attributes allow the classification of each mask or block as text, graphics, and background. A feedforward network is trained on the 6 extracted attributes, using documents obtained from a public database ; an error rate of 15.77 % is achieved. Furthermore, it is shown that this novel approach produces promising performance in segmenting documents and is expected to be significantly efficient for content-based information retrieval systems. Detection of duplicate documents within large databases is another potential area of application.     

基于CURE算法的网页分块及正文块提取研究

研究基于CURE聚类的Web页面分块方法及正文块的提取规则。对页面DOM树增加节点属性,使其转换成为带有信息节点偏移量的扩展DOM树。利用CURE算法进行信息节点聚类,各个结果簇即代表页面的不同块。最后提取了正文块的三个主要特征,构造信息块权值公式,利用该公式识别正文块。     

Image segmentation using a multilayer level-set approach

We propose an efficient multilayer segmentation method based on implicit curve evolution and on variational approach. The proposed formulation uses the minimal partition problem as formulated by D. Mumford and J. Shah, and can be seen as a more efficient extension of the segmentation models previously proposed in Chan and Vese (Scale-Space Theories in Computer Vision, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Vol. 1682, pp. 141–151, 1999, IEEE Trans Image Process 10(2):266–277, 2001), and Vese and Chan (Int J Comput Vis 50(3):271–293, 2002). The set of unknown discontinuities is represented implicitly by several nested level lines of the same function, as inspired from prior work on island dynamics for epitaxial growth (Caflisch et al. in Appl Math Lett 12(4):13, 1999; Chen et al. in J Comput Phys 167:475, 2001). We present the Euler–Lagrange equations of the proposed minimizations together with theoretical results of energy decrease, existence of minimizers and approximations. We also discuss the choice of the curve regularization and conclude with several experimental results and comparisons for piecewise-constant segmentation of gray-level and color images.     

Extraction of features using M-band wavelet packet frame and their neuro-fuzzy evaluation for multitexture segmentation

In this paper, we propose a scheme for segmentation of multitexture images. The methodology involves extraction of texture features using an overcomplete wavelet decomposition scheme called discrete M-band wavelet packet frame (DMbWPF). This is followed by the selection of important features using a neuro-fuzzy algorithm under unsupervised learning. A computationally efficient search procedure is developed for finding the optimal basis based on some maximum criterion of textural measures derived from the statistical parameters for each of the subbands. The superior discriminating capability of the extracted features for segmentation of various texture images over those obtained by several existing methods is established.     

An integrated approach for structural damage identification using wavelet neuro-fuzzy model

Structural damage can be identified by processing structural vibration response signals and excitation data, and thus the suitability of signal processing methods is essential to structural damage identification. To explore an intelligent signal processing method for structural damage identification, the paper integrated wavelet real-time filtering algorithm, Adaptive Neruo-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) and interval modeling technique to process structural response signals and excitation data. With Wavelet Transform (WT) algorithm filtering random noise, ANFIS was found to model the structural behavior properly and interval modeling technique to quantify damage index accurately. The rapid identifications of several unknown damages and small damages indicate the efficiency of this integrated method. The comparison of these results and some other signal processing methods shows that, the proposed method can be used to identify both the time and the location when the structural damage occurs unexpectedly.     

Agricultural leaf blight disease segmentation using indices based histogram intensity segmentation approach

Multimedia Tools and Applications - Grouping of pixels based on certain kind of similarity or discontinuity among the pixel called Segmentation. Segmentation of ROI from the given input image...     

Intelligent control of a stepping motor drive using a hybrid neuro-fuzzy approach

Stepping motors are widely used in robotics and in the numerical control of machine tools where they have to perform high-precision positioning operations. However, the variations of the mechanical configuration of the drive, which are common to these two applications, can lead to a loss of synchronism for high stepping rates. Moreover, the classical open-loop speed control is weak and a closed-loop control becomes necessary. In this paper, fuzzy logic is applied to control the speed of a stepping motor drive with feedback. A neuro-fuzzy hybrid approach is used to design the fuzzy rule base of the intelligent system for control. In particular, we used the ANFIS methodology to build a Sugeno fuzzy model for controlling the stepping motor drive. An advanced test bed is used in order to evaluate the tracking properties and the robustness capacities of the fuzzy logic controller.We would like to thank the Research Grant Committee of Consejo Nacional del Sistema de Educacion Tecnologica (COSNET) and Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia (CONACYT) for the financial support for performing this research work. We would also like to thank the Department of Computer Science of Tijuana Institute of Technology for the time and resources given to this project.     

Color image segmentation using adaptive unsupervised clustering approach

This paper presents the Region Splitting and Merging-Fuzzy C-means Hybrid Algorithm (RFHA), an adaptive unsupervised clustering approach for color image segmentation, which is important in image analysis and in understanding pattern recognition and computer vision field. Histogram thresholding technique is applied in the formation of all possible cells, used to split the image into multiple homogeneous regions. The merging technique is applied to merge perceptually close homogeneous regions and obtain better initialization for the Fuzzy C-means clustering approach. Experimental results have demonstrated that the proposed scheme could obtain promising segmentation results, with 12% average improvement in clustering quality and 63% reduction in classification error compared with other existing segmentation approaches.     

An adaptive neuro-fuzzy system for automatic image segmentation andedge detection

An autoadaptive neuro-fuzzy segmentation and edge detection architecture is presented. The system consists of a multilayer perceptron (MLP)-like network that performs image segmentation by adaptive thresholding of the input image using labels automatically pre-selected by a fuzzy clustering technique. The proposed architecture is feedforward, but unlike the conventional MLP the learning is unsupervised. The output status of the network is described as a fuzzy set. Fuzzy entropy is used as a measure of the error of the segmentation system as well as a criterion for determining potential edge pixels. The proposed system is capable to perform automatic multilevel segmentation of images, based solely on information contained by the image itself. No a priori assumptions whatsoever are made about the image (type, features, contents, stochastic model, etc.). Such an "universal" algorithm is most useful for applications that are supposed to work with different (and possibly initially unknown) types of images. The proposed system can be readily employed, "as is," or as a basic building block by a more sophisticated and/or application-specific image segmentation algorithm. By monitoring the fuzzy entropy relaxation process, the system is able to detect edge pixels     

Document representation and its application to page decomposition

Transforming a paper document to its electronic version in a form suitable for efficient storage, retrieval, and interpretation continues to be a challenging problem. An efficient representation scheme for document images is necessary to solve this problem. Document representation involves techniques of thresholding, skew detection, geometric layout analysis, and logical layout analysis. The derived representation can then be used in document storage and retrieval. Page segmentation is an important stage in representing document images obtained by scanning journal pages. The performance of a document understanding system greatly depends on the correctness of page segmentation and labeling of different regions such as text, tables, images, drawings, and rulers. We use the traditional bottom-up approach based on the connected component extraction to efficiently implement page segmentation and region identification. A new document model which preserves top-down generation information is proposed based on which a document is logically represented for interactive editing, storage, retrieval, transfer, and logical analysis. Our algorithm has a high accuracy and takes approximately 1.4 seconds on a SGI Indy workstation for model creation, including orientation estimation, segmentation, and labeling (text, table, image, drawing, and ruler) for a 2550×3300 image of a typical journal page scanned at 300 dpi. This method is applicable to documents from various technical journals and can accommodate moderate amounts of skew and noise     

Unsupervised feature evaluation: a neuro-fuzzy approach

Demonstrates a way of formulating neuro-fuzzy approaches for both feature selection and extraction under unsupervised learning. A fuzzy feature evaluation index for a set of features is defined in terms of degree of similarity between two patterns in both the original and transformed feature spaces. A concept of flexible membership function incorporating weighted distance is introduced for computing membership values in the transformed space. Two new layered networks are designed. The tasks of membership computation and minimization of the evaluation index, through unsupervised learning process, are embedded into them without requiring the information on the number of clusters in the feature space. The network for feature selection results in an optimal order of individual importance of the features. The other one extracts a set of optimum transformed features, by projecting n-dimensional original space directly to n'-dimensional (n'相似文献   

A neuro-fuzzy approach to gear system monitoring

The detection of the onset of damage in gear systems is of great importance to industry. In this paper, a new neuro-fuzzy diagnostic system is developed, whereby the strengths of three robust signal processing techniques are integrated. The adopted techniques are: the continuous wavelet transform (amplitude) and beta kurtosis based on the overall residual signal, and the phase modulation by employing the signal average. Three reference functions are proposed as post-processing techniques to enhance the feature characteristics in a way that increases the accuracy of fault detection. Monitoring indexes are derived to facilitate the automatic diagnoses. A constrained-gradient-reliability algorithm is developed to train the fuzzy membership function parameters and rule weights, while the required fuzzy completeness is retained. The system output is set to different monitoring levels by using an optimization procedure to facilitate the decision-making process. The test results demonstrate that the novel neuro-fuzzy system, because of its adaptability and robustness, significantly improves the diagnostic accuracy. It outperforms other related classifiers, such as those based on fuzzy logic and neuro-fuzzy schemes, which adopt different types of rule weights and employ different training algorithms.     

Variation-based approach to image segmentation Variation-based approach to image segmentation

A new approach to image segmentation is presented using a variation framework. Regarding the edge points as interpolating points and minimizing an energy functional to interpolate a smooth threshold surface it carries out the image segmentation. In order to preserve the edge information of the original image in the threshold surface, without unduly sharping the edge of the image, a non-convex energy functional is adopted. A relaxation algorithm with the property of global convergence, for solving the optimization problem, is proposed by introducing a binary energy. As a result the non-convex optimization problem is transformed into a series of convex optimization problems, and the problem of slow convergence or nonconvergence is solved. The presented method is also tested experimentally. Finally the method of determining the parameters in optimizing is also explored.     

Classification of speech signal based on gender: a hybrid approach using neuro-fuzzy systems

One of the most important processes in speech processing is gender classification. Generally gender classification is done by considering pitch as feature. In general the pitch value of female is higher than the male. In some cases, pitch value of male is higher and female is low, in that cases this classification will not obtain the exact result. By considering this drawback here proposed a gender classification method which considers three features and uses fuzzy logic and neural network to identify the given speech signal belongs to which gender. For training fuzzy logic and neural network, training dataset is generated by considering the above three features. After completion of training, a speech signal is given as input, fuzzy and neural network gives an output, for that output mean value is taken and this value gives the speech signal belongs to which gender. The result shows the performance of our method in gender classification.     

A methodology of generating customer satisfaction models for new product development using a neuro-fuzzy approach

When developing new products it is important for design teams to understand customer perceptions of consumer products because the success of such products is heavily dependent upon the associated customer satisfaction level. The chance of a new product’s success in a marketplace is higher if users are satisfied with it. In this study, a new methodology of generating customer satisfaction models using a neuro-fuzzy approach is proposed. In contrast to previous research, non-linear and explicit customer satisfaction models can be developed with the use of the proposed methodology. An example of notebook computer design is used to illustrate the methodology. The proposed methodology was measured against the benchmark of statistical regression to determine its effectiveness. Experimental results suggested that the proposed approach outperformed the statistical regression method in terms of mean absolute errors and variance of errors.