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Abstract

An efficient image processing technique automatically analyzes an image scanned at 300 or greater dpi and measures an image characteristic of the input image from which it is possible to determine whether the image has ever been previously scanned or printed at low resolution at some time in its history. The technique is effective in classifying an image that was at one time embodied in paper form and scanned at a vertical resolution of 100 dpi or less, such as a facsimile document scanned in standard mode, or at 200 pixels/inch (referred to as 'fine fax mode'.) The technique performs measurements on the pixels included in the vertical or horizontal edges of symbols contained in the input image, and produces a distribution of the measurements. A numerical interpretation of the measurement distribution data is used to classify the image. The invention is computationally efficient because it may be applied to only a small percentage (e.g., 7%) of a document image as long as the subimage selected contains symbols such as characters. The invention may be incorporated into a document image management system where identification of documents that contain the artifacts of low resolution document images could be used to improve subsequent processing of the image, such as, for example, in an OCR system.

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First Claim