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Handprint recognition test deckRelated Patent Categories: Image Analysis, Pattern Recognition, On-line Recognition Of Handwritten CharactersHandprint recognition test deck description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060045344, Handprint recognition test deck. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates generally to forms processing technology and more particularly to a system and method to create test materials that can evaluate and help improve systems that recognize handprinted fields. [0003] 2. Background Art [0004] Forms processing technology can encompass many types of systems and include many steps including capturing hand-printed data from questionnaires and putting the data into a computer. Many organizations doing forms processing use traditional "heads-down" keying from paper (KFP); and "heads-up" keying from image (KFI). [0005] Traditional "heads-down" keying from paper (KFP) is an approach that involves human keyers sitting in front of a computer terminal, and looking down at a form placed on a rack. They read the data placed on the form by the respondent, and manually key this data into the computer using a KFP software package. People are not very consistent when performing routine tasks for long periods of time, and this process is prone to human error. A major source of error with KFP is placing the data in the wrong field. [0006] "Heads-up" keying from image (KFI) is an approach that uses an electronic scanner to scan the forms before sending the electronic image of the form to a computer screen, along with fields where the human keyer is to key in data. The name comes from the fact that the keyer is looking straight ahead at the screen at all times. This method tends to be more accurate since it greatly reduces the incorrect field problem mentioned above for KFP. It is also often faster than KFP. Unfortunately, it still involves humans which are a constant source of errors. [0007] A major problem with capturing handprinted data from forms filled out by human respondents is measuring the accuracy and efficiency of the total system. Former testing methods, such as using a handprint font, may be satisfactory for production readiness tests, but clearly are not adequate to claim to measure handprint recognition accuracy and efficiency. This is partly because they are considered "too neat" and would thus give an artificially high estimate of accuracy relative to the "real world." [0008] Creating a test deck manually gives realistic variability but is a time-consuming and demanding task, and you only have one unique deck. Creating a corresponding TRUTH file to evaluate the accuracy of the system's processing adds significantly to the complexity of this task. A truth file is an accurate representation of the handprinted data on the forms. To be able to produce a deck of handprinted forms and the corresponding TRUTH file in a more timely and efficient manner would provide a valuable quality assurance tool. [0009] Typical data collection forms request hand-printed response (rather than cursive) when clarity is required. However, there is great variability in the handprints prepared by the population in general. In order to perform adequate system testing and shakedown, a sufficient number of examples are required so that realistic variability can be characterized for use during testing and system evaluation. [0010] Automation and cost savings can be realized by incorporating handprint Optical Character Recognition (OCR), so that computer systems attempt to recognize the handprinted fields, and send low confidence fields to KFI. The method of this patent creates test materials that make it possible to assess the accuracy of an entire form processing system more easily and consistently, as well as measure efficiency, regardless of whether KFP, KFI, OCR, or all of these are used in any combination. This invention simplifies the expensive and laborious process associated with the (hand made) test forms wherein the forms are keyed twice from paper, and discrepancies verified and corrected by a third person. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0011] Our invention is a method to measure handprint recognition accuracy and efficiency by creating a test deck to qualify and test handprint recognition systems. This includes preparing a handprint snippet data base containing labeled handprint image snippets that collectively or in part, may approximate actual respondent's handprinted characters. The method includes creating a page layout file, preparing a form description file as well as a data content file and then selecting handprint snippets from the handprint snippet database to populate a form creating a "completed" form image using the selected snippets according to the form description file. When printed, these forms may constitute a Digital Test Deck.TM.. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING(S) [0012] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates the test deck creation method. [0013] FIG. 2 is an example of a blank form. [0014] FIG. 3 is an example of a filled out form. [0015] FIG. 4 is a form populated with actual handprint snippets. [0016] FIG. 5 shows a form processing system. [0017] FIG. 6 shows a testing concept at the field level. [0018] FIG. 7 shows a diagram of the mathematical system for measuring error. [0019] FIG. 8 shows an example plot of error results for this system as a function of the number of samples for this system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0020] A digitally created printout 10 of this invention is created using a test deck system 12 as shown in FIG. 1. The print out 10 is sometimes referred to as the Digital Test Deck.TM. (DTD.TM.), or simply the test deck 10, and can be used in a handprint recognition system to test the system for accuracy and to improve the efficiency of the forms processing technology. When accompanied by a TRUTH file 14, which accurately represents the data printed on the form and defines the expected output of the forms processing system, the test deck system 12 produces a very realistic and accurate set of testing forms. The DTD.TM. printout 10 can be used for production readiness and for baseline testing of forms processing systems such as shipping labels, bank checks and surveys for accuracy and efficiency. Continue reading about Handprint recognition test deck... Full patent description for Handprint recognition test deck Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Handprint recognition test deck patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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