To recognize the direction of an original and to output image data in an appropriate direction.
For a segmented character image, the feature amount is extracted in a feature amount extraction circuit 540 and bisected into feature amount data depending on the direction of a character and feature amount piece number information not depending on the direction of the character. In a dictionary data generation circuit 560, recognition candidate characters are selected based on the feature amount piece number information and dictionary data relating to the candidate characters are outputted. In a comparator circuit 580, the dictionary data are rotated by 90° and compared with the feature amount data and the one having the highest matching degree is defined as matching degree information. A rotation angle at the time is considered as a character direction in the case that the matching degree information exceeds a first threshold value, the dictionary data of the other recognition candidate character are switched and compared in the case that it is not more than the first threshold value, the different character image is segmented when all the matching degree information is less than a second threshold value and the rotation angle provided with the maximum matching degree information is recognized as the direction of the character when it is more than the second threshold value.
HASHIMOTO HIDEYUKI
IIDA TORU
YOSHIMURA TOMOYA
Next Patent: PICTURE PROCESSOR, PICTURE PROCESSING METHOD AND COPYING MACHINE