Filtering segmentation cuts for digit string recognition

Filtering segmentation cuts for digit string recognition

Vellasques, E. and Oliveira, L. S. and Britto, A. S. and Koerich, A. L. and Sabourin, R.

Pattern Recognition 2008

Abstract : In this paper we propose a method to evaluate segmentation cuts for handwritten touching digits. The idea of this method is to work as a filter in segmentation-based recognition system. This kind of system usually rely on over-segmentation methods, where several segmentation hypotheses are created for each touching group of digits and then assessed by a general-purpose classifier. The novelty of the proposed methodology lies in the fact that unnecessary segmentation cuts can be identified without any attempt of classification by a general-purpose classifier, reducing the number of paths in a segmentation graph, what can consequently lead to a reduction in computational cost. An cost-based approach using ROC (receiver operating characteristics) was deployed to optimize the filter. Experimental results show that the filter can eliminate up to 83% of the unnecessary segmentation hypothesis and increase the overall performance of the system. © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.