Image recognition method and device and copier and scanner employing same

摘要

An image recognition method and device detects an object mark reliably even when the mark is defaced with a different color. RGB signals are transmitted to color extraction unit (10). The color extraction (10) unit has a characteristic color extraction block (17) to extract the characteristic color of the object mark. A binary image is generated from the extracted pixels which are the color of the mark and stored in storage device (11). A mark detection unit (12) detects the location of the mark in the stored image data and an image extraction unit (13) extracts the region where the mark is located and obtains a feature count. A matching unit (14) compares the feature count with a reference pattern and finds the goodness of fit. A control unit (16) subjects the goodness of fit value to threshold value processing to determine whether this is a non-reproducible document. If the mark has been defaced with black ink, the pixels constituting the mark are extracted by a likely color extraction block (18). A binary image is generated and stored in storage device (11). Thus, the defaced mark can undergo the same recognition processing as the normal mark, and both can be recognized.