OCR

(computer science)

OCR

This article is provided by FOLDOC - Free Online Dictionary of Computing (foldoc.org)

OCR

(Optical Character Recognition) The machine recognition of printed characters. OCR systems can recognize many different fonts, including those designed specifically for optical recognition as well as typewriter and computer-printed characters. Advanced OCR systems can recognize hand printing.

From Bitmaps to ASCII
When a text document is scanned into the computer, a picture is taken of each page. Just like a digital photo, the page becomes a bitmapped image of pixels. OCR software then analyzes the light and dark pixels in order to recognize each letter and digit, which is converted to an ASCII character. See bitmap, ASCII file and pixel.

Hand printing is much more difficult to analyze than machine printing. Old, worn and smudged documents are also problematic. OCR is sometimes as much an art as it is a science.

OCR A Font

This is an example of the OCR A font. OCR A was designed specifically for optical recognition in the late 1960s when the average computer's processing power was dramatically less than it is today.

OCR Processing

When text documents are scanned, they are "photographed" and stored as pictures in the computer. OCR software converts the pictures into actual text characters, which take up considerably less room on disk.

OCR Machines

The "football field-long" machine (top) from Recognition Equipment, Inc. was used in the 1970s to process checks and credit card slips. The machine at the bottom is a contemporary unit. Both machines can handle OCR and MICR processing. (Images courtesy of BancTec, Inc.)

OCR Machines

The "football field-long" machine (top) from Recognition Equipment, Inc. was used in the 1970s to process checks and credit card slips. The machine at the bottom is a contemporary unit. Both machines can handle OCR and MICR processing. (Images courtesy of BancTec, Inc.)

Copyright © 1981-2025 by The Computer Language Company Inc. All Rights reserved. THIS DEFINITION IS FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY. All other reproduction is strictly prohibited without permission from the publisher.

Mentioned in

References in periodicals archive

DocsCorp President and Co-Founder Dean Sappey said, "European and UK firms need OCR processing to meet GDPR requirements around data discovery and subject access responses.

NETDOCUMENTS OCR AVAILABLE IN EUROPE AND THE UK

Vendors across diversified industry verticals, such as retail, banking, and healthcare, are widely adopting OCR technology.

Optical Character Recognition Market Is Expected To Touch New Height Of $13.38 Billion By 2025: Grand View Research, Inc

Perform OCR on PDF and image with over 200 recognition languages

Cisdem PDF Converter OCR for Mac 7.0.0 Updated with Bug Fixes and Refined Interface

At the core of this paper is situated the OCR technology, which is the artificially reading process, in which image data from documents or natural scenes containing written messages is converted into text data [1].

COMBINING TESSERACT AND ASPRISE RESULTS TO IMPROVE OCR TEXT DETECTION ACCURACY

Prior to supporting the Aetas to join OCR, Allianz was supporting Barangay Villa Maria as its adopted community, a pilot project for their Financial Literary program.

Allianz PH CMO Gae Martinez on championing social inclusion through OCR

"As a company that uses sports to connect with communities and people, Allianz Philippines has chosen to be associated with OCR.

Allianz OCR offers berths in SEAG pool

Lessons learned: Had the practice disciplined the physician or taken corrective action after the disclosure, the OCR may not have penalized the group so severely, according to Jennifer Mitchell, a Cincinnati-based health law attorney and vice chair of the American Bar Association eHealth, Privacy, & Security Interest Group.

HIPAA compliance: Learn from these three cases

Clearwater Compliance recently assisted a healthcare organization in meeting OCR's requirement for a risk analysis after a breach investigation was initiated.

Responding to an OCR breach investigation with an OCR-quality risk analysis: Health organizations continue to struggle meeting OCR's expectations for risk analysis as required by the HI PA A Security Rule. OCR findings of an insufficient risk analysis can delay resolution of a breach investigation and can lead to monetary settlements or civil money penalties

For a number of reasons, though, the Trump administration cannot simply rescind most previous OCR directives and walk away from the sexual harassment issue as it did transgender rights.

RETHINKING FEDERAL REGULATION OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT: The need for deliberation, not demagoguery, in the Age of Trump

(112.) Office for Civil Rights, Questions and Answers on OCR's

A better balance: providing survivors of sexual violence with "effective protection" against sex discrimination through Title IX complaints