Analyzing lines to detect tables in documents

US7707488B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Microsoft Corporation · US

Inventors

• Ahmet Gurcan · Mercer Island, US
• Eric S. Leese · Seattle, US
• Jeffrey Brown · Auburn, US
• Jerry Dunietz · Seattle, US
• Jesse D. McGatha · Sammamish, US
• Khaled Sedky · Sammamish, US
• Ming Liu · Seattle, US
• Oliver H. Foehr · Mercer Island, US
• Rodrigo Lopez · Zapopan, MX

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 9, 2006
• Grant date: Apr 27, 2010
• Expiry date: Feb 27, 2029

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06F40/103
• WIPO field: Computer technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Various technologies and techniques detect tables in vector graphics based documents and use them in meaningful ways. The system detects at least one table in a vector graphics based document using a set of rules. The rules include analyzing a set of content representing horizontal and vertical lines to find intersections and identifying table cells based on the intersections. Once identified, the table content is translated into a modified format. The content can be output to a destination application in the modified format that is more suitable for output or use by the destination application.