Correcting the document layout: a machine learning approach

In this paper, a machine learning approach to support the user during the correction of the layout analysis is proposed. Layout analysis is the process of extracting a hierarchical structure describing the layout of a page. In our approach, the layout analysis is performed in two steps: firstly, the global analysis determines possible areas containing paragraphs, sections, columns, figures and tables, and secondly, the local analysis groups together blocks that possibly fall within the same area. The result of the local analysis process strongly depends on the quality of the results of the first step. We investigate the possibility of supporting the user during the correction of the results of the global analysis. This is done by allowing the user to correct the results of the global analysis and then by learning rules for layout correction from the sequence of user actions. Experimental results on a set of multi-page documents are reported and commented.