Stroke segmentation as a basis for structural matching of Chinese characters

A new stroke segmentation technique is reported. It is based on two essential operations applied to a given character: grouping adjacent segments into blade-like objects according to change of width as measured from global directions, and transforming those objects according to width variation as measured from intrinsic orientations. This technique proves to be effective in dividing Chinese characters into overlapping and non-overlapping components. Strokes are then restored, with the help of templates, by linking certain non-overlapping components terminating at the same overlapping areas. The resulting framework also lays down a basis for the structural matching of Chinese characters