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Use of scanning technologyfor data capture

ICR System(Intelligent Character Recognition)

Information and Communication Technology Center

National Statistical Office (NSO)

Thailand

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ICR SYSTEM

It is an automatically Data Entry by Scanning

questionnaires which can be evaluated

handwritten numeric / alphanumeric characters

(ICR) or handwritten optic marks (OMR) and

conduce to Digital Data before processing on

others Computer System.

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ICR System

ICR System in NSO (Thailand) can be

divided into 2 parts :

TELEform Software System.

ABBYY Software System.

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NSO provided ICR System to process

the first Project of Population Census in 2000.

By scanning the 16 million households

(16 million Forms) which spent only 8 months

to process the raw data instead of more than

1 year by using Key in Data System.

ICR for The Population Census 2000

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ICR for The Agricultural Census 2003

NSO hired ABBYY Software to process about 25% of The Agricultural Census 2003 that has totally 5.7 million

households (24 million forms).

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After processing The PopulationCensus 2000,some survey projects have

been used ICR System such as TheLabour Force Survey (monthly report),

The Household Manufacturing Survey etc.

Other Survey Projects

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TELEform Hardware System

• NetServer for TELEform Server 1 Unit

• NetServer for Database Server 1 Unit

• Reader Modules Workstations 21 Unit

• Verifier Modules Workstations 30 Unit

• Scanner Control Workstations 6 Unit

• Scanner Fujitsu M4099D 6 Unit

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TELEform Software System

TELEform Software is selected for ICR System which is used for Forms and Documents Processing. It is the product of TELEform Cardiff

Software , Inc. USA.

TELEform 6.2 Elite Enterprise Edition

Components: TELEform Designer.

TELEform Reader.

TELEform Verifier.

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ABBYY Hardware System

• IBM Server X Series 225 1 Unit

• Correction Station 1 Unit

• Verifier Modules Workstations 25 Unit

• Scanner Control Workstations 4 Unit

• Scanner Fujitsu M4099D 4 Unit

• Storageflex LT707 1 Unit

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ABBYY Software System NSO provided ABBYY Software which is the product of Russia.

ABBYY FormReader 6.0 Enterprise Edition

Components: ❑ Form Design

❑ Administration Station

❑ Recognition Station

❑ Correction Station

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TELEform / ABBYY Designer Function

• To create template form.

• Fix value of data type properties in each field of template form on questionnaire.

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TemplateQuestionnaire

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TELEform Reader / ABBYY Administration Function

• To evaluate the questionnaires .

• Export the corrected questionnaires to a data file.

• Send the unclear questionnaires to TELEform / ABBYY Verifier Function for correcting and transferring the corrected questionnaires to a data file.

• Store scanned images.

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TELEform / ABBYY Verifier Function

• To correct questionnaires that contain mismarked or illegible fields.

• The corrected questionnaires are automatically exported to a data file.

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BasicScript Programming Language

Script Language use to add extensive features similar to Visual Basic.

• To develop Form Script during Evaluation and Correction.

• To develop Export Script during Data Export.

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Step of ICR System in NSO Scan and Forms Distribution : The questionnaires are scanned in each Block / Village and created Multi Page Image Files in local hard disk.

Forms Evaluation : The questionnaires images are evaluated. The corrected questionnaires which skipped Verifier Workstation and directly exported to Database server.

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The questionnaires are scanned.

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Scan and Forms Distribution

Questionnaires Scanned Image files

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Step of ICR System in NSO (cont.)

Forms Verification : The unclear questionnaires are needed review and corrected it in Verifier Workstations before transferring to Database server.

Data Export : - Link a data file from Database server to IBM Mainframe System. - Store Scanned image files to CD.

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Unrecognized fields must be corrected at Verifier Workstations.

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Forms Verification and Data Export

Storage (Images files)

Database Server

CD

Export data

for processing

Verify

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Questionnaires

CD

Storage(HD 880

GB)

Mainframe

HP Server

COMPAQ Server

Processing(Editing & Reporting)

Scanners 4

unit

IBM Server

controllerPC 6 unit

30 unit

PC 4 unit

controller

21 unit

Verifications

Readers

Correction 1 unit

station

25 unit Verifications

-Administration-Export-Recognition

ABBYY Software

TELEform Software

ICR Link System

CD

Questionnaires

Transfers

- Backup Data

- Software - Database

S Scanners6 unit

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Specific Questionnaire for ICR System

The questionnaires must be professionally printed in a specific colour field boxes

(blue,green,red).The scanners are recognized the questionnaires characters / numerics and drop out field boxes

colour.Test questionnaires to make sure that can process it with speed and accuracy.

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ICR Benefits

Reduce Cost.

Reduce Time. Efficient Data Capture.Increase Data Accuracy.