Forms such as business forms used in banks and post offices are automatically
classified using a form search apparatus and method. The method of classifying
forms comprises extracting features from the image data of the input form and comparing
the extracted features with stored features of a set of template forms corresponding
to a set of known classifications of forms. The comparing step compares extracted
features which comprise attributes of tables contained in the template forms and
the input form respectively. The attributes of tables may be the number of tables
in the form, or the number of cells comprising the tables. An approximate matching
step is used to reduce the number of candidate template forms.