INNOVATIVE OCR SYSTEMS AND METHODS THAT COMBINE A TEMPLATE BASED GENERATIVE MODEL WITH A DISCRIMINATIVE MODEL

A method employing a hybrid classification model is used to perform optical character recognition operations for an image. Image data from the image is provided to a generative classification model of the hybrid model, and generative image classifications operations are performed, generating a feature data set which is outputted from the generative classification model. This feature data set is then provided to the discriminative classification model, and discriminative classification operations are performed to generate a classification of the image.