1. An information processing apparatus comprising: recognizing means for recognizing character information contained in image information having a predetermined format; first converting means for converting the image information into image information having a size recognizable by the recognizing means; second converting means for converting the image information, converted by the first converting means, into image information having the direction recognizable by the recognizing means; first discriminating means for discriminating a format of the image information according to the image information converted by the first converting means; second discriminating means for discriminating a format of the image information according to the image information converted by the second converting means when the format of the image information is not discriminated by the first discriminating means; and means for supplying the image information to the recognizing means when one of the first and second discriminating means discriminates that the format of the image information corresponds to the predetermined format.