JP2008242820A - Document processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a document processing system capable of easily performing content confirmation or retrieval with respect to stored and processed image data. <P>SOLUTION: A facsimile composite device 2 stores processed image data in a predetermined file format, and applies the processed image data through a network 22 to an external processor 3. In the external processor 3, character data included in the image data are extracted as text data by image recognition processing, and the text data are transmitted to a facsimile composite device 2. The facsimile composite device 2 stores the received character data by imparting the character data to a file in which the image data are stored, or making them associate with each other. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a document processing system configured by connecting a network composite apparatus that performs document processing such as document scanning and facsimile reception and a data processing apparatus realized by a personal computer via a network.

In a network composite apparatus that performs document processing, image data after document processing (image data obtained by scanning a document, image data obtained by facsimile reception, etc.) is stored in a storage device (HDD, CF, etc.) in the network composite apparatus. Some are configured. However, since the stored data is image data, there is a disadvantage that the data contents cannot be searched. Therefore, an apparatus configured to perform image recognition processing on image data to extract text data, store the image data in association with the extracted text data, and search the image data using the text data. It has been developed (see Patent Document 1).
JP 2006-251991 A

  In the above-described prior art, since the CPU in the apparatus performs image recognition processing for character data extraction that requires high arithmetic processing capability, the burden on the CPU is increased, and other processes of the apparatus are delayed. Inconvenience may occur.

  Therefore, the problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a document processing system capable of reducing the processing load of the network composite apparatus and easily searching for image data stored in the network composite apparatus. .

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the invention of claim 1 includes a network composite device and a data processing device connected by a network, and the network composite device is image data processed or processed by the network composite device. Is transmitted to the data processing device via the network, and the data processing device uses the character data in the image data as text data for the received image data. Image recognition processing to be extracted is performed, and at least a part of the text data obtained thereby is transmitted to the network composite device, and the network composite device receives the received text data as a file storing the image data. Assign to or save in association.

  According to a second aspect of the invention, in the document processing system according to the first aspect of the invention, the data processing device extracts a character string from the obtained text data, and transmits the extracted character string to the network composite device. To do.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the document processing system according to the second aspect of the present invention, the data processing device has an appearance frequency that is equal to or higher than a reference value from among character strings included in the obtained text data. Extract.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the document processing system according to the second aspect of the invention, the data processing device extracts a highlighted character string from character strings included in the obtained text data. To do.

  According to a fifth aspect of the invention, in the document processing system according to the second aspect of the invention, the data processing device is used as a title or a headline from among character strings included in the obtained text data. To extract.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the image data processed by the network composite apparatus is stored in a predetermined file format and given to the data processing apparatus via the network. In the data processing device, character data included in the image data is extracted as text data by image recognition processing, and at least a part of the extracted text data is transmitted to the network composite device. In the network composite apparatus, text data given from a data processing apparatus is stored in association with or associated with a file in which image data is stored.

  In this way, the image recognition processing for character data extraction that requires high arithmetic processing capability is performed by the data processing device installed outside the network composite device, so the processing load of the composite device is reduced. As a result, processing in the network composite apparatus can be performed quickly.

  Further, by using the text data assigned to or stored in association with the image data storage file, it is possible to easily confirm or search the contents of the stored image data after processing.

  Furthermore, since image data and text data are stored in the network composite device, the stored data can be managed in association with existing data (for example, phone book data) in the network composite device. Data management and retrieval becomes easier.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, the character string is extracted from the text data by the data processing device, and the character string is stored in the network composite device in association with the image data storage file. By using the character string, it becomes easier to check the contents of the stored image data, search, and the like.

  According to the third to fifth aspects of the invention, it is possible to extract a character string that is useful for content confirmation, search, and the like.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a document processing system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The document processing system 1 is configured by connecting a facsimile complex apparatus 2 as a network complex apparatus and an external processing apparatus 3 as a data processing apparatus constituted by a personal computer or the like via a network (for example, a LAN) 22. ing.

  The functions of the facsimile composite apparatus 2 include a printer function, a facsimile function, an Internet facsimile function, a copy function, a scanner function, and the like. The facsimile composite apparatus 2 can also execute the above functions in accordance with instructions from the external processing apparatus 3 and the user terminal apparatus 4 connected to the network 22.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the facsimile composite apparatus 2 includes a control unit 11, a printer 13, a scanner 14, a display unit 15, an operation unit 16, a storage unit 17, a modem connected to the control unit 11 via a bus 12. 18, an NCU (Network Control Unit) 19, and a network communication unit 20.

  The control unit 11 supervises the control of the facsimile composite apparatus 2 and is configured to include a CPU and the like.

  The printer 13 is, for example, an electrophotographic black-and-white printer, and print data provided from the external processing device 3 or the user terminal device 4, image data read by the scanner 14, image data received by facsimile, etc. Print on. The scanner 14 is used for reading a document when transmitting a facsimile, reading a document when using a copy function and a scanner function, and the like.

  The display unit 15 is configured by a liquid crystal display device or the like, and is used for displaying operation information and the like of the facsimile multifunction device 2. The operation unit 16 includes a plurality of operation buttons, a touch panel, and the like, and is used to operate the facsimile composite apparatus 2.

  The storage unit 17 includes a storage device such as a ROM or a RAM. In the ROM, a control program executed by the control unit 11 is stored. In the RAM, print data transmitted from the user terminal device 4, transmitted / received image data of the facsimile transmitted / received via the NCU 19 when the facsimile function is used, image data read when the copy function or the scanner function is used, and the facsimile composite apparatus 2 Data related to settings and maintenance management are included.

  The modem 18 is a facsimile modem capable of facsimile communication. The modem 18 is directly connected to the NCU 19. The NCU 19 is hardware for closing and opening a line with an analog public telephone line network (PSTN) 21, and connects the modem 18 to the public telephone line network 21 as necessary. In addition, you may make it connect with a digital circuit network (ISDN) by providing the interface for ISDN.

  The network communication unit 20 is responsible for data communication via the network 22 and handles SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol), POP (Post Office Protocol), SMB (Server Message Block), HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol), and the like. A function is provided. Specific functions of the network communication unit 20 include transmission / reception of electronic mail, transmission / reception of an Internet facsimile that transmits / receives image data attached to the electronic mail, transmission / reception of data via a LAN or the Internet, and the like. Yes.

  As illustrated in FIG. 1, the external processing device 3 includes a control unit 31, a display unit 32, an operation unit 33, a storage unit 34, and an external interface 35.

  The control unit 31 supervises the control of the external processing device 3 and includes a CPU and the like.

  The display unit 32 is configured by a liquid crystal display device or the like, and is used for displaying operation information and the like of the external processing device 3. The operation unit 33 includes a plurality of operation keys and the like, and is used for operating the external processing device 3.

  The storage unit 34 includes a storage device in a ROM, a RAM, or the like. In the ROM, a control program executed by the control unit 31 is stored. The RAM includes image data transmitted from the facsimile composite apparatus 2 and data related to settings and maintenance management of the external processing apparatus 3.

  The external interface 35 is an interface for connecting the external processing device 3 to a network (external network such as a LAN and the Internet) 22. The control unit 31 cooperates with the external interface 7 to handle SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol), POP (Post Office Protocol), SMB (Server Message Block), HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol), and the like. Features are provided.

  Note that the configuration of the user terminal device 4 is the same as the configuration of the external processing device 3, and a description thereof will be omitted.

  The main object of the present embodiment is to reduce the processing load on the facsimile multifunction peripheral 2 and to enable easy retrieval of image data stored in the facsimile multifunction peripheral 2.

  When the facsimile multifunction device 2 performs printing, scanning, copying, facsimile transmission or facsimile reception, the processed image data is stored in a predetermined folder (for example, the processing is requested (or corresponding to the processing) in the storage unit 17). In the folder corresponding to the user) and transmitted to the external processing device 3.

  At this time, the image data is stored in a TIFF (Tagged Image File Format), JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group), or PDF (Portable Document Format) format.

  As for user identification related to processing by the facsimile composite apparatus 2, for example, for a job (print, PC facsimile transmission) given from the user terminal apparatus 4, the user given from the user terminal apparatus 4 along with the job A corresponding user is identified based on the host name or IP address of the terminal device 4. Further, in the case of processing (copy, scan, facsimile transmission) directly accepted by the facsimile multifunction device 2, it is possible to request the user to log in and input user information via the operation unit 16 or the like. Good. In the case of facsimile reception, if the corresponding user can be determined based on the facsimile destination information or the like, determination by the facsimile multifunction device 2 is performed.

  The external processing device 3 extracts character data included in the received image data as text data by image recognition processing (character recognition processing), and transmits at least a part of the extracted text data to the facsimile multifunction device 2. The facsimile multifunction device 2 stores the received text data in association with or associated with the storage file of the transmitted image data.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the processing operation when the processed image data is stored by the document processing system 1. In step S1, document processing (printing, scanning, copying, facsimile transmission or facsimile reception) is performed by the facsimile composite apparatus 2.

  In the subsequent step S2, in the facsimile multifunction device 2, the processed image data is stored in the folder corresponding to the user who requested the processing (or corresponding to the processing) as described above. At this time, the image data is converted into a predetermined file format (in this embodiment, for example, PDF format) as necessary and stored.

  In step S <b> 3, the facsimile multifunction device 2 transmits the stored image data to the external processing device 3. In step S4, the external processing device 3 receives image data.

  In step S5, the external processing device 3 performs image recognition processing on the received image data and extracts character data in the image data as text data. In subsequent step S6, the external processing device 3 extracts a specific character string (for example, a keyword or the like) from the text data. The specific character string extraction is performed by extracting (a) a character string included in text data extracted by image recognition processing from image data, and (b) emphasis. It is possible to adopt a configuration for extracting what is displayed, (c) a configuration for extracting what is used as a title or heading, and the like. Any one of these configurations (a) to (c) may be employed alone, or two or more configurations may be combined and employed. Note that what is highlighted is, for example, a character that is larger than the average font size of the character data from which the character font is extracted or a character that is underlined.

  In subsequent step S <b> 7, the external processing device 3 transmits the extracted specific character string or text data including the character string to the facsimile multifunction device 2. In step S8, the facsimile composite apparatus 2 receives the data extracted by the external processing apparatus 3.

  In step S9, the facsimile multifunction device 2 stores the character data extracted from the image data by the external processing device 3 in association with or associated with the image data storage file transmitted to the external processing device 3 in step S3. For example, character data extracted from the image data by the external processing device 3 is assigned to a keyword field included in property data such as a PDF file. At this time, a configuration in which titles, titles, and comments included in property data such as a PDF file are automatically generated and attached (the corresponding user information is used in the creator column, and processing type information is assigned to the category) It may be). Alternatively, a configuration in which the text data received by the composite apparatus 2 is made transparent text and added to a PDF file or the like may be employed.

  As described above, since the image recognition processing for character data extraction requiring high arithmetic processing capability is performed by the external processing device 3 installed outside the facsimile multifunction device 2, The processing load is reduced, and processing in the facsimile multifunction device 2 can be performed quickly.

  In addition, by using character data (for example, keywords) stored in association with or stored in a storage file of image data, it is possible to easily perform content confirmation, search, and the like regarding stored image data after processing. it can.

Further, since the image data and the extracted character data are stored in the facsimile composite apparatus 2, it is possible to manage these stored data in association with existing data (for example, telephone book data) in the facsimile composite apparatus 2. This makes it easier to manage and retrieve stored data.
A configuration to be added to the DF file is adopted.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the document processing system which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the processing operation at the time of the image data after a process being preserve | saved by a document processing system.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Document processing system 2 Facsimile compound apparatus 3 External processing apparatus 4 User terminal device

Claims (5)

A network composite device and a data processing device connected by a network;
The network composite device stores image data processed or processed by the network composite device in a predetermined file format, and transmits the image data to the data processing device via the network.
The data processing device performs an image recognition process on the received image data to extract character data in the image data as text data, and at least part of the text data obtained thereby is transferred to the network. Sent to the compound device,
The network processing apparatus adds or associates the received text data to a file storing the image data, and stores the received text data. The document processing system of claim 1,
The document processing system, wherein the data processing device extracts a character string from the obtained text data and transmits the extracted character string to the network composite device. The document processing system according to claim 2,
The data processing apparatus extracts a character string having an appearance frequency equal to or higher than a reference value from character strings included in the obtained text data. The document processing system according to claim 2,
The data processing apparatus extracts a highlighted text string from character strings included in the obtained text data. The document processing system according to claim 2,
The data processing device extracts a character string used as a title or a headline from character strings included in the obtained text data.

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