JPH0439789A - Reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily execute the editing work such as correction, addition, etc., of each pattern, for instance, a character and a graphic after reading a document by discriminating plural patterns, for instance, a character and a graphic by a difference of colors, and separating each pattern, for instance, character data and graphic data. CONSTITUTION:The reader has a function for discriminating a certain specific color in a document 20, and a function for recognizing separately each pattern in the document 20 by a difference of colors, and for instance, with regard to document data after read, character data and graphic data can be handled independently from each other. That is, each pattern is recognized separately by a difference of colors. Also, by dividing the read data into independent data of every pattern, an independent processing of every pattern can be executed. In such a way, even when the each pattern is superposed on data obtained by reading the document 20, each pattern can be corrected and added easily.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an apparatus for reading a document in which a plurality of patterns, for example, characters and figures, coexist, and in particular, a device that independently recognizes each pattern, for example, characters and figures, and The present invention relates to a document reading device that can handle documents as separate data.

[Conventional technology]

The reading device includes one using a CCO or a contact type image sensor as a reading means. Fig. 10 and Fig. 11 are schematic diagrams showing the configuration of such a reading device. Fig. 10 shows a device using COD as a reading means, and Fig. 11 shows a device using a contact type image sensor as a reading means. It shows the equipment used.

In Figure 10, 1 is a manuscript 2 containing a mixture of characters and figures.
This is the document table on which 0 is placed. Below the document table 1, there is provided an irradiation lamp 2 that irradiates light onto the document 20, and a scanning means 4 that accommodates optical members such as mirrors and lenses. Reference numeral 3 denotes a reading means composed of a CCD, and an optical lens 14 is provided between the reading means 3 and the scanning means 4 to form an image of the reflected light from the original 20 on the reading means 3.
is provided. The document data read by the reading means 3 is sent to the control processing section 5. The control processing section 5 performs figure recognition processing from the input document data. The control processing section 5 is connected to an operation panel 8 that inputs operation signals from the scanning means 4 and the like, and the control processing section 5 processes instructions from the operation panel 8. The control processing section 5 outputs manuscript data including figure recognition data to the data storage section 6 and/or the data output processing section 7. The data storage section 6 temporarily stores input manuscript data. Data output processing section 7
processes the input manuscript data into data for output,
This output data is output to an external output device (not shown) via the communication processing unit 11.

Next, the operation will be explained.

After placing the original 20 on the original table 1, reading of the original 20 is started by operating the operation panel 8.

Scanning means 4 while irradiating original 20 with irradiation lamp 2
The original 20 is scanned at. In synchronization with the movement of the scanning means 4, the original data obtained by the light reflected from the original 20 by the irradiation lamp 2 passes through the optical lens 14 to the reading means 3.
It is read in. The read manuscript data is sent to the control processing unit 5
The image is then sent to undergo figure recognition processing. Then, the manuscript data including the figure recognition data is stored in the data storage section 6, or after being processed by the data output processing section 7, is outputted to the outside via the communication processing section 11.

Next, a reading device using a contact type image sensor as a reading means will be explained based on FIG. 11. Note that in FIG. 11, portions with the same numbers as those in FIG. 10 indicate the same portions.

Below the document table 1, a scanning means 4 has a reading means 3a consisting of an irradiation lamp 2a and an amorphous contact sensor.
A is provided, and the document 20 is scanned by the scanning means 4a while the document 20 is irradiated by the irradiation lamp 2a. In synchronization with the movement of the scanning means 4a, the original data obtained by the light reflected from the original 20 by the irradiation lamp 2a is read by the reading means 3a, and the read original data is sent to the control processing section 5. Note that other configurations and operations are described in the 10th
The device is similar to the one shown in the figure.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

Conventional reading devices are configured as described above, so
There has been a problem in that it is not possible to distinguish and read characters and figures in a manuscript, and it is not easy to modify or add characters or figures after reading the manuscript.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and by identifying a plurality of patterns, for example, characters and figures, by different colors, and separating each pattern, for example, character data and figure data, it is possible to distinguish between each pattern after reading a document. It is an object of the present invention to provide a reading device that can easily perform editing work such as modifying or adding a pattern, for example, a character 1 figure.

[Means to solve the problem]

The reading device according to the present invention has a function of identifying a specific color in a document and a function of individually recognizing each pattern in the document based on the difference in color. A feature is that graphic data can be handled independently of each other.

[Effect]

In the reading device of the present invention, each pattern is recognized individually based on the difference in color. Furthermore, by dividing the read data into independent data for each pattern, it becomes possible to perform independent processing for each pattern. As a result, it is easy to modify and add each pattern, such as characters or figures.

〔Example〕

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be specifically described below based on drawings showing embodiments thereof.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a first embodiment of a reading device (hereinafter simply referred to as the present device) of the present invention.
In this embodiment, a CCD is used as the reading means 3.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a document table on which a document 2o is placed. Below the document table l, there is provided an irradiation lamp 2 that irradiates light onto the document 2o, and a scanning means 4 that accommodates optical members such as mirrors and lenses.

Further, reference numeral 3 denotes a reading means composed of a CCD, and between the reading means 3 and the scanning means 4, an optical lens 143 for focusing the reflected light from the original 2o on the reading means 3, and a rotating band-pass filter. A specific wavelength band color identification section 9 using a wavelength band color identification section 9 is provided in this order from the scanning means 4 side. Second
The figure is a front view of the specific wavelength band color identification unit 9. The specific wavelength band color identification unit 9, which has a configuration in which bandpass filters of a plurality of colors are evenly distributed, is rotatable and only allows colors in a specific wavelength band. A bandpass filter of a specific color is set in the optical path so that it can be identified.

The document data read by the reading means 3 is sent to the control processing section 5. The control processing section 5 is connected to an operation panel 8 for specifying a specific color to be recognized and inputting operation signals for the scanning means 4 and the like.
Process instructions from. The control processing unit 5 includes a character recognition processing unit 5a that performs character recognition processing from input manuscript data (character recognition processing data 2 hereinafter simply referred to as character data), and a character recognition processing unit 5a that performs character recognition processing from input manuscript data (character recognition processing data 2 hereinafter simply referred to as character data), and a character recognition processing unit 5a that performs character recognition processing from input manuscript data (character recognition processing data 2 hereinafter simply referred to as character data), and a character recognition processing unit 5a that performs character recognition processing from input manuscript data (character recognition processing data 2 hereinafter simply referred to as character data), It has a figure recognition processing section 5b that performs figure recognition processing from the figure data (simply referred to as figure data). The control processing unit 5 outputs the input character data and graphic data to the data storage unit 10. The data storage section 10 includes a character data storage processing section 10a that temporarily stores character data, and a graphic data storage processing section 10b that temporarily stores graphic data. The control processing section 5 outputs character recognition data and graphic recognition data to the data output processing section 7. The data output processing section 7
A character data output processing section 7a that processes input character recognition data into output data, and a graphic data output processing section 7 that processes input graphic recognition data into output data.
b, and outputs the processed data to an external device (not shown) via the communication processing unit 11.

In addition, in the example shown in FIG.
Although character recognition processing and graphic recognition processing are performed internally, such image processing may be performed by an external device. In this case, the character data and graphic data read by the reading means 3 are transmitted from the control processing section 5 to the character data output processing section 7a, the graphic data output processing section 7b,
It is output to an external device via the communication processing section 11.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be explained with reference to FIG. 3 showing its flowchart. In the following description, it is assumed that the text portion of the document 20 to be read is shown in red, and the other graphic portions are shown in a color other than red, such as black.

First, the original 20 is placed on the original table 1 with the reading surface facing the original table 1. Using the operation panel 8, a color for character recognition (red in this example) is designated, and whether character recognition processing and graphic recognition processing are to be performed within the device or by an external device is designated (step 531).

A character recognition mode for character recognition is set (step 532). In order to identify the character recognition designated color, a bandpass filter of the color designated in step S31 (red in this example) is sent to the specific wavelength band color identification unit 9 (step 533). By doing so, it becomes possible to identify only the character portion shown in red, and the character data can be read by the reading means 3 through the optical lens 14.

In order to start reading the original 20, the irradiation lamp 2 is turned on to irradiate the original 20 (step 534).

The original 20 is scanned by the scanning means 4 containing the irradiation lamp 2, and the original data (character data) is read in synchronization with the movement of the scanning means 4 (step 535). It is determined whether the character recognition process is specified to be performed by this device or an external device (step 336), and if the character recognition process is specified to be performed by this device, the process advances to step S37, and processing is performed by the external device. Ste Knob S
Proceed to 3B. In step S37, the character data sent from the reading means 3 is sequentially stored in the character data storage processing section 10a, and the character recognition processing section 5a performs character recognition processing using this character data, and the process proceeds to step S38.

When character recognition processing is performed by an external device (step S3
6: YES), the character data is output to the external device via the character data output processing section 7a and the communication processing section 11 (steps S38, S39, 540). When character recognition processing is performed by this device (step 336: NO), the above-mentioned processing is performed in step S37, and then the character recognition data is sent to an external device via the character data output processing section 7a and the communication processing section 11. Output to (step 338S39 540
).

Step S35. S36. S37. S38
．． S39. The operation of S40 is repeated until the entire document 20 has been read (step 541). When the entire document 20 has been read (step S41: YE)
S) In step 42, it is determined whether the current mode is the figure recognition mode, and since it is the character recognition mode (step S36: NO), the process advances to step S43.

A predetermined bandpass filter is set in the specific wavelength band color identification unit 9 so as to erase the character recognition color (red in this example), and the position of the scanning means 4 is returned to the initial state (step 543
). A figure recognition mode for recognizing figures is set (step 544). Thereafter, steps 335 to
In the operation of step S41, the process in which the process related to character data is replaced with the process related to graphic data is performed on the document 2.
Repeat until the entire 0 has been read. Specifically, the process proceeds as follows.

The original 20 is scanned by the scanning means 4 containing the irradiation lamp 2, and the original data (graphic data) is read in synchronization with the movement of the scanning means 4 (step 535). It is determined whether the figure recognition process is specified to be performed by this device or an external device (step 536), and if it is specified to be processed by this device, the process advances to step S37, and the process is performed by the external device. If it is specified, step S3
Proceed to step 8. In step S37, the graphic data sent from the reading means 3 is sequentially stored in the graphic data storage processing unit 10b, and the graphic data is used to store the graphic data in the graphic recognition processing unit 10b.
Figure recognition processing is performed in b, and the process advances to step 338.

When the figure recognition process is performed by an external device (step S3
6: YES), the graphic data is output to the external device via the graphic data output processing section 7b and the communication processing section 11 (steps S38, S39, 540). When the figure recognition process is performed by this device (step S36: NO), the above-mentioned process is performed in step 337, and then the figure recognition data is transferred to the external device via the figure data output processing section 7b and the communication processing section 11. Output to (steps S38゜S39.
540).

Step S35. S36. S37. S38
．． S39. The operation of S40 is repeated until the entire document 20 has been read (step 541). When the entire document 20 has been read (step S41: YE)
S), it is determined in step 342 whether the current mode is the figure recognition mode, and since it is the figure recognition mode (
Step S36: YES), the entire process ends.

As described above, character data and graphic data can be read separately from a document, and these read character data and graphic data can be processed independently.

Next, a second embodiment of this device will be described.

In the first embodiment described above, a bandpass filter was used to erase the color for character recognition, but unlike this, a specific color for removal is used in the document to prevent colors in a specific wavelength band from being recognized. It may be irradiated to The second embodiment has such a configuration.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of this second embodiment. Portions with the same numbers as those in FIG. 1 in the figure indicate the same or corresponding portions, and detailed explanation thereof will be omitted. In this second embodiment, a contact type image sensor is used as the reading means.

A scanning means 4a having a reading means 3a consisting of an irradiation lamp 2a and an amorphous contact sensor is provided below the document table 1a.
The scanning means 4a scans the original 20 while irradiating the image.

In synchronization with the movement of the scanning means 4a, the original data obtained by the light reflected from the original 20 by the irradiation lamp 2a is read by the reading means 3a, and the read original data is sent to the data processing section 5. The document table 1a is provided with scales (vertical and horizontal coordinate axes) as shown in FIG. The operation panel 8 includes a setting switch 8a for setting the neutral color for removal.
and a start switch 8b for starting adjustment of the intermediate color for removal. On the reflected light incident side of the reading means 3a, a sliding specific wavelength band color identification section 9a for identifying only colors in a specific wavelength band, as shown in FIG. 6, is provided. The operation panel 8 is also provided with a removal specific color setting level display section 13 for adjusting the removal specific color, and the removal specific color setting i/bevel display section 13 is as shown in FIG. , a setting color display section 13a that displays the setting color;
It has a recognition color display section 13b that displays a recognition color, a setting level display section 13c that displays a setting level, and a recognition level display section 13d that displays a recognition level. Reference numeral 12 in the figure represents a specific color for removal storage unit that stores a specific color for removal set by an operation described later. Furthermore, irradiation lamp 2
The brightness of a is adjusted by a brightness adjustment mechanism 15. Note that the other configurations are the same as the apparatus of the first embodiment shown in FIG.

Next, the operation of the second embodiment will be explained with reference to FIG. 8, which is a flowchart showing the procedure for setting a specific color for removal in the operation, and FIG. 3 mentioned above.

After placing the original 20 on the original platen 1a, a specific color for removal (red: R1) is applied to prevent recognition of a specific wavelength band color.
green: G, blue: B) (step 551). In step S52, it is determined whether automatic adjustment is being performed,
If it is automatic adjustment, the process advances to step S53, and if it is not automatic adjustment, the process advances to step S71. If automatic adjustment is not performed, that is, if one of R, G, or B is specified as the specific color for removal (step 352: No), it is determined that an intermediate color is not set as the specific color for removal, The set removal specific color setting level and the removal specific color are displayed on the setting level display section 13c and the setting color display section 13a, respectively, and the setting of the removal specific color is completed (step S7).
1. 572).

If it is automatic adjustment (step S52: YES),
The setting switch 8a on the operation panel 8 is turned on, and using the scale attached to the document table 1a, a range of colors in the document 20 in which characters are not to be recognized is designated by coordinate values (step 553). If the specified range is correct (
Step S54: YES), the start switch 8b on the operation panel 8 is turned on. Next, the document 20 is read only for the specified area (step 555).
, the read data is R,G.

The level is calculated for each gradation of B (step 556).
), and stores the level data in the data storage unit IO (step 557). Data for each gradation is classified into similar color data to create a data group (step 858). The data with the largest amount of data is extracted from the classified data group (step 559), and the color obtained from the extracted data is displayed on the recognized color display section 13b (step 560).
.

It is determined whether the color displayed on the recognition color display section 13b is equivalent to a color that does not cause character recognition (step 561).
. If they are equivalent (step S61: YES),
A "YES" signal is input from the operation panel 8, and the process advances to the next step S63. If they are different (step S61:
NO), input a “NO” signal from the operation panel 8,
The process advances to step S62. In step 362, data with the next largest amount of data obtained in step S59 is extracted and displayed on the recognized color display section 13b (step 56
2). This operation is repeated until the color displayed on the recognition color display section 13b becomes equal to the color that does not allow character recognition, and when the color becomes equal, input a "YES" signal from the operation panel 8,
The process advances to the next step S63.

The irradiation lamp 2a has three colors of R, G, and B so that the irradiation light from the irradiation lamp 2a has the desired specific color for removal.
The brightness of each of R, G, and B is adjusted by the brightness adjustment mechanism 15 (step 563). The data within the range specified in step S53 is read again (step 564
), data of colors similar to the specific color for removal are extracted (step 565). The reading level of the data extracted in step S65 is averaged (step 566), and each luminance of RlG and B of the irradiation lamp 2a at that time and the averaged data level are stored in the data storage unit 10, and the averaged data Display the level on the recognition level display section 13d (
step 567).

Check the level of averaged data Step 36
8) Determine whether or not , O (step 569)
. If it is not 0 (step S69: No), it is determined whether the current level is lower than the previous averaged data level (step 570). If the specific color for removal has decreased (step S70: YES), the difference between the specific color for removal extracted in step S65 and the specific color for removal that is currently set is determined by each gradation data level of R, G, and B. Check and return the process to step S63 to correct the color shift. If the level of the averaged data is 0 (step S69: YES), or if it is not lower than the previous averaged data level (step S70: NO), the set removal specific color setting level and removal specific color are determined. are displayed on the recognition level display section 13d and the recognition color display section 13b, respectively (step 571).
. Thereafter, if necessary, the readout level is finely adjusted and the setting of the specific color for removal is completed (step S72.
73. 574) The data of the set specific color for removal is stored in the specific color for removal storage section 12.

Next, a procedure for reading a document after setting the specific color for removal will be described.

After completing the setting of the specific color for removal, proceed to step 8 in Figure 3.
The character data on the document is read by performing the steps shown in steps S31 to S41. Thereafter, similarly to the first embodiment described above, the process proceeds to the procedure for reading graphic data. At this time, by reading the graphic data while irradiating the document 20 with light of a specific color for removal set by the operation procedure shown in FIG. 8 from the irradiation lamp 2a, the graphic data is read while excluding the character data. becomes possible. However, in the second embodiment, the operation in step S43, that is, the operation of setting a filter for erasing the character recognition color, is not performed.

In addition, in each of the above-mentioned embodiments, an example was described in which character recognition processing is performed first and then figure recognition processing is performed.
Of course, the same effect can be obtained even if this is reversed.

In each of the embodiments described above, at least one document is scanned twice in order to distinguish between character data and graphic data, but it is also possible to scan once. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of such a third embodiment, in which the parts with the same numbers as in FIG. 1 indicate the same parts. By providing two systems of reading means 3, 3, with one reading means 3 dedicated to character recognition and the other reading means 3 dedicated to figure recognition, character data and graphic data can be read independently in one scan. can be handled. The operation in the third embodiment is similar to that in the first embodiment shown in FIG. 3, but since the character recognition process and the figure recognition process are performed in parallel, the operations in steps 335 to S41 in FIG. No need to repeat. Note that the scanning/reading method of the third embodiment can also be applied to the second embodiment described above.

In addition, in each of the above-mentioned embodiments, an example was explained in which a character part is shown in a certain wavelength band color and a part shown in another wavelength band color is recognized as a graphic part. It goes without saying that the same process can be performed even if the relationship between the wavelength band color and the graphic part is reversed.

Further, in the first embodiment, a bandpass filter is used in the specific wavelength band color identification unit 9 for recognizing a specific color, but in the same way as the recognition operation of the specific color for removal in the second embodiment, Data read from a document may be classified into R, G, and B gradation data, and only data of a specific color may be extracted.

In addition, in each of the above embodiments, the text and graphic parts were identified by the color obtained by combining R, G, and B and can be identified under visible light. In this case, for example, in the first embodiment,
A filter that transmits only light in the ultraviolet NIAe\4 range is provided in the specific wavelength band color identification section 9.

Furthermore, in each of the above-mentioned embodiments, a method has been described in which the text portion and the graphic portion on the document are expressed in different colors so that the text portion and the graphic portion can be distinguished. It is surrounded by a frame of a specific color that is different from the color of the figure (or figure part), and data that is inside the frame but does not cross the frame is distinguished from data that is outside the frame or crosses the frame. It is also possible to separate recognition by
This is possible with this device. In this case, the data shown in the specific wavelength band color in the first embodiment is read as an identification frame of two characters and is output to an external device.

Further, data obtained by reading the entire document is outputted to an external device as document data. Then, a program on an external device reads the entire document and separates the data into data within the frame of a specific wavelength band color and data outside the frame or across the frame, and processes one of the data for character recognition. The other data is subjected to figure recognition processing. In this case, even for originals in which the text and graphics are drawn in the same color, or in which there is no color distinction between the text and graphics, Character data and graphic data can be identified and processed independently.

Furthermore, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the case where the wavelength band colors are different for the text and the figure was explained, but in addition to the document having this combination of patterns, for example, there is a case where a table and a figure, a table and a letter, a letter, a figure, and a table are mixed. Even for each document to be printed, if each pattern has a different color, the same process as in the above-mentioned embodiment can be performed. Also, shapes (or characters)
Even if the document is fresh, if the wavelength band colors are partially different, it is possible to individually recognize the data of each figure (or each character) with a different color and handle it independently.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, since the reading device of the present invention is configured to be able to identify and recognize each pattern based on the difference in color of each pattern, the read data for each pattern can be handled independently without being influenced by each other. It is possible,
As a result, even when the data of each pattern overlaps with the data obtained by reading the original, the present invention has excellent effects such as making it possible to easily modify or add each pattern.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a first embodiment of the reading device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view of a specific wavelength band color identification section used in the first embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of the first embodiment. Flowchart showing the operation, FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the second embodiment of the reading device of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a top view of the document table used in the second embodiment, and FIG. 6 is the second embodiment. FIG. 7 is a top view of the specific wavelength band color identification unit used in the second embodiment, FIG. 7 is a top view of the removal specific color setting level display unit used in the second embodiment, FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing the operation of the second embodiment, and FIG. The figure is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a third embodiment of the reading device of the present invention, and FIGS. 10 and 11 are schematic diagrams showing the configuration of a conventional reading device. 1.1a... Original table 2, 2a... Irradiation lamp 3
, 3a... Reading means 4, 4a... Scanning means 5
...Control processing section 5a...Character recognition processing section 5b.
. . . Graphic recognition processing section 9.9a . . . Specific wavelength band color identification section 20 . . . Manuscript Note that in the figures, the same reference numerals indicate the same or equivalent parts.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) In a reading device for reading a document in which a plurality of patterns are shown in different colors, an identification means for identifying the color of one pattern among the plurality of patterns and the color of another pattern; A reading device comprising means for individually recognizing the plurality of patterns based on the identification results of the identification means.