JPH05113749A - Map information retrieval-output system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a map information retrieval-output system rapidly and easily providing a map to reach the destination. CONSTITUTION:An address is recognized in a recognition part 13 on the basis of image data received from facsimile devices (terminal devices) 2, 3. On the basis of this recognized result, an output part 15 performs the retrieval of a map information file 17, specifies the image data corresponding to the recognized result, and reads it out. A processing part 12 transmits the image data, read by the output part 15, as a response to the previously received image data toward the terminal devices 2, 3.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a map information retrieval / output system capable of easily obtaining a map of a destination.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, when the route to the destination or the destination itself is not known due to the delivery of ordered items in a store or the field survey of a real estate agent, a relatively small scale map is purchased and the address is returned. It is necessary to search for a destination based on the name or name, or to obtain geographical information near the destination from a resident who lives near the destination using a telephone or Facsimile.

Recently, printed maps (map books)
In place of this, the map converted into image data is stored on the optical disc, and the optical disc is read out by using the address code or the like for identifying the image data near the desired destination in the image data, and the readout result A device for outputting the output to a display or a printer has been put into practical use. The address code is a parameter for determining the reading position of the optical disc, and is a numerical information of the destination address.

[0004]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] When searching for a destination by purchasing a map book, only ambiguous information can be obtained if the time and effort required to perform a visual search on the map are high. There was a problem that it was difficult to quickly arrive at. Further, in the case of a device that uses an optical disc, the introduction cost is relatively high, so if the frequency of use is not high, the economic burden and the effect of use cannot be balanced, and further, specialized knowledge is required for operation. There was a problem that was necessary and difficult to introduce easily. Furthermore, while the user is engaged in the map search, he cannot engage in other work, for example, work such as collecting delivery items, which causes a problem that the efficiency of business execution is reduced. The present invention has been made with attention to the above points, and it is possible to quickly and easily obtain a map information search map that can reach a destination.
The purpose is to provide an output system.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems] Map information retrieval according to the present invention
The output system reads the address written on the medium, transmits the generated image data to the communication line, and prints the image data received via the communication line; and the terminal device. A recognition unit that recognizes the address based on the received image data, a map information file that stores map image data, and an output that specifies the corresponding image data on the map information file based on the address. And a processing unit for reading the image data corresponding to the address from the map information file and transmitting the image data to the terminal device.

[0006]

In this system, the recognition section recognizes the address based on the image data received from the terminal device. Based on the recognition result, the output unit searches the map information file, specifies the image data corresponding to the recognition result, and reads it. The processing unit sends the image data read by the output unit to the terminal device as a response to the previously received image data.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows a system conceptual diagram of the present invention. As shown in the figure, in the system 1 of the present invention, facsimile devices (terminal devices) 2 and 3 are prepared as devices on the transmission side, and telephone lines (communication lines) to the facsimile devices 2 and 3 as devices on the reception side. Center device 5 connected via 4
Is prepared. The center device 5 includes a facsimile unit 11, a processing unit 12, a recognition unit 13, a knowledge processing unit 14, an output unit 15, an address name dictionary 16 and a map information file 1.
7 is provided.

The facsimile section 11 transmits / receives facsimile data (image data) to / from the telephone line 4, and further performs compression / expansion of image data. The processing unit 12 is composed of a memory configured of a RAM or the like for storing image data or the like transmitted / received by the facsimile unit 11, a processor for controlling each unit configuring the center device 5, and the like.

The recognition unit 13 recognizes characters from the image data received by the facsimile unit 11,
It is composed of a known character recognition device. The knowledge processing unit 14 refers to the address name dictionary 16 described later,
The character recognized by the recognition unit 13 is converted into an address code. The address name dictionary 16 is composed of a storage medium such as a magnetic disk device that stores a conversion table that associates the characters (character codes) recognized by the recognition unit 13 with the address codes.

The structure of the address name dictionary 16 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of the address name dictionary 16 according to the present invention. As shown in the figure, the address name dictionary 16 has two layers, and the upper layer 16a associates the character data indicating the prefecture and ward city group name with the town and village dictionary code C1 for specifying the lower layer 16b. is there. Lower hierarchy 1 specified by the town and village dictionary code C1
6b corresponds to an address following the prefecture and ward city group, for example, a town and village name and an address, and a specific position on the map information file 17 described later, that is, an address name used as a key for referring to the address name dictionary. The storage positions of the image data to be stored are associated with each other. For example, when the character recognition result is “53, Shojimachi, Takasaki-shi, Gunma”, the town and village dictionary code “10006” is provided in the upper layer 16a, and the destination horizontal position “045” and the destination vertical position are provided in the lower layer 16b. Information of "032" can be acquired.

Returning to FIG. 1 again, the output unit 15 reads the image data from the map information file 17 and controls the transmission processing to the telephone line 4 by the facsimile unit 11. The map information file 17 is composed of a storage medium such as an optical disk for storing map image data.

Next, the structure of the map information file 17 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram of the map information file 17 according to the present invention. As shown in the figure, the map information file 17 is composed of files for each ward / city group, and each file stores image data managed by a two-dimensional address. Here, it is assumed that one file is composed of 1000 × 1000 pieces of image data specified by address (0,0) to address (999,999). The image data of the address described above with reference to FIG.
It is stored in the address (45, 32) of 06 ″.

Returning to FIG. 1, the operation of the system of the present invention will be described. For example, when a customer who operates the facsimile device 2 wants to obtain a map of the address "53, Shoji-cho, Takasaki-shi, Gunma", he / she writes the address on a map information output request sheet whose standard is determined in advance, and the center device 5 Send to.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram of the map information output request slip. As shown in the figure, at a preset position on the map information output request form P, a plurality of description frames P1 for describing an address are provided. The size and arrangement position of the description frame P1 are fixedly set, and for example, one description frame P1
Are 10 mm squares and are arranged at 2 mm intervals. In this description frame P1, after describing the characters indicating the address one by one, using the facsimile device 2, the center device 5
To send to. The map information output request form P has an ID (Sheet I) for specifying the standard of this form.
D) is printed.

On the other hand, the recognition unit 13 uses the map information output request form P
A table for specifying the format of the form is prepared in order to grasp the position of the upper description frame P1 and perform the recognition process only for the characters described in the description frame P1. FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram of a format table.
In the format table 20 shown in the figure, first, a line number item 21 for specifying how many lines of the description frame P1 are arranged is prepared.

After that, a position item 22 indicating the vertical position of one character on the first line (writing frame P1), a position item 23 indicating a horizontal position of one character on the first line (writing frame P1), a first line An interval item 24 indicating the character interval (arrangement interval of the description frame P1) of
Then, a character number item 25 indicating the number of characters in the first line (the number of description frames P1) is provided. After that, when the description frame P1 of n lines is provided on the form P, the items up to the nth item are provided.

Returning to FIG. 1, the operation of the center device 5 when the contents of the map information output request slip P is received will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a flowchart according to the present invention. The image data showing the contents of the map information output request slip P is normally received by the facsimile section 11 in a data compressed state (step S1). The facsimile section 11 decompresses the received image data and, together with the telephone number sent from the other party, the processing section 12
Output to.

The processing unit 12 writes the image data and the telephone number in the internal memory and temporarily stores them. Further, the image data is output to the recognition unit 13 (step S2). The recognition unit 13 refers to the format table 20 and the image data and refers to the description frame P
Character recognition of the image data corresponding to the position where 1 is arranged is performed and conversion into a predetermined character code is performed (step S3). The recognition result of the recognition unit 13 is output to the knowledge processing unit 14. The knowledge processing unit 14 continues the character code of the recognition result, generates a character string having a meaning as an address while referring to the address name dictionary 16, and acquires the address code (step S4).

After that, the knowledge processing section 14 outputs an address code corresponding to the recognition result (received image data) of the recognition section 13 to the output section 15. In the output unit 15,
The map information file 17 is searched using the address code as a key, the image data corresponding to the address described in the map information output request form P is read, and the read image data is output to the processing unit 12 (step S5). .. The processing unit 12 receives the image data from the output unit 15,
In order to transmit the image data to the facsimile device 2, the response image data of a preset predetermined format is combined (step S6), the facsimile unit 11 is driven, and the image data for response (map information) is sent to the facsimile device 2. For output (step S7).

Here, the response image data will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. FIG. 7 is a first operation explanatory diagram of the processing unit 12. As shown in the figure, the processing unit 12 is provided with a memory 12a for storing image data transmitted and received using the facsimile unit 11.
The memory 12a is provided with first to third storage areas M1 to M3. First and second storage areas M1, M2
Are areas for storing the received telephone numbers and image data (contents of the map information output request slip), respectively.
The third storage area M3 is an area for storing map information corresponding to the received address, and the composition of the response image data is
It is realized by writing map information in the third storage area M3.

When the composition of the response image data is completed, the processing section 12 reads out the telephone number from the first area M1 to identify the other party to be transmitted, and then the second and third areas.
The contents of the storage areas M2 and M3 are sequentially read, and the facsimile unit 11 is driven and transmitted. FIG. 8 shows a first configuration diagram of the response image data. By reading the second and third storage areas M2 and M3, the image data I indicating the contents of the map information output request slip received earlier is displayed.
The image data Ib of a and the map information will be transmitted.

Now, it is assumed that the contents of the image data Ia and the image data Ib forming the response image data do not match. The cause may be a case where the recognition unit 13 is erroneously recognized. When such a situation occurs, it is necessary to operate the facsimile device 2 to retransmit the map information output request slip. When performing this re-transmission, it is desirable to take measures to avoid the situation of being erroneously recognized again. As one of the countermeasures, it may be possible to grasp the characters that are erroneously recognized and rewrite them correctly.

Here, a modified example for avoiding a situation in which the map information output request form is repeatedly retransmitted will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10. FIG. 9 shows a second operation explanatory diagram of the processing unit 12. This is to prepare a character font ROM 12b for obtaining font data (image data) by referring to the character code in the processing unit 12, convert the character code obtained as a result of character recognition by the recognition unit 13 into image data, and store it in the memory. Write to the fourth storage area M4 on 12a.

FIG. 10 shows a second configuration diagram of the response image data. In this case, after reading the first storage area M1, the second, fourth, and third storage areas M2, M
4, M3 will be read. Therefore, the image data Ia showing the contents of the map information output request slip P received earlier and the image data Ic showing the result of character recognition,
Then, the image data Ib of the map information is transmitted. In this way, by transmitting the result of character recognition on the side of the center device 5, it is possible to easily recognize the erroneously recognized character.

Next, the format of the map information output request form P is uniquely determined, and the reading position is set,
Since it is not necessary to perform character recognition processing on all received image data, processing time can be shortened. Here, a modified example of the present invention will be described. FIG. 11: is explanatory drawing which concerns on the modification of this invention. Figure 4 earlier
Instead of the map information output request slip P shown in, the paper on which the ruled lines are printed is used. Also, to indicate the beginning of a character string,
In addition to the usual address, the pre-arranged symbol @, for example, shall be described. Since no ID such as the map information output request form P is printed on this sheet, the recognition unit 1
3 shifts to the operation mode in which the character recognition of the paper on which the ruled line and the symbol @ are written is executed.

The operation of the recognition unit 13 when the modification of the present invention is carried out will be described with reference to FIG. When the recognition unit 13 cannot recognize the ID from the received image data, the recognition unit 13 sequentially scans from the beginning of the received image data to detect horizontal ruled lines (step S).
11). Then, it is determined that there is no horizontal ruled line (step S12), and if the determination result is NO, that is, if a horizontal ruled line exists, the position of this horizontal ruled line is stored in an internal register or the like as the upper end of the area for character recognition. Yes (step S1
3).

Thereafter, the horizontal ruled line is detected again (step S1).
4) and determination (step S15) are performed. If the result of step S15 is NO, the position of this ruled line is stored in the internal register or the like as the lower end of the area for character recognition (step S16). The recognition unit 13 detects a special symbol from the area specified by the two ruled lines (step S17) and determines whether there is no special symbol (symbol @) (step S18). When the result is NO, that is, when the symbol @ is detected, character recognition of the area adjacent to this symbol @ is executed (step S19).

When the character recognition is completed, in order to set an area for carrying out a new character recognition, the content stored as the lower end position of the ruled line is set as the upper end position and a new lower end position is searched ( Step S20) and the process returns to step S14. If the results of steps S12 and S15 are YES, it is determined that there is no content for character recognition, and the process is immediately terminated.

According to the modified example described above, since general-purpose paper is used, it is not necessary to prepare a predetermined paper, and the system can be used more easily.

[0030]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to prepare the latest map at hand, perform troublesome work such as making inquiries to residents in the neighborhood of the destination, and do not perform complicated machine operation. , It is possible to easily provide the desired map. Furthermore, after the address is written and sent to the center device, it is only necessary to wait for the response to be returned automatically, so while waiting for the response, For example, it is possible to engage in work such as collecting delivery items.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of an address name dictionary according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram of a map information file according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram of a map information output request slip.

FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram of a format table.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a first operation explanatory diagram of the processing unit.

FIG. 8 is a first configuration diagram of response image data.

FIG. 9 is a second operation explanatory diagram of the processing unit.

FIG. 10 is a second configuration diagram of response image data.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram according to a modified example of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart according to a modified example of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2, 3 Facsimile device (terminal device) 12 Processing unit 13 Recognition unit 14 Knowledge processing unit 15 Output unit 16 Address name dictionary 17 Map information file

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Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A terminal device which reads an address written on a medium, transmits the generated image data to a communication line, and prints the image data received via the communication line, and the terminal device. A recognition unit that recognizes the address based on the image data received from the map information file, a map information file that stores the image data of the map, and the corresponding image data on the map information file based on the address. A map information search / output system comprising: an output unit; and a processing unit that reads out the image data corresponding to the address from the map information file and transmits the image data to the terminal device.