JPH06168276A - Electronic filing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable retrieval using an arbitrary page by providing a paging means for switching the display page of displayed reduced image data to an arbitrary page. CONSTITUTION:In display processing 2400, plural pieces of reduced image data preserved in an external storage device by image reduction processing are read out and displayed on a display device. Next, in image selection processing 2500, an image to be the object of paging processing 2600 is selected. Concretely, when any specified reduced image is instructed by an operator while using an instructing device a mark expressing the instruction is added to that reduced image. Then, in the paging processing 2600, the display page of the image selected by the image selection processing 2500 is switched. When the operator performs any instruction by using the instructing device in this case, the image data of a page next to the selected image are read from the external storage device and displayed on the display device.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a search method for an electronic filing system for recording and saving document image data and reusing it.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a method such as a keyword search has been used as a method for searching an image recorded in an electronic filing system. In addition, there are a search method of displaying a recorded image on a display which is a display device, and a method of registering a part of an image as an image index in advance when an image is input and using the index image as the search image. The method of displaying an image and performing a search is often used in combination with a keyword search. That is, it is difficult to narrow down the required images to one in the keyword search, so a plurality of images obtained in the keyword search are displayed and visually checked to make a final search. The search method to display images is not limited to the combination with keyword search,
It is often used as a means for further narrowing down some images narrowed down by some method to finally necessary images.

[0003]

By the way, as a method of displaying an image and searching it, a method of displaying it on a display which is a display device is generally used, but since the area that can be displayed on the display is limited, As shown in FIG. 10, there is a method of displaying a part of the image on the display. In the method of FIG. 10, only a part of the image can be displayed. Therefore, in order to confirm the whole image, it is necessary to scroll the screen, and there is a problem that only one image can be displayed at any time.

A search method for solving the problem of FIG.
1, there is a method of displaying a plurality of reduced images. However, in the search method of FIG. 11, the image of the first page is always used for the search even when each image is made up of a plurality of pages,
The second and subsequent pages could not be used for the search.

The present invention solves such a problem, and in a search method for displaying a plurality of reduced images, it is possible to search using any page without limiting the search image to the first page of each image. The purpose is to do.

[0006]

The electronic filing system of the present invention stores an image inputting means for inputting document image data consisting of one page or a plurality of pages and image data input by the image inputting means in a storage device. Image saving means, an image reducing means for reducing the image data saved by the image saving means to create reduced image data, and a plurality of files of the reduced image data reduced by the image reducing means are simultaneously displayed on the display device. Display means for displaying, page turning means 1 for independently displaying an arbitrary page for each displayed reduced image data, page turning means 2 for simultaneously switching pages of a plurality of displayed reduced image data, and each reduced image. It is characterized by comprising a plurality of page display means for simultaneously displaying a plurality of pages in the same file of data on a display device.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the electronic filing system of the present invention. CPU 10 for controlling each process
And a ROM 20 for recording each means as a processing program
A RAM 30 for temporarily recording each processing result, an image capturing device 40 such as a scanner, a hard disk,
Magneto-optical disk, floppy disk, magnetic tape, I
An external storage device 41 such as a C memory card, a display device 42 such as a display, and an instruction device 43 such as a mouse are provided.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of a process of capturing image data consisting of one page or a plurality of pages by using the image capturing device 40 and registering it in the external storage device 41.

First, an image input process 2 which is an image input means.
100 will be described. The image input processing 2100 is performed by reading by the operator using the image capturing device 40. Specifically, a document image is read using the image capturing device 40 under the control of the CPU according to an operator's image input instruction.

Next, an image saving process 2 which is an image saving means.
200 will be described. The image storage process 2200 records the image data input in the image input process 2100 in the external storage device 41. At this time, the operator may add a search keyword or reference number to each image data. Further, in the image saving process 2200, the image data may be compressed and encoded before being recorded.

Next, image reduction processing 2 which is image reduction means
300 will be described. The image reduction processing 2300 reads a plurality of image data recorded in the external storage device 41, converts the image data into reduced image data having a specific size or less, and then writes the reduced image data in the external storage device 41 again. When the size of the image data read from the external storage device 41 is equal to or smaller than a specific size, the image does not have to be reduced.

In the image saving process 2200, the image data is converted into JBIG (JointBilevel Image).
Group) and the like and then save the image, it is automatically saved together with reduced images of various sizes. Therefore, reduced images of appropriate sizes may be used. At this time, the image reduction processing 2300 is absorbed by the compression encoding performed in the image storage processing 2200.

FIG. 1 shows a process of retrieving a target image by displaying the image data registered in the external storage device 41 on the display device 42 and switching the image data to be displayed by the operator's operation of the instruction device 43. It is a flow chart.

First, the display processing 2400 which is the display means will be described with reference to FIG. The display process 2400 reads out the plurality of reduced image data stored in the external storage device 41 in the image reduction process 2300 and causes the display device 42 to display the reduced image data. FIG. 4 shows a display device 4 according to the display process 2400.
This is a schematic representation of the screen displayed in 2, in which six reduced images are displayed. The reduced images displayed on the screen are image α1 (24
03), image β1 (2404), image γ1 (2405)
, And the image δ1 (240
6), image ε1 (2407) and image ζ1 (2408). Note that the button [NEXT_PAGE]
2601 and [BACK_PAGE] 2602 will be described later.

Here, the number of images that can be displayed on the display device is n (n = 6 in the example of FIG. 4). External storage device 41
If it is not possible to display all the reduced image data recorded on the display device 42, the external storage device 4 is initially used.
The n reduced images recorded in 1 are displayed. Pointing device 4
When the button [NEXT] 2401 is instructed with 3, the next n
Display the reduced images of each and press the button [BACK] 2402.
When n is displayed, the previous n reduced images are displayed, and a large number of image data can be confirmed.

When the number of recorded images is very large, a keyword or the like is added to each image data and the display processing 240
In 0, only the image data to which the keyword designated by the operator is added may be displayed.

Next, the image selection processing 2500 will be described with reference to FIG.
Will be described with reference to FIG. In the image selection processing 2500,
An image to be the target of the page turning process 2600 is selected.
Specifically, when the operator uses the instruction device 43 to instruct a specific reduced image, the reduced image is provided with a marker indicating the instruction.

FIG. 5 shows the indicating device 4 in the state of FIG.
3 is the result of instructing the image β1 (2404) in 3. When a mouse is used as the pointing device 43, the operation of clicking the left mouse button on the image to be selected may be selected. The image clicked with the mouse displays a marker 2501 that clearly indicates that the image has been selected. In FIG. 5, a filled square mark is added to the lower right corner of the selected image as a marker, but it is indicated that the frame surrounding the image is doubled or black and white of the image are reversed. May be represented.

When it is desired to cancel the selection of an image such as when an incorrect image is selected, the selection can be canceled by clicking the right mouse button on the image. For example, when the right mouse button is clicked on the image β1 (2404) in the state of FIG. 5, the image β1 (240
The selection of 4) is canceled and the state returns to the state of FIG.

Next, the page turning process 2600 will be described with reference to FIG.
Will be described with reference to FIG. In the page turning process 2600,
The display page of the image selected in the image selection processing 2500 is switched. Specifically, when the operator instructs the button [NEXT_PAGE] 2601 with the instruction device 43,
The image data of the next page of the selected image is stored in the external storage device 41.
It is read from and displayed on the display device 42. Also, when the button [BACK_PAGE] 2602 is instructed,
The image data of the previous page of the selected image is stored in the external storage device 41.
It is read from and displayed on the display device 42.

FIG. 6 shows a button [NEXT_PAGE] using the operator's instruction device 43 in the state of FIG.
This is the result of the page turning process 2600 being executed according to the instruction 2601. Image β1 (24 selected in FIG. 5
The display page of 04) becomes the next page, and the image β2 (2603) is displayed. At this time, other images do not change. further,
On the pointing device 43, the button [NEXT_PAGE] 2601
Each time is designated, .beta.3, .beta.4 and the display page advance. In addition, when the button [BACK_PAGE] 2602 is selected in the state of FIG. 6, the display page of the selected image becomes the previous page, so the state returns to the state of FIG.

FIG. 7 shows a result of further selecting the image α1 (2403) and the image δ1 (2406) by the pointing device 43 in the state of FIG. 6 in which the image β2 (2501) is selected. The selection of the image β2 (2501) is held as it is, and the selection of the image α1 (2403) and the image δ1 (2406) is added.

FIG. 8 shows the result of the page turning process 2600 being executed in the state of FIG. Selected image α1 (2403), image β2 (2603) and image δ1
The display page of the three images of (2406) is updated to the next page,
Image α2 (2604), image β3 (2605), image δ
2 (2606) is displayed.

Although the reduced image data to be displayed is always read from the external storage device 41, it is displayed on the display device 42 when the button [NEXT_PAGE] 2601 is instructed in order to execute the processing at high speed. All the reduced images are temporarily stored in the RAM 30, and when the button [BACK_PAGE] 2602 is instructed,
The reduced image data may be read from the RAM 30.

Next, the multiple page display processing 2700 which is a multiple page display means will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 9. In the multiple page display process 2700, multiple pages of the image instructed by the instruction device 43 are displayed. Specifically, when the operator uses the instruction device 43 to instruct an arbitrary reduced image, reduced image data of a plurality of pages of the instructed reduced image is read from the external storage device 41 and displayed on the display device 42. . Since the image selection processing 2500 also performs processing by instructing a specific image with the instruction device 43, for example, if the instruction device 43 instructs the upper half of the image, the image selection processing 250
0, and if the lower half of the image is specified, multiple page display processing 2
It is sufficient to perform 700.

FIG. 9 shows the result of the operator instructing the image β1 (2404) using the instruction device 43 in the state of FIG. When a mouse is used as the pointing device 43, clicking the left button of the mouse on a certain reduced image (clicking in the lower half of the image) may be the instruction of the image. By the multiple page display processing 2700, the display device 42
Contains images β1 (2404), β2 (2603), ...
., .Beta.m (2704) (here, m = 6) is displayed. If all pages cannot be displayed on the display screen, press the button [NEXT] 2401 to display the next m pages,
The button [BACK] 2402 is instructed to return to the display of the previous m page. In FIG. 9, the button [NE displayed in FIG. 4 is displayed.
XT_PAGE] 2601 and [BACK_PAGE] 2
602 disappears because it is not operated, and a new button [L
_QUIT] 2701 is displayed. When the operator no longer needs to display multiple pages, the button [L_Q
If UIT] 2701 is designated, the screen of a plurality of pages ends. At this point, the reduced image data displayed on the screen before the multi-page display process 2700 is executed is read again from the external storage device 41 and displayed, so the screen returns to the screen of FIG.

The reduced image data to be displayed is always read from the external storage device 41. However, in order to execute the process at high speed, the reduced image data is displayed before the image is switched to the multiple page display in the multiple page display process 2700. All the reduced images displayed on the device 42 are temporarily stored in the RAM 30,
When the button [L_QUIT] 2701 is instructed,
The reduced image data may be read from the RAM 30 and displayed.

In the multi-page display processing 2700, the images βi (i = 1, i = 1, i = 1, i) in FIG. 5, FIG. 6, FIG. 7 and FIG.
2, 3) (2404, 2603, 2604) is instructed, the screen in FIG. 9 is displayed, and the button [L_QUIT] 2701 is displayed.
With, it is possible to return to the image before the execution of the multi-page display process.

In this embodiment, each process is a program recorded in the ROM, but it may be configured by dedicated hardware.

The reduced image data may not be recorded in the external storage device 41 in advance as in the present embodiment, but may be generated from each original image when performing a search.

[0031]

According to the invention as described above, not only the first page but also the second and subsequent pages can be referred to for the retrieval operation.

Since it is possible to turn all image data together, it is possible to search for an image that remembers the characteristics of only a specific page, such as the second or third page of the image to be searched. it can.

Since all the images can be displayed on the same page, even if the features of all the images to be retrieved are not on the first page, the retrieval can be performed based on more appropriate clues. For example, it is possible to perform a search by using a figure as a clue in a document in which the figure is collected on the final page like a patent publication.

Further, since the desired image can be advanced page by page, it is easy to confirm the images of the second and subsequent pages on the search screen. Furthermore, since pages of a plurality of images can be advanced at the same time, images can be compared page by page.

It is possible to confirm a plurality of pages at once. It can be used when you want to know the outline of images of multiple figures on multiple pages or when you want to check the layout of document images.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a search according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a block configuration of an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of image storage according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an initial display screen of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a display screen when an image is selected.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a display screen when turning pages.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a display screen when image selection is added.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a display screen when turning pages.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a display screen of a plurality of pages.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a first example of a conventional search screen.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a second example of a conventional search screen.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 CPU 20 ROM 30 RAM 40 Image Capture Device 41 External Storage Device 42 Display Device 43 Indication Device 2100 Image Input Processing 2200 Image Saving Processing 2300 Image Reduction Processing 2400 Display Processing 2500 Image Selection Processing 2600 Page Turning Processing 2700 Multiple Page Display Processing

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An image input unit for inputting document image data consisting of one page or a plurality of pages, an image storage unit for storing the image data input by the image input unit in a storage unit, and the image storage unit for storing the image data. In an electronic filing system including an image reducing means for reducing the generated image data to generate reduced image data, and a display means for simultaneously displaying a plurality of files of the reduced image data reduced by the image reducing means on a display device. An electronic filing system having page turning means for switching a display page of each reduced image data displayed on the display means to an arbitrary page. 2. The electronic filing device according to claim 1, wherein the page turning means has a page turning means 1 for turning pages independently for each reduced image data displayed by the display means. system. 3. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the page turning means has a page turning means 2 for turning pages of the plurality of reduced image data displayed on the display means at the same time. Filing system. 4. The page turning means includes a page turning means 1 for turning pages independently for each reduced image data displayed on the display means, and a plurality of reduced image pages displayed on the display means. 2. The electronic filing system according to claim 1, further comprising page turning means 2 for turning over at the same time. 5. An image input unit for inputting document image data consisting of one page or a plurality of pages, an image storing unit for storing the image data input by the image input unit in a storage unit, and the image storing unit for storing the image data. An electronic filing system comprising: an image reducing means for reducing the generated image data to generate reduced image data; and a display means for simultaneously displaying a plurality of reduced image data reduced by the image reducing means on a display device. An electronic filing system comprising a plurality of page display means for simultaneously displaying a plurality of pages in the same file of each reduced image data displayed by the display means on a display device.