JP2001202471A - Data entry system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a data entry system which can effectively carry out the slip correction processing. SOLUTION: This data entry system includes a terminal system 1 which reads a slip image to recognize the characters and also detects a mark and a rectangular range including the mark and a center system 2 which displays at last the image in the rectangular range and a data input column out of the slip image and updates the result of character recognition according to the correction additional data which are inputted in response to the said display.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a data entry system which is particularly applied to a system for processing form data and which improves the correction processing of the form data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a system for processing data recorded (handwritten or printed) on a form such as an insurance application form by using an optical character reader (hereinafter referred to as OCR). As a specific application example of such a system, for example, an OCR is installed at a branch of an insurance company or the like, and the OCR is connected to a host system installed at an office or the like via a data communication line. Something was done.

Here, the OCR is composed of, for example, a personal computer on which a scanner and character recognition software are installed. The host system is constituted by a data processing system including, for example, a server, a LAN (local area network), and a data terminal device including a personal computer.

Various data recorded on a form are read by the OCR, and the read data (character recognition result and image data of the form image) are transmitted to a host system such as an office center. The host system stores the received read data and executes data processing.

[0005] By the way, in a form such as an insurance application form, for example, in accordance with a contract renewal or various status changes (content changes including a change in address, etc.), the contents of the description need to be corrected or changed (hereinafter referred to as information necessary for a new description). These are collectively referred to as additional correction information). The input processing of correction additional information (data correction processing) is performed by the operator operating the OCR while referring to the original form at the branch or the like.

[0006] In short, conventionally, a form reading process,
The data correction processing is performed at the same site such as a branch. However, in such a system, the processing load at the branch is large, and there is a problem in terms of data processing efficiency. Therefore, it is desirable to use a centralized center system that distinguishes between a form reading process using OCR and a data correcting process.

[0007]

As a system for processing data recorded in a form as described above, a centralized center system capable of improving processing efficiency is desirable. In the centralized center system, for example, the form data is read by an OCR installed in a branch or the like, and the read result is transmitted to an office center or the like. Then, in the office center, data correction processing is performed collectively.

In order to realize such a centralized center system, there is no original form of the target form when the data correction processing is performed on the office center side. Therefore, a function of performing the correction processing while viewing the form image (image data). Is required.
In addition, since there is no original form including the correction contents, it is necessary to transmit the result of reading the original form by OCR (image data of a form image, character recognition result, and additional correction information) from the branch to the office center. In short, in order to realize the centralized center system, a system is required that converts the contents of correction into data on the branch side and transmits the data, and the office center side can efficiently execute the correction processing.

An object of the present invention is to provide a system that can efficiently execute a form correction process.

[0010]

According to the present invention, there is provided a data entry system comprising a center system and a terminal system. The terminal system reads and identifies the contents of a form, and transmits the identification result to the center system. Wherein the terminal system reads the form in a predetermined format and recognizes the contents described in the form, and information or correction to be newly added to the form by the center system in the form. When a mark indicating a place where information to be written is given is provided, a detecting means for detecting position information provided with the mark, a recognition result recognized by the recognizing means, Output means for outputting, to the center system, position information to which the detected mark is attached, wherein the center system A storage unit for storing predetermined format information of a form, and the contents of the form read on the terminal system side are displayed using the format information of the form stored in the storage unit. When a mark is given to the form, the new information or the correction information of the form is identifiably displayed based on the position information output from the terminal system side, and the new information or the correction information is input. Display means for displaying a data input field; input means for inputting predetermined information into the data input field based on new information or correction information of a form identifiably displayed on the display means; Updating means for updating the identification content of the form sent from the terminal system based on the information input in step (1).

As a result, the present invention can realize a data entry system capable of efficiently performing a form correction process.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main part of a data entry system relating to the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining a configuration of a center system relating to the embodiment.

(System Configuration) As shown in FIG. 1, in the data entry system, a terminal system (transmission side system) 1 and a center system (reception side system) 2 are connected via a data communication line (public line) 3. Connected and configured. The terminal system 1 corresponds to, for example, a computer system such as a branch of an insurance company, and has a function of mainly executing a form reading process. The center system 2 corresponds to, for example, a host system such as an office center of an insurance company and has a function of executing a batch correction process of a form.

The terminal system 1 has a plurality of OCRs 15 each including a personal computer (PC) 10 and a color scanner 11. Each OCR 15 is a LAN
12 together with the PC server 13 to form a computer network. The PC server 13
A form reading result (character recognition result and image data indicating a black and white image of the form) output from each OCR 15 and rectangular information to be described later are transmitted to the data communication line 3.

The OCR 15 scans a form by the color scanner 11 and reads form images such as characters and figures printed or written on the form as color image data. The PC 10 has a function of storing software necessary for character recognition and software necessary for generating rectangular information related to the embodiment, and generating information necessary for a form correction process described later.

The center system 2 is, as shown in FIG.
It is composed of a plurality of personal computers PC 20 connected to a LAN 21, a PC server 22, and a file device 23. The PC server 22 is a main element of the host system connected to the LAN 21, and controls batch correction processing of a form related to the embodiment. The file device 23 stores a file 23A that records a color form image (color image data) of an original form in a state where a plurality of forms used in the embodiment are not used.
The PC server 22 receives information from the terminal system 1 via the data communication line 3 and stores the information in the file device 23.

The PC 20 has software for executing a form correction process related to the embodiment, and has a function of inputting correction contents from a correction screen (correction addition input screen) as described later. I have.

(Processing Procedure of Terminal System) As an operation of this embodiment, a processing procedure of the terminal system 1 on the transmitting side will be described with reference to flowcharts of FIGS. 3 to 5 and FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3, the form 30 according to the embodiment corresponds to, for example, an insurance contract application form, a field 31 for printing or entering various input data, and a reference number (for example, insurance policy number). ) Are printed or filled in, and a field 33 in which a predetermined ID code is recorded is printed. In the data item field 31, an item code (100, 101, 200, 201, etc.) assigned to each input data item is printed. The contents of the input data can be identified by these item codes. The ID code is a form ID (format identification information) of the form 30, and is an OCR (PC
10 is associated with the format control information (FC information) of the character recognition software stored in the storage device 10.

As shown in FIG. 3, the form 30 includes
The first number “2” entered corresponding to item code 200
000 "is corrected to" 1800 "and the corrected number" 2
000 "has a correction line consisting of double horizontal bars. Further, it is assumed that a mark 40 for indicating the area where the corrected data exists is written on the form 30 by a pen of a predetermined specific color (here, red). That is, this means that the correction additional information (correction data) exists in the area specified by the mark 40.

In the terminal system 1, first, the form 30 is read by the color scanner 11, and color image data indicating a color image of the form is input to the PC 10 (step S1). The PC 10 processes the input color image data to generate black binary image data (black and white image of a form), performs character recognition processing on the character image included in the black binary image data, and performs character recognition. A recognition result is obtained (step S2).

Next, the PC 10 processes the color image data representing the color form image input from the color scanner 11 to generate red binary image data (step S3). The red binary image data indicates a red form image in the form.

Next, the PC 10 generates correction processing information necessary for input processing of correction additional information (data correction processing) (step S4). First, the mark 40 is detected based on the red binary image data generated in step S3. Based on the area indicated by the detected mark 40,
Rectangle information indicating an area where correction additional information as correction information is written is generated. This rectangular information is, as shown in FIG. 4, a rectangular area 41 including the area specified by the mark 40.
Are the coordinates (Xs, Ys) of the upper left corner and the coordinates (Xe, Ye) of the lower right corner. These coordinates indicate the position in the entire form image.

Next, it is determined whether or not the correction additional information exists in the rectangular area 41 (step S5). This determination is made as follows. First, in the already generated black binary image data, in the rectangular area 41 defined by the coordinates (Xs, Ys) of the upper left corner and the coordinates (Xe, Ye) of the lower right corner, a black block including the correction line 42 is included. , And the coordinates (A, B) of the upper left corner and the coordinates (C, D) of the lower right corner of the rectangular image 50 are detected. Then, when the rectangular image 50 is included in the range of the rectangular area 41, it is determined that the additional correction information (correction data) exists in the rectangular image 50. In the case where there are a plurality of rectangular images composed of black blocks including a correction line within the rectangular area 41,
It is determined that correction additional information (correction data) exists in each of the plurality of rectangular images. Here, the detection of the rectangular image 50 composed of black blocks including the correction line 42 is performed by detecting the size of the projection formed from the histogram obtained by counting the number of black bits in the horizontal and vertical directions in the rectangular area 41. Black blocks and correction lines can be detected based on the number of bits and the number of black bits. When the number of black bits is counted in the horizontal direction, if there is a peak in the histogram, it can be determined that a correction line exists at the position in the horizontal direction. Detecting a black block and a correction line based on the projection composed of the histogram of the black bits is based on a technique used in the conventional detection and cutout processing of a character image to be recognized in OCR. Detailed description is omitted.

When a black block containing no correction line is detected in the rectangular area 41, it is determined whether the area of the black block is equal to or larger than a predetermined value. A black block whose area is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value is determined to be noise. When a black block having a predetermined area or more is detected, a rectangular image formed of the black block is detected, and the coordinates (A, B) of the upper left corner of the rectangular image are detected.
And the coordinates (C, D) of the lower right corner are detected. When the rectangular image is included in the range of the rectangular area 41, the correction additional information (correction data) is included in the rectangular image.
Is determined to exist. The reason that it is determined that the correction additional information (correction data) is present in the rectangular image including the black blocks that do not include the correction line is determined, for example, in the column corresponding to the item code 600 as shown in FIG. This is the case where the number “4500” is entered.

If it is determined in step S5 that the additional correction information (correction data) is present, the PC 10 determines whether the character recognition result of the form is present, the black binary image data indicating the monochrome image of the form, and the rectangle. The information is output to the PC server 13. The PC server 13 transmits the character recognition result of the form, the black binary image data, and the rectangle information input from the PC 10 to the center system 2 via the communication line 3 as the processing result of the terminal system 1 (step). S6).

If it is determined in step S5 that no additional correction information (correction data) exists,
The PC 10 outputs the character recognition result of the form and the black binary image data indicating the monochrome image of the form to the PC server 13. The PC server 13 transmits the character recognition result of the form and the black binary image data input from the PC 10 to the center system 2 via the communication line 3 as the processing result of the terminal system 1 (step S7). The character recognition result includes a form field 33 for identifying the form type.
Also, the recognition result of the ID code recorded in.

(Processing Procedure of Center System) Next, FIG.
The processing operation in the center system 2 on the receiving side will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

In the center system 2, the PC server 22
When the processing result of the terminal system 1 transmitted from the PC server 13 of the terminal system 1 is received, once the file device 2
Save to 3.

The PC server 22 reads from the file device 23 the processing result of the transmitting system received from the PC server 13, and detects whether or not the processing result includes additional correction information. It is determined whether data correction processing is necessary for the character recognition result included in the processing result (step S11). If the processing result does not include rectangle information, that is, if there is no need for data correction processing, the PC server 22 performs predetermined processing on the character recognition result (step S1).
6).

On the other hand, if the processing result includes rectangular information, that is, if the data needs to be corrected, the PC server 22 transmits the ID recorded on the form included in the character recognition result. On the basis of the character recognition result of the code 33, the type of the form to be corrected and added is specified, and color image data indicating a color form image in a state where the form is not entered is read from the file 23A of the file device 23. (Step S12). The PC server 22 transmits the read color image data and the black binary image data included in the processing result to the PC 20, and causes the PC 20 to perform data correction processing.

The PC 20 displays a correction screen (correction addition input screen) on the display and presents correction additional information to the operator (step S13). FIG. 7 shows an example of the correction screen displayed on the display. As shown in FIG. 7, the correction screen (display screen of the display) 60 includes a correction addition item window 70 and a correction addition input window 7.
1 is displayed. In the correction additional item window 70,
In the form image reproduced by superimposing the color image data and the black binarized image data transmitted from the PC server 22, an image of a portion including at least the rectangular area 41 is displayed.

In FIG. 7, a correction additional item window 7
At 0, a frame 74 is displayed, and the frame 74 is used to display the rectangular area 41 to the operator.
The display of the frame 74 is performed in blue, for example, so that the operator can easily recognize the frame 74. Further, the image of the marker 40 may be displayed in the correction additional item window 70 in an overlapping manner. In FIG. 7, the marker 40 is shown by a dotted line for convenience of illustration.

The form image displayed in the additional correction item window 70 is the color form image itself of the form to be read read by the color scanner 11. Therefore, the operator sees the image of the form to be read itself by looking at the display of the correction addition item window 70. In the display of the correction additional item window 70, the upper left corner of the image of the frame 74 (rectangular area 41) is positioned in the X direction and Y from the upper left corner of the correction additional item window 70.
The form image is displayed so as to be displayed at a position shifted by a predetermined amount in the direction. By displaying in this manner, the frame 74 (rectangular area 41) is displayed in the correction addition item window 70.
Since the color image of the form in a wider range is displayed, it is easy to determine which input item on the form should be subjected to data correction processing. Further, since the movement of the field of view of the operator can be reduced, the work load on the operator can be reduced.

If it is not possible to determine the input item of the form to be subjected to the data correction processing even in such a display, the reproduced image of the entire form within the range of the additional correction item window 70 is reduced and displayed. Solvable. If it is not possible to determine the layout of the form in the reduced display, the reduction ratio is made variable and, for example, a part of the form is displayed in the range of the size of the correction addition item window 70 instead of the entire form, and the display is scrolled. You may be able to. In short, various types of display can be performed so that input items of a form to be corrected can be determined.

Further, in the correction addition input window 71,
A plurality of columns 75 for inputting input item numbers to be subjected to data correction processing and columns 76 for inputting correction contents for data correction processing are displayed. The operator refers to such a display of the additional correction item window 70 to specify the input item to be subjected to the data correction processing (input of additional correction information) by the input item number of the color form image, and to specify the data. After confirming the content of the correction processing (additional correction information), the correction additional information, which is the content of the data correction processing, is input to the correction addition input window 71 using a keyboard or the like (step S14). In the example illustrated in FIG. 7, the input item number “200” to be subjected to the data correction processing is input to the input box 75, and the correction content “1800” for the data correction processing is input to the input box 76.

Next, the PC 20 transfers the input item number and the content of the correction input to the correction addition input window 71 to the PC server 22. The PC server 22 updates the character recognition result based on the input item number and the correction content transferred from the PC 20. In this example, the form input data (character recognition result) is updated by updating the character recognition result "1800" of the input item 200 (step S15). Similarly, if there is additional correction information for correcting a plurality of data on the same form, the additional correction item window 70 is updated to the next display. And the contents of the correction are updated to update the form input data. Finally, the PC server 22
A predetermined process is performed on the updated character recognition result (step S16). This predetermined processing is, for example, when there is a rejected character that could not be recognized in the character recognition result, the rejection correction of the character is performed to obtain clean data as a character recognition result. For example, the result of character recognition can be saved in a file in a format that can be processed by application software.

As described above, according to the embodiment, for example, in the terminal system 1 such as a branch, the additional correction information on the form is marked with a specific color such as red, and the form is read by the OCR 15, Information for data correction processing is transmitted to a center system 2 such as an office center.
On the side of the center system 2, a correction screen is displayed on the display of the PC 20, and a correction addition item window 70 is displayed on the screen. This additional correction item window 7
By displaying the form image including the correction additional information at 0, the operator can check the data input item to be corrected and the correction content without looking at the original form. Therefore, the operator on the center side can confirm the additional correction information written in the form on the branch side on the screen of the PC 20, and can execute the correction process according to the information. in short,
A data entry system can be realized in which a terminal system 1 such as a branch executes a form reading process and a center system 2 such as an office center performs a form correcting process collectively.

[0040]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, the terminal system which performs the reading process of the form data converts and converts the contents of the form into data, and the center system has no original form of the target form. In addition, it is possible to provide a system that can perform correction processing collectively. Therefore, it is possible to realize a data entry system in which the processing for reading the form and the processing for correcting the form are executed separately, and the processing efficiency is improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main part of a data entry system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary block diagram for explaining the configuration of a center system related to the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is an exemplary view showing an example of a form related to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an exemplary view for explaining processing of generating rectangle information in the terminal system of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an exemplary view for explaining generation processing of rectangle information in the terminal system of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an exemplary view for explaining processing for generating rectangle information in the terminal system of the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an exemplary view for explaining a correction screen in the center system of the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is an exemplary flowchart for explaining the processing procedure of the terminal system related to the embodiment;

FIG. 9 is an exemplary flowchart for explaining the processing procedure of the center system related to the embodiment;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Terminal system (transmission side system) 2 ... Center system (reception side system) 3 ... Data communication line (public line) 10 ... PC 11 ... Color scanner 12 ... LAN 13 ... PC server 15 ... OCR 20 ... PC 21 ... LAN 22 PC server 23 File device

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] November 29, 2000 (200.11.
29)

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] Claims

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[Claims]

[Procedure amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0006

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[0006] In short, conventionally, a form reading process,
The data correction processing is performed at the same site such as a branch. However, in such a system, the processing load at the branch is large, and there is a problem in terms of data processing efficiency. Therefore, it is necessary to distinguish between the processing of reading a form using OCR and the processing of correcting data to achieve a distributed processing.
It is desirable to use a centralized center system.

[Procedure amendment 3]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0008

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

In order to realize such a centralized center system, when data correction processing is performed on the office center side, it is necessary to perform correction processing while looking at the original form of the target form.
However, the original form is stored at the branch office and
No. For this reason, a large amount of original forms are sent from the branch to the office center.
It is necessary to send it, but the burden on the branch
This is a big task, and therefore intensive data correction
It is more efficient to execute
There are efficient aspects. Therefore, it is necessary to transmit the result of reading the original form by OCR (image data of a form image, character recognition result, and additional correction information) from the branch side to the office center side. In short, in order to realize the centralized center system, a system is required that converts the contents of correction into data on the branch side and transmits the data, and the office center side can efficiently execute the correction processing.

[Procedure amendment 4]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0010

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[0010]

According to the present invention, there is provided a data entry system comprising a center system and a terminal system, wherein the terminal system reads a form image and transmits the read result to the center system. The terminal system is configured to execute the form
Reading means for reading an image of the subject, and a reading connection of the reading means.
Recognition means for recognizing a character described in the form from the result, and, when a mark is provided on the form, detecting means for detecting position information to which the mark is provided ,
The recognition result recognized by the recognition means and the
Output means for outputting, to the center system, position information to which the mark is attached and an image of a form obtained from the reading means when a mark is detected . A storage means for storing predetermined format information, and an image of the form read by the terminal system is displayed by using the format information of the form stored in the storage means, and the form read by the terminal system is marked. input when but granted, with identifiably displays the image showing the new additional information or correcting information of the form based on the position information output from the terminal system, the new additional information or correction information display means for displaying the data input field for the new <br/> Tadashi additional information also which is identifiably displayed by the display means Based on the correction information, receiving an input of a new additional information or correcting information input to the data input field
Input means for attaching only, based on the information input from the input means, bookkeeping before sent from the terminal system
Data entry system, characterized by comprising an updating means for updating the recognition result of the character described in the votes
is there.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Atsushi Konokogi 2-1-1 Tsurumaki, Tama City, Tokyo F-term in Tokio Marine Fire and Disaster Insurance Co., Ltd. 5B009 LA03 NA01 PB02 QB11 QB12 QB14 RB32 TB03 VC01 5B029 AA01 BB03 CC27 DD04 5B064 AA01 AB03 AB17 CA03 EA09 FA03 FA13

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A data entry system comprising a center system and a terminal system, wherein the contents of a form are read and identified by the terminal system, and the identification result is transmitted to the center system. Recognition means for reading the form in the format and recognizing the contents described in the form, and information to be newly added or corrected on the center system side is described in the form. When a mark indicating a location is provided, a detection unit for detecting position information to which the mark is provided, a recognition result recognized by the recognition unit, and a mark detected by the detection unit are provided. Output means for outputting the position information of the form to the center system, the center system comprising: A storage means for storing information, and the contents of the form read by the terminal system are displayed using the format information of the form stored in the storage means, and a mark is added to the form read by the terminal system. In the case where the new information or the correction information has been displayed, the new information or the correction information of the form is identifiably displayed based on the position information output from the terminal system, and a data input field for inputting the new information or the correction information is displayed. Display means, input means for inputting predetermined information in the data input box based on new information or correction information of a form identifiably displayed on the display means, and information input by the input means. Updating means for updating the identification content of the form sent from the terminal system based on the data entry system 2. A display control means for displaying new information or correction information in a rectangular area displayed in a predetermined area of a display area so that the new information or correction information can be identified. 2. The data entry system according to claim 1, further comprising means.