JP2003198793A - Apparatus, method and program for distribution of board written record - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an apparatus, method and program for the distribution of a board written record which facilitates recording and distribution of visible information fixed to a recording board with digital data. <P>SOLUTION: The apparatus is provided with an image sensor for scanning the optical image of the recording board for fixing the visible information to organize digital image data expressing the visible information fixed to the recording board on the basis of the output signal of the image sensor (step S110), character-recognizes an e-mail address fixed to the recording board on the basis of the digital image data outputted by the step S110 (step S115), and transmits the digital image data outputted by the step S110 to the e-mail address character-recognized by the step S115 (step S120). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus, method and program for distributing blackboard recordings.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an electronic blackboard system having a function of printing out visible information fixed to an electronic blackboard or the like is known. A known electronic blackboard system using an image sensor is a pen-writable whiteboard (registered trademark)
And a recording board such as a blackboard, an image sensor for optically scanning visible information fixed to the recording board to obtain image data, and a printer for printing based on the image data.

The electronic blackboard system is generally used in a meeting attended by a plurality of people. In many cases, the visible information representing the contents of the meeting fixed on the recording board is made into a hard copy of a required number of copies by a printer included in the electronic blackboard system and distributed to attendees as minutes on the spot.

[0004]

A hard copy of visible information created by a printer is less convenient to store, retrieve, and reuse than a soft copy of digital data or the like. In addition, there is a problem that it takes time to distribute it to those who are not present at the place.

The present invention was created in view of the above problems, and a distribution device, method and program for a blackboard recording that facilitates recording and distribution of visible information fixed on a recording plate as digital data. The purpose is to provide.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A blackboard recording delivery device according to the present invention represents an image sensor for scanning an optical image of a recording plate for fixing the visible information, and the visible information fixed on the recording plate. An image arranging means for arranging digital image data based on the output signal of the image sensor, and an address for recognizing an electronic mail address fixed to the recording plate based on the digital image data output from the image arranging means. It is characterized by comprising a recognition means and a transmission means for transmitting the digital image data output from the image organization means to the electronic mail address which is character-recognized by the address recognition means. According to this blackboard record distribution device, digital image data representing visible information such as characters and figures fixed on the recording plate by writing and pasting is sent to the email address fixed on the recording plate and pasted. can do. Therefore, this blackboard record distribution device can facilitate recording and distribution of the visible information fixed to the recording plate as digital data.

Further, according to the blackboard recording delivery device of the present invention, the address recognition means character-recognizes visible information fixed in a predetermined area of the recording board as an electronic mail address. To do. According to the delivery device of the blackboard recording, the e-mail address is always fixed in the same area, and therefore it is easy to distinguish the e-mail address from other visible information and fix it in the recording plate.

Further, according to the blackboard recording delivery device of the present invention, the address recognition means character-recognizes visible information fixed on the recording board in a predetermined color as an electronic mail address. . According to the delivery device for the blackboard recording, the area for fixing the e-mail address can be arbitrarily determined on the recording board, so that the flexibility of the layout of the visible information fixed on the recording board can be improved.

Further, according to the blackboard recording delivery device of the present invention, the address recognition means character-recognizes visible information fixed on the recording plate by being surrounded by a predetermined curve as an electronic mail address. Characterize. According to this blackboard recording delivery device, the area for fixing the e-mail address can be arbitrarily determined on the recording board, so that the degree of freedom in the layout of the visible information fixed on the recording board and the color of the pen used is increased. Can be improved.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The configuration of an electronic blackboard system 1 which is an embodiment of a blackboard recording delivery device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the appearance of the electronic blackboard system 1. As shown in the figure, the electronic blackboard system 1 has a recording board 2 such as a whiteboard (registered trademark) or a blackboard for writing and fixing visible information such as characters and charts, a light source 31 and an image sensor 32 which will be described later. A carriage 3 configured to reciprocate in the horizontal direction (direction A in FIG. 2) and a controller 4 for controlling the electronic blackboard system 1.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the electronic blackboard system 1. Electronic blackboard system 1 as shown
The control unit 10, the image organization unit 20, the light source 31, the image sensor 32, the main scanning drive unit 33, the sub-scanning drive unit 34,
An operation unit 40 and an interface unit 50 are provided and are connected to each other by a bus.

The control unit 10 is a microcomputer including a CPU 11, a ROM 12 and a RAM 13. C
By executing the computer program stored in the ROM 12, the PU 11 controls each unit of the electronic blackboard system 1 based on the control data input from the operation unit 40 and the like, and scans and visualizes the optical image of the recording plate 2. Processing such as organization of digital image data representing information, character recognition of an electronic mail address based on the organized digital image data, transmission of the digital image data to the electronic mail address for which character recognition is performed, and the like are performed. The ROM 12 is a memory that stores a computer program for the CPU 11 to execute various controls, a character recognition program for recognizing characters included in visible information represented by digital image data, an electronic mail transmission program, various data, and the like. RAM1
Reference numeral 3 is a memory for temporarily storing various programs and data.

The light source 31 includes R (Red), G (Green) and B
It is equipped with a (Blue) LED light source and is configured to emit light of three colors. Image sensor 32
Is a contact-type linear image sensor in which a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements are linearly arranged, and charges obtained by photoelectrically converting the received light are accumulated for a certain period of time, and the amount of light received depends on the amount of light received by each photoelectric conversion element. Output signal is CCD (Charge Coupled Devic
Output using e) etc. The main scanning drive unit 33 is a drive circuit that outputs a drive pulse necessary for driving the image sensor to the image sensor, and the sub-scanning drive unit 34 is configured by a motor and a drive circuit, and moves the carriage 3 in the sub-scanning direction. Tow. As a result, the main scanning line moves in the sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning line, so that the two-dimensional image can be scanned.

The image organization unit 20 comprises an analog front end (AFE) unit 21 and a digital image processing unit 22. The AFE unit 21 includes a correlated double sampling circuit,
A digital image processing unit including an auto gain control circuit and an A / D converter for reducing noise included in the output signal of the image sensor 32, adjusting the level, and quantizing the digital image signal of a predetermined gradation. 22 is output.

The digital image processing unit 22 has a DSP (Di
The image signal output from the AFE unit 21 is processed by gamma correction, defective pixel interpolation by a pixel interpolation method, white balance correction, image signal sharpening, binarization, etc. Digital image data for each color of RGB representing information is organized. Digital image data stores data (pixel data) corresponding to the output signal of each photoelectric conversion element in 3 bytes, and each byte of pixel data is R (Red), G (Green), B (Bl
ue) is represented by 256 gradations from 0 to 255.

The operation unit 40 is provided for receiving an input from an operator, and is used for recording and distributing a power switch for turning on / off a power supply, and digital data of visible information fixed to a recording plate. A delivery button and the like are provided for instructing.

The interface unit 50 is configured to be connectable to the network N according to a predetermined communication protocol by, for example, a modem or a network card, and performs a process of sending data such as electronic mail to the network N.

The various kinds of processing performed by the digital image processing section 22 may be replaced with processing by a computer program executed by an image processing apparatus such as a personal computer connected to the control section 10 or the electronic blackboard system 1.

"Image organization means" described in the claims
The CPU 11 of the control unit 10 executes each of the computer programs stored in the ROM 12 to control each unit of the electronic blackboard system 1 based on the control data input from the operation unit 40 and the like. Corresponds to the function of scanning the optical image of to organize digital image data representing visible information.

The function of the "address recognition means" described in the claims is that the CPU 11 of the control unit 10 has the ROM 12
By executing the computer program stored in the computer, it corresponds to the function of character-recognizing the electronic mail address based on the organized digital image data.

The function of the "transmitting means" described in the claims is that the CPU 11 of the control unit 10 executes the computer program stored in the ROM 12 so that the digital image data is sent to the electronic mail address where the character is recognized. And the interface unit 50 sends an electronic mail to the network N.

The configuration of the electronic blackboard system 1 which is one embodiment of the blackboard recording delivery device according to the present invention has been described above with reference to FIG.
And it demonstrated based on FIG. Hereinafter, a method for the electronic blackboard system 1 to identify a character string representing an e-mail address from the visible information fixed as characters on the recording plate 2 will be described. As a method of specifying the character string representing the email address, a method of predetermining an area for fixing the email address, a method of predetermining a color for fixing the email address, and a curve surrounding the fixed email address There is a method to decide in advance. Each method will be described below.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an area for fixing visible information and a state in which an electronic mail address is fixed in the area. For example, a predetermined area is clearly shown to the user by a method such as marking an outer frame portion (not shown) of the whiteboard, and the user fixes the e-mail address in the area indicated by the mark. In character recognition based on digital image data, pixel data in a range corresponding to a predetermined area of the recording plate 2 in the digital image data is targeted for character recognition.
As a result, the character string representing the electronic mail address can be specified from the visible information.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which an electronic mail address is fixed as visible information in a predetermined color. The predetermined color is transmitted to the user, and the user fixes the e-mail address on the recording plate 2 in that color. For example, in the electronic whiteboard system 1 including the white (255, 255, 255) recording plate 2, it is assumed that the email address is fixed in blue (0, 0, 255) and the other visible information is black (0, 0, 0). ). Here, the numbers in parentheses are RGB values representing each color. In character recognition based on digital image data, a threshold value 128 is provided, and pixel data in which both R and G values are less than 128 and B value is 128 or more are determined to be pixel data representing an electronic mail address. As a result, the character string representing the electronic mail address can be specified from the visible information.

It is also possible to provide a means for the user to decide the color for fixing the electronic mail address and to make the electronic blackboard system 1 recognize the color decided by the user. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a predetermined curve and a state in which an electronic mail address is surrounded by the curve. Here, the predetermined curve refers to a curve in which a line type such as a wavy line or a double line, a line color, and a line thickness are determined. The predetermined curve is transmitted to the user, and the user surrounds the electronic mail address fixed on the recording plate 2 with the curve. In character recognition based on digital image data, the range of character recognition is specified by first searching a curve. Specifically, first, pixel data representing a curve is searched for in the direction A shown in FIG. For example, if the color of the curve is predetermined, the search is performed until the pixel data representing the color is found. When the pixel data representing the curve is found, the search for the pixel data representing the next curve is continued as it is. If the pixel data representing the curve is found twice, the pixel data in the range from the first found pixel data to the later found pixel data is provisionally determined as the target of character recognition. When no pixel is found after the first finding, all the pixel data found after the first finding are targeted for character recognition. Figure 7 (d)
Is an example showing the target range when the curve shown in FIG. 7C is searched in the B direction shown in FIG. 7. Next, a similar search is performed in the C direction shown in FIG. FIG. 7E is an example showing the target range when searching in the C direction similarly. A range corresponding to both the range searched in the B direction and the range searched in the C direction (FIG. 7 (f)) is the target of character recognition. As a result, the character string representing the electronic mail address can be specified from the visible information.

A means for allowing the user to select the line type, color, thickness, etc. of the curved line may be provided so that the range surrounded by the curved line selected by the user is the target of character recognition.
The method for identifying the character string representing the email address from the visible information has been described above. Hereinafter, a flow of processing of transmitting visible information fixed to the electronic blackboard system 1 as electronic image data by electronic mail will be described.

FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing a flow of processing for transmitting the visible information fixed to the recording plate 2 to the electronic mail address fixed to the recording plate 2.
This process is started when the operator performs an input operation on the distribution button. Hereinafter, description will be given along the flowchart shown in FIG.

When the transmission is instructed, the control unit 10 first scans the optical image of the recording plate 2 on which the visible information is fixed by the image sensor 32, and outputs an analog image representing the visible information output from the image sensor 32. The output signal is output to the image organization unit 20 (step S105). Image organization unit 20
Is subjected to predetermined processing by the AFE unit 21 on an analog output signal representing the visible information output from the image sensor 32, quantized into digital data of a predetermined gradation, and subjected to predetermined processing by the digital image processing unit 22. Digital image data is organized (step S110). Control unit 10
Recognizes the electronic mail address specified by any one of the above-mentioned methods based on the organized digital image data (step S115). Next, the control unit 1
0 sends an electronic mail with the digital image data attached to all the recognized electronic mail addresses via the interface section 50 (step S12).
0).

The flow of processing for transmitting visible information fixed to the electronic blackboard system 1 as digital image data by electronic mail has been described above. The effects of the electronic blackboard system 1 in this embodiment will be described below.

According to the electronic blackboard system 1 of this embodiment,
The electronic blackboard system 1 organizes the visible information fixed on the recording plate 2 as digital image data and transmits it. This reduces the trouble of converting a hard copy into digital data by an image reading device such as an image scanner, and facilitates recording visible information as digital data.

Further, according to the electronic blackboard system 1 of this embodiment, the electronic mail address included in the visible information is character-recognized by the control unit 10 based on the digital image data, and the digital image data is addressed to the recognized electronic mail address. Is attached to an email and sent. As a result, the labor for the operator to input an e-mail address, attach digital image data, and the like is reduced, and the digital data can be easily distributed.

The effects of the electronic blackboard system 1 in this embodiment have been described above. In this embodiment, the blackboard recording delivery device has been described by taking the electronic blackboard system as an example, but the blackboard recording delivery device may be configured by an image control device such as a personal computer and the electronic blackboard system. For example, by providing the address recognition means and the transmission means in the image control device such as a personal computer and the image organization means in the electronic blackboard system, the image control device recognizes the address based on the digital image data organized by the electronic blackboard system. You may make it transmit.

Further, based on the digital image data,
The visible information other than the e-mail address may be recognized as characters. The recognized character string may be attached to an e-mail as a text file and transmitted, or may be transmitted as the body of the e-mail.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a flow of a process for transmitting visible information fixed on an electronic blackboard as digital image data by electronic mail according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an appearance of an electronic blackboard according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an electronic blackboard according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of visible information fixed to a predetermined area of a recording plate.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of visible information fixed on a recording plate in a predetermined color.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an example of visible information surrounded and fixed on a recording plate by a predetermined curve.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a target range of character recognition specified by searching a range surrounded by a predetermined curve.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Electronic blackboard system 2 Recording board 3 carriage 4 controller 10 Control unit 20 Image Organization 21 AFE section 22 Digital Image Processing Unit 31 light source 32 image sensor 33 Main scanning drive unit 34 Sub-scanning drive unit 40 Operation part 50 Interface part

Claims (13)

[Claims] 1. An image sensor for scanning an optical image of a recording plate for fixing visible information, and digital image data representing the visible information fixed on the recording plate are organized based on an output signal of the image sensor. Image organizing means, address recognition means for recognizing an electronic mail address fixed on the recording plate based on digital image data output from the image organizing means, and digital image data output from the image organizing means And a transmitting means for transmitting the character to the electronic mail address recognized by the address recognizing means. 2. The delivery of a blackboard record according to claim 1, wherein the address recognition means character-recognizes visible information fixed in a predetermined area of the recording board as an electronic mail address. apparatus. 3. The blackboard record delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the address recognition means character-recognizes visible information fixed on the recording plate in a predetermined color as an electronic mail address. . 4. The board recording according to claim 1, wherein the address recognizing means character-recognizes visible information fixed on the recording board by being surrounded by a predetermined curve as an electronic mail address. Delivery device. 5. An image formation step of scanning an optical image of a recording plate for fixing visible information and forming digital image data representing the visible information fixed on the recording plate, and an image forming step fixed on the recording plate. An address recognition step of recognizing an electronic mail address based on the digital image data organized in the image organization step, and an electronic mail in which the digital image data organized in the image organization step is recognized in the address recognition step. A method for delivering a blackboard record, comprising the step of transmitting to an address. 6. The delivery of a blackboard record according to claim 5, wherein in the address recognition step, visible information fixed in a predetermined area of the recording plate is recognized as an electronic mail address. Method. 7. The method for delivering a blackboard record according to claim 5, wherein in the address recognition step, visible information fixed in a predetermined color on the recording plate is recognized as an electronic mail address. . 8. The board recording according to claim 5, wherein in the address recognizing step, the visible information fixed on the recording board by being surrounded by a predetermined curve is recognized as an electronic mail address. Delivery method. 9. An address recognition procedure for recognizing an electronic mail address fixed on a recording plate for fixing visible information based on digital image data representing the visible information fixed on the recording plate, and the recording. A distribution program for a blackboard record, characterized by causing a computer to execute a transmission procedure for transmitting digital image data representing visible information fixed to the blackboard to an electronic mail address recognized by the address recognition means. 10. The delivery of a blackboard record according to claim 9, wherein the address recognition procedure character-recognizes visible information fixed in a predetermined area of the recording board as an electronic mail address. program. 11. The address recognizing procedure character-recognizes visible information fixed to the recording plate in a predetermined color as an electronic mail address.
Distribution program for blackboard records described in. 12. The blackboard recording according to claim 9, wherein the address recognition procedure character-recognizes visible information fixed on the recording board by being surrounded by a predetermined curve as an electronic mail address. Delivery program. 13. A computer-readable recording medium in which the distribution program for blackboard recording according to any one of claims 9 to 12 is recorded.