JP2005322060A - Document image processor and document image processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily change the layout of a document image with image data as it is even when elements other than characters are included. <P>SOLUTION: A document image processing server 10 cuts out a partial image from a document image 200 for each element constituting the document and attaches a tag showing the type of the element and identification information of the other relating partial images to each cut out partial image to generate editing data 300. When the document image processing server 10 receives an acquisition request for a document image from a communication terminal, the document image processing server 10, for example, determines a layout 400 suitable for the display performance of a display device provided in the communication terminal, arranges each partial image included in the editing data 300 according to an edition rule for each element defined in an edition rule table 105c and the determined layout 400, regenerates a document image 500 and transmits the document image 500 to the communication terminal. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for changing the layout of a document image.

  For example, when the layout of a document image read from an original by an image scanner is changed, a character recognition process is performed to replace a character string included in the document image with a character code, as described in Patent Document 1. In many cases, text data is generated, the text data is re-edited according to the changed layout, and then the document image is re-generated. On the other hand, Patent Document 2 describes that a partial image is cut out from a document image in line units, the cut out partial images are connected according to the changed layout, and the document image is regenerated. According to the technique described in Patent Document 2, the layout of a document image can be changed as it is without performing character recognition processing.

JP 11-219442 A JP 2003-348326 A

  By the way, since the technique described in Patent Document 2 changes the layout of a document image that does not include elements other than characters such as diagrams, tables, and images, it includes diagrams, tables, and images in addition to characters. For example, even when the document image for one screen is changed to a document image for a plurality of screens, when the layout of the document image is changed, The document image cannot be re-edited so that the corresponding figure or table is arranged in an appropriate size.

  The present invention has been made in view of the circumstances described above, and its purpose is to easily change the layout of a document image as it is, even when elements other than characters are included. Is to do so.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides each partial image cut out for each element constituting a document from a document image, and the type of the element to which each partial image belongs to each partial image. A first storage unit that stores an identifier to be associated with the order of each partial image from the top of the document, and a part belonging to the element for each type of the element corresponding to each of a plurality of layouts A second storage unit that stores editing rule information that defines an image editing rule; a determination unit that determines a layout for outputting the document image from the plurality of layouts; and the first storage unit. Each stored partial image is edited for the element specified by the assigned identifier in the editing rule information associated with the layout determined by the determining means. And rules, and the layout, the are arranged in accordance with the order, providing a generating unit that generates a document image, the document image processing apparatus and an output means for outputting the document image generated by the generation unit.

  According to the present invention, the document image processing apparatus edits each partial image cut out from the document image with respect to the element specified by the assigned identifier in the determined editing rule information for layout. The document image is generated by arranging according to the rule, the determined layout, and the order from the top of the document.

  Further, the present invention provides an acquisition unit for acquiring a document image, a cutout unit for cutting out a partial image for each element constituting the document from the document image acquired by the acquisition unit, and each of the cutout units cut out by the cutout unit An assigning unit that assigns an identifier indicating the type of the element to which the partial image belongs to a partial image, and each partial image to which the identifier is assigned by the assigning unit, and the order of the partial images from the top of the document Corresponding to each of a plurality of layouts, first storage means for storing in association with each other, and second storage for storing, for each element type, editing rule information that defines editing rules for partial images belonging to the element Means for determining a layout for outputting the document image from the plurality of layouts, and each partial image stored in the first storage means for the determination means. A document image arranged in accordance with the editing rule defined for the element specified by the assigned identifier, the layout, and the order among the editing rule information associated with the determined layout There is provided a document image processing system comprising generation means for generating a document image and output means for outputting the document image generated by the generation means.

  According to the present invention, even when elements other than characters are included, the layout of a document image can be easily changed while maintaining the image data.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[A-1. Configuration of Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a document image processing server 10 according to an embodiment of the invention. In the figure, a CPU 101 reads out and executes a program stored in a ROM 102 or an HD (hard disk) 105 and controls a document image processing server 10. The ROM 102 stores a program that performs basic control of the document image processing server 10. The RAM 103 is used as a work area for the CPU 101. The communication control unit 104 controls packet communication performed via a network with a mobile phone, a PDA, a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as “PC” in this specification) having a packet communication function.

  The HD 105 is provided with a document image storage area 105a, a layout information storage area 105b, and an editing rule table 105c. Here, in the document image storage area 105a, for example, document image data read from an original by an image scanner and input to the document image processing server 10, or a document image analysis process (see FIG. The editing data 300 (see FIG. 4C) obtained by performing the steps S101 to S103 of 3 is stored.

  Although details will be described later, the editing data 300 is, for example, a document such as a title (character string), a text (character string for each line), a figure, a table, an image, a figure or a table caption (heading), and the like. For each of the partial images cut out from the document image for each element that constitutes, the data indicating the type of element to which the partial image belongs, identification information of other related partial images, and the like are added.

  The layout information storage area 105b stores a plurality of pieces of layout information that determine the layout of the document image. For example, in the layout information storage area 105b, display performance (such as layout information for displaying a document image on a communication device having a relatively small screen size, such as a PDA or a cellular phone, layout information for a PC, etc.) Different types of layout information are stored depending on the screen size, resolution, monochrome / color, etc.

  The editing rule table 105c is provided for each layout information stored in the layout information storage area 105b, and is referred to when changing the layout of the document image. In the editing rule table 105c, as shown in FIG. 2, for each element (title, text, figure, table, image, caption) constituting the document, whether or not the partial image belonging to this element is used and the arrangement are arranged. Editing rules to be applied when doing so are established.

  The document image processing server 10 includes an operation unit having a keyboard and a mouse, a display unit configured by a CRT or LCD, an image scanner that optically reads a document and generates a document image, a recording medium such as a DVD May further include a recording medium drive for reading a document image from the recording medium drive.

[A-2. Operation of the embodiment]
FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the document image processing server 10. The processing from step S101 to S108 shown in the figure is roughly divided into document image analysis processing (steps S101 to S103) and document image editing processing (steps S104 to S108).

  In the document image analysis process, first, the CPU 101 performs a process of acquiring a document image (step S101). For example, the CPU 101 controls the communication control unit 104 to receive a document image transmitted from a communication terminal such as a PC via a network. When the document image processing server 10 includes an image scanner or a recording medium drive, the document image read from the original by the image scanner or the document image read from the recording medium by the recording medium drive is acquired. It may be.

  Next, the CPU 101 analyzes the layout of the document image acquired in step S101. For example, the CPU 101 analyzes the layout of the document image 200 shown in FIG. 4A and, as shown in FIG. 4B, “title area”, “text area 1”, “text area 2”, and “figure”. “Region” is recognized and a background image is added. The background image is separated from the document image 200 and is stored in the document image storage area 105a together with the authentication information and annotation information of the document image 200.

  Next, in accordance with the layout obtained by the analysis, the CPU 101 sequentially determines, for each element constituting the document, such as a title (character string), a body (character string for each line), a figure, a table, an image, and a caption. Then, partial images are cut out from the document image 200 (step S102). For example, in FIG. 4B, the “title area” is cut out as it is as a partial image indicating the title of the document. Also, in the figure, a partial image of a character string is cut out for each line from “text area 1” and “text area 2”. Also, from the “figure region”, a partial image showing a figure and a partial image showing a caption of the figure are cut out. The partial image of the character string may be cut out in units of punctuation marks or in units of one character instead of in units of one line.

  When each partial image has been cut out from the document image 200 in this way, the CPU 101 then adds a tag to the cut out partial image using a data description language to generate editing data 300 (step S103). . Here, FIG. 4C is a diagram illustrating the data structure of the editing data 300. As shown in the figure, the data structure of the editing data 300 is similar to an aspect of describing a character string display method on a Web browser using a markup language such as HTML.

  That is, the CPU 101 applies “<title>”, “</ title>”, and the like for each partial image cut out from the document image 200 according to the data description language for each of one or more partial images in order from the top of the document. The start tag and end tag are added. For example, in FIG. 4C, “<title>” and “</ title>” are tags indicating that the partial image sandwiched between these tags is the title of the document. Further, “<body>” and “</ body>” are tags indicating that one or more partial images sandwiched between these tags are character strings (text) for each line. “<Figure>” and “</ figure>” are tags indicating partial images in the figure.

  Note that “<figure name = fig1 index = (partial image of caption)>” defines the name of the partial image of the figure to which this tag is attached as “fig1”, and the caption of this figure is “index = It is a partial image behind “”. “<Body link: href = # fig1>” indicates that the partial image of the character string for one line to which this tag is attached is related to the partial image “fig1” in the figure.

  In this way, the tag serves as an identifier that indicates which element of the elements constituting the document the partial image to which the tag is attached, and also provides identification information of other related partial images. Contains. When the CPU 101 cuts out a partial image of a figure, a table, or an image, it compares the partial image of the caption (for example, an image showing “FIG. 1”) with each partial image of the character string cut out in units of lines. Then, the partial image of the character string to be linked to the partial image of the figure, table, or image is specified by the image recognition process. Then, the CPU 101 assigns a tag including identification information of the partial image to be linked to the partial image of the specified character string.

  The CPU 101 accumulates the editing data 300 generated in this way in the document image storage area 105a together with the data of the document image 200 acquired in step S101, the annotation information of the document image 200, the background image, and the like.

  Next, in the document image editing process, first, the CPU 101 controls the communication control unit 104 to receive a document image acquisition request message transmitted from a communication terminal such as a PC (step S104). The acquisition request message includes a document image ID assigned to the document image to be acquired (for example, the data name or identification number of the document image) and a display device provided in the communication terminal that is the transmission source of the acquisition request message. Display performance information indicating the display performance (screen size, resolution, monochrome / color, etc.).

  In accordance with the display performance information included in the received acquisition request message, the CPU 101 reads layout information suitable for the display device provided in the communication terminal from the plurality of layout information stored in the layout information storage area 105b ( Step S105). The layout information read here is determined as the layout after change.

  Note that the CPU 101 may determine the layout using information indicating the model of the communication terminal and the model of the display device instead of the display performance information. In this case, the model information of the communication terminal and the model information of the display device are included in the acquisition request message and transmitted from the communication terminal to the document image processing server 10. Further, the CPU 101 may determine the layout designated by the user of the communication terminal as the layout after the change. When the document image processing server 10 includes an operation unit, information for designating a document image, a layout change request, and information for designating a layout after the change may be input from the operation unit.

  Next, the CPU 101 reads the editing data 300 specified by the document image ID included in the received acquisition request message from the document image storage area 105a. Further, the CPU 101 reads from the HD 105 the layout editing rule table 105c determined in step S105. Then, the CPU 101 arranges the partial images included in the editing data 300 in order from the top in accordance with the rules for each element determined in the editing rule table 105c and the determined layout (step S106).

  As described above, in the editing rule table 105c, editing rules for partial images belonging to this element are defined for each element constituting the document. The CPU 101 determines a rule to be applied to each partial image according to a tag attached to the partial image. That is, when the editing rule table 105c is as shown in FIG. 2 and an attempt is made to place a partial image to which “<title>” is assigned as a start tag, the CPU 101 displays the partial image of the title as an editing rule table. In accordance with the rule defined for the title in 105c, the characters are enlarged or reduced so as to have a size of about 16 × 16 pixels, and then arranged along the layout. Further, when trying to place a partial image with “<figure>” as a start tag, as shown in FIG. 2, in this editing rule table 105c, the use of the partial image in the figure is not permitted. The CPU 101 deletes this partial image without arranging it.

  In this way, the CPU 101 arranges the partial images along the layout while applying the rule according to the tag assigned among the rules defined in the editing rule table 105c. For example, when the layout 400 shown in FIG. 4D is determined as the layout after change, and the editing data 300 shown in FIG. Since there are two levels, when arranging partial images of character strings, the partial images of the character strings for one line are folded at the end of the column frame, or the character strings for one line When the partial image has been arranged, if there is a remainder to the end of the frame, the partial image of the next character string is continuously arranged from that position. Further, when the partial image of the character string is folded at the end of the frame, the folding position may be controlled in units of characters so that the character is not cut off and moved to the next line. In addition, if the configuration is such that the partial image is cut out in units of one character, it is possible to perform simple editing such as enlargement or reduction for each character, and changing the character decoration or the color of the character.

  In the middle of arranging the character string partial image, for example, if there is a character string partial image with “<body link: href = # fig1>” as a start tag, the CPU 101 The partial image “fig1” in the figure and the partial image of the caption are arranged at a position immediately after the arrangement of the partial image. That is, when changing the layout, the corresponding figure or table can be arranged in the vicinity of one sentence describing the figure or table. At this time, the image processing contents to be applied to the image and table partial images arranged in the vicinity are enlarged or reduced to an appropriate size according to the layout 400 by setting the editing rule in the editing rule table 105c. Can be reduced.

  For the partial image of the character string assigned with “<body link: href = # fig1>” as the start tag, the partial image “fig1” in the figure is not arranged, It is also possible to set a link to the partial image “fig1” in the figure by applying modifications such as adding an underline and changing the color. If such a rule is registered in the editing rule table 105c, for example, the user of the communication terminal can enter the character string portion displayed in a different form from the surrounding character strings in the document image displayed on the screen. By moving the cursor and clicking, it is possible to call and view the partial image of the linked diagram.

  As described above, when the CPU 101 finishes arranging the partial images according to the rules for each element defined in the editing rule table 105c and the layout 400, the CPU 101 generates a document image 500 (see FIG. 4E) after the layout change. (Step S107). Then, the CPU 101 returns the generated document image 500 to the communication terminal that is the transmission source of the acquisition request message (step S108). Thereby, in the communication terminal, the document image 500 acquired from the document image processing server 10 is displayed on the screen.

  When the document image processing server 10 includes a display unit, the generated document image 500 may be displayed on the display unit. If the document image processing server 10 includes a recording medium drive, the generated document image 500 is written to a recording medium such as a DVD via the recording medium drive, and the recording medium is distributed to the user. Also good.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the document image processing server 10 cuts out a partial image from the document image 200 for each element constituting the document, and for each cut out partial image, the type of element and other related items. Editing data 300 is generated with a tag indicating identification information of the partial image. Further, when the document image processing server 10 receives a document image acquisition request from the communication terminal, for example, the document image processing server 10 determines a layout 400 suitable for the display performance of the display device provided in the communication terminal, and each part included in the editing data 300 The image is arranged according to the editing rule for each element defined in the editing rule table 105c and the determined layout 400, and the document image 500 is regenerated and transmitted to the communication terminal.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, the document image processing server 10 can edit and output the document image 200 as it is in the layout suitable for the display performance of the display device provided in the communication terminal. Thereby, for example, for a PDA or a mobile phone having a display device with a relatively small screen size and a low resolution, a partial image to which a tag indicating a title or text is given in the editing data 300. It is possible to preferentially display characters such as transmitting a document image 500 generated using only As shown in the figure, it is possible to change to a layout suitable for the printing performance of a printing device (printer, copier, etc.) connected to the communication terminal.

  In addition, based on the relationship between the contents of the text and elements (diagrams, tables, images) other than the text, such as being able to place the corresponding figure or table in the vicinity of one sentence describing the figure or table The layout of the document image 200 can be changed. Further, by defining the editing rules to be applied to each partial image when changing the layout for each element constituting the document, the editing process of each partial image at the time of changing the layout can be simplified. Note that the document image 200 handled by the document image processing server 10 may be image data of a document generated by a PC or the like other than the one read from the original. Further, since the document image processing server 10 can change the layout of the document image 200 without changing the image data, the document image processing server 10 is suitable for changing the layout of document images such as contracts, invoices, and receipts.

[B. Modified example]
(1) The document image processing server 10 selects a document image including a search key (character string) from a plurality of document images stored in the document image storage area 105a in response to a search request from the communication terminal. It is possible to search and notify the search result to the communication terminal. In this case, the layout information storage area 105b stores a plurality of layout information for displaying search results of document images. For example, a list of only the titles of a plurality of hit document images is displayed. Layout information, layout information for displaying a list of character strings for one line including each title and search key, and the like are stored.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a document image search process. When the document image processing server 10 receives character string information indicated by a character code such as an ASCII code or a JIS code as a search key from the communication terminal, first, the character image information is converted into a font to generate a character string image. . Next, the document image processing server 10 sequentially compares the generated character string image and the partial image in each editing data 300 stored in the document image storage area 105a by image recognition processing, and the character string image. Search for partial images that match. Note that the document image processing server 10 may search only a partial image to which a tag indicating a title or text, that is, a tag indicating a character string, is assigned among the partial images.

  If the partial image matching the character string image is hit as a result of the search, the document image processing server 10 sends the information on the document image including the hit partial image to the communication terminal that has sent the search request. Send. For example, the document image processing server 10 can transmit the data name and identification number of the hit document image as a search result. Further, the document image processing server 10 extracts only partial images to which a tag indicating a title is assigned from each editing data 300 for a plurality of document images hit by the search, and searches the search result image indicating the list. It can be generated using the layout information stored in the layout information storage area 105b and transmitted to the communication terminal. When the document image processing server 10 includes an operation unit and a display unit, the document image search process is performed according to the search key input from the operation unit, and an image indicating the search result is generated to generate the document image processing server. 10 can also be displayed on the display unit 10.

(2) In the above-described embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to the document image processing server 10 has been described. However, the present invention may be applied to, for example, a PC or a copier. Moreover, what is given to a partial image is not limited to the tag by a data description language. In short, an identifier indicating which element the partial image belongs to and the identification information of other related partial images are given to each partial image cut out from the document image. It only has to be done. Further, each partial image cut out from the document image may be given a sequence number indicating the sequence from the top of the document.

(3) In the above-described embodiment, the document image analysis processing (steps S101 to S103), the document image editing processing (steps S104 to S108), the editing data 300, the layout information, the editing rule table 105c, etc. are stored in the HD 105. A case has been described in which these are all incorporated in one apparatus (document image processing server 10). However, the present invention, for example, a document image analysis device that performs document image analysis processing, a document image editing device that performs document image editing processing, a storage device that stores editing data 300, layout information, an editing rule table 105c, and the like. Can be implemented as a document image processing system. Of course, the storage device may be divided into a storage device that stores the editing data 300 and a storage device that stores layout information and the editing rule table 105c.

It is a block diagram which illustrates the composition of document image processing server 10 concerning an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which illustrates about the data structure of the edit rule table 105c which concerns on the embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating operation | movement of the document image processing server 10 concerning the embodiment. 5 is a diagram for explaining a flow of processing from analysis to re-generation of a document image 200 according to the embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a case where the layout of the document image 200 is changed according to the embodiment. FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating the search process of a document image concerning the modification (1) of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Document image processing server 101 ... CPU, 102 ... ROM, 103 ... RAM, 104 ... Communication control part, 105 ... HD, 105a ... Document image storage area, 105b ... Layout information storage area, 105c ... Editing rule table, 200 ... document image, 300 ... editing data, 400 ... layout, 500 ... document image after layout change.

Claims (10)

Each partial image cut out from the document image for each element constituting the document, and an identifier indicating the type of the element to which each partial image belongs, assigned to each partial image, from the beginning of the document First storage means for storing in association with the order of the partial images;
Corresponding to each of a plurality of layouts, for each type of element, a second storage means for storing editing rule information defining an editing rule for a partial image belonging to the element;
Determining means for determining a layout for outputting the document image from the plurality of layouts;
Each partial image stored in the first storage means is determined for an element specified by an assigned identifier in the editing rule information associated with the layout determined by the determination means. Generating means for generating a document image by arranging according to the edited editing rules, the layout, and the order;
An output means for outputting the document image generated by the generating means. First acquisition means for acquiring a document image;
Clipping means for cutting out a partial image for each element constituting the document from the document image obtained by the first obtaining means;
An assigning means for giving an identifier indicating the type of the element to which the partial image belongs to each partial image cut out by the cutting means;
The storage control means for storing each partial image assigned with an identifier by the assigning means in the first storage means in association with the order of the partial images from the beginning of the document. Item 2. The document image processing apparatus according to Item 1. An analysis unit for analyzing the layout of the document image acquired by the first acquisition unit;
The document image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the cutout unit cuts out a partial image for each element constituting the document from the document image in accordance with a layout obtained by the analysis by the analysis unit. The editing rule information includes, for each of the plurality of layouts, the presence / absence of arrangement of partial images belonging to the element and image processing performed on the partial image when arranged. The document image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the document image processing apparatus is defined. When there is another partial image related to the partial image, the partial image is given image identification information indicating the other partial image,
2. The editing rule information defines that another partial image specified by the image identification information is arranged in the vicinity of the partial image to which the image identification information is assigned. The document image processing apparatus described in 1. When there is another partial image related to the partial image, the partial image is given image identification information indicating the other partial image,
The edit rule information defines that a link is set between a partial image to which the image identification information is assigned and another partial image specified by the image identification information. The document image processing apparatus according to 1. Further comprising second acquisition means for acquiring information indicating the output performance of a device displaying or printing a document image, or information indicating the model of the device;
The determination unit determines a layout for outputting the document image by the device from the plurality of layouts based on the information acquired by the second acquisition unit. The document image processing apparatus described in 1. The first storage means stores, for each document image, the partial images assigned with the identifiers in association with the order,
An input means for inputting a character string;
A character string image generating means for generating an image of the character string input by the input means;
Search means for comparing the character string image generated by the character string image generation means with each partial image stored in the first storage means and searching for a document image including the character string image;
The document image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for outputting a search result by the search means. The search unit includes a partial image to which an identifier indicating a character string is assigned among the partial images stored in the first storage unit, and a character generated by the character string image generation unit. The document image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein a document image including the character string image is searched by comparing with a column image. An acquisition means for acquiring a document image;
Cutting means for cutting out a partial image for each element constituting the document from the document image obtained by the obtaining means;
An assigning means for giving an identifier indicating the type of the element to which the partial image belongs to each partial image cut out by the cutting means;
First storage means for storing each partial image assigned with an identifier by the assigning means in association with the order of the partial images from the beginning of the document;
Corresponding to each of a plurality of layouts, for each type of element, a second storage means for storing editing rule information defining an editing rule for a partial image belonging to the element;
Determining means for determining a layout for outputting the document image from the plurality of layouts;
Each partial image stored in the first storage means is determined for an element specified by an assigned identifier in the editing rule information associated with the layout determined by the determination means. Generating means for generating a document image by arranging according to the edited editing rules, the layout, and the order;
And an output means for outputting the document image generated by the generating means.

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