JP2006048343A - Image file processing apparatus, program and recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image file processing method capable of preparing files converted into various forms only by operating an input device though an operator inputs an image inputted by an image input device to a personal computer and operates an application in the personal computer to process the image in a conventional method. <P>SOLUTION: The image file processor comprises a means 12 for inputting an image, a means 15 for selecting and storing control information for converting the image in inputting the image, a means 102 for adding the control information to the inputted image and transferring the image and information to the personal computer together, and a means 203 for recognizing characters and a means 204 for converting a file about the transferred image in accordance with the control information. Since the personal computer automatically performs character recognition and file conversion for the input image in accordance with the control information, a file obtained by file conversion can be prepared only by operating the input device. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image file processing method for reading a document from an input device and performing character recognition and file conversion.

In recent years, the demand for paperless has increased, and it has become frequent to digitize and reuse existing documents.
To digitize and reuse an existing document, transfer the image from an image input device such as a multifunction peripheral to a personal computer, and use character recognition software on the personal computer to perform character recognition and file conversion on the transferred image. Processing and converting to the desired file format.

  However, the conventional technique has a problem that both an operation of reading with an image input device and an operation of operating character recognition software on the personal computer side are necessary.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an image file processing method capable of creating a file converted file only by an operation with an input device.

The image file processing apparatus of the present invention comprises: means for inputting an image; means for selecting control information for converting an image when inputting the image; means for adding the control information together with the input image and transferring the information to a personal computer; The transferred image is configured to include character recognition and file conversion according to the control information.
As a result, the input image is automatically recognized and converted into a file according to the control information on the personal computer, so you can create a file converted file or pass the input image file to another application simply by operating the input device. An image file processing method that can be activated is obtained.

  The present invention can provide an image file processing method having an effect of providing an image file processing method capable of creating a file converted file only by an operation with an input device.

  Hereinafter, an image file processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  An image file processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 1, an image file processing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a central processing unit (CPU) 10 that controls the entire apparatus, and a touch panel 11 that displays the progress and results of processing performed by the CPU 10. The scanner 12 constitutes the input device of the present invention together with the instruction function of the touch panel 11.

  The random access memory (RAM) 13 has an image data storage area 14 for storing image data and a control file storage area 15 for storing control files.

  The hard disk 16 has a program storage area 17 for storing an image processing program according to a flowchart of FIG. 3 to be described later, and an OS storage area 18 for storing an operating system.

  The read only memory (ROM) 19 has a startup program storage area 20.

  Note that the processing contents of the image file processing apparatus of this embodiment are stored in the program storage area 17, which operates on the operating system in the OS storage area 18. In order for this operating system to operate, a boot program in the boot program storage area 20 is required.

  The above is the configuration of the input device 21. For example, a multifunction machine corresponds to the input device 21.

  The input device 22 is connected to the file processing device 30 via the network 22. This file processing apparatus can be configured in a plurality of units.

  In the file processing apparatus 30, reference numeral 31 denotes a central processing unit (CPU) that controls the apparatus. Reference numeral 32 denotes a cathode ray tube (CRT) for displaying the progress and results of processing by the CPU 31, and constitutes a display device of the file processing apparatus of the present invention.

  The mouse 33 and keyboard 34 constitute the input device 21 of the file processing apparatus of the present invention.

  The random access memory (RAM) 35 has a work area 36 for storing image data and work data.

  The hard disk 37 includes a program storage area 38 for storing an image processing program according to the flowchart shown in FIG. Output data storage area 40 and an OS storage area 41 for storing an operating system.

  The read only memory (ROM) 42 has a startup program storage area 43.

  Note that the processing contents of the character recognition result correcting apparatus according to the present embodiment are stored in the program storage area 38, which operates on the operating system in the OS storage area 41. In order for this operating system to operate, a startup program in the startup program storage area 43 is required.

  FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of an image file processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and shows a configuration of the image file processing apparatus by functional means.

  In FIG. 2, the data transfer unit 101 is realized by the CPU 10 executing the processing program stored in the program area 17 of the hard disk 16.

  The data transfer unit 202, the character recognition unit 203, and the conversion unit 204 are all realized by the CPU 31 executing the processing program stored in the program area 38 of the hard disk 37.

  The operation of the image file processing apparatus configured as described above will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 3 is an operation flowchart of the input device of the image file processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, and shows how the CPU 10 executes the recognition processing program stored in the program storage area 17 of the hard disk 16.

  In FIG. 3, first, when the image processing program stored in the program area 17 of the hard disk 16 is started, it is selected whether or not to end, and if the end is selected, the processing ends (step 1). Next, the user selects an image processing method (step 2), and stores the selected image processing method in the control file storage area 15 (step 3).

  Next, it is checked whether there is an instruction to start scanning. If there is no instruction, the process returns to step 1 (step 4). An image is input from the scanner 12 and stored in the image data storage area 14 (step 5). The image data stored in the image data storage area 14 and the control file stored in the control file storage area 15 are transferred to the image / control file storage area 39 of the hard disk 37 of the file processing device 30 via the network 22 (step 6).

  The document creation software 1, spreadsheet software, presentation software, PDF, and document creation software 2 in FIG. 4 are formats in which an image is recognized by OCR and converted. OCR software activation and business card software activation are applications that pass images. By selecting one of these, it is possible to specify processing to be performed by the file processing apparatus.

  FIG. 5 is an operation flowchart in the file processing apparatus of the image file processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, and shows how the CPU 31 executes the recognition processing program stored in the program storage area 38 of the hard disk 37. .

  In FIG. 5, when the image processing program stored in the program area 38 of the hard disk 37 is activated, it is selected whether or not to end, and when the end is selected, the processing ends (step 11). Whether there is a control file in the image / control file storage area 39 is checked. The control file stored in the image / control file storage area 39 is analyzed, and whether the content of the control file is converted or the application is activated, and the type thereof is analyzed (step 13). Depending on the type of control analyzed in step 13 (step 14), if the application is activated, the process proceeds to step 15, and if converted, the process proceeds to step 16. In accordance with the type of application analyzed in step 13, the image file stored in the image / control file storage area 39 is passed to the designated application stored in the program storage area 38 of the hard disk 37 and started (step 15). The image file stored in the image / control file storage area 39 is subjected to OCR processing, and the result is stored in the work area 36 of the RAM 35 (step 16). OCR processing is a well-known technique, and the present invention does not ask about the method. Therefore, the description here is omitted. According to the conversion type analyzed in step 13, the OCR result stored in the work area 36 is converted and stored in the output data storage area 40 of the hard disk 37.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, a file converted into various formats can be created or an input image file can be passed to another application and started only by an operation on the input device (step 17). .

As described above, the image file processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a means for inputting an image, a means for selecting control information for converting an image at the time of image input, and a personal computer by adding the control information together with the input image. And a means for character recognition and file conversion of the transferred image in accordance with the control information, the personal computer automatically recognizes and converts the input image in accordance with the control information. Therefore, there is an effect that a file converted into various formats can be created or an input image file can be passed to another application and activated only by an operation on the input device.

1 is a circuit block diagram of an image file processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Functional block diagram of the image file processing apparatus in the first embodiment of the present invention Operation flow diagram of image file processing apparatus in first embodiment of the present invention Image processing diagram of image file processing apparatus according to first embodiment of the present invention Operation flow diagram of image file processing apparatus in first embodiment of the present invention

Explanation of symbols

10 Central processing unit (CPU)
11 Touch Panel 12 Scanner 13 Random Access Memory (RAM)
14 Image storage area 15 Control file storage area 16 Hard disk 17 Program storage area 18 OS storage area 19 Read only memory (ROM)
20 Start Program Storage Area 21 Input Device 22 Network 30 File Processing Device 31 Central Processing Unit (CPU)
32 Cathode ray tube (CRT)
33 Mouse 34 Keyboard 35 Random access memory (RAM)
36 Work area 37 Hard disk 38 Program storage area 39 Image / control file storage area 40 Output data storage area 41 OS storage area 42 Read only memory (ROM)
43 startup program storage area 101 input device control unit 102 data transfer unit 201 file processing device control unit 202 data transfer unit 203 character recognition unit 204 conversion unit

Claims (4)

Means for inputting an image;
A selection means for selecting control information for converting an image at the time of image input;
A transfer means for adding the control information together with the input image and transferring it to a processing device;
An image file processing apparatus comprising: a file converting means for recognizing characters and converting a file in accordance with the control information.   Selecting control information for converting an input image, adding the control information together with the input image and transferring it to a processing device, and character-recognizing and file-converting the transferred image according to the control information Image file processing method. Selecting control information for converting the input image;
Adding the control information together with the input image and transferring it to a processing device;
An image file processing program for executing character recognition and file conversion on the transferred image in accordance with the control information. 4. A recording medium storing the program according to claim 3.

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