JP2006072484A - Image processor, program, and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate delimiting storage of documents in computerizing and storing a plurality of documents. <P>SOLUTION: This image processor optically reads a plurality of pages and determines, for every read page, the difference of the layout of each page from the layout of a page adjacent to each page. The image processor specifies, upon instructing display of a page that is a delimiter of a document, a page having a difference of a predetermined value or more, and displays the image of the specified page. The image processor determines, upon inputting an instruction for deciding a displayed page as a delimiter of a document, the displayed page as the delimiter of a document. The image processor delimits, upon inputting an instruction of classifying the plurality of read pages to a plurality of documents, the plurality of read pages by a page determined as a delimiter, and generates and stores, for every delimited range, a document file containing images of pages within the range. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for classifying and storing digitized documents.

  In companies where a large amount of documents are used for business, technology relating to the digitization of documents is attracting attention. Among them, a technique for digitizing a document that has been printed and stored on paper is particularly attracting attention because it can obtain various effects such as easy document search and enhanced document reusability. Conventionally, when a large number of documents are digitized and stored, a method of taking out documents one by one from a group of documents and causing a scanner to read them, and then storing an image file indicating the read documents for each document. It was taken. However, in such a method, it is necessary for the operator who digitizes the document to perform a cumbersome operation of determining a document break, taking out the document for each individual document, and placing the document on the scanner.

Therefore, a technique has been proposed in which a paper document is easily digitized and stored without performing such troublesome work (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The electronic filing device disclosed in Patent Document 1 detects a partition sheet inserted between documents when a plurality of documents are collectively scanned, and uses a part of the partition sheet as a partition between documents for each document. Generate and store a document file. According to the electronic filing device described in Patent Document 1, since a file is generated for each document even when a group of documents is scanned together, a large amount of documents can be easily digitized and stored. .
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-231309

  By the way, in the electronic filing device described in Patent Document 1, when a plurality of documents are scanned together, it is necessary for an operator who performs digitization to determine a document break and insert a partition sheet. When the number of documents to be digitized is small, the work of inserting dividers in this way does not bother the operator. However, when a large number of documents are scanned and digitized, dividers are used as document dividers. It is very labor intensive to insert each one.

  The present invention has been made under the above-described background, and an object of the present invention is to easily store a plurality of documents by separating them when the documents are digitized and stored.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides a reading means for optically reading a plurality of pages and generating an image file, and a layout recognition for recognizing the layout of the page represented by the image file generated by the reading means. And a dissimilarity generation means for obtaining a dissimilarity between the layout of each page and the layout of a page adjacent to each page for each page represented by the image file by the layout recognized by the layout recognizing means; A first instruction input unit that receives a first instruction for instructing display of a page that serves as a document separator, and when the first instruction input unit receives the instruction, the degree of difference obtained by the difference degree generation unit is predetermined. Separator page display means for displaying an image of a page having a value equal to or greater than the value using the image file; A second instruction input means for receiving a second instruction for instructing to determine the page as a document break; and when the second instruction input means receives the instruction, the displayed page is determined as a break page. A third page input unit for receiving a third instruction for instructing to divide a plurality of pages represented by the image file generated by the reading unit and classify the pages into a plurality of documents; When the input means receives the instruction, the plurality of pages represented by the image file generated by the reading means are separated by the pages determined by the separator page determining means, and the pages within the range are separated for each divided range. An image processing apparatus is provided that includes a storage unit that generates a document file including an image of a page and stores the generated document file.

  This image processing apparatus optically reads a plurality of pages, and obtains the degree of difference between the layout of each page and the layout of a page adjacent to each page for each read page. When the image processing apparatus is instructed to display a page serving as a document break, the image processing apparatus specifies a page having a degree of difference equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and displays an image of the specified page. Further, when an instruction to determine the displayed page as a document break is input, the image processing apparatus determines the displayed page as a document break. When an instruction to divide a plurality of read pages and categorize into a plurality of documents is input, the image processing apparatus divides the read pages by a page determined as a delimiter, and each range is divided into the ranges. A document file including an image of the page inside is generated, and the generated document file is stored.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer apparatus, a storage unit that stores an image file representing a page in a storage unit, a layout recognition unit that recognizes a layout of a page represented by the image file stored in the storage unit, and the layout A dissimilarity generating means for obtaining a dissimilarity between the layout of each page and the layout of a page adjacent to each page for each page represented by the image file, according to the layout recognized by the recognizing means; A first instruction input means for receiving a first instruction for instructing display of the page, and when the first instruction input means receives the instruction, the difference obtained by the difference generation means is a predetermined value or more. Separating page display means for displaying an image of a current page using the image file, and displaying the displayed page as a document section. Second instruction input means for receiving a second instruction for instructing to be determined, and a separator page determining means for determining the displayed page as a separator page when the second instruction input means receives the instruction; A third instruction input means for receiving a third instruction for instructing to divide a plurality of pages represented by the image file generated by the reading means and classify them into a plurality of documents; and the third instruction input means When received, the plurality of pages represented by the image file generated by the reading unit is divided by the pages determined by the separator page determining unit, and images of pages within the range are included for each divided range. A program for generating a document file and functioning as a storage means for storing the generated document file, and a computer storing the program Providing over data readable recording medium.

  According to the present invention, when a plurality of documents are digitized and stored, the documents can be easily separated and stored.

[Constitution]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image processing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 1, each unit of the image processing apparatus 100 is connected to a bus 101, and communication is performed between the units via the bus 101.

The scanner unit 108 includes a scanner mechanism that optically reads a document and generates an image file representing the read document. The scanner unit 108 includes an ADF (Auto Document Feeder), reads a document placed on the ADF one page at a time under the control of a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 102, and outputs an image file for each page. Is generated.
The operation unit 107 includes various keys such as a numeric keypad and an arrow key for operating the image processing apparatus 100. When this key is pressed, a signal indicating the pressed key is supplied to the CPU.
The display unit 106 includes, for example, a display device such as a liquid crystal display, and various types such as a menu screen for operating the image processing apparatus 100 under the control of the CPU 102 and an image of a document read by the scanner unit 108. Display the screen.

The storage unit 105 includes a device that permanently stores data, such as a hard disk device, and is generated by an OS (Operating System) program that realizes a function of controlling each unit of the image processing apparatus 100 or a scanner unit 108. Various programs such as an image processing program that realizes a function of collecting the obtained image files as one file for each document and storing them in the storage unit 105 are stored.
The storage unit 105 stores a file table TB1 having the format shown in FIG. In the file table TB1, items of “record number”, “image file name”, “circumscribed rectangle image file name”, “difference”, and “separation data” are associated with each other.

  A ROM (Read Only Memory) 103 stores a program called IPL (Initial Program Loader). When power is supplied from a power supply (not shown), the CPU 102 reads the IPL from the ROM 103 and executes it. When the IPL is executed, the CPU 102 reads an OS program from the storage unit 105 and starts up a RAM (Random Access Memory) 104 as a work area. When the OS program is activated, the CPU 102 reads the image processing program from the storage unit 105 and activates it.

  When the CPU 102 activates the image processing program, the image processing apparatus 100 realizes a function of reading a document placed on the scanner unit 108. In addition, when the CPU 102 activates the image processing program, the image processing apparatus 100 realizes a function of dividing the image file generated by the scanner unit 108 for each document and collectively storing the files as one file for each document in the storage unit 105. . As described above, the image processing apparatus 100 has the same configuration as that of a general computer apparatus in that various functions are realized by the CPU 102 operating according to the program and various processes and controls are performed. I can say that.

[Operation]
Next, the operation of the image processing apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment will be described.
First, a plurality of documents are put together on the ADF of the scanner unit 108 by an operator who digitizes the documents. Thereafter, when the operator operates the keys of the operation unit 107 and inputs a document reading instruction, the CPU 102 controls the scanner unit 108 to perform reading processing of the document placed on the ADF (FIG. 3). : Step SA1). Specifically, the scanner unit 108 scans a document placed on the ADF page by page under the control of the CPU 102 and generates an image file representing the scanned page for each page. The generated image file is sequentially stored in the storage unit 105 by the CPU 102. At this time, the CPU 102 determines the order of the read pages and the file name such that the file name of the image file representing the first scanned page is “0001”, and the file name of the image file representing the second page is “0002”. Are stored in the storage unit 105 in the same manner. When the scanning of the placed document is finished, the scanner unit 108 notifies the CPU 102 that the scanning is finished.

  When the CPU 102 receives the notification of the end of scanning, the CPU 102 sequentially performs layout analysis for each image file stored in the storage unit 105, starting from the smallest file name number (step SA2). Specifically, first, the CPU 102 analyzes the page represented by the image file, and recognizes a character region in which characters are described, a region where a figure and a photo are present. Next, the CPU 102 generates a circumscribed rectangle circumscribing the recognized area, generates a circumscribed rectangle image file indicating the layout of the circumscribed rectangle, that is, the layout of the page, and stores the circumscribed rectangle image file in the storage unit 105. For example, in the case of the page shown in FIG. 6A, a circumscribed rectangular image file indicating the layout of the character area is generated and stored in the storage unit 105 as shown in FIG. Further, the CPU 102 associates the file name of the circumscribed rectangular image file with the file name of the image file subjected to the layout analysis, and stores it in the file table TB1. Here, as shown in FIG. 2, the CPU 102 corresponds to the image file whose file name is “0001a” and whose file name is “0002” corresponding to the image file whose file name is “0001”. A character string in which “a” is added to the file name of the image file is used as the file name of the circumscribed rectangular image file, such as “0002a”. In this embodiment, the layout analysis is performed after the scan is completed. However, the layout analysis is performed as soon as an image file is generated for each page, and a circumscribed rectangular image file is generated and stored. You may make it memorize | store in the part 105. FIG.

  When the layout analysis of each image file is completed, the CPU 102 performs a process for obtaining a degree of difference from the layout of the next page of each page for each read page. First, the CPU 102 initializes the value of the variable N to “1” (step SA3). Then, the CPU 102 reads out the file name of the circumscribed rectangular image file stored in the Nth record in the file table TB1 and the file name of the circumscribed rectangular image file stored in the N + 1th record from the file table TB1. The file specified by the read file name is read from the storage unit 105 (step SA4). In step SA2, the file table TB1 stores the file names of the image files related to each page in the order in which the pages were scanned. Therefore, the file specified by the file name read from the Nth record is The file identified by the file name read from the (N + 1) th record represents the layout of the Nth scanned page, and represents the layout of the (N + 1) th scanned page.

  The CPU 102 uses this read file to obtain the degree of difference between the layout of the Nth page and the layout of the (N + 1) th page. Specifically, the CPU 102 uses a rectangle in the page represented by the read file, and determines whether or not the same rectangle as each rectangle on the Nth page is on the N + 1th page by using a method such as pattern matching. The number of rectangles that are determined to be not found to be the same rectangle is counted. Then, the CPU 102 stores this count value in the Nth record of the file table TB1 (step SA5). For example, if the layout of each page in the read document is the layout shown in FIG. 7, the CPU 102 sets the layout dissimilarity between the Nth page and the (N + 1) th page to “3”, and the N + 1th page. The difference in layout between the eyes and the (N + 2) th page is “0”. Further, the CPU 102 sets “3” as the layout difference between the Mth page and the (M + 1) th page, and “1” as the layout difference between the (M + 1) th page and the (M + 2) th page.

  Next, the CPU 102 adds “1” to the value of the variable N (step SA6). Then, the CPU 102 determines whether or not the degree of layout difference with the next page has been obtained for all the read pages (step SA7). If CPU 102 determines NO in step SA7, CPU 102 returns the flow of processing to step SA4. On the other hand, if the CPU 102 determines YES in step SA7, it first initializes the value of the variable M to “3” (step SA8). Then, in the file table TB1, the file names of the image files stored in the Mth record and the records up to M ± 2 are read. Next, the CPU 102 reads the image file specified by the read file name from the storage unit 105, and the page indicated by the read image file and the button for designating the document separator are illustrated in FIG. It is displayed on the display unit 106 (step SA9). In the present embodiment, five pages are displayed on the display unit 106, but the number of displayed pages is not limited to five, and an arbitrary number of pages can be displayed. You may make it do.

  After the screen shown in FIG. 8 is displayed on the display unit 106, when the operator operates the operation unit 107 and performs an operation of pressing the right arrow button B04 (step SA13: YES), the CPU 102 “1” is added to the value of the variable M, and the file names of the image files stored in the Mth record and the records up to M ± 2 in the file table TB1 are read. Then, the CPU 102 reads the image file specified by the read file name from the storage unit 105, and causes the display unit 106 to display the page represented by the read image file (step SA14).

  When the operator operates the operation unit 107 and performs an operation to press the left arrow button B02 (step SA11: YES), the CPU 102 subtracts “1” from the value of the variable M, and the file table At TB1, the file names of the image files stored in the Mth record and the records up to M ± 2 are read. Then, the CPU 102 reads out the image file specified by the read file name from the storage unit 105, and causes the display unit 106 to display the page represented by the read image file (step SA12).

  When the operator operates the operation unit 107 and performs an operation for pressing the right fast-forward button B05 (step SA17), the CPU 102 has a difference degree of “3” or more in the Mth and subsequent records. Are sequentially searched from the Mth record. When the CPU 102 finds a record having a difference degree of “3” or more, the value of the variable M is set to the number of this record, and stored in the Mth record and the records up to M ± 2 in the file table TB1. Read the file name of the image file that has been saved. Then, the CPU 102 reads the image file specified by the read file name from the storage unit 105, and causes the display unit 106 to display the page represented by the read image file (step SA16). For example, when the degree of difference is stored in the file table TB1 as shown in FIG. 9, files from the file name “0006” to “0010” are read from the storage unit 105 and read. The image represented by the file is displayed on the display unit 106 (step SA18).

  Further, when the operator operates the operation unit 107 and performs an operation to press the left fast-forward button B01 (step SA15), the CPU 102 has a degree of difference of “3” or more in the Mth and previous records. Are sequentially searched from the Mth record. When the CPU 102 finds a record having a difference degree of “3” or more, the value of the variable M is set to the number of this record, and stored in the Mth record and the records up to M ± 2 in the file table TB1. Read the file name of the image file that has been saved. Then, the CPU 102 reads the image file specified by the read file name from the storage unit 105, and causes the display unit 106 to display the page represented by the read image file (step SA16).

  When the operator operates the operation unit 107 and performs an operation for pressing the OK button B03 (step SA19), the CPU 102 assumes that the Mth page is a document break, and indicates that it is a document break. The data “◯” is stored in the delimited data field of the Mth record (step SA20). In addition, the CPU 102 causes the storage unit 105 to store the file specified by the file name of the circumscribed rectangular image file stored in the Mth record as a separator page file that represents the layout of a page that is a separator of the document.

  After the separator page file is stored in the storage unit 105, when the operator operates the operation unit 107 and performs an operation to press the right fast-forward button B05 (step SA17: YES), the CPU 102 Read the file. Then, the CPU 102 searches for a circumscribed rectangular image file having the same layout as the layout indicated by the separator page file, for example, by performing pattern matching or the like. When the CPU 102 finds circumscribed rectangular image files representing the same layout, the file name of these files is greater than or equal to the value of the variable M, and the value closest to the value of the variable M is the file name. Identify the circumscribed rectangle image file. When the CPU 102 specifies the file name of the circumscribed rectangular image file, the CPU 102 sets the value of the variable M to the same value as this file name. Then, the file names of the image files stored in the Mth record and the records up to M ± 2 are read. Then, the CPU 102 reads out the image file specified by the read file name from the storage unit 105, and causes the display unit 106 to display the image represented by the read image file (step SA18). For example, when the layout represented by the circumscribed rectangular image file having the file name “0015a” matches the layout represented by the separator page file, the CPU 102 stores the image files having the file names “0013” to “0017”. The image read from 105 is displayed on the display unit 106.

  When the operator operates the operation unit 107 and performs an operation to press the left fast-forward button B01 (step SA15: YES), the CPU 102 reads a separator page file. Then, the CPU 102 searches for a circumscribed rectangular image file showing the same layout as the layout represented by the separator page file, for example, by performing pattern matching or the like. When the CPU 102 finds circumscribed rectangular image files representing the same layout, the file name is set to a value equal to or smaller than the value of the variable M, and the value closest to the value of the variable M is set to the file name. Identify the circumscribed rectangle image file. When the CPU 102 specifies the file name of the circumscribed rectangular image file, the CPU 102 sets the value of the variable M to the same value as this file name. Then, the file names of the image files stored in the Mth record and the records up to M ± 2 are read. Then, the CPU 102 reads the image file specified by the read file name from the storage unit 105, and displays the image represented by the read image file on the display unit 106 (step SA16).

  When the operator operates the operation unit 107 and performs an operation of pressing the OK button B03, the CPU 102 assumes that the Mth page is a document break, and is data indicating that the document is a break. Is stored in the delimited data field of the Mth record (step SA20). When the separator page file is already stored, the CPU 102 uses the file specified by the file name of the circumscribed rectangular image file stored in the Mth record as a separator that represents the layout of a page that serves as a document separator. It is not stored in the storage unit 105 as a page file.

  When the operator operates the operation unit 107 and performs an operation for pressing the end button B06 on the screen (step SA21), the CPU 102 performs a process of collecting the scanned page images for each document. First, the CPU 102 initializes the value of the variable M and the value of the variable N, and sets “M = 1” and “N = 2” (step SA22). Next, the CPU 102 determines whether or not the value of the variable N is equal to or greater than the number of records in the file table TB1 (step SA23). If the CPU 102 determines NO in step SA23, it determines whether or not “◯” is stored in the delimiter data field of the Nth record (step SA24). If the CPU 102 determines NO in step SA24, it adds “1” to the value of the variable N (step SA25) and returns to step SA23. If the CPU 102 determines YES in step SA24, the CPU 102 reads out from the storage unit 105 the image file specified by the file name stored in the image file name field of the Mth to N−1th records (step SA26). . Then, the CPU 102 generates a document file that includes all the images of the page represented by the read image file, and stores the generated document file in the storage unit 105 (step SA27). Next, the CPU 102 assigns the value of the variable N to the variable M, then adds “1” to the variable N (step SA28), and returns to step SA23.

  If CPU 102 determines YES in step SA 23, CPU 102 reads an image specified by the file name stored in the image file name field of the Mth and subsequent records from storage unit 105. Then, the CPU 102 generates a document file that includes all the images of the page represented by the read image file, stores the generated document file in the storage unit 105 (step SA29), and ends the process. In this manner, images representing a plurality of pages scanned together are collected into one file for each document and stored in the storage unit 105.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, even when a plurality of documents are scanned together without using a divider, a page that is a candidate for a document break can be easily found, a document break can be specified, It can be saved.

[Modification]
(Modification 1)
In the above-described embodiment, the scanner unit 108 is integrated with the image processing apparatus 100. However, the scanner unit 108 may be configured separately. For example, the document may be read by a scanner device connected to the personal computer device, and the processing of the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 may be performed by the personal computer device.

(Modification 2)
In the above-described embodiment, when an operation for pressing the left fast-forward button B01 or the right fast-forward button B05 is performed, a page having a difference degree of “3” or more is displayed as a document delimiter candidate. However, for example, a page with a difference degree of “5” or more or a difference degree of “2” or more may be displayed as a document separation candidate.

(Modification 3)
The layout of a page that serves as a document separator is not limited to one layout. In the embodiment described above, a plurality of types of separator page files may be stored in the storage unit 105, and pages that match the layout represented by the separator page file may be displayed as document separator candidates.

(Modification 4)
In the above-described embodiment, the CPU 102 obtains the degree of difference from the next page for each page. However, the degree of difference from the previous page may be obtained, or the previous page and the back page may be obtained. You may make it obtain | require both the difference between.

(Modification 5)
If an operation for pressing the end button B06 is performed without an operation for pressing the OK button B03, a page having a difference degree of “3” or more is set as a document delimiter, and the document file is stored. You may make it produce | generate.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image processing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. 3 is a diagram illustrating a format of a file table TB1 stored in the image processing apparatus 100. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of processing performed by a CPU of the image processing apparatus. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of processing performed by a CPU of the image processing apparatus. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of processing performed by a CPU of the image processing apparatus. It is a figure for demonstrating the layout analysis process by CPU102. It is a figure for demonstrating the process which calculates | requires the difference of the layout between pages. 4 is a diagram illustrating a screen displayed on a display unit 106. FIG. It is the figure which illustrated the data stored in file table TB1.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Image processing apparatus, 101 ... Bus, 102 ... CPU, 103 ... ROM, 104 ... RAM, 105 ... Memory | storage part, 106 ... Display part, 107 ... Operation unit, 108... Scanner unit.

Claims (6)

Reading means for optically reading a plurality of pages and generating an image file;
Layout recognition means for recognizing the layout of the page represented by the image file generated by the reading means;
A degree-of-difference generation means for obtaining a degree of difference between the layout of each page and the layout of a page adjacent to each page for each page represented by the image file, by the layout recognized by the layout recognition means;
First instruction input means for receiving a first instruction for instructing display of a page serving as a document separator;
A separator page display means for displaying, using the image file, an image of a page in which the difference obtained by the difference generation means is a predetermined value or more when the first instruction input means receives the instruction; ,
Second instruction input means for receiving a second instruction for instructing to determine the displayed page as a document break;
When the second instruction input unit receives the instruction, a separator page determining unit that determines the displayed page as a separator page;
A third instruction input means for receiving a third instruction for instructing to divide a plurality of pages represented by the image file generated by the reading means and classify the pages into a plurality of documents;
When the third instruction input means receives the instruction, the plurality of pages represented by the image file generated by the reading means are separated by the pages determined by the separator page determining means, and are separated for each divided range. An image processing apparatus comprising: a storage unit configured to generate a document file including an image of a page within the range and store the generated document file.   The separator page display means identifies a page in which the degree of difference obtained by the degree-of-difference generation means is a predetermined value or more, and images of the identified page and a page adjacent to the page are displayed as the image. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display is performed using a file.   The separator page display means, when a separator page is determined by the separator page determination means, specifies a page having the same layout as the layout of the page by the layout file and displays the specified page. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1.   When the page to be separated is not determined by the separator page determining unit, the storage unit specifies a page in which the difference obtained by the difference generation unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. A plurality of pages represented by the image file generated by the reading unit is divided on each page, a document file including an image of a page within the range is generated for each divided range, and the generated document file is stored. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1. Computer equipment,
Storage means for storing an image file representing a page in a storage unit;
Layout recognition means for recognizing the layout of the page represented by the image file stored in the storage unit;
A degree-of-difference generation means for obtaining a degree of difference between the layout of each page and the layout of a page adjacent to each page for each page represented by the image file, by the layout recognized by the layout recognition means;
First instruction input means for receiving a first instruction for instructing display of a page serving as a document separator;
A separator page display means for displaying, using the image file, an image of a page in which the difference obtained by the difference generation means is a predetermined value or more when the first instruction input means receives the instruction; ,
Second instruction input means for receiving a second instruction for instructing to determine the displayed page as a document break;
When the second instruction input unit receives the instruction, a separator page determining unit that determines the displayed page as a separator page;
A third instruction input means for receiving a third instruction for instructing to divide a plurality of pages represented by the image file generated by the reading means and classify the pages into a plurality of documents;
When the third instruction input unit receives the instruction, the plurality of pages represented by the image file generated by the reading unit are separated by the page determined by the separator page determining unit, and each page is divided into ranges. A program that generates a document file including an image of a page within the range and functions as a storage unit that stores the generated document file.   A computer-readable recording medium on which the program according to claim 5 is recorded.

Images