JP2006094036A - Image document managing system, scanner, scanner driver, document format, image document management software and document management software - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image document managing system, capable of improving the efficiency of the entire reading operation by suppressing a complicated rereading operation, a scanner, a scanner driver, a document format, image document management software and document management software. <P>SOLUTION: When image data are acquired from an original, the image data are acquired in a plurality of image quality modes and the image data in the plurality of image quality modes are associated to each other in each page to prepare a file. In image data preview, the image of an image quality mode to be displayed is displayed on the basis of attribute information, and when switching is made to an image in a different image quality mode, the selected image quality mode is recorded in the attribute information. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image document management system, a scanner, a scanner driver, a document format, an image document management software, and a document management software, and in particular, an image document management system, a scanner, a scanner driver, and a document format capable of suppressing re-reading. The present invention relates to image document management software and document management software.

  There is an image document management system in which an original is read by a scanner, each page is saved as a file as an image, and is managed in document units (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  The scanner of the image document management system is equipped with an automatic document feeder called ADF, which automatically feeds a document having a large number of pages and continuously reads it, thereby making the reading operation efficient. .

  In the program (scanner driver) for instructing the reading operation of the scanner, several types of reading image quality modes are prepared according to the type of document, and one of them can be designated. If the manuscript is a business document, it is designated to be read in the “text and line drawing” mode, and if the manuscript has many photographs, it is designated to be read in the “photo” mode.

  By the way, in the operation of electronically managing a large number of originals by reading a large number of documents, another operator often performs the reading operation and an inspection operation for checking the image quality of the read image.

  FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing processing when a conventional document is read and electronically managed.

  First, when an original is set in the ADF (step 200), an image quality mode for reading is selected (step 201), the original is read in the selected image quality mode (step 202), and image data is saved (step 203). ).

  If the image is not reread (NO in step 204), the image data is registered as a document (step 205). If the image is reread (YES in step 204), the image data is replaced (step 206). Registration as a document (step 205).

  Here, the document data is transferred from the operator who performs the reading operation to the operator who performs the inspection operation (step 207).

  Then, the image data is inspected (step 208), and if there is no problem with the image quality (YES in step 209), the process is terminated. If there is a problem with the image quality (NO in step 209), rereading is performed. A page to be executed is specified (step 210).

Further, the operator performing the reading operation is notified of the page to be reread (step 211), and the operator performing the reading operation extracts the page of the document to be reread (step 212), and sets the extracted document in the ADF. (Step 200), the original is read.
JP 2001-057639 A

  However, if the number of pages of a document set on the ADF is large, for example, a page containing only “text” or a page centered on “photograph” is often mixed. In such a case, all pages cannot be read with the optimum image quality in one reading image quality mode designated by the user.

  In addition, an image with a poor image quality is found during inspection work, which is a post-reading process. For users with very high demands on image quality, poor image quality is not acceptable.

  Accordingly, it is necessary to reset a document page corresponding to the corresponding page in the scanner, read it again in the correct image quality mode, and replace it with a part of the document already managed by the system, which is complicated.

  In addition, reading and inspection operations are often performed by different operators at different locations. In this case, the manuscript page to be read and the reason for reading are informed to the reading operator and re-reading, and the re-read image already exists. Therefore, it is necessary to replace the document data with a part of the document data.

  Accordingly, the present invention provides an image document management system, a scanner, a scanner driver, a document format, image document management software, and document management software that can reduce complicated re-reading operations and improve the efficiency of the entire reading operation. For the purpose.

  The image document management system according to the present invention receives a scanner that acquires image data by scanning a document and a plurality of image quality modes, and images in a plurality of image quality modes that are specified each time the document is read by the scanner. A scanner driver that generates a processed image; and a management device that associates a plurality of image data as one page of a document.

  The reading apparatus according to the present invention receives a designation of a plurality of image quality modes, and generates a scanner driver that generates an image processed in a plurality of image quality modes each time a document is read by a scanner, and a plurality of image data. Management software associated with one page of the document.

  The scanner driver according to the present invention accepts designation of a plurality of image quality modes by the reading device, and converts the image data acquired by the scanner in the designated plurality of image quality modes.

  The scanner according to the present invention acquires image data from a document, converts the image data in a plurality of image quality modes, and transmits the image data to a scanner driver.

  In the document format according to the present invention, a plurality of image data having different image quality modes created from image data acquired by a scanner are associated with one page.

  The document management software according to the present invention receives and displays a process of selecting and displaying one image data from a plurality of image data associated with one page, and switching of the displayed image data. And causing the computer to execute processing for selecting and displaying other image data associated with the same page as the image data being displayed.

  Further, the priority image quality mode is determined, and processing for selecting and displaying image data in the priority image quality mode is further performed.

  Further, a process for printing out the selected image data is further performed.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the rereading operation of the original and improve the efficiency of the reading operation.

  The best mode for carrying out an image document management system, scanner, scanner driver, document format, image document management software, and document management software according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an example of an image document management system according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, a host PC (personal computer) 10 for reading work, which is a reading device, and inspection, which is an inspection device. The working host PC 20 and the image forming apparatus 30 are connected via a network 40 such as a LAN (Local Area Network).

  A scanner 50 is connected to the reading work host PC 10, and the scanner 50 is provided with an ADF 51.

  The host PC 10 has a scanner driver that can specify a plurality of image quality modes when reading a document, and management software that manages images read by the scanner.

  The host PC 20 has management software for managing images read by the scanner.

  The scanner driver can designate a plurality of reading image quality modes, and generates an image processed in a plurality of image quality modes designated every time one page is read by the scanner, and stores and saves the image in the host PC 10.

  The management software associates a plurality of images generated and stored from one page of the document as one page of the document. That is, when previewing each page of a document on the system, an image read in one of the image quality modes is displayed as shown in an example of a UI (user interface) for displaying a preview in FIG. The UI that does not make the user aware of the existence of a plurality of images is displayed.

  Further, this UI has means (“image switching button” 1 shown in FIG. 2) for manually switching to another image quality image that is read in a plurality of image quality modes and associated with one page. The image is stored as an attribute in the document, and when the printing of the document is instructed, the switched image is printed as a corresponding page.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the structure of the document format in the present invention.

  As shown in the figure, in the document format according to the present invention, a plurality of image data having different image quality modes are associated with each page, and attribute information is recorded for the entire document file and each page.

  As attribute information, information about pages and files such as a priority image to be displayed at the time of preview and an image quality mode stored as a page image are stored.

  The scanner 50 feeds an original with the ADF 51, reads the original in a plurality of image quality modes designated by the host PC 10 using a scanner driver, and transmits image data obtained by reading the original to the host PC 10.

  Using the above configuration, the image document management system according to the present invention reads a document in a plurality of image quality modes, acquires image data of a plurality of image quality, and stores a plurality of image data in association with one page.

  In preview display, an image read in one of the image quality modes is displayed based on the document attribute, and when the image is switched to another image quality image, the selected image is stored as the document attribute.

  In this embodiment, a process when a document is read by a scanner to generate a plurality of image quality images will be described.

  The user sets a document on the ADF. On the scanner driver setting screen, after selecting a plurality of reading image quality modes corresponding to the type of document set on the ADF, the reading is started by pressing the [Reading] button.

  The document is fed from the ADF page by page, and is converted into an electronic signal (RAW data) by an optical sensor in the reading unit of the scanner.

  RAW data is image-processed in a plurality of image quality modes designated by the scanner driver to generate a plurality of image data.

  FIG. 4 shows a system in which raw image data read by the optical sensor of the scanner is temporarily stored in a buffer memory in the scanner, subjected to image processing in a plurality of designated image quality modes, and then transferred to the host PC a plurality of times. FIG.

  In this method, the scanner has a page buffer memory having a capacity for storing RAW image data for one page or more, and the RAW image read from the original by the optical sensor is stored in the buffer memory in units of pages.

  The RAW data for one page stored in the buffer memory is subjected to image processing a plurality of times by an image processing algorithm prepared in the scanner in accordance with information on a plurality of reading image quality modes received from the scanner driver.

  When each image processing is completed, the processed image data is transferred to the scanner driver of the host PC through a signal line such as a SCSI cable connecting the host PC and the scanner.

  Upon receiving the image processing image, the scanner driver shapes the image file format such as TIFF and saves it as an image file.

  In this method, a series of processes are performed for each image process in the scanner body.

  This method requires a page buffer memory and an ASIC for executing an image processing algorithm in the scanner body, which is expensive in terms of cost. However, since the processing in the scanner driver is simplified, the performance of the entire system is called. This is advantageous.

  FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing a method of transferring the read RAW image data as it is to the host PC and performing image processing a plurality of times with a scanner driver to generate an image.

  In this method, the RAW image data fed from the ADF and optically read is directly transferred to the scanner driver through a signal line such as a SCSI cable.

  Then, the scanner driver calls an image processing algorithm in the driver and sequentially processes the RAW image data in the designated image quality mode.

  The result of image processing multiple times is shaped into an image file format such as TIFF and saved as an image file.

  This method has a cost advantage because it is not necessary to prepare a page buffer memory inside the scanner.

  Further, the RAW image data passes through the signal line only once, and when the transfer speed of the signal line is low, the performance can be improved as compared with the method described in FIG.

  FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram showing a method of processing the RAW image data read for each line and transferring it to the host PC.

  In this method, a page fed from the ADF is read for each line by an optical sensor.

  The RAW line data read for each line is temporarily stored in the line buffer, read out from the image processing ASIC for the number of designated image quality modes, processed, and then a signal line such as a SCSI cable. To the scanner driver of the host PC.

  The scanner driver reconstructs image data for one page and stores it in an image format such as TIFF after all the image processed line data constituting the page is complete.

  In this method, only a line data buffer memory having a relatively small capacity corresponding to that required for image processing by the ASIC of the scanner is required, which is advantageous in terms of cost compared to the method described with reference to FIG.

  Normally, when an 8 × 8 pixel image filter used in this type of image processing is used, for example, a line data buffer memory for 8 lines may be provided.

  Considering a case where an A4 document is read at 600 dpi LEF, about 4960 lines are required for the entire page, and therefore it can be implemented with only about 0.16% (= 8/4960) of the buffer capacity of one page.

  The transfer of the image processed line data to the host PC is performed a plurality of times for each line by the number of selected image quality modes.

  When a transfer buffer memory is prepared in the scanner, an asynchronous image data transfer control method described later can also be used in each image data generation method described with reference to FIGS.

  In the present embodiment, control when image data transfer is performed between the scanner and the scanner driver of the host PC will be described.

  As a control method for transferring image data, there are a synchronous transfer control method in which a reading operation and data transfer are performed synchronously and an asynchronous transfer control method in which a reading operation and data transfer are performed asynchronously.

  As described with reference to FIG. 4 in the first embodiment, the synchronous transfer control method is a method in which a series of processing is performed for each image processing. Image data obtained by optical reading is transferred to the scanner driver. The data transfer control algorithm is the simplest because it performs the next read from, but it is disadvantageous in terms of performance.

  FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram showing a flow of processing of the asynchronous transfer control method.

  In the asynchronous transfer control method, the next reading is started before the image data obtained by optical reading is completely transferred to the scanner driver.

  In this control method, since the next reading is started before the data transfer is completed, it is necessary to cache the capacity for storing the data being transferred and the newly read data in the transfer buffer memory, at least, A transfer buffer memory having a capacity sufficient to store these data is required.

  In addition, if an error occurs during data transfer, a flow control algorithm is required to transfer data again, or to temporarily stop new reading when the transfer buffer memory is low. is there.

  In the present embodiment, a method for specifying a plurality of reading image quality modes on the reading setting screen of the scanner driver will be described.

  As a method for specifying a plurality of reading image quality modes, for example, a method for manually selecting a plurality of image quality modes, a method for automatically reading and selecting a plurality of types of modes registered in the system in advance, There is a method of learning the priority order of image quality modes in accordance with the tendency of reading work and automatically selecting the top several types.

  The method of manually selecting a plurality of image quality modes is a method of manually selecting a plurality of image quality modes from a number of read image quality modes prepared as standard in the scanner driver.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 8 as an example of a UI for manually selecting an image quality mode, two list boxes are prepared, and all selectable image quality modes are listed in the request box 2 on the left side. .

  The selected image quality mode is added to the list in the right request box 4 by selecting one and pressing the [Add] button 3. Further, by selecting a certain image quality mode in the list on the right side and pressing the [Delete] button 5, it is deleted from the list box on the right side.

  By repeating such operations and listing the image quality modes to be used in the list box on the right side, a plurality of read image quality modes are determined.

  In the method of automatically reading out and selecting a plurality of image quality modes registered in advance in the system, as described with reference to FIG. 8, the scanner driver has a function of storing a plurality of manually selected image quality modes, Use the saved combination of image quality modes the next time you scan. In this method, the trouble of selecting again can be saved.

  In the method of learning the priority of image quality mode according to the trend of past reading work and automatically selecting the top several types,

  The number of selections of the image quality mode is recorded, and the combination of the current image quality mode is automatically determined (learned) based on the information. As a learning method, for example, as shown in FIG. 9, a method of selecting the top several times used in the past, or as shown in FIG. However, there is a method of selecting the top several of them, and the method of using the selection status of the past several times can reflect the pattern of the recent reading work in the current reading.

  In this embodiment, a method for selecting an image to be previewed will be described.

  When previewing a page with management software, examples of the method for selecting an image to be displayed in the initial state include a method of displaying an image read in the priority image quality mode set for the entire document, and a certain page range. Priority image quality mode is set for each page, and a method for displaying images with different image quality modes for each page range and T / I (text / image) separation by segmentation algorithm for each page are performed. As a result of the evaluation, there is a method of automatically selecting and displaying an image having the highest evaluation score.

  In the method of displaying an image read in the priority image quality mode, the user designates one of the plurality of read image quality modes designated by the scanner driver as the priority image quality mode.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 8 as an example of the image quality mode designation UI, the top image quality mode list selected by the image quality mode designation is automatically set as the priority image quality mode by the scanner driver, and the priority is given. By first generating an image file that has been image-processed in the image quality mode, the management software recognizes and displays the image file in the priority image quality mode.

  In this method, an image in one fixed priority image quality mode is displayed in an initial state for the entire read document. Although the processing is simple, the frequency of switching the mode on the sentence management software is increased during the inspection work.

  By setting the priority image quality mode for a certain page range and displaying images with different image quality modes for each page range, if you know the tendency of the document to be read in advance, from what page to how many pages The priority image quality mode is set in the scanner driver for each page range, such as [Character and line drawing] for the range and [Halftone image] for the number of pages from the next page.

  For example, in the scanner driver, the priority image quality mode information for the page is transferred to the management software together with the image quality mode correspondence table corresponding to the image file to be generated, and the management software displays the image file in the priority image quality mode in the initial state.

  In this method, when the content of the document is known, the frequency of performing the image switching operation in the inspection operation is reduced as compared with the case of displaying in the unified image quality mode.

  T / I separation is performed for each page, and the image with the highest evaluation score is automatically selected and displayed, and T / I separation processing is used from multiple images for each page passed to the management software. To select the best mode automatically.

  For example, a general T image that is optically read by a scanner together with an image file that has undergone image processing is directly input to software from a scanner driver, and the RAW image data is separated into a text area and an image area. / I separation processing is performed, and the closest image processed image is selected based on the ratio of the text and the image area to the entire page.

  FIG. 11 is a conceptual diagram showing a method for selecting a picture quality mode for preview display by performing T / I separation.

  As shown in the figure, for example, in the [character and line drawing] mode, the text / image area ratio is 9: 1, the [photo] mode is 1: 9, and the [photo and text] mode is 6: 4. Suppose that it is fixedly defined in the system.

  When the [Text and Line Drawing], [Photo], and [Photo and Text] modes are specified at the time of reading, the RAW image data passed from the driver together with the three image processed image files are subjected to T / I separation processing. If the ratio is 7: 3, the closest image file in [Photo and Text] mode is displayed in the initial state.

  FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an example of processing when an original is read and electronically managed using the image document management system according to the present invention.

  First, when an original is set on the ADF (step 100), a plurality of image quality modes for reading are selected (step 101).

  Then, the original is read (step 102), the image data is saved (step 103), and image data of the selected image quality mode is created (step 104).

  Here, the image data of each image quality mode is associated with one page, and the image data is registered as a document (step 105).

  Further, the document data is transferred from the operator who performs the reading operation to the operator who performs the inspection operation (step 106).

  Then, the image data is inspected (step 107). If there is no problem with the image quality (YES in step 108), the process is terminated. If there is a problem with the image quality (NO in step 108), Switching is performed (step 109).

  In this embodiment, even if an image with a poor image quality is found during the inspection work, the operator performing the inspection work can change the image data, so that the reduction in work efficiency is greatly improved. Can do.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an example of an image document management system according to the present invention. The figure which shows an example of UI at the time of displaying a preview The block diagram which shows the structure of the document format in this invention Conceptual diagram showing a method of transferring RAW image data to a host PC Conceptual diagram showing a method of transferring RAW image data to a host PC Conceptual diagram showing a method of transferring RAW image data to a host PC Conceptual diagram showing the processing flow of the asynchronous transfer control method The figure which shows an example of UI at the time of selecting an image quality mode manually Diagram showing how to select image quality mode Diagram showing how to select image quality mode Conceptual diagram showing a method of selecting an image quality mode by performing T / I separation 6 is a flowchart showing an example of processing when a document is read and electronically managed using the image document management system according to the present invention. A flowchart showing processing when a conventional document is read and electronically managed

Explanation of symbols

1 ... Image switching button 2 ... Left request box 3 ... [Add] button 4 ... Right request box 5 ... [Delete] button 10 ... Host PC for reading
20 ... Host PC for inspection work
30 ... Image forming apparatus 40 ... Network 50 ... Scanner 51 ... ADF

Claims (8)

A scanner that scans a document and acquires image data;
A scanner driver that accepts designation of a plurality of image quality modes and generates an image processed in a plurality of image quality modes designated each time one page of the original is read by the scanner;
An image document management system comprising: a reading device having management software that associates a plurality of image data as one page of a document. A scanner driver that accepts designation of a plurality of image quality modes and generates an image processed in a plurality of image quality modes each time a document is read by a scanner;
A reading apparatus comprising management software that associates a plurality of image data as one page of a document. The reading device accepts multiple image quality mode specifications,
A scanner driver that converts image data acquired by a scanner in a plurality of designated image quality modes. Obtain image data from the manuscript,
A scanner, wherein the image data is converted in a plurality of image quality modes and transmitted to a scanner driver. A document format characterized by associating a plurality of image data having different image quality modes created from image data acquired by a scanner with one page. A process of selecting and displaying one image data from a plurality of image data associated with one page;
Document management characterized by accepting switching of the displayed image data and causing a computer to execute a process of selecting and displaying other image data associated with the same page as the displayed image data soft.   7. The document management software according to claim 6, further comprising a process of determining a priority image quality mode and selecting and displaying image data in the priority image quality mode.   8. The document management software according to claim 6, further comprising a process of printing out the selected image data.

Images