JP2007011472A - Information processing method and device, program and computer-readable memory - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the reuse efficiency of an original electronic document by facilitating access from an electronic image to an original electronic document that corresponds to the original of the electronic image. <P>SOLUTION: An electronic image generation input part 201 generates an electronic image from a document, and an input detection/retrieval request part 202 requests similar original retrieval for the generated image to a retrieval server 204. The retrieval server 20 retrieves similar originals to the requested electronic image from a retrieval database 205, and reports a retrieval result consisting of location information and similarity thereof to a retrieval result management part 206. The retrieval result management part 206 optionally or automatically determines location information to be merged and reports it to a location information merge part 207. The location information merge part 207 merges the location information reported by the retrieval result management part 205 to the electronic image and generates an electronic image with location information of the original or similar electronic document buried therein. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention uses an information retrieval apparatus that is connected to an information processing apparatus and retrieves information stored in the information processing apparatus, and automatically stores the original electronic image or the location information of a similar electronic document in the electronic image. The present invention relates to an information processing method to be added, its apparatus, a program, and a computer-readable memory.

  Currently, efficient creation of documents is performed using electronic documents (hereinafter referred to as electronic documents) due to the spread of personal computers, printing devices, etc., and the created electronic documents are printed and distributed on printing devices. Is widely practiced. Furthermore, management of printed materials has been performed using electronic information, such as generating electronic images from printed materials using devices such as image scanners and handling them as electronic information.

  However, since the printed matter is printed, information related to the original electronic document before printing is lost. That is, the location of the original electronic document in the printed matter becomes unclear, and it becomes difficult to reuse the original electronic document. For example, when it is desired to revise a printed material, the original electronic document that is in a state before printing is generally re-edited, but there is a problem that it is necessary to search for the original electronic document from the printed material. Also, when an electronic image is generated using a device such as an image scanner, the printed material is printed and scanned, so the image quality of the generated electronic image is degraded compared to the original electronic document before printing, Since there is no information about the original electronic document, it is used for the purpose of being saved as a file or distributed by e-mail or the like, and there is a problem that it is difficult to use for re-editing.

  Therefore, at the time of printing, the information of the original electronic document corresponding to the original of the printed material is attached to the printed material as embedded information and printed, while the printed material with the information added is scanned using an image scanner or the like, and the embedded information added to the printed material A technique of reproducing as a reusable electronic document such as re-editing based on is disclosed (for example, see Patent Document 1).

In addition, using a search method called a similar original search for searching for an image similar to the image given as a query, an electronic image generated by an image scanner or the like is searched, and the location information of the original electronic document corresponding to the original is obtained. obtain. It is also conceivable to obtain an original electronic document by referring to the location information and re-edit the original electronic document.
JP 2001-30588 A

  However, the technique disclosed in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-30587 can be reused only in an electronic document in which a printed matter printed using the technique exists, and without using the technique. The original electronic document cannot be reused from a printed matter printed by a general printing method, that is, a printed matter to which information relating to the original electronic document corresponding to the original is not added as embedded information.

  Furthermore, when printing using this technology, it is necessary to embed some information in the printed matter regardless of whether it is visible or invisible, and information that is not necessary for the printed matter is added, which may reduce the quality of the document of the printed matter. .

  Even when the similar original search technique described above is used, the similar original search only shows the search result, and it is necessary to perform the same search again when it is desired to obtain the original electronic document that is the original of the same printed material again. Therefore, it is difficult to efficiently reuse the original electronic document.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and in the process of generating an electronic image, information processing for automatically embedding location information of an original electronic document of the electronic image or an electronic document similar to the electronic image. It is an object to provide a method, an apparatus thereof, a program, and a computer-readable memory.

  In order to achieve the above object, an information processing method according to the present invention comprises the following arrangement.

That is,
An information processing method for adding electronic information related to an electronic image to an electronic image, comprising: input means for generating an electronic image from a manuscript; and an original electronic document of the electronic image or an electronic document similar to the electronic document Search means for searching for the location and notifying the location information and similarity information of the original electronic document of the electronic image or an electronic document similar to the electronic document; an adding means for adding the location information to the electronic image; and Output means for outputting an electronic image in which the location information is embedded by an adding means, and corresponds to similarity information in a range arbitrarily or automatically selected from similarity information obtained by the search means An information processing method comprising automatically adding one or more pieces of location information to the electronic image.

  In order to achieve the above object, an information processing apparatus according to the present invention comprises the following arrangement.

That is,
An information processing apparatus for adding electronic information related to an electronic image to an electronic image, comprising: an input unit that generates an electronic image from a document; and an original electronic document of the electronic image or an electronic document similar to the electronic document Search means for searching for the location and notifying the location information and similarity information of the original electronic document of the electronic image or an electronic document similar to the electronic document; an adding means for adding the location information to the electronic image; and Output means for outputting an electronic image in which the location information is embedded by an adding means, and corresponds to similarity information in a range arbitrarily or automatically selected from similarity information obtained by the search means An information processing apparatus that automatically adds one or more pieces of location information to the electronic image.

  In order to achieve the above object, a program according to the present invention comprises the following arrangement.

That is,
A program executed by an information processing apparatus for adding electronic information related to an electronic image to an electronic image, the input unit generating an electronic image from a document, and the original electronic document of the electronic image or the electronic document Searching for the location of a similar electronic document, searching for the location information and similarity information of the original electronic document of the electronic image or an electronic document similar to the electronic document, and adding the location information to the electronic image An adding means; and an output means for outputting an electronic image in which the location information is embedded by the adding means, and similarity in a range arbitrarily or automatically selected from the similarity information obtained by the searching means One or more location information corresponding to the degree information is automatically added to the electronic image.

  According to the present invention, since the location information of the original electronic document that is the original of the electronic image or a similar electronic document is automatically embedded in the electronic image generated by the input means, the original electronic document of the electronic image from the electronic image or Access to similar electronic documents is facilitated, and reusability such as editing of original electronic documents can be improved.

Example 1
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  Reference numeral 101 denotes a central processing unit (CPU) that performs operations for similar original retrieval, operations for logical determination and location information merge, and controls each component connected to the bus 109 through the bus 109.

  Reference numeral 102 denotes a read-only fixed memory (ROM), which stores a control program executed in this embodiment.

  A random access memory (RAM) 103 is used for temporary storage of various data.

  An input device 104 includes a keyboard and a mouse.

  Reference numeral 105 denotes a display device that displays document data, image data, and the like.

  Reference numeral 106 denotes a storage device, which includes a hard disk.

  An external storage device 107 is an external storage device such as a flexible disk, a writable CD, or a DVD.

  Reference numeral 108 denotes a communication device, which includes a local area network controller or the like, and exchanges data with the outside through a communication line.

  Reference numeral 109 denotes a bus, which transfers an address signal and a control signal that indicate each component that is a control target of the central processing unit 101.

  The information processing apparatus according to the present embodiment, which includes each component, operates in response to various inputs from the input device 104 and various inputs from the communication device 108. When input is performed from the input device 104, an interrupt is generated. A signal is sent to the central processing unit 101, and the central processing unit 101 reads out various control signals stored in the read-only fixed memory 102 and performs various controls according to these signals.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the information processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 2, reference numeral 201 denotes an electronic image generation / input unit that generates and inputs an electronic image from a document. The electronic image generation input unit 201 is software that generates an electronic image from a device such as an image scanner or a digital camera, an electronic document, or the like, and there are various types of documents for generating an electronic image. For example, an electronic image is generated from a printed material on a paper medium by an image scanner, a document displayed on a display screen is photographed with a digital camera, an electronic image is generated from an electronic document, etc. There is.

  202 detects that an electronic image has been input by the electronic image generation input unit 201, makes a search request to the search server 204, and receives an electronic image input from the electronic image generation input unit 201 in the electronic image storage unit 203. It is an input detection / search request part that is stored as a temporary file.

  An electronic image storage unit 203 stores an electronic image in which a temporary file of an electronic image input from the input detection / search request unit 202 and the location information generated by the location information merge unit 207 are embedded.

  204 receives a search request from the input detection / search request unit 202 and searches for a similar document by referring to the search database 205 based on the temporary file of the electronic image stored in the electronic image storage unit 203. , Location information of similar documents as search results (such as URI that can uniquely identify the location globally, information that can be uniquely resolved within a local range such as a personal computer such as a file path name, etc.) and similarity This is a search server that notifies the search result management unit 206 (integer value, real value, etc.).

  A search database 205 stores a search index and the like referred to by the search server.

  A search result management unit 206 receives the search result notified from the search server 204 and controls the location information merge unit 207 according to the search result. The search result management unit 206 determines the number of location information to be merged with the electronic image based on the number of search results and similarity information, and notifies the location information merge unit 207 of the determined number of location information such as URIs. To do. The determination criterion to be determined is determined by obtaining from a configuration file or presenting a list of similarity information to the user. When the number of search results is 0 or the search result is an error, it is notified that there is location information to be merged with the electronic image.

  207 receives location information such as a URI transmitted from the location information management unit 206, merges it with a temporary file of an electronic image existing in the electronic image storage unit 203, generates an electronic image in which the location information is embedded, It is a location information merge unit stored in the image storage unit 203. In the location information merging unit 207, the information is merged as visible information by a designated merge method (designation by a user, designation using a setting file, etc.) or a predetermined merge method, or metadata such as invisible information is used. It decides whether to merge as a thing or to encrypt the location information, and merges with the temporary file of the electronic image existing in the electronic image storage unit 203 by the decided method. When it is notified from the search result management unit 206 that there is no location information to be merged, the electronic image temporary file stored in the electronic image storage unit 203 is used as a result of the generated electronic image.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the information processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  First, in step S301, an electronic image is generated by a device that operates the electronic image generation input unit 201, and an electronic image generation process for inputting the generated electronic image to the input detection / search request unit 202 is performed. . In the electronic image generation process, an electronic image generation process and an input process are performed using a general operation panel (not shown) used in an image scanner or a digital camera.

  Next, in step S302, similar original search processing is performed based on the electronic image input in step S301, and the location information and similarity of similar electronic documents are returned as search results. This process is performed in the same manner as the known similar original search process.

  Next, in step S303, it is determined whether a search result exists from the result of the search process performed in step S302 or whether an error has occurred during the search. If the search result is zero or there is an error, the electronic image generated in step S301 is output as the processing result, and then this processing ends. If the search result is not an error and there are more than 0, the process proceeds to step S304.

  Next, in step S304, setting information on the number of location information to be embedded in the electronic image is acquired, and location information to be embedded in the electronic image is determined. When there are a plurality of search results in step S302, the number of location information to be embedded in the electronic image is determined based on the number of items having a high degree of similarity (for example, similarity) using a setting file described in plain text or the like shown in FIG. It is determined by a method of embedding 10 pieces of location information from the most frequent ones, or by presenting a search result to the user and selecting the location information to be embedded using an operation panel (described later) shown in FIG. If there is only one search result in step S302, one location information is embedded as it is, or filtering by similarity using the setting file shown in FIG. 4 (for example, embedding if the similarity is higher than the set similarity, Whether or not the location information is embedded in the electronic image is determined based on, for example, if the similarity is less than the set similarity.

  In step S305, information on how to merge the location information with respect to the electronic image is acquired. The information is acquired by using a setting file in which merge setting information shown in FIG. 6 is described, or by causing the user to select a merge method using an operation panel (described later) shown in FIG. 7, as shown in FIG. For merging information such as where location information is embedded in an electronic image as visible information, embedded in an electronic image using metadata (not shown) as invisible information, or in which position in the electronic image is embedded when merging as invisible information Get information about. The location information for which the merge method is to be selected is the one selected in step S304. In FIG. 7, reference numeral 701 denotes the location information embedded as visible information.

  In step S306, the location information embedded in the electronic information obtained from step S304 is merged with the electronic image generated in step S301 based on the merge setting information obtained from step S305. Thereafter, this process is terminated. Note that the metadata merge processing is performed by a known method.

  Next, a display example of the operation panel when the user designates the location information to be embedded in step S304 in FIG. 3 will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of an operation panel that allows the user to select conditions for embedding location information.

  In FIG. 5, reference numeral 501 denotes a display window for performing a location information selection operation to be embedded.

  A search result display area 502 displays search results, that is, location information and scores that can be embedded. The information whose location information and score are highlighted is the currently selected one.

  Reference numeral 503 denotes a registration button for registering the location information selected in the search result display area 502 in the selection result display area 505 described later as having been selected.

  Reference numeral 504 denotes a sort button for sorting the location information and scores displayed in the search result display area 502. The sort button 504 sorts the search results in ascending order and descending order of the score each time it is selected.

  A selection result display area 505 displays the location information selected by the user as the location information to be embedded.

  Reference numeral 506 denotes an end button for ending the location information selection process. When the end button 506 is selected, the location information displayed in the selection result display area 505 is notified to the location information merge unit 207 as location information to be merged with the electronic image.

  Reference numeral 507 denotes a cancel button for canceling the location information selection process. When the cancel button 507 is selected, the location information merge unit 207 is notified that the location information to be merged with the electronic image does not exist regardless of the location information displayed in the selection result display area 505.

  The operation of the operation panel shown in FIG. 5 is performed using a known input device / technology such as a keyboard and a mouse.

  Next, a display example of the operation panel when the user specifies merge setting information in step S305 in FIG. 3 will be described with reference to FIG.

  In FIG. 7, reference numeral 701 denotes a display window for performing a merge setting information selection operation.

  A location information list display area 702 displays a location information list to be merged. In the location information list display area 702, location information to be set as to how to merge is selected.

  Reference numeral 703 denotes a visible / invisible setting area for selecting whether the location information selected in the location information list display area 702 is merged as visible information or invisible information. When visible is selected, an operation panel (described later) shown in FIG. 9 for setting the position where the location information is merged is displayed by selecting a merge position setting button 705 described later, and the position where the location information is merged is set. Move on to operation. When invisible is selected, the merging position is not normally asked (because it is invisible), so the merge position setting button cannot be selected.

  Reference numeral 704 denotes a merge position display area for displaying a numerical value representing the merge position in coordinates. In the merge position display area 704, the merge position corresponding to the location information selected in the location information list display area 702 is displayed, and the merge position is displayed by selecting a merge position setting button 705 described later, as shown in FIG. Set by an operation panel (described later).

  Reference numeral 705 denotes a merge position setting button for displaying an operation panel (described later) shown in FIG. 9 for setting a merge position. By pressing the merge position setting button, the operation panel shown in FIG. 9 is displayed.

  Reference numeral 706 denotes a merge setting information selection end button for ending the merge setting information selection process. When the merge setting information selection end button 706 is selected, it notifies the location information merging unit 207 of the merge setting information for each location information.

  Note that the operation of the operation panel shown in FIG. 7 uses a known input device / technology such as a keyboard and a mouse.

  Next, a display example of the operation panel for selecting the merge position displayed when the merge position setting button 705 is selected in FIG. 7 will be described with reference to FIG.

  In FIG. 9, reference numeral 901 denotes a display window for selecting a merge position.

  Reference numeral 902 denotes an electronic image display area for displaying an electronic image into which location information is merged.

  Reference numeral 903 denotes a merge position selection cursor for selecting a position where the location information is merged. By selecting the position indicated by the merge position selection cursor 903, merge position information 904 (described later) indicating the position to be merged is displayed.

  Reference numeral 904 denotes an example of merge position information indicating a position where location information is merged. The merge position information 904 displays the position to be merged selected by the merge position selection cursor 903, and FIG. 9 shows the merge position of the location information “http: //xxx.yy.zz”. When there are a plurality of pieces of location information in the location information list display area 702 in FIG. 7, the merge position information 904 exists at the maximum number of pieces of location information (when the location information is set to be invisible in the visible / invisible setting area 703). And merge position information is not set). Further, when the merge position information 904 related to the location information selected in the location information list display area 702 is set again, the old merge position information 904 is automatically deleted every time the merge position selection cursor 903 is selected. New merge position information 904 is set again. When setting for the first time, only merge position information 904 is set. The merge position information 904 is set once, and then the merge position information 904 related to the location information set to invisible on the operation panel shown in FIG. 7 is automatically deleted and is not displayed.

  Reference numeral 905 denotes a merge position setting end button for ending the merge position setting process. When the merge position setting end button 905 is selected, the operation moves to the operation panel shown in FIG. 7 with the merge position information 904 as the merge position.

  A merge position setting cancel button 906 cancels the merge position setting process. When the merge position setting cancel button 906 is selected, the operation moves to the operation panel shown in FIG. 7 without setting the merge position.

  According to the present embodiment, arbitrary location information among the location information of the electronic document similar to the electronic image input from the electronic image generation input unit 101 is merged with the electronic image input from the electronic image generation input unit 101. Since it is possible to select visible / invisible as a method of merging, the output state of the electronic image (the location information of the original or similar electronic document is embedded) is changed according to the purpose. And can meet a wide range of needs.

  In the present embodiment, either one of the visibility setting of the location information in the merge setting is selected. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and both visible and invisible can be selected. May be.

  Further, in the present embodiment, in the merge setting, the location information is embedded as a URI when visible, and when it is not visible, it is embedded as metadata. However, the present invention is not limited to this, but a two-dimensional barcode, encryption technology, etc. Any information that has been converted according to an arbitrary rule and can be recognized as location information by converting the information according to an arbitrary rule.

  In the present embodiment, it is assumed that a means (application or the like) that selects and uses location information from an electronic image in which location information is embedded uses a known technique such as a technique for analyzing metadata. In this case, it is sufficient if there is a means for analyzing the embedded information and recognizing it as location information and presenting the location information to the user.

  Note that the present invention can be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices (for example, personal computers, interface devices, readers, etc.) or to a single device (for example, personal computers, copiers, etc.). Good.

  Another object of the present invention is to supply a storage medium storing software program codes for realizing the functions of the embodiments to a system or apparatus, and a computer (or CPU, MPU, etc.) of the system or apparatus stores the storage medium. It is also achieved by reading out and executing the program code stored in.

  In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

  The storage medium for supplying the program code is, for example, a flexible disk, hard disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-ROM, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, DVD + RW. Magnetic tape, non-volatile memory card, ROM, etc. can be used.

  Further, by executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also an OS (operating system) or the like running on the computer is actually executed based on the instruction of the program code. This includes a case where part or all of the processing is performed and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.

  Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written to a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the function expansion is performed based on the instruction of the program code. The CPU or the like provided in the board or the function expansion unit may perform part or all of the actual processing, and the functions of the above-described embodiments may be realized by the processing.

  While various examples and embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will recognize that the spirit and scope of the present invention is not limited to the specific descriptions and figures herein, It will be understood that various modifications and changes are set forth in all the claims.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the information processing apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the function structure of the information processing apparatus of embodiment in this invention. It is a flowchart explaining operation | movement of the information processing apparatus in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of the setting file which described the conditions which embed location information. It is a figure which shows the example of the operation panel which makes a user select the conditions which embed location information. It is a figure which shows the example of the setting file which described merge setting information. It is a figure which shows the example of the operation panel which makes a user select the merge method. It is a figure which shows the example of the electronic image with which location information was embedded as visible information. It is a figure which shows the example of the operation panel which makes a user select a merge position.

Explanation of symbols

101 Central processing unit (CPU)
102 Read-only fixed memory (ROM)
103 Random access memory (RAM)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 104 Input device 105 Display device 106 Storage device 107 External storage device 108 Communication device 109 Bus 201 Electronic image generation input unit 202 Input detection / search request unit 203 Electronic image storage unit 204 Search server 205 Search database 206 Search result management unit 207 Information merge unit 208 Information linkage device

Claims (4)

  An information processing method for adding electronic information related to an electronic image to an electronic image, comprising: input means for generating an electronic image from a manuscript; and an original electronic document of the electronic image or an electronic document similar to the electronic document Search means for searching for the location and notifying the location information and similarity information of the original electronic document of the electronic image or an electronic document similar to the electronic document; an adding means for adding the location information to the electronic image; and Output means for outputting an electronic image in which the location information is embedded by an adding means, and corresponds to similarity information in a range arbitrarily or automatically selected from similarity information obtained by the search means An information processing method comprising automatically adding one or more pieces of location information to the electronic image.   An information processing apparatus for adding electronic information related to an electronic image to an electronic image, comprising: an input unit that generates an electronic image from a document; and an original electronic document of the electronic image or an electronic document similar to the electronic document Search means for searching for the location and notifying the location information and similarity information of the original electronic document of the electronic image or an electronic document similar to the electronic document; an adding means for adding the location information to the electronic image; and Output means for outputting an electronic image in which the location information is embedded by an adding means, and corresponds to similarity information in a range arbitrarily or automatically selected from similarity information obtained by the search means An information processing apparatus that automatically adds one or more pieces of location information to the electronic image.   A program executed by an information processing apparatus for adding electronic information related to an electronic image to an electronic image, the input unit generating an electronic image from a document, and the original electronic document of the electronic image or the electronic document Searching for the location of a similar electronic document, searching for the location information and similarity information of the original electronic document of the electronic image or an electronic document similar to the electronic document, and adding the location information to the electronic image An adding means; and an output means for outputting an electronic image in which the location information is embedded by the adding means, and similarity in a range arbitrarily or automatically selected from the similarity information obtained by the searching means One or more location information corresponding to the degree information is automatically added to the electronic image.   A computer readable memory storing the program according to claim 3.

Images