JP2007079851A - Retrieval device and method for processing retrieval device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To output an updated document without updating the document specified in retrieval. <P>SOLUTION: A document specified in retrieval is retrieved based on contents before update by specifying an updated document to be output as a retrieval result in place of an original document retrieved by use of retrieval index information, to output the updated document, so that the output document can be flexibly updated in workflow support. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a search device, a search device processing method, a computer program, and a storage medium. For example, the present invention relates to a technique suitable for use in searching and outputting an electronic document composed of images, texts, and the like.

  In recent years, the importance of office document management has been increasing in order to speed up office operations efficiently. Therefore, in order to manage such information centrally, all information is managed centrally by reading a paper document with a scanner or the like and digitizing it. For such management, it is necessary to be able to find it quickly when needed.

  As an example of comprehensive utilization of paper documents and electronic documents, original (original manuscript) retrieval from printed materials is performed. This specifies an original electronic document that is a printing source of a paper document based on information obtained from image information obtained by scanning the paper document with a digital multifunction peripheral or the like. By specifying the original electronic document in this way, it is possible to output a color printed matter from, for example, a paper document printed in black and white (see Patent Document 1).

  Further, in such a system, it is possible to limit output security. Furthermore, by accessing the document search system using a printed paper document as a search query, it is possible to comprehensively use paper documents and electronic documents.

  Also, in a centrally managed electronic document, a part of the document is divided and managed into a plurality of other documents, and one document is completed by importing these divided and managed other documents. Hypertext documents using a technique for making are known. Languages such as HTML and XML are widely used as languages for describing such hypertext documents.

  By the way, each document managed in the document system using hypertext is naturally changed or updated as necessary. If the document is changed at the management source, the user using the management system can basically use the changed document.

  The original search, which is a comprehensive application example of the paper document / electronic document, is an easy operation because it is the same operation as a normal copy. By specifying the original electronic document internally, a higher-quality copy and a color copy from black and white are possible. In each of these cases, the purpose is to output (print out) the original electronic document specified by the user.

JP 2004-348706 A

  When a change is made by normal document update, the search is basically performed based on the updated contents. That is, it is impossible to perform a search based on the content before the change. Therefore, it is possible to cope with the case where strict restrictions are imposed such as performing the update with the same file and searching with the file name, but the utilization range is greatly limited. In the case of a hyperlink document, it is possible to extract the latest version of a document having a link relationship as in the data presentation system described in Patent Document 1, but search based on the content before the change. There was a problem that could not be.

  As described above, in the conventional document search system, if the document is changed, the range of use is greatly limited, and the workflow support is maintained while maintaining the group management function of multiple documents that is performed in the existing system. There is a problem that it is difficult to flexibly change the output document in order to make it possible.

  In view of the above-described problems, the present invention has an object to enable a document specified by a search to be searched based on the content before the change and to output the document after the change.

  The search device of the present invention is a search device for searching an electronic document that is an original document read by a reading means, and searches for an electronic document that is an original document based on image data of the original read by the reading means. A search unit that determines whether a replacement destination document of the electronic document searched by the search unit is specified by referring to the replacement information, and the electronic document searched by the determination unit Output means for outputting the designated replacement destination document as an original when it is determined that the replacement destination document is designated.

  The processing method of the search device of the present invention is a processing method of the search device for searching for an electronic document that is an original document read by the reading means, and based on the image data of the original read by the reading means. A search step for searching for an electronic document, a determination step for determining whether a replacement destination document of the electronic document searched in the search step is specified by referring to replacement information, and in the determination step An output step of outputting the designated replacement destination document as an original when it is determined that the replacement destination document of the retrieved electronic document is designated.

  A computer program according to the present invention causes a computer to execute the processing method of the search device described above.

  A storage medium of the present invention stores the computer program described above.

  According to the present invention, the electronic document that is the original based on the image data of the original read by the reading means and the replacement destination document of the searched electronic document are designated by referring to the replacement information. Means for determining whether or not the replacement destination document of the searched electronic document is specified, and outputting the specified replacement destination document as an original. The document specified by the search can be searched based on the content before the change, and the document after the change can be output. Thereby, an output document can be flexibly changed in workflow support.

(First embodiment)
Embodiments of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a document search system according to the present embodiment. The document search system of the present embodiment shows an example realized in an environment in which the first office 10 and the second office 20 are connected via the Internet 104.

  A first LAN 107 constructed in the first office 10 is connected to a management PC 101 that controls the MFP (multifunction peripheral or multi function printer) 100 and the MFP 101. In addition, a client PC 102, a first document management server 106a, a first database 105a, and a first proxy server 103a are connected to the first LAN 107. In addition, a second database 105b and a second document management server 106b are connected to the second office 20. The first database 105a and the second database 105b are configured by a secondary storage device such as a hard disk drive. Note that the first database 105a and the second database 105b store electronic documents as originals of originals to be read by the image reading device 110 described later. The first LAN 107 and the second LAN 108 in the office 20 are connected to the Internet 104 via the first proxy server 103a and the second proxy server 103b.

  In the present embodiment, MFP 100 includes an image reading unit for a paper document and an image processing unit for the read document image signal. The document image signal processed by the MFP 100 is input to the management PC 101 using the third LAN 109. The management PC 101 is a general-purpose personal computer (PC), and includes a storage unit, a CPU, a display device, and an input device, and is configured integrally with the MFP 100. It is assumed that the CPU of the management PC 101 executes processing described below based on a program read from a ROM (not shown).

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration example of the MFP (composite device) 100 according to the present embodiment.
In FIG. 2, an image reading apparatus 110 including an auto document feeder (hereinafter referred to as ADF) irradiates one or a plurality of original images with a light source (not shown). Then, a document reflection image is formed on a solid-state image sensor with a lens, and a raster-like image read image signal is obtained from the solid-state image sensor as image information having a density of 600 dpi, for example.

  In the normal copying process, the read image signal is subjected to image processing by the data processing device 115. When a plurality of copies are processed at a time, recording data for one page is temporarily stored in the storage device 111 and then sequentially output to the recording device 112 to form an image on paper (print out). .

  On the other hand, the print data output from the client PC 102 is converted into raster data that can be recorded by the data processing device 115 from the first LAN 107 via the first network I / F 114, and then recorded on paper by the recording device 112. Formed as.

  An instruction to the MFP 100 by the operator is given from an input device 113 including a key operation unit provided in the MFP 100 or a keyboard and a mouse connected to the management PC 101. In response to detection of these input operations, the above-described operation is controlled by a control unit (not shown) in the data processing device 115. The data processor 115 executes various controls by referring to a program in which the program is expanded from the ROM to the RAM.

  On the other hand, the status display of the operation input and the display of the image data being processed are performed on the display device 116. The storage device 111 is also controlled by the management PC 101, and data exchange and control between the MFP 100 and the management PC 101 are performed using the second network I / F 117 and the third LAN 109 directly connected.

<Outline of document search system processing>
Next, an outline of processing performed by MFP 100 in the document search system of the present embodiment will be described using the flowchart of FIG.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an overview of the overall processing performed in the document search system according to this embodiment.

  In step S2001, the MFP 100 executes document input (reading) processing in response to detection of a user operation. Specifically, the image reading device 110 of the MFP 100 is operated in response to detection of a reading start operation by the user, and a single original is scanned in a raster shape to generate a 600 dpi-8-bit image signal.

  In step S2002, a process set in advance before the document reading process is determined. The setting of this processing is set in advance by a user interface (UI) 400 displayed on the display screen on the display device 116 as shown in FIG. 4, for example. As a result of the determination, if “original output” is set, the process jumps to the process of step S2004, and the image input in step S2001 is directly recorded as an electronic document managed by the document search system ( Printout).

  As a result of the determination in step S2002, if “original output” for searching for an original is set, the process proceeds to step S2003 to perform an original search process to specify the original. After that, in step S2004, the original document is recorded (printed output).

<Outline of original search processing>
Next, an outline of the original search process performed in the document search system according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an outline of the original search process in the present embodiment.

  When the process is started, a block selection process is performed in step S501. Specifically, MFP 100 preprocesses the image signal obtained by the document input process by data processing device 115 and stores it as image data for one page in storage device 111. Then, the CPU (not shown) of the management PC 101 first separates the area into a character / line drawing part and a halftone image part in the stored image data.

  Further, the CPU of the management PC 101 separates the character part into blocks or blocks that are grouped as a lump in a paragraph, or into a table or figure composed of lines, and segments each. On the other hand, an image portion expressed in halftone is divided into independent objects for each so-called block, such as an image portion of a block separated into rectangles, a background portion, and the like.

  Next, in step S502, the CPU of the management PC 101 performs OCR (Optical Character Recognition) processing on the separated character block.

  Next, in step S503, the CPU of the management PC 101 converts image data into vector data in order to search for registered electronic documents in the databases 105a and 105b. Specifically, the CPU of the management PC 101 recognizes the character size, style, and font in the character block that has been subjected to the OCR processing in step S502, and converts it into visually faithful font data.

  On the other hand, the CPU of the management PC 101 outlines a table or figure block composed of lines, and recognizes the shape of a table or other object that can recognize a figure shape. The image block is processed as an individual JPEG file as image data. These vectorization processes are performed for each object.

  Next, in step S504, the CPU of the management PC 101 performs document search processing. Specifically, using the text and vector data extracted for each object as a search query, the similarity with each document on the databases 105a and 105b is calculated, and the original electronic document is searched. More specifically, first, the degree of similarity is obtained for each object, and the degree of similarity for each object is reflected in the degree of similarity of the entire document according to the occupation ratio of the object in the document. Next, the similarity for each object is integrated, and the final original candidate is specified. If there are a plurality of original candidates, the document is specified by an input operation by the operator.

  Next, in step S505, it is checked whether or not the original electronic document specified in step S504 is a replacement target. As a result of this check, if the version of the electronic document that is the original specified in step S504 is old and is to be replaced, the process proceeds to step S506, where it is changed to the replacement-destination electronic document. If the result of the check in step S505 is that there is no replacement target, the replacement process is not performed and the process ends.

  Next, in step S507, in order to display the result of the replacement process or the like, a thumbnail or the like is displayed, and the process ends.

<Overview of replacement registration process>
Next, document replacement processing in the document search system of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an overview of the replacement registration process in the present embodiment. This process is performed when “document replacement” is selected on the user interface (UI) 400 screen of the document search system.

When the process is started, in step S601, the CPU of the management PC 101 detects selection by the user of one or more electronic documents from the registered electronic documents. Then, based on replacement information described later, a replacement source electronic document of the selected electronic document is designated.
Next, in step S602, the CPU of the management PC 101 waits for an instruction to select whether or not to delete the designated replacement source electronic document. If a deletion instruction from the user is detected, the process advances to step S603 to delete the replacement-source electronic document. On the other hand, if no deletion instruction is detected as a result of the selection process in step S602, the process jumps to the process in step S604.

  Next, in step S604, the CPU of the management PC 101 performs a replacement destination electronic document designation process for the electronic document selected in step S601. Here, it is determined whether the replacement-destination electronic document is a newly registered electronic document or a registered electronic document. If it is determined that the electronic document is newly registered, the process proceeds to step S605, and a new registration process is performed. If the result of determination in step S604 is that the document is a registered electronic document, the process proceeds to step S606, where information related to the registered electronic document is presented via the display device 116, and the registered electronic document is replaced as the replacement electronic document. Let the user specify the electronic document to be specified.

  In step S607, the replacement information holding the link relationship between the replacement source electronic document and the replacement destination electronic document is updated, and the process ends. When searching for the original electronic document, the replacement information is used to determine whether or not the search result needs to be replaced, and processing for replacing the document is performed.

(Another embodiment according to the present invention)
Each step executed by the management PC 101 configured integrally with the MFP 100 according to the above-described embodiment of the present invention can be realized by operating a program stored in a RAM or ROM of a computer. This program and a computer-readable recording medium recording the program are included in the present invention.

  Further, the present invention can be implemented as, for example, a system, apparatus, method, program, or recording medium, and can be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices. Moreover, you may apply to the apparatus which consists of one apparatus.

  In the present invention, a software program (in the embodiment, a program corresponding to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 3, 5, and 6) for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied directly or remotely to the system or apparatus. And the case where the CPU of the management PC 101 reads out and executes the supplied program code.

  Accordingly, since the functions of the present invention are implemented by computer, the program code installed in the computer also implements the present invention. In other words, the present invention includes a computer program itself for realizing the functional processing of the present invention.

  In that case, as long as it has the function of a program, it may be in the form of object code, a program executed by an interpreter, script data supplied to the OS, and the like.

  As a recording medium for supplying the program, for example, floppy (registered trademark) disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, MO, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card ROM, DVD (DVD-ROM, DVD-R) and the like.

  As another program supply method, a client computer browser is used to connect to an Internet homepage, and the computer program itself of the present invention or a compressed file including an automatic installation function is downloaded from the homepage to a recording medium such as a hard disk. Can also be supplied.

  It can also be realized by dividing the program code constituting the program of the present invention into a plurality of files and downloading each file from a different homepage. That is, a WWW server that allows a plurality of users to download a program file for realizing the functional processing of the present invention on a computer is also included in the present invention.

  In addition, the program of the present invention is encrypted, stored on a recording medium such as a CD-ROM, distributed to users, and key information for decryption is downloaded from a homepage via the Internet to users who have cleared predetermined conditions. It is also possible to execute the encrypted program by using the key information and install the program on a computer.

  In addition to the functions of the above-described embodiments being realized by the computer executing the read program, the OS running on the computer based on the instructions of the program is used for the actual processing. The functions of the above-described embodiment can be realized by performing some or all of the processes.

  Furthermore, after the program read from the recording medium is written in a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the function expansion board or The CPU or the like provided in the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.

It is a block diagram which shows the structural example of the system which concerns on embodiment of this invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of an MFP according to an embodiment of the present invention. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation procedure of the MFP according to the embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a user interface screen of the MFP according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the original search process procedure which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the replacement registration process sequence which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

10 First office 20 Second office 100 MFP
101 Management PC
102 Client PC
103a First proxy server 103b Second proxy server 104 Internet 105a First database 105b Second database 106a First document management server 106b Second document management server 107 First LAN
108 Second LAN
109 Third LAN
110 Image reading device 111 Storage device 112 Recording device 113 Input device 114 First network I / F
115 Data processing device 116 Display device 117 Second network I / F

Claims (4)

A search device for searching an electronic document that is an original document read by a reading means,
Search means for searching for an electronic document that is an original based on image data of a document read by the reading means;
Judging means for judging whether or not a replacement destination document of the electronic document searched by the searching means is specified by referring to replacement information;
A search apparatus comprising: an output unit configured to output the specified replacement destination document as an original when the determination unit determines that the replacement destination document of the searched electronic document is specified. A processing method of a search device for searching an electronic document that is an original of a document read by a reading means,
A search step of searching for an electronic document that is an original based on image data of a document read by the reading means;
A determination step of determining whether a replacement destination document of the electronic document searched in the search step is specified by referring to replacement information;
And a step of outputting the specified replacement destination document as an original when it is determined in the determination step that a replacement destination document of the searched electronic document is specified. Processing method.   A computer program causing a computer to execute the processing method of the search device according to claim 2.   A computer-readable storage medium storing the computer program according to claim 3.

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