JP2008046850A - Document type determination device, and document type determination program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily determine a document type. <P>SOLUTION: The device comprises a fixed workflow management part 24 for preliminarily registering an occurrence order of forms or form data in a fixed workflow group 22 of a DB 18; a registration data management part 26 for registering form data transmitted from a computer to a registered workflow corresponding to an ID transmitted from the computer together with time information, and reading and transmitting the registered workflow including the form to a similarity analysis part 28; and the similarity analysis part 28 for retrieving and acquiring a fixed workflow similar to or matched with the registered workflow transmitted from the registration data management part 26 from the fixed work flow group 22, outputting the corresponding fixed workflow to the registration data management part 26, further extracting a part usable in both forms within the fixed workflow similar to the registered workflow, and extracting data corresponding to the extracted usable part from the registered workflow. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a document type discriminating apparatus and a document type discriminating program, and more particularly to a document type discriminating apparatus and a document type discriminating program for discriminating documents of the same type in a document such as a form.

  When handling a large amount of document data such as form data, it is desirable that documents having similar configuration logic (hereinafter referred to as schema) of the documents to be handled are processed as the same. However, a document such as a form is often configured in a unique format depending on each application or creator, and it is difficult to determine the same type of form by processing by a computer.

  Therefore, techniques described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 have been proposed as techniques for determining the type of document.

  In the technique described in Patent Document 1, when a structured document is input, a tag name or tree structure of a document type definition stored in advance in the system, and a tag name of a document type definition that defines the structured document It has been proposed to compare the degree of similarity with a tree structure and determine the most similar document type.

  In the technique described in Patent Document 2, when a document image input at random is identified by using a plurality of logical models, the document types are classified into folders, stored, and the identification result is viewed / edited. In addition, it is proposed that an input document icon is dropped into a certain category of logical model folder to perform an input document identification process using only that model.

On the other hand, the technique described in Patent Document 3 extracts attribute items for each document in accordance with the document storage instruction for the document defined in the workflow, extracts attribute values of the extracted attribute items, and stores them. It has been proposed to store documents by registering them as document attributes. When searching by storing the document in this way, the document search can be performed using the attribute value.
JP 2003-162518 A JP 2000-67065 A JP-A-10-187841

  However, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, there are cases where the configuration is similar but the type is different, and the document type determination accuracy may be insufficient.

  In the technique described in Patent Document 2, the layout may not match even for the same type, and the document type discrimination accuracy is insufficient.

  Furthermore, in the technique described in Patent Document 3, an attribute value of an attribute item is stored and a document search is performed using the attribute value. However, no document type discrimination has been proposed.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above facts, and an object thereof is to easily determine the document type.

  In order to achieve the above object, the document type determination apparatus according to claim 1 stores in advance a plurality of types of business processing procedures in which the generation order of the form data representing the forms generated along a predetermined business processing flow is determined. Storing means, search means for searching for the business process procedure that matches or is similar to the creation order of the form data created up to now, from among a plurality of types of business process procedures stored in the storage means, And a discriminating unit that discriminates the type of the form data whose order of creation is changed with respect to the form data created up to now based on the search result of the search unit.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the storage means stores in advance a plurality of types of business process procedures in which the generation order of the form data representing the forms generated along the flow of the predetermined business process is determined.

  In the search means, a business process procedure that matches or resembles the creation order of the form data created up to the present is searched from a plurality of types of business process procedures stored in the storage means, and in the discrimination means, the search result of the search means Based on the above, the type of the form data whose order of creation is changed with respect to the form data created up to now is determined. In other words, using the creation order of the form data created up to now, a business process procedure with a similar business process flow is searched from the storage means, and created before the form created from the same or similar business process procedure to the present. It is possible to determine the type of form data and the type of form data to be created next. Accordingly, the form type can be determined using the form creation order, so that the document type can be easily determined.

  As in the invention described in claim 2, the search means further stores the form data when the storage means stores a plurality of business processing procedures that match or are similar to the creation order of the form data created up to now. Analysis may be performed to search for a business process procedure that matches or resembles the creation order of the form data created up to now. That is, when a plurality of business processing procedures with similar form creation orders are stored in the storage means, the form data may be further analyzed and narrowed down.

  In addition, as in the invention described in claim 3, the registration unit further includes registration means for registering the form data created every time a form is created with information identifying the creation order, and the search means includes the registration means. It is also possible to search for a business processing procedure that matches or is similar to the creation order of the form data registered in. In other words, the form data created up to now may be registered so that the order can be understood, and the search means may search for data that matches or resembles the creation order of the forms registered in the registration means.

  Further, as in the invention described in claim 4, a portion that can be diverted to the next form to be created is extracted from the form data included in the business processing procedure searched by the search means, and the extracted diversion portion is supported. Extraction means for extracting the information to be extracted from the form data created up to the present time may be further provided. As a result, it is possible to create the next form data by using the information extracted by the extracting means, and it is possible to easily create the form in accordance with the business process.

  Note that, as in the invention described in claim 5, the extracting means may extract contents other than those previously limited when extracting information corresponding to the diverted portion from the form data created up to now. . That is, by setting secret information or the like in advance as a diversion limit, it is possible to prevent the diversion of information that is difficult to divert.

  On the other hand, the document type determination program according to claim 6 is a document type determination program that causes a computer to execute the following document type determination process, and the document type determination process occurs in accordance with a flow of a predetermined business process. A plurality of types of business processing procedures stored in a storage means for storing in advance a plurality of types of business processing procedures in which the generation order of the form data representing the forms to be generated is created. A search step for searching for the same or similar business processing procedure; and a determination step for determining the type of form data whose order of creation is before and after the form data created so far based on the search result of the search step; It is characterized by including.

  According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, a plurality of types of business process procedures in which the generation order of form data representing a form generated along a predetermined business process flow is determined are stored in the storage means in advance. The search step searches for a business process procedure that matches or is similar to the creation order of the form data created up to the present from among a plurality of types of business process procedures stored in the storage means. Based on the search result, the type of the form data whose order of creation is changed with respect to the form data created up to now is determined. In other words, using the creation order of the form data created up to now, a business process procedure with a similar business process flow is searched from the storage means, and created before the form created from the same or similar business process procedure to the present. It is possible to determine the type of form data and the type of form data to be created next. Accordingly, the form type can be determined using the form creation order, so that the document type can be easily determined.

  Note that, as in the invention described in claim 7, the search step further stores the form data when a plurality of business processing procedures that match or are similar to the creation order of the form data created up to now are stored in the storage means. Analysis may be performed to search for a business process procedure that matches or resembles the creation order of the form data created up to now. That is, when a plurality of business processing procedures with similar form creation orders are stored in the storage means, the form data may be further analyzed and narrowed down.

  In addition, as in the invention described in claim 8, the search step further includes a registration step of registering the form data created every time a form is created with information that can identify the creation order, and registering the registration step. It is also possible to search for a business process procedure that matches or resembles the creation order of the form data registered in. In other words, the form data created up to now may be registered so that the order can be understood, and the search step may search for a form that matches or resembles the creation order of the forms registered in the registration step.

  Further, as in the invention described in claim 9, a portion that can be diverted to a form to be created next is extracted from the form data included in the business processing procedure searched in the search step, and corresponds to the extracted diversion part. You may make it further include the extraction step which extracts information from the form data produced until now. As a result, it is possible to create the next form data by using the information extracted in the extraction step, and it is possible to easily create the form according to the business process.

  In the extraction step, as in the invention described in claim 10, when information corresponding to the diverted portion is extracted from the form data created up to the present time, contents other than the previously restricted contents may be extracted. . That is, by setting secret information or the like in advance as a diversion limit, it is possible to prevent the diversion of information that is difficult to divert.

  As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of types of business process procedures in which the generation order of form data representing a form generated along a predetermined business process flow is determined are stored in advance. Search for a business process procedure that matches or resembles the creation order of the form data created up to now from multiple types of business process procedures, and based on the search results, the creation order for the form data created so far By discriminating the type of form data to be performed, the form type can be discriminated using the form creation order, so that the document type can be easily discriminated.

  Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a document management system including a document type discrimination device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  When dealing with forms in business scenes, forms are often created in a certain order. Creating a form in a certain order is called a workflow. In the document management system 10 according to the present embodiment, the type of form is determined and assistance is made using this workflow.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a document management system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of computers 12 and a database management system (hereinafter referred to as a DB management system) 14 as a document type discrimination device of the present invention. 16 is connected.

  In the present embodiment, a plurality of computers 12 connected to the network 16 are shown, but the present invention is not limited to this. Instead of the computer 12, a scanner, a facsimile, a copying machine, a complex machine combining these, a mail server. Alternatively, an image processing device or the like may be connected. Various networks can be applied to the network 16, and each computer 12 and the DB management system 14 can be applied to a general computer having a CPU, ROM, RAM, and input devices such as a keyboard and a mouse. Can do.

  Connected to the DB management system 14 is a database (hereinafter referred to as a DB) 18 that stores the form generation logic (schema) and the like as a workflow together with the order in which the forms are generated.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 1, each computer 12 creates a form while registering each form in the DB 18 via the network 16 and the DB management system 14 every time the forms A to C are created. Do. When creating and registering a form in the DB 18 from the computer 12, the form data is registered via the network 16 together with a registration destination in the DB 18 (information for identifying a belonging workflow (to be described later) (hereinafter referred to as ID)). Registration is performed by transmitting to the DB management system 14. Each form may be created by a single computer 12 or sequentially by a plurality of computers 12. Further, each computer 12 may be a computer 12 of a different company.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a detailed configuration of the DB 18 connected to the DB management system 14.

  In the DB 18, a registered data group 20 in which form data representing forms generated in accordance with various business processes and the like is registered as a belonging workflow together with the generation order, and form data including a form schema and the like are registered in advance according to the form generation order. The standard workflow group 22 is stored, and the DB 18 is managed by the DB management system 14.

  A form is registered in the registration data group 20 every time a form created by each computer 12 connected to the network 16 is created. At this time, the generation order of the forms can be specified by simultaneously storing log information such as time information for the belonging workflow corresponding to the ID for identifying the belonging workflow.

  The fixed form workflow group 22 stores form data including the order of the forms and the schema of each form in advance. Registration in the routine workflow group 22 is performed by the computer 12 or the DB management system 14. As the form data, for example, data described in a structured document such as XML (Extensible Markup Language) can be applied.

  For example, FIG. 2 shows an example in which three affiliation workflows are registered in the registration data group 20, and each affiliation workflow can be specified by ID = 1 to 3, and ID = 1. Forms A, Form B, Form C are registered in the order of the workflow corresponding to, and Form D, Form E, Form F, Form A are listed in the order of the workflow corresponding to ID = 2. Is registered, and in the belonging workflow corresponding to ID = 3, a form is registered in the order of form A, form C, and form F. In addition, the fixed workflow group 22 shows an example in which five types of form generation orders and their form data are stored. In FIG. 2, as a standard workflow composed of five types of form generation order, in the order of form A, form B, form C, form E, form D, form E, form F, form A, form C Workflow, form A, form B, form C, form D, form E, workflow in order, form D, form E, form F, form G, workflow in order, form E, form C, form A, form B An example in which a fixed workflow is stored is shown.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the DB management system 14. In FIG. 3, the data registered in the registered data group 20 and the routine workflow group 22 in the DB 18 is a more specific example than in FIG. 2.

  The DB management system 14 includes a routine workflow management unit 24, a registered data management unit 26, and a similarity analysis unit 28.

  The standard workflow management unit 24 performs a process of registering in advance the form generation order and form data in the standard workflow group 22 of the DB 18. The registration process to the DB 18 by the routine workflow management unit 24 may be registered from the computer 12 via the network 16 or may be registered via an input device such as a keyboard of the DB management system 14. .

  The registered data management unit 26 registers the form data transmitted from the computer 12 with the time information and the like for the belonging workflow corresponding to the ID transmitted from the computer 12 and also registers the forms registered so far. The affiliation workflow including it is read out and transmitted to the similarity analysis unit 28.

  The similarity analysis unit 28 searches for and acquires a fixed workflow similar to or belonging to the belonging workflow transmitted from the registered data management unit 26 from the fixed workflow group 22, and outputs the corresponding fixed workflow to the registered data management unit 26. More specifically, if there is a matching workflow, the matching workflow is read from the standard workflow group 22 and output to the registered data management unit 26. If there is no matching workflow, a structured document as in a known technique is obtained. The most appropriate workflow is selected from the routine workflow group 22 using structural analysis, natural language processing, and the like, prioritized, and output to the registered data management unit 26. With these processes, you can get the most appropriate fixed workflow, and estimate the type of form currently handled and the type of form that is expected to be handled next from the contents of the fixed workflow. It becomes possible.

  Further, the similarity analysis unit 28 can extract a portion that can be diverted between forms in a standard workflow similar to the belonging workflow, and can extract data corresponding to the extracted divertable portion from the belonging workflow. Yes. As a result, the data can be diverted when the next form is created. In addition, since secret information may be diverted when diverting data between forms, it is possible to restrict diversion when registering a form created in the workflow to which the registered data group 20 belongs. Alternatively, only the predetermined data contents (for example, company name, address, etc.) may be extracted when extracting the divertable portion.

  Next, document type determination performed by the document management system according to the embodiment of the present invention configured as described above will be described.

  First, a fixed workflow is registered in advance with respect to the fixed workflow group 22 of the DB 18. That is, the order in which forms are generated is registered in advance with respect to the routine workflow group 22 of the DB 18. At this time, the form data and the like are registered in advance in the routine workflow group 22 of the DB 18 together with the order in which the forms are generated. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, a workflow is generated in the order of purchase application form, delivery note, and receipt, and a request is generated in the order of request for quotation, estimate, purchase application, delivery note, and receipt. A workflow in which a form is generated in the order of a workflow, a request for quotation, an estimate, a purchase application, an approval document, and a delivery note is registered in advance in the fixed workflow group 22 as a fixed workflow.

  Then, the forms created by the computer 12 or the like are sequentially registered in the registration data group 22 as belonging workflows. At this time, the DB management system 14 searches the standard workflow registered in the standard workflow group 22 corresponding to the order of the forms registered in the belonging workflow, thereby determining the type of the form and the type of the form to be created next. Determine the prediction.

  Here, detailed processing performed in the DB management system 14 will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing performed in the DB management system 14. Note that the flowchart of FIG. 4 may be hardware processing in the DB management system 14 or software processing.

  A form is created by the computer 12 or the like, and an ID indicating the belonging workflow and form data representing the form are transmitted to the DB management system 14 via the network 16, and registration of the form data is instructed to the belonging workflow corresponding to the ID. In step 100, the data (ID) indicating the belonging workflow and the form data representing the form transmitted from the computer 12 are received by the registered data management unit 26, and the process proceeds to step 102.

  In step 102, the registered data management unit 26 determines whether or not there is a received affiliation workflow. The determination is made as to whether or not an ID for identifying the belonging workflow received together with the form data is registered in the registered data group 20, and if the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step 104 and affirmed. If YES, go to step 106.

  In step 104, a registration space for the belonging workflow is secured in the registration data group 20 of the DB 18 by the DB registration data management unit 26, and the process proceeds to step 106. At this time, the DB registration data management unit 26 assigns an ID for identifying the belonging workflow, and sends the ID back to the computer 12 via the network 16. Thereby, the computer 12 side can specify the belonging workflow in which the created form is registered.

  In step 106, the DB registration data management unit 26 registers information indicating the registration order with respect to the belonging workflow corresponding to the ID of the registration data group 20 of the DB 18 along with the form. For example, a time when a form is scanned, a time when the form is created, or a recording time such as a time stamp is registered as log information indicating the registration order.

  Next, at step 108, the DB registration data management unit 26 grasps the form generation order on the current affiliation workflow from the information indicating the registration order, and the process proceeds to step 110. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the DB registration data management unit 26 recognizes that the form registered in the belonging workflow corresponding to the ID is a workflow in the order of a request for quotation, a quotation, and a purchase application. .

  In step 110, the standard workflow corresponding to the form registration order of the belonging workflow is searched by the similarity analysis unit 28, and the process proceeds to step 112. That is, the similarity analysis unit 28 searches the fixed workflow group 22 for a fixed workflow that matches or resembles the form generation order of the workflow registered in the previous belonging workflow transferred from the registered data management unit 26.

  In step 112, the similarity analysis unit 28 determines whether or not there is only one corresponding fixed workflow. If the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step 114. If the determination is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 120. If there is no fixed workflow that matches or resembles the form generation order of the belonging workflow in the fixed workflow group 22, the following processing cannot be executed and the processing is terminated.

  In step 114, the standard workflow appropriate for the workflow structure analysis is calculated by the similarity analysis unit 28, and the process proceeds to step 116. That is, by using a known technique to analyze the structure of the form data, an appropriate standard workflow among a plurality of standard workflows is calculated from the standard workflow group 22. For example, the most similar fixed workflow is searched by analyzing the tag name and tree structure of a structured document such as XML.

  In step 116, the similarity analysis unit 28 determines whether or not there is only one corresponding fixed workflow. If the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step 118. If the determination is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 120.

  In step 118, the components of the workflow are analyzed by the similarity analysis unit 28, an appropriate routine workflow is determined, and the process proceeds to step 120. That is, using a known technique such as natural language processing, the constituent elements of each form in the workflow are analyzed, and similar fixed workflows are determined as appropriate fixed workflows. For example, the most similar fixed workflow is searched by analyzing the arrangement of character strings.

  In step 120, the type of form or the type of the next form is determined by the similarity analysis unit 28 from the standard workflow determined as an appropriate standard workflow, and the process proceeds to step 122. Data that can be used for the next form is converted to the similarity analysis unit 28. Extracted by For example, a portion that can be diverted is extracted from each form in the standard workflow determined by the similarity analysis unit 28, and data corresponding to the portion that can be diverted is extracted from a form already registered in the workflow to which the registered data group 20 belongs. To do. If it is not possible to narrow down the similar standard workflows in step 114 or step 118, all the standard workflows narrowed down to the computer 12 are transmitted and selected on the computer 12 side. May be executed.

  In step 124, the type of the next form determined in step 120 (including structure data such as a schema) and the divertable data extracted in step 122 are output by the registered data management unit 26, and the series of processing ends. To do. Note that the type of the next form and the divertable data may be output in response to a request from the computer 12 or the like that creates the next form via the network 16, or within the DB management system 14. You may make it preserve | save as data required in order to produce the form which should be registered into an affiliated workflow next.

That is, in this embodiment, a plurality of types of workflows in which the generation order of the form data representing the forms generated along a predetermined business process flow is determined are stored in advance as standard workflows. Search for a workflow that matches or resembles the workflow that you have created so far, and determine the type of report data whose order of creation is different for the report data created so far, based on the search results By doing so, it is possible to determine the type of the form before and after the form created using the form creation order, so the document type can be easily identified. Also, the divertable part is extracted. Therefore, it can be used when creating the next form, and the structure logic such as the form schema is naturally unified in the workflow. It becomes possible.

  In the above embodiment, the form data created by the computer 12 is transmitted to the DB management system 14 via the network 16 so that the DB management system 14 registers it in the registration data group 20 of the DB 18. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, when the form 12 is created by sending the form data created by the computer 12 together with information indicating the creation order to the computer 12 that creates the form next, the computer 12 creates the form. By sending the workflow up to now to the DB management system 14, the DB management system 14 searches for a similar standard workflow, extracts information that can be used for the next form to be created, and sends it back to the computer 12. May be.

  In addition, the form and the like handled in the above embodiment is preferably a form described in a structured document such as XML (Extensible Markup Language), but other languages can also be used.

1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a document management system including a document type discrimination device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the detailed structure of DB connected to DB management system. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of DB management system. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the flow of the process performed in DB management system.

Explanation of symbols

10 Document Management System 12 Computer 14 DB Management System 16 Network 18 DB
20 registration data group 22 routine workflow group 24 routine workflow management unit 26 registration data management unit 28 similarity analysis unit

Claims (10)

Storage means for storing in advance a plurality of types of business process procedures in which the generation order of form data representing a form generated along a predetermined business process flow is determined;
Search means for searching for the business process procedure that matches or is similar to the creation order of the form data created up to the present from among a plurality of types of the business process procedures stored in the storage means;
A discriminating unit that discriminates the type of form data whose order of creation is around for the form data created up to now based on the search result of the search unit;
A document type discrimination device.   The search means further analyzes the form data and creates it up to the present when a plurality of business processing procedures that match or are similar to the creation order of the form data created up to now are stored in the storage means The document type determination apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the task processing procedure that matches or resembles the creation order of the form data is searched.   A registration means for registering the form data created each time a form is created with information identifying the creation order attached thereto; and the search means creates the form data created in the registration means The document type determination apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the job processing procedure that matches or resembles the job processing procedure is searched.   Extracting the diversion part that can be diverted to the next form to be created from the form data included in the business processing procedure searched by the search means, and the information corresponding to the diversion part from the form data created up to the present The document type discrimination device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising extraction means for extracting.   5. The document type determination apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the extraction unit extracts information other than a previously restricted content when extracting information corresponding to the diverted part from form data created up to now. A document type discrimination program for causing a computer to execute the following document type discrimination process,
The document type determination process includes:
From among a plurality of types of business processing procedures stored in a storage means that stores in advance a plurality of types of business processing procedures in which the order of generation of form data representing a form generated in accordance with a predetermined business processing flow is determined. A search step for searching for the business process procedure that matches or is similar to the creation order of the form data created up to
Based on the search result of the search step, a determination step of determining the type of form data whose order of creation is around the form data created up to now,
A document type discriminating program comprising:   In the search step, when a plurality of the business processing procedures that match or are similar to the creation order of the form data created up to now are stored in the storage means, the form data is further analyzed and created up to the present The document type determination program according to claim 6, wherein the job processing procedure that matches or resembles the creation order of the form data is searched.   A registration step of registering the form data created each time a form is attached with information identifying the creation order is further included, and the search step includes the creation order of the form data registered in the registration step. The document type determination program according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the job processing procedure that matches or resembles the job search procedure is searched.   Extracting the diversion part that can be diverted to the next form to be created from the form data included in the business processing procedure searched in the search step, and the information corresponding to the diversion part from the form data created up to the present The document type determination program according to claim 6, further comprising an extraction step of extracting.   10. The document type determination program according to claim 9, wherein, in the extraction step, when information corresponding to the diverted portion is extracted from the form data created up to the present time, contents other than those previously limited are extracted.

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