JP2732576B2 - Character reader - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Industrial application field) The present invention relates to a character reading device. (Prior Art) Conventionally, in a character reading apparatus, characters in two reading fields set on a form are read, and these reading results are combined into one to output as field data. The following method is used. As a first method, as shown in FIG. 7, by providing a blank field Fn as a supplementary field together with two reading fields F ₁ and F ₂ in which characters to be read are written on a form P, respectively. This is because the reading results are combined into one in the blank field Fn and output. In the second method, as shown in FIG. 8, a form P in which only two read fields F ₁ and F ₂ are set is used, and a field corresponding to the blank field Fn is stored in a memory M.
This is due to securing using. However, in the first method described above, a space for securing a blank field is required on the form, so that a blank field of a required size cannot be secured depending on the type of the form or the editing content. was there. In the second method, it is not necessary to secure a blank field on a form by using a memory function. However, there is a limit to the number of characters that can be secured by using this means (generally 16 digits). In order to secure a blank field of an appropriate size, a large-capacity memory is required, which leads to an increase in cost. (Problems to be Solved by the Invention) The present invention is to solve the above-mentioned difficulties, and provides a supplementary field for extending a reading field in the process of editing the reading result as a physical field on a form. It is an object of the present invention to provide a character reading device which can be secured without any cost and can be secured in any size without increasing the cost. [Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve this object, the present invention converts characters in a read field set on a form by referring to a format control table defined in advance. In the character reading device for reading, a supplementary field defining means for defining on the table a supplementary field for extending the read field in the process of editing the result of reading the characters, and a supplementary field defining means defined in the format control table by the supplementary field defining means. Means for setting a supplementary field based on the contents, inputting blank data into the supplementary field, and reflecting the edited result of the reading result of the reading field in the set supplementary field. (Operation) In the character reading apparatus of the present invention, the supplementary field for extending the read field in the process of editing the read result is defined in advance by the supplementary field defining means on the format control table, and the supplementary field is defined during the execution of the reading process. When the supplementary field is indexed from this table, this supplementary field is set, blank data is entered therein, and the set supplementary field reflects the editing result of the reading result of the reading field. Field
It can be secured without providing it as a physical field on a form, and can be secured in a free size without increasing the cost. Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a character reading device according to one embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a scanner unit that optically scans a form P to read a character image written in a reading field line by line, and character recognition for each character of the character image read by the scanner unit. And a knowledge processing unit for performing knowledge processing on the recognition result of the character recognition unit to obtain a final reading result. Reference numeral 2 denotes a control unit which controls the entire apparatus, and performs editing processing of the read result and output control to an external apparatus. Reference numeral 3 denotes a keyboard and a display device for performing various operations of the character reading apparatus. This is the operation unit to be operated. Further, the control unit 2 described above transfers a control information defined by the format control definition unit 2a to the character reading unit 1 by defining a format control definition unit 2a for defining the format control content when performing the form reading process. And a format control unit 2b for performing format control when reading a form. Next, the format control at the time of executing the form reading process will be described. The format control information required for reading the form P is roughly classified into information used in the character reading unit 1 and information used on software. The format control information used in the character reading unit 1 includes: the number of lines and the number of read fields of the form P; the coordinates indicating the line position, the start and end of each read field; the character pitch, character type, and number of digits of each read field And optional functions for each reading field such as protruding characters and continuation characters. On the other hand, the format control information used on the software includes the number of lines of the form P, the number and type of read fields, the attribute and number of digits of each read field, the check, edit, CRT display and output of each read field, etc. is there. In other words, in this character reading device, the character reading unit 1 determines which position on the form P is to be read in what format on the basis of the above-described information, and further, the control unit 2 inputs the position from the character reading unit 1. It is determined whether the reading result of each field is valid in terms of the attribute and the number of digits, and editing processing, display processing, and output are performed on the data determined to be valid. In the apparatus of this embodiment, the format control information of the supplementary field (virtual field) for expanding the read field on the form P in the process of editing the read result is used as the information used only on the software described above. By defining in 2a,
When the supplementary field information is indexed from the format control table of the format control definition unit 2a during the execution of the reading process of the form P, the supplementary field is obtained together with the reading result of the reading field as if the space data was read. It has been made like that. 2 and 3 show format control tables created by incorporating the format control information of the above-mentioned supplementary fields into the information used on the above-mentioned software, respectively. FIG. 2 shows a row table T _1, FIG. 3 shows a reading table T _2, respectively. As shown in these figures, the line table T _1, the row species, number of fields, read it from the information items such as the point, all fields of the supplementary row (row common read line and by the line type item Indicates a supplementary field)
Is determined. In addition, the reading tail T ₂ is based on the attribute, the number of digits,
It consists of information items such as character type, check, edit, CRT display, and output. Depending on the attribute item, each field of one line read result output from the character reading unit 1 is a general read field or a supplementary field. Is determined,
Furthermore, the number of digits of the space is determined by the information item of the number of digits. Next, the processing operation of the supplementary field using the format control tables T ₁ and T ₂ will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First referring to the row table T ₁ performs row species check of the first line in the form P (step a). As a result of the line type check, if it is determined that the line is a general read line, an OCR read command is sent to the character reading unit 1 (step b). To format abnormality check of the data read after this (step c), if the abnormality is not observed, with reference to the next reading table T ₂ to check the attribute of the first field in the row (step d). On the other hand, when the line type checking in step a, if a a supplementary row, performs attribute checks by reference reading table T ₂ directly without reading from the document P. As a result of the attribute check, if the first field in this line is a general read field, the character reading unit 1
The read data is then cut out and used as final field data (step e). On the other hand, if the field is a supplementary field, the read data from the character reading unit 1 is not cut out, but space data is set and this is set as final field data (step f). Thereafter, this attribute check is performed on all the fields of this row to generate field data each time (step g), and the format control including the above steps is further performed on all the rows, and The reading process ends (step h). Next, a specific example of the form reading process by the format control of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. FIG. A four-digit reading field F is set on the form P in FIG. 5, and in this reading field F, a four-digit character including a single character such as "Hamadashi" is written. I have. With respect to the read result of the form P, a field of five digits in total is required by editing and outputting the voiced sound as two characters of clear voice and voiced sound. Therefore, in order to set the supplementary field Fs on the right side of the read field F in the figure, the format control definition unit 2a
Defines the format control information of the supplementary field Fs at the corresponding position on the format control tables T ₁ and T ₂ . As a result, in the reading process of the form P, the processing is executed on the assumption that a supplementary field for expanding the read field F exists on the right side of the read field F, and the last one of the data read from the form P is read. The character is stored and output in the supplementary field Fs. Further, on the document P in FIG. 6 has been set reading field F ₂ should address corresponding to the postal code field F ₁ reading zip code is entered. In this case, since the address is missing uppermost address is described in the reading field F ₂ to be filled, the data which was created by the knowledge processing from zip code to obtain this knowledge processing further performs data editing It shall obtain an output obtained by adding to the reading of the field F ₂ address a. In order to set the supplemental field Fs to the left in the reading field F ₂ figure, format information definition unit 2a, at a position on the corresponding format control table T _1, T ₂ format control information in the supplementary field Fs Define. Thus, reading the left side of the field F ₂ data editing is executed as if there are supplemental fields to extend this reading field F _2, as a result, the obtained address (here by knowledge processing 'Toukyouto )) Are stored and output in the supplementary field Fs. Thus, according to the character reading apparatus of this embodiment, the format control definition unit 2a defines in advance the format control information of the supplementary field on the form P in order to extend the read field in the process of editing the read result. When the format control information of this supplementary field is indexed during the execution of the reading process of P, this can be reflected in the output form of the reading result of the reading field. It is possible to secure a supplementary field of any size without securing a field and without increasing the cost. [Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, a supplementary field for expanding a read field in the process of editing the read result can be secured without providing a physical field on a form, and This can be secured in a free size without increasing the cost.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining a configuration of a character reading device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a line table in a format control table of the character reading device of FIG. FIG. 3, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the reading table, FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a supplementary field processing operation using the format control tables of FIG. 2 and FIG.
FIGS. 5 and 6 are diagrams for specifically explaining the form reading process by the format control of the character reading device of FIG. 1, and FIGS. 7 and 8 are diagrams each showing a form reading process in the conventional character reading device. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a method in the case of setting a blank (supplementary) field in. 1 ... Character reading unit, 2a ... Format control definition unit, 2b
... format control unit, 3 ... operation unit, P ... form,
F: Read field, Fs: Supplementary field, T ₁ ...
Row table, T ₂ ...... Reading table.

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Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] In a character reading device that reads characters recorded in a reading field set on a form while referring to a predefined format control table, a supplement for expanding the reading field in the process of editing the result of reading the characters A supplementary field defining means for defining a field on the table, and a supplementary field set by the supplementary field defining means based on the contents defined in the format control table, and blank data is input thereto, and the Means for reflecting an editing result of the reading result of the reading field in a supplementary field.