JP3022793B2 - Optical character reader with double-sided reading function - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical character reading device, and more particularly to an optical character reading device having a double-side reading function for reading data recorded on the front and back surfaces of a form.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, this type of optical character reading apparatus has responded to a demand for increasing the amount of information that can be recorded on one sheet, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-109380. 2. Description of the Related Art A double-sided reading mechanism has been used which enables recorded information to be read by one-time sheet feeding or enables reading processing when both sides of a form are mixed.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the structure of a conventional optical character reading apparatus of this type. Reference numeral 15 denotes a reading unit provided at the upper part of the transport path, and reference numeral 16 denotes a reading unit provided at the lower part of the transport path. The reading units 15 and 16 irradiate a form surface with light from a light source (not shown), perform photoelectric conversion in accordance with the reflected light, and perform binarization processing of a signal obtained by the photoelectric conversion. Image buffers 17 and 18 for storing signals (form images) obtained by the binarization processing are connected to the reading units 15 and 16, respectively. Therefore,
The image buffer 17 stores an image of the upper surface of the form, and the image buffer 18 stores an image of the lower surface of the form. Reference numeral 19 denotes a character recognition unit that cuts out a character pattern from the form image stored in the image buffers 17 and 18 and performs a character recognition process. The data control unit 20 is connected to the character recognition unit 19. The data control unit 20 instructs the character recognition unit 19 to perform a character recognition process. The data control unit 20 is controlled by a host computer (not shown).

[0004]

The first problem is that the size and cost of an optical character reader with a double-sided reading function are increased due to the following reasons. It is necessary to have a reading unit and an image buffer separately for front and back. When the reading unit is mounted and arranged on the form transport path, it is necessary to shift the reading unit back and forth in the form transport direction because it is necessary to avoid interference between the light sources on the front and back sides.

A second problem is that reliability, operability, and maintainability are deteriorated for the following reasons. Since it is necessary to have the reading unit and the image buffer separately for the front and back sides, the number of components increases and the failure rate increases. When the packing density in the apparatus is increased and the form is jammed in the middle of conveyance, the operability such as form removal is deteriorated. In addition, the number of parts to be maintained increases, and the maintainability is deteriorated due to the complexity of the cable connection between the two reading units and the image buffer or the character recognition unit.

It is an object of the present invention to reduce the size, weight, and cost of an optical character reader having a double-sided reading function, and to improve reliability, operability, productivity, and maintainability.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a form table.
Before reading by the form reading unit that optically reads the surface
Invert the form and read the form on the reverse side of the reversed form
Optical character reader with double-sided reading function
When handling a single-sided form, the front side of the form
The form read by the form reading unit and then inverted
Eject without passing through the vote reading section, and
In addition, the same processing as the form is repeated.
You.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the optical character reader with the double-sided reading function according to the first aspect of the invention handles a single-sided form.
In this case , scan data of the front side of the form read by the form reading unit is stored in an image buffer, and after recognizing the scan data of the front side in the buffer, the same processing as that of the next form is repeated. And

[0009]

[0010]

[0011]

Finally, a third invention relates to an optical character reading apparatus with a double-sided reading function for optically reading each data recorded on the front and back surfaces of a form, and a sheet feeding section 1 for setting a form to be read. A supply unit 2 for sending a form set in the paper supply unit 1, a reading unit 3 for reading an image of the form sent from the supply unit 2, and a form sent out from the reading unit 3 to be inverted. A first reversing unit 4, a switching unit 5 for distributing the conveyance path when performing and not performing backside reading, and the reversing sent via the switching unit 5 when performing backside reading. A second reversing unit 6 for causing the reading unit 3 to read the back side of the form inverted by the unit 4 again, and the reversal sent via the switching unit 5 when the back side reading is not performed. The form reversed by the part 4 A linear route 7 to be fed, a printing unit 8 located after the conveyance path divided by the point 5 merges again, a discharging unit 9 for discharging a form sent from the printing unit 8, and a discharged unit 9. Stacking unit 10 for stacking the forms
A conveyance control unit 11 having an image buffer for storing the image of the form read by the reading unit 3 and controlling the conveyance of the form, a recognition unit 12 for recognizing the form stored in the image buffer, It is characterized by comprising a power supply unit 13.

[Operation] The form conveyed from the supply unit to the reading unit is scanned on the surface by the reading unit, then inverted by the reversing unit and returned to the reading unit again. Since the form is reversed by the reversing unit, the back surface is scanned when passing through the reading unit again. In other words, the front and back sides can be continuously scanned by one reading unit by the present transport unit. Similarly, the front and back images of the scanned form are successively stored in one image buffer.

The transport means of the present invention can realize a double-sided reading function by using only one set of a reading unit including a light source and an image buffer.
Cost reduction and improvement in reliability, operability, productivity, and maintainability can be achieved.

[0015]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an optical character reading apparatus with a double-sided reading function according to the present invention, in which a sheet to be read is set and a sheet set in the sheet feeding section 1 is set. And a mirror, which reads an image of a form sent from the supply unit 2 and a mirror.
A reading unit 3 including a camera lens, an optical filter, a photoelectric conversion PKG, etc., a first reversing unit 4 for reversing a form sent from the reading unit 3, and a transport path for performing and not performing back side reading. A second reversing unit 6 for causing the reading unit 3 to read the back side of the form again when the back side is read, and a straight route 7 conveyed when the back side reading is not performed. A printing unit 8 located after the conveyance paths separated by the switching unit 5 merge again, a discharging unit 9 for discharging a form sent from the printing unit 8, a stacking unit 10 for stacking the discharged forms, A transport control unit 11 that includes an image buffer for storing a digitized image that is photoelectrically converted by the reading unit 3 and controls transport, and a hardware recognition unit 12 that recognizes a form stored in the image buffer
And a power supply unit 13.

Next, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

The form 14 a set in the paper feed unit 1 is conveyed to the reading unit 3 by the supply unit 2. In the reading unit 3, the surface of the form 14a is optically scanned (scanned), digitized, and stored in an image buffer. After the form is subsequently reversed by the first reversing unit 4, when a double-sided reading is selected by a control unit (not shown) for controlling the apparatus,
At the point 5, it is distributed to the second reversing section 6. In the reversing unit 6, the back surface of the form 14a is again scanned by the reading unit 3, and the digitized image data is stored in the image buffer. Note that the back side of the form 14a is scanned on the form 14
This is performed after the recognition of the surface of a is completed. Next report 14
b is waiting before the scanning position at this time,
When the recognition of the back surface 4a is completed, the sheet is conveyed to the reading unit 3 and scanned, and then proceeds to the reversing unit 4 and the point unit 5. Report 1
After the recognition of the back side is completed, the printing process by the printing unit 8 and the sorting of the stacking unit by the printing unit 8 are performed by an instruction from the control unit (not shown) of the apparatus 4a, and the stacking unit 4a is discharged to the stacking unit 10.

In the printing process by the printing unit 8, for example, a serial number obtained by adding a processing date or the like to a processed form is printed to confirm the order of the processed form at a later date and prevent double processing. Used for the purpose.

In the same manner, the forms are successively and continuously conveyed,
Double-sided reading is performed.

In the case of only one-sided reading, the data is distributed to the straight route 7 by the point 5. In this case, there is no need to send the back side image to the image buffer.
4b is conveyed to the reading unit 3 as soon as the surface recognition of the form 14a is completed. Similarly, one-side reading is sequentially performed.

As described above, since the transporting means of the present invention can be realized by one set of the reading unit including the light source and the image buffer, the number of parts is greatly reduced, and the apparatus is reduced in size and weight. In addition, reliability, operability, maintainability, and productivity can be improved and costs can be reduced.

In the above-described embodiment, the reading section 3 may use a conventional reduction optical system or a close contact optical system. In any case, the size and weight of the device can be reduced as compared with the conventional case. For the reduction optical system and the contact optical system, refer to the document “WHITE SER”.
IES, No. 62, Contact Image Sensors and Applied Technology ”(published by: Trikeps Co., Ltd.).

Further, by making the function of the hardware recognizing unit 12 into software and making the control unit of the apparatus (not shown) perform the function, further reduction in size and weight can be realized.

[0025]

As described above, according to the optical character reading apparatus with double-sided reading function of the present invention, the reading unit including the light source and the image buffer can be mounted in one set. It is possible to reduce the cost, size, and weight of the optical character reader.

The second effect is that the number of parts is significantly reduced, the number of maintenance points is reduced, and mounting margins are provided.
Reliability and operability of the optical character reader with double-sided reading function,
That is, productivity and maintainability can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an optical character reading device with a double-sided reading function according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional optical character reading device with a double-sided reading function.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Paper feed part 2 Supply part 3 Reading part 4 1st inversion part 5 Pointing part 6 2nd inversion part 7 Straight route 8 Printing part 9 Ejection part 10 Stacking part 11 Transport control part 12 Hardware recognition part 13 Power supply Units 14a to 14c Forms 15, 16 Reading unit 17, 18 Image buffer 19 Character recognition unit 20 Data control unit

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Toshiyuki Araya 5-7-1 Shiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo Within NEC Corporation (56) References JP-A-61-68680 (JP, A) JP-A-4 -109380 (JP, A) JP-A-3-265355 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G06K 9/20 H04N 1/00 G06T 1/00

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. An optical character reading device with a double-sided reading function, wherein a form reading unit that optically reads the front side of a form and then reverses the form and reads the reverse side of the inverted form with the form reading unit. When a single-sided form is handled, the inverted form is read out after reading the front side of the form by the form reading unit without passing through the form reading unit, and the same processing as that of the form is performed for the next form. An optical character reader with a double-sided reading function, characterized by being repeated. 2. The optical character reading apparatus with double-sided reading function according to claim 1, wherein when handling a single-sided form , scan data of the front side of the form read by the form reading unit is stored in an image buffer. After recognizing the scan data of the front surface, the same process is repeated for the next business form. 3. A sheet feeding unit 1 for setting a form to be read in an optical character reading apparatus with a double-sided reading function for optically reading each data recorded on the front and back sides of the form.
And a supply unit 2 for sending the form set in the paper supply unit 1
A reading unit 3 for reading the image of the form sent from the supply unit 2; a first reversing unit 4 for reversing the form sent from the reading unit 3; A reading unit that sorts the conveyance path, and a back surface of the form inverted by the reversing unit 4 sent via the switching unit 5 when performing back surface reading. A second reversing unit 6 for causing the document 3 to be read, and a straight route 7 for conveying the form inverted by the reversing unit 4 sent via the switching unit 5 when the back side is not read. A printing section 8 located after the conveyance paths divided by the point section 5 have joined again,
And a stacking unit 10 for stacking the discharged forms, an image buffer for storing the image of the forms read by the reading unit 3, and controlling the transport of the forms. Transport control unit 11
An optical character reader with a double-sided reading function, comprising: a recognition unit 12 for recognizing a form stored in the image buffer; and a power supply unit 13.