JP4648446B2 - Portable image transceiver - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a portable image transceiver that can transmit or receive a captured image as a FAX signal or an image file.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a mobile phone main body has a magnetic disk camera built therein, and has been provided with information input means for reading an image on a transmission document and writing to a magnetic disk, and also has conversion means for converting input information into an electrical signal, There is known a mobile phone with a fax function described in Patent Document 1, which is provided with a fax function for transmitting a signal to a destination fax machine via a transmission path and performing image reproduction.
Utility Model Registration No. 2587259

The mobile phone with a fax function described in Patent Document 1 is configured such that after a captured image is converted into a signal for a FAX apparatus, the converted signal can be transmitted to the FAX apparatus. On the other hand, it is now possible to attach an image file using the e-mail function of a mobile phone. The image file attached by the e-mail can be confirmed on the display screen of the cellular phone or printed via a personal computer so that the contents of the image can be viewed.
However, when a document mainly composed of characters is photographed and transmitted to the mobile phone, the character information recorded on the original can be read by using the image enlargement display function of the mobile phone. It was necessary to zoom in and visually recognize the enlarged portion while scrolling. However, it is troublesome to read the document described in the image while enlarging and scrolling the image in this way, and when the document is read back, the operation has to be repeated each time.

  The present invention has been invented in view of the above-described problems, and is capable of transmitting a captured image to a FAX apparatus signal and then transmitting it to the FAX apparatus. By acquiring all or a selected part of the characters included in the original document as text data by OCR processing and transmitting it together with the image file, the characters included in the original document are not required to be enlarged and scrolled. It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable image transceiver that can read information as a text document.

In order to solve the above problems, the invention according to claim 1 of the present application has the following configuration. That is,
A photographing means for acquiring a photographic image by displaying a frame line and a sighting as a guide according to a set paper shape on a finder image ;
FAX signal generating means for converting an image acquired by the photographing means into a FAX signal;
Image file generating means for converting an image acquired by the photographing means into an image file;
Selecting means for selecting either the FAX signal generated by the FAX signal generating means or the image file generated by the image file generating means ;
A transmitting means and receiving means for transmitting a FAX signal or image file selected by the selection means,
Display means for displaying images taken by the photographing means and displaying received data and images;
Area selection means for selecting all or part of the area of the image photographed by the photographing means;
OCR means for converting text included in the area selected by the area selection means into text data to generate a text file, and an editor function for correcting the text recognized by the OCR means,
When a text file related to the image file is generated, the text file is transmitted simultaneously with the transmission of the image file .

  The transceiver according to the present invention can arbitrarily select one of transmission of a FAX signal to the FAX apparatus and transmission of an image file. In addition, when transmitting an image file, if the transmission image includes character data such as text, the text is easy to read by generating text data by performing OCR processing on the text and simultaneously transmitting the text data. It has the effect that it can be visually recognized as a sentence.

The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining a system of a portable image transceiver (hereinafter simply referred to as “transceiver”) 1 according to the present embodiment. The transceiver 1 is formed to be as large as a mobile phone that can be held with one hand.
In the figure, reference numeral 2 denotes a control means for controlling each means constituting the transceiver 1 and inputting / outputting data, and is formed by integrating a one-chip type device having a function as a CPU or a plurality of devices. It has become a thing. The transceiver 1 has various means that are integrated with the control means 2 or connected to the control means 2. Hereinafter, each of the means will be specifically described.

The transceiver 1 includes a photographing unit 3, a storage unit 4, a display unit 5, an operation key 6, a transmission unit 7, and a reception unit 8.
The photographing means 3 is constituted by an image sensor such as a CCD or CMOS, and outputs a photographed image as image data.
The storage unit 4 stores an image captured by the imaging unit 3 as image data, and also stores a temporary buffer for performing various data processing, storage of generated data, and a program for operating various devices. Is. The storage means 4 may be provided as a separate memory IC from the control means 2, or a storage area incorporated in the control means 2 may be used.

The display means 5 is constituted by an image display device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL. The display means 5 displays images taken by the photographing means 3, displays received data and images, and various functions of the transceiver 1. The generated image is displayed.
The operation key 6 is composed of a key group such as a numeric key 0 to 9 and other function keys to which various functions are assigned. Operation instructions for the control means 2, instructions for various operations executed by the control means 2, This is an operation key for selection.
The transmission means 7 is a means for converting a connection signal for connecting to a telephone line, a FAX signal, a data file, etc. into a radio signal and transmitting it, and the receiving means 8 is a FAX signal, a data file, etc. via the telephone line. Means for receiving the radio signal.

  In the control unit 2, an image file generation unit 9, a transmission mode selection unit 10, a FAX signal generation unit 11, and an OCR process selection unit 12 are provided. Each means exhibits a predetermined function in accordance with execution of a program stored in advance.

Next, operations related to image transmission provided in the transceiver 1 will be described using the control flowchart shown in FIG. The transmitter / receiver 1 has a function equivalent to that of a mobile phone, such as a telephone function and transmission / reception of e-mails. However, in the specification, description of the telephone function and transmission / reception of e-mails is omitted. .
When a document such as a business document in which text in printed form is printed is transmitted by the transceiver 1, the document is first photographed by the photographing means 3 provided in the transceiver 1 (step S1). It should be noted that a frame line or aiming guide for the shape of the A4 paper or the set paper shape is displayed on the finder image so that the image is taken with an appropriate size and posture when the document is taken.
The captured image is converted into an image file format such as jpg that can be transmitted as an attached file by the image file generation means 9 and stored in the storage means 4.

Next, the user is allowed to select whether the captured image is transmitted as a FAX signal or an image file (step S2).
The selection is performed as a function of the transmission mode selection unit 10 and is performed by an operation instruction from the display unit 5 and selection of Yes or No assigned to any one of the operation keys 6. When Yes is selected in step S2, the FAX signal generation unit 11 converts the image stored in the storage unit 4 to generate a G3 standard FAX signal (step S3), and sends it to the destination FAX apparatus. Wait until it is ready to send. Next, when the operation key 6 is used to dial the reception-side FAX apparatus (step S4), a FAX signal is transmitted from the transceiver 1 to the reception-side FAX apparatus, as in general FAX communication. It is transmitted (step S5).
As described above, the transceiver 1 according to the present embodiment converts the image captured by the imaging unit 3 into a general G3 standard FAX signal and transmits it, and via the printing unit included in the reception-side FAX apparatus. The captured image can be output.

Next, a case where the user selects transmission of an image file at the time of selection performed by the transmission mode selection unit 10 (step S2) will be described.
If No is selected in the selection step S2, then it is possible to select whether or not to convert the text included in the image into text data by the OCR process selection means 12 (step S6).
When the OCR process is not performed (No), the control unit 2 reads the image data to be transmitted from the storage unit 4 (step S7), and converts the data into a transmission format for a dedicated terminal which is the same device as the transceiver 1 (Step S8), dials the public telephone line number of the dedicated terminal (Step S4), and transmits the data after connection (Step S5). The image transmitted and received in this way can be viewed by a display means such as an LCD provided in the received dedicated terminal. Further, since the received image can be transmitted again by FAX, it can be output via the FAX apparatus when printing is necessary. Alternatively, a dedicated printer may be created, and data may be transferred and printed by the communication means 14 such as infrared communication or short-range wireless communication (Bluetooth).

  Further, after selecting transmission of the image file, if Yes is selected in the selection step S6 of the OCR processing, the OCR processing is performed (step S9). The OCR process is a process of recognizing characters included in an image and converting the recognized characters into a character code (text). Further, in the present embodiment, an area selection unit 13 that can arbitrarily adjust a region where the OCR process is performed is provided. That is, the entire area of the read image may be subjected to OCR processing, or OCR processing can be performed for only one arbitrarily set area. In addition, by OCR processing, misrecognized characters can be corrected to correct contents by an editor function.

The character (text) data read in this way is associated with the read image data, and transmission data in which the image data and the text data are mixed is generated (step S10). Thereafter, data is transmitted in the same manner as the image file transmission described above.
The transmission of the image data and the text data is performed in such a manner that a text sentence that can be visually recognized like an electronic mail is transmitted and an image file is attached. When reading the text while viewing the image file, it is necessary to display the image on a display means with a small area, and then display the text sequentially while appropriately enlarging and scrolling to visually check the contents. However, if you send a text sentence at the same time, you can read the text smoothly without having to enlarge the image. As a result, most of the transmitted information can be grasped. In addition, when a photograph, a picture, a figure, a graph, or the like included in the image is necessary, the contents can be confirmed by printing as described above in addition to confirmation on the screen.

The transmitter / receiver 1 described above can transmit an image, but first, it can select either a FAX signal transmission to the FAX apparatus or an image file transmission. . Therefore, even if the transmission partner does not have a device having the same function as that of the transceiver 1, an image captured as a FAX image can be transmitted.
Even when an image file is transmitted, if the transmitted image includes character data such as a sentence, the sentence is subjected to OCR processing to generate text data, which is visually recognized as an easy-to-read text sentence. It can be done.
Note that the above description has focused on the transmission of a FAX signal and an image file related to the transceiver, but the transceiver is configured as a device that can receive both the FAX signal and the image file. .

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be used for a transceiver that can transmit or receive a captured image to a FAX apparatus or a dedicated transmission / reception apparatus.

It is a circuit block diagram of a transceiver according to the present invention. It is a flowchart showing the processing content regarding the image transmission of the transmitter / receiver concerning this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Transmitter / receiver 2 Control means 3 Shooting means 4 Storage means 5 Display means 6 Operation key 7 Transmission means 8 Reception means 9 Image file generation means 10 Transmission mode selection means 11 FAX signal generation means 12 OCR process selection means 13 Area selection means

Claims (1)

A photographing means for acquiring a photographic image by displaying a frame line and a sighting as a guide according to a set paper shape on a finder image ;
FAX signal generating means for converting an image acquired by the photographing means into a FAX signal;
Image file generating means for converting an image acquired by the photographing means into an image file;
Selecting means for selecting either the FAX signal generated by the FAX signal generating means or the image file generated by the image file generating means ;
A transmitting means and receiving means for transmitting a FAX signal or image file selected by the selection means,
Display means for displaying images taken by the photographing means and displaying received data and images;
Area selection means for selecting all or part of the area of the image photographed by the photographing means;
OCR means for converting text included in the area selected by the area selection means into text data to generate a text file, and an editor function for correcting the text recognized by the OCR means,
A portable image transmitter / receiver characterized in that, when a text file related to the image file is generated, the text file is transmitted simultaneously with the transmission of the image file .

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