JP5346967B2 - FAXOCR system and FAXOCR program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a FAXOCR system and a FAXOCR program, and more particularly, to mediating communication between a FAX network and a communication network.

  A system that mediates communication between a FAX network and another communication network is known. For example, the electronic mail system described in Patent Document 1 describes a FAX OCR system that performs address extraction based on a FAX document received from a FAX network, determines a distribution destination, and distributes the FAX document by electronic mail. Yes.

  In such a system, there may be a configuration in which text data recognized by the OCR technique can be confirmed by a person in charge of reception and corrected if there is an erroneous recognition. In addition, in a system managed by a relay operator who undertakes a fax document transmission / reception service, a person in charge of the relay operator may perform confirmation and correction work, and the destination of the FAX document (that is, the customer viewed from the relay operator) The person in charge may perform confirmation and correction work.

JP-A-8-37570

  However, the conventional technique has a problem in that it is impossible to later confirm the person in charge who has confirmed and corrected the text data. In particular, in a configuration in which both the person in charge of the relay operator and the person in charge of the transmission can perform confirmation and correction work, it is important which person in charge has performed the confirmation and correction work.

  The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a FAXOCR system and a FAXOCR program capable of confirming a person in charge who has confirmed and corrected text data later. To do.

In order to solve the above-described problems, a FAXOCR system according to the present invention is a FAXOCR system that is connected to a FAX network and a communication network and mediates communication therebetween, and receives a FAX image via the FAX network. A FAX receiving unit, a FAX sorting unit that identifies a data transmission destination of the received FAX image, an OCR unit that recognizes numbers or characters included in the FAX image as received text data, and a confirmation / corrector's operation The received text data is modified, and a confirmation / correction unit that creates a confirmation / correction history representing the correspondence between the confirmation / corrector and the FAX image related to the received text data is provided. Based on whether or not the ID is included, it is determined whether or not to create a confirmation correction history .
The FAXOCR system according to the present invention is a FAXOCR system that is connected to a FAX network and a communication network and mediates communication between them, and received by a FAX receiving unit that receives a FAX image via the FAX network. A FAX distribution unit that identifies the data transmission destination of the FAX image, an OCR unit that recognizes numbers or characters included in the FAX image as received text data, and correction of received text data in accordance with the operation of the confirmation / corrector A confirmation / correction unit that creates a confirmation / correction history representing a correspondence relationship between the confirmation / corrector and the FAX image related to the received text data, and the confirmation / correction unit confirms and corrects based on the contents of the received text data. It is determined whether to create a history.
The communication data is prepared based on the received text data, and the communication data is transmitted to the different computers according to the data transmission destination via the communication network. May be included.
The confirmation correction unit may determine whether to create a confirmation correction history based on the content of the received text data.
The FAXOCR system further refers to the confirmation corrector management DB that stores confirmation corrector IDs for identifying a plurality of confirmation correctors, and the confirmation corrector management DB, and confirms the corrector ID associated with the confirmation corrector. And a log-in processing unit to be identified, and the confirmation / correction history may associate the FAX image with the confirmation / corrector ID.
The FAX OCR system may have a plurality of FAX numbers in the FAX network, and the FAX distribution unit may specify a data transmission destination based on a FAX number related to reception of a FAX image.
The FAX distribution unit may specify the data transmission destination based on the received text data.
The FAXOCR program according to the present invention causes a computer to function as the above-described FAXOCR system.

  According to the FAXOCR system and the FAXOCR program according to the present invention, the confirmation / correction unit creates a confirmation / correction history for associating the confirmation / corrector with the FAX image related to the corrected text data. The person in charge can be confirmed later.

It is a figure which shows the structure containing the FAXOCR system which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows in more detail the structure of the tenant of the contractor A of FIG. The example of the confirmation correction screen which the terminal for confirmation correction of FIG. 1 displays is shown. It is a flowchart explaining operation | movement of the FAXOCR system of FIG. It is a figure which shows the structure containing the FAXOCR system which concerns on Embodiment 2. FIG.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Embodiment 1 FIG.
FIG. 1 shows a configuration including a FAX OCR system 10 according to the present invention. The FAX OCR system 10 is connected to a FAX network 60 and the Internet 70. The FAX network 60 has a configuration in which, for example, a FAX apparatus can transmit and receive information according to the G3 facsimile standard. The Internet 70 may be another communication network as long as it is a communication network other than the FAX network 60. The FAX OCR system 10 mediates communication between the FAX network 60 and the Internet 70.

In the present embodiment, the FAXOCR system 10 is related to a product ordering business. For example, for a FAX document transmitted to the contractor by the orderer, the FAX document is received from the orderer FAX apparatus 110, and communication data is transmitted to any of the host systems 120 to 122 corresponding to the contractor designated by the orderer. Send.
The FAX OCR system 10 is a system managed by a relay operator who undertakes transmission / reception of FAX documents. The relay operator undertakes a fax document transmission / reception service for a plurality of contractors (orderers A, B, and C). Each contractor is a customer as viewed from the relay operator, and the orderer is a business partner as viewed from the contractor.

  The FAX OCR system 10 includes a FAX server 20, an OCR server 30, a plurality of confirmation correction terminals 40, and an SBC server device 50. The FAX server 20, the OCR server 30, the confirmation / correction terminal 40, and the SBC server device 50 have a configuration as a well-known computer. For example, the FAX server 20 includes a calculation unit that performs a calculation and a storage unit that stores information. The arithmetic means includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and the storage means includes a semiconductor memory and an HDD (Hard Disk Drive).

Although not particularly illustrated, the FAX server 20, the OCR server 30, the confirmation / correction terminal 40, and the SBC server device 50 include an input device as input means used by the user to input information. This input device is, for example, a mouse or a keyboard. Further, the FAX server 20, the OCR server 30, the confirmation / correction terminal 40, and the SBC server device 50 include an output device as output means for outputting information to the user. The output device is a display device such as a liquid crystal display, but may be a printing device such as a printer.
The FAX server 20, OCR server 30, confirmation / correction terminal 40, and SBC server device 50 are connected to each other via a LAN 80 so as to communicate with each other.

  The FAX server 20 includes a FAX board 21 as an interface for transmitting / receiving FAX documents to / from other FAX apparatuses. In the present embodiment, the FAX board 21 corresponds to a plurality of FAX numbers in the FAX network 60. That is, the FAX OCR system 10 has a plurality of FAX numbers in the FAX network 60.

  In the present embodiment, these FAX numbers correspond to different contractors. That is, when the orderer transmits a FAX document to the contractor A, the orderer transmits the FAX document to the first FAX number corresponding to the contractor A, and transmits the FAX document to the contractor B. In this case, a FAX document is transmitted with the second FAX number corresponding to the contractor B as a destination, and all of these FAX documents are received via the FAX board 21.

  The computing means of the FAX server 20 functions as a FAX receiving unit 22, a FAX sorting unit 23, and a FAX transmitting unit 24 by executing a FAX server program stored in the storage unit of the FAX server 20. Other functions described herein are implemented.

  The calculation means of the OCR server 30 functions as the tenant 31 of the contractor A, the tenant 32 of the contractor B, and the tenant 33 of the contractor C by executing the OCR server program stored in the storage means of the OCR server 30. In addition, other functions described in this specification are realized. Here, the “tenant” is a virtual realization of a tenant as a base where each contractor performs business, and the details of the configuration and operation will be described later with reference to FIG.

  Each tenant 31 to 33 is configured using, for example, an individual operating system (OS). In other words, the OCR server 30 has a function of executing a plurality of OS programs in parallel (this function can be realized using virtualization software or the like), and one or more programs executed on each OS program. A plurality of application programs constitute a tenant corresponding to the OS.

  The tenant 31 of the contractor A is communicably connected to the host system 120 of the contractor A and the PC 130 of the contractor A via the Internet 70. Similarly, the tenant 32 of the contractor B is communicatively connected to the host system 121 of the contractor B and the PC 131 of the contractor B via the Internet 70, and the tenant 33 of the contractor C is connected via the Internet 70. The host system 122 of the contractor C and the PC 132 of the contractor C are communicably connected.

Similar to the FAX server 20 and the OCR server 30, the calculation means of the confirmation correction terminal 40 and the SBC server device 50 also execute the confirmation correction program and the SBC server program stored in the respective storage means. Other functions described in the document.
The FAX server program and the OCR server program described above constitute the FAX OCR program according to the present embodiment. That is, this FAX OCR program causes a computer to function as the FAX OCR system 10 including the FAX server 20 and the OCR server 30. The FAXOCR program may include a confirmation / correction program and an SBC server program.

  Each of the host systems 120 to 122 and the PCs 130 to 132 has a configuration as a known computer.

Hereinafter, the configuration of the FAX server 20 will be described.
The FAX receiving unit 22 receives a FAX document transmitted from the orderer FAX apparatus 110 to the FAX server 20 via the FAX network 60 and the FAX board 21. This FAX document is received as an image. Hereinafter, an image representing a FAX document is referred to as a “FAX image”. If one FAX document is composed of a plurality of pages, the FAX image is also an image composed of a plurality of pages.

  The FAX distribution unit 23 specifies a contractor who is a data transmission destination of the received FAX image. In this embodiment, the data transmission destination is specified based on the FAX number related to the reception of the FAX image. For example, when the FAX image is received by the FAX board 21, if the first FAX number is the destination, the data transmission destination is specified as the contractor A, and the second FAX number is the destination. If so, the data transmission destination is identified as the contractor B. For example, if information indicating the correspondence between the FAX number and the data transmission destination is stored in the storage unit of the FAX server 20, the FAX distribution unit 23 can specify the data transmission destination using this information.

  Further, the FAX distribution unit 23 transmits the received FAX image to the tenant corresponding to the specified data transmission destination. For example, when the data transmission destination of a certain FAX image is specified as the contractor A, the FAX image is transmitted to the tenant 31 of the contractor A.

  The FAX transmission unit 24 transmits a FAX image to the orderer FAX apparatus 110 via the FAX board 21 and the FAX network 60. This FAX image may be input by any method or may be generated by any method. For example, the OCR server 30 can generate the FAX image.

Next, the configuration of the tenants 31 to 33 will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the tenant 31 of the contractor A in more detail. The tenant 32 of the contractor B and the tenant 33 of the contractor C have the same configuration.

  The calculation means of the OCR server 30 functions as an OCR unit 311, a confirmation / correction unit 312, a login processing unit 313, a maintenance tool 314, a host cooperation unit 315, and an overlay form creation unit 316 as part of the function as the tenant 31. These functions can be realized, for example, by the calculation means of the OCR server 30 executing corresponding application programs.

  Functions corresponding to different tenants (for example, the OCR unit 311 in the tenant 31 of the contractor A, the OCR unit 311 in the tenant 32 of the contractor B, and the OCR unit 311 in the tenant 33 of the contractor C) use the same application program. Can be configured as different processes. (However, these may be configured by different application programs or may be configured as the same process.)

  The storage means of the OCR server 30 includes a FAX reception image 301, form definition information 302, confirmation / corrector management DB 303, correction screen definition information 304, confirmation / correction history DB 305, host transmission definition information 306, FAX transmission data 307, An overlay form 308 and a FAX transmission image 309 are stored.

  The tenant 31 receives a FAX image from the FAX distribution unit 23 and stores it as a FAX reception image 301. This process is realized, for example, when the computing means of the FAX OCR system 10 executes the FAX input module as a part of the function of the tenant 31.

  The OCR unit 311 recognizes numbers or characters included in the FAX received image 301 as received text data based on the form definition information 302. This process is realized, for example, when the calculation unit of the FAX OCR system 10 executes the recognition module as a part of the function of the tenant 31. The received text data can be recognized by a known OCR technique or the like. The received text data is data representing a character string, for example, but may include data representing a numerical value.

The form definition information 302 is information that defines how a character string representing predetermined information is included in a FAX image. For example, for a plurality of fields included in a FAX image, information indicating the field name (for example, “store name” or “product code”), the position of the field (for example, two-dimensional coordinates), and the type of the field (for example, Information indicating whether it is a number, an English letter, a kana, a kanji, or an image).
The OCR unit 311 passes the recognized received text data to the confirmation / correction unit 312. This delivery processing is performed via a recognition result file (not shown) stored in the storage means of the tenant 31 of the FAX OCR system 10, for example.

  The confirmation / correction unit 312 performs a confirmation / correction process based on the received text data received from the OCR unit 311 and the correction screen definition information 304. This confirmation / correction process is performed by a certified person in charge of confirmation / correction work (hereinafter referred to as “confirmation / corrector”) through the confirmation / correction screen (FIG. 3, described later) on the confirmation / correction terminal 40. is there.

  The storage unit of the tenant 31 stores a confirmation / corrector management DB 303. The confirmation / corrector management DB 303 includes, for each of the plurality of confirmation / correctors, the confirmation / correction person ID and the identity of the confirmation / correction person (for example, the contractor A, the contractor B, the contractor C, and the relay operator). Information indicating whether the person is a confirmation / corrector and a terminal ID of a computer that can be used by the confirmation / correction person, and the confirmation / correction person can be authenticated and identified by using the confirmation / correction person ID and the terminal ID. It is like that.

  The login processing unit 313 refers to the confirmation corrector management DB 303 and executes login processing for authenticating the confirmation corrector. For example, the login processing unit 313 displays a login screen on the confirmation / correction terminal 40, and also displays a terminal ID representing the confirmation / correction terminal 40 and a confirmation / corrector from the confirmation / correction person via the login screen of the confirmation / correction terminal 40. Based on the input, the confirmation corrector ID associated with the confirmation corrector is specified. The specific contents of the authentication process are well known and can be performed, for example, in response to input of an ID and a password.

  The maintenance tool 314 performs maintenance of the contents of the confirmation / corrector management DB 303. For example, in accordance with an input from the administrator of the OCR server 30, addition / change / deletion of a confirmation / corrector ID recorded in the confirmation / correction person management DB 303, change of a password, and the like are performed.

  In response to the login process of the confirmation / corrector executed through the confirmation / correction terminal 40, the confirmation / correction unit 312 creates data representing the confirmation / correction screen (FIG. 3) and transmits the data to the confirmation / correction terminal 40. The confirmation / correction terminal 40 receives this data and displays a confirmation / correction screen. Then, the confirmation / correction terminal 40 corrects the received text data based on the input to the confirmation / correction screen, and transmits the corrected received text data (or correction content) to the confirmation / correction unit 312. This process is realized, for example, when the calculation means of the confirmation / correction terminal 40 executes the correction module. As described above, the confirmation / corrector of the relay operator who manages the FAXOCR system 10 can use the confirmation / correction terminal 40 to view, check and correct the received text data.

  The SBC server device 50 (FIG. 1) implements the same function as the confirmation / correction terminal 40 via the Internet 70. That is, the SBC server device 50 transmits and displays various screens to the PCs 130 to 132 via the Internet 70 and receives inputs from the PCs 130 to 132 via the Internet 70. For example, the login processing unit 313 displays a login screen on the PCs 130 to 132 via the SBC server device 50, and is associated with the confirmation corrector based on input from the confirmation corrector via the login screen. The confirmation corrector ID is identified. For example, the login processing unit 313 displays the login screen on the PC 130 of the contractor A, and also receives the terminal ID representing the PC 130 of the contractor A and the confirmation corrector via the login screen of the PC 130 of the contractor A. Based on the input, the confirmation corrector ID of the confirmation corrector of the contractor A is specified.

  In addition, the SBC server device 50 transmits and displays confirmation correction screens to the PCs 130 to 132 via the Internet 70, and receives inputs to the confirmation correction screens from the PCs 130 to 132 via the Internet 70, based on this The received text data is corrected, and the corrected received text data (or corrected content) is transmitted to the confirmation / correction unit 312.

Here, the SBC server device 50 transmits a confirmation and correction screen to a different computer according to the data communication destination specified by the FAX distribution unit 23. This process is realized, for example, when the calculation means of the SBC server device 50 executes the correction module.
For example, when the data communication destination of a certain FAX image is the contractor A, the confirmation / correction screen is transmitted to the PC 130, and the confirmation / corrector of the contractor A can confirm and correct this using the PC 130. Since the confirmation / correction screen of the FAX image is not transmitted to the PC 131 and the PC 132, the confirmation corrector of the contractor B and the contractor C cannot know the contents.
Thus, the confirmation / corrector of each contractor can browse, confirm, and correct the received text data of the FAX image addressed to the contractor using the corresponding PCs 130 to 132.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a confirmation / correction screen displayed on the confirmation / correction terminal 40 and the PCs 130 to 132.
The confirmation / correction screen includes a FAX image display area F1 and a confirmation / correction area F2. A FAX image is displayed in the FAX image display area F1. In the confirmation / correction area F2, a field image display area F3 and a text data area F4 are displayed in pairs for each field included in the FAX image. In the field image display area F3, an image in a field defined based on the form definition information 302 among the FAX images is displayed. In the text data area F4, received text data recognized by the OCR unit 311 for the field is displayed. Is displayed. If the OCR unit 311 fails to recognize part or all of the received text data, a “♦” mark is displayed in the corresponding part.

FIG. 3 shows an example in which fields representing company name, store name, store code, product name (3 locations), product code (3 locations), and quantity (3 locations) are defined in the form definition information 302.
In the correction screen definition information 304, layout information indicating where the field image display area F3 and the text data area F4 corresponding to each field are displayed in the confirmation correction area F2 is defined.

  The confirmation correction terminal 40 and the SBC server device 50 accept correction input for the received text data area of each field. For example, when the confirmation / corrector designates the “company name” field and updates the data displayed in the corresponding text data area F4, the confirmation / correction terminal 40 and the SBC server device 50 newly receive the updated data. Use text data.

  The confirmation / correction terminal 40 and the SBC server device 50 display the cursors F1a and F2a indicating such correction input fields in the FAX image display area F1 and the confirmation / correction area F2, respectively. The cursor F1a in the FAX image display area F1 can be represented by, for example, green coloring, and the cursor F2a in the confirmation correction area F2 can be represented by, for example, a green frame.

Further, the confirmation / correction terminal 40 and the SBC server device 50 have a function of performing partial enlarged display in field units. For example, each field image display area F3 is enlarged and displayed in a separate window in accordance with the operation of the confirmation / corrector, and the correction input work can be facilitated even when it is difficult to interpret the characters.
Further, the confirmation / correction terminal 40 and the SBC server device 50 may display statistical data representing the result of recognition processing by the OCR unit 311 on the confirmation / correction screen. For example, the total number of recognition errors may be displayed.

  As described above, the confirmation / correction unit 312 accepts input from the confirmation / correction terminal 40 and input from the PCs 130 to 132 via the SBC server device 50, and corrects the received text data accordingly. In addition, when an operation indicating the end of the confirmation / correction work is performed on the confirmation / correction terminal 40 and the PCs 130 to 132, the confirmation / correction unit 312 passes the corrected received text data to the host cooperation unit 315. This delivery process is performed, for example, via a corrected recognition result file (not shown) stored in the storage means of the tenant 31 of the FAX OCR system 10.

In addition, the confirmation correction unit 312 creates a confirmation correction history and stores it in the confirmation correction history DB 305 upon completion of the confirmation correction work (for example, when storing the corrected received text data in the corrected recognition result file). To do. This confirmation / correction history represents a correspondence relationship between the confirmation / corrector who has performed the confirmation / correction work and the FAX image related to the received text data that is the target of the work. As an example, the management for identifying the FAX image is performed. The number, the confirmation / corrector ID, and the date and time when the confirmation / correction work was performed are associated with each other. Note that this confirmation / correction history is created upon completion of the confirmation / correction work even if no correction is made as a result.
As described above, the confirmation / correction history represents information indicating who has corrected which FAX image data (or has confirmed that correction is unnecessary).

  The host cooperation unit 315 receives the received text data from the confirmation correction unit 312 and creates communication data based on the confirmation correction history DB 305 and the host transmission definition information 306. Here, the communication data is data in a format that can be received by an external computer (in this case, the host system 120) via the Internet 70, and is, for example, a text file in CSV format. The host transmission definition information 306 includes information on the data format of the host system 120, but specific contents can be appropriately determined by those skilled in the art according to the configuration of the host system 120. Also, the host transmission definition information 306 can be made different depending on the tenant (data transmission destination). That is, the host transmission definition information 306 stored in the tenant 31 of the contractor A and the host transmission definition information 306 stored in the tenant 32 of the contractor B can be defined with different contents. It is.

  The communication data includes a management number that identifies the FAX image related to the received text data. Further, the communication data includes received text data (if corrected, corrected data). The received text data includes information (for example, product code, quantity, etc.) representing each field defined in the form definition information 302.

  The communication data includes a confirmation / correction history related to the received text data. That is, it includes the management number, the confirmation / corrector ID of the confirmation / corrector who performed the confirmation / correction processing on the received text data, and the date and time when the confirmation / correction operation was performed. For this reason, the person in charge of the contractor A who has received the communication data can know when and by whom the received text data included in the communication data has been corrected. In particular, it can be confirmed later whether the information has been corrected by the confirmation / corrector of the relay operator or by the confirmation / corrector of the contractor A, and the location of the responsibility regarding the correction contents can be clearly recognized. be able to.

  The processing of the host cooperation unit 315 as described above is realized by, for example, the computing means of the FAXOCR system 10 executing the host output data conversion module, the saved image search module, and the extended host module as part of the function of the tenant 31. Is done. In addition, the host cooperation unit 315 creates a host output data file (not shown) that is intermediately stored in the storage unit of the tenant 31 in these processes. In addition, the host cooperation unit 315 stores the created communication data in a master file (not shown) stored in the storage unit of the tenant 31.

  In addition, the host cooperation unit 315 transmits the communication data created in this way to the host system 120 via the Internet 70. This transmission is performed according to the FTP protocol, for example. Here, the transmission destination of the communication data differs depending on the tenant (data transmission destination). That is, the host cooperation unit 315 of the tenant 31 of the contractor A transmits the communication data to the host system 120 of the contractor A, but the host cooperation unit 315 of the tenant 32 of the contractor B transmits the communication data of the contractor B. Transmit to the host system 121.

  In this way, the host system 120 receives communication data including received text data. The contractor A can output the received text data in the host system 120.

The above is the processing when the orderer transmits a FAX document to the contractor. Hereinafter, the processing in the reverse direction, that is, when the contractor transmits a FAX document to the orderer will be described with reference to FIG.
First, the employee of the contractor A operates the host system 120 and transmits FAX transmission data 307 to the tenant 31. The FAX transmission data 307 is, for example, text data.

  The overlay form creation unit 316 creates a fax transmission image 309 based on the fax transmission data 307 and the overlay form 308. Here, the overlay form 308 includes information indicating which part of the text included in the FAX transmission data 307 is to be arranged in the generated FAX transmission image 309.

  The tenant 31 transmits the FAX transmission image 309 created by the overlay form creation unit 316 to the FAX transmission unit 24 of the FAX server 20. The FAX transmission unit 24 receives this and transmits it to the orderer FAX apparatus 110 via the FAX board 21 and the FAX network 60. Here, the FAX number of the orderer FAX apparatus 110 that is the transmission destination of the FAX image may be included in the FAX transmission data 307, or the tenant 31 may be based on the information included in the FAX transmission data 307. You may specify.

The operation of the FAXOCR system 10 configured as described above and the business flow associated therewith will be described using the flowchart of FIG.
First, the orderer transmits an order form by designating the FAX number corresponding to the contractor A. In response to this, the FAX receiving unit 22 receives a FAX image of the purchase order (step S1).
Next, the FAX distribution unit 23 specifies a data transmission destination based on the FAX number related to reception of the FAX image (Step S2). In this case, the data transmission destination is specified as the contractor A. Next, the OCR unit 311 recognizes the received text data based on the FAX image (step S3).

Independently of the processes in steps S1 to S3, the login processing unit authenticates the confirmation / corrector via the confirmation / correction terminal 40 or the PCs 130 to 132 (step S4).
When both the processes of steps S1 to S3 and the process of step S4 are completed, the confirmation / correction unit 312 performs a confirmation process and a correction process on the received text data via the confirmation / correction screen of FIG. 3 (step S5). Here, the confirmation / correction unit 312 refers to the confirmation / corrector management DB 303 to acquire the terminal ID associated with the confirmation / correction person, and displays the confirmation / correction screen on the computer represented by the terminal ID.

Here, as an example, consider a case where the confirmation / corrector of the relay operator performs a login operation via the confirmation / correction terminal 40. In this case, the confirmation / correction screen is displayed on the confirmation / correction terminal 40.
In step S <b> 5, the confirmation / corrector of the relay operator confirms and corrects the received text data using the confirmation / correction terminal 40. The confirmation / correction unit 312 transmits the received text data to the confirmation / correction terminal device 40, and the calculation means of the confirmation / correction terminal device 40 displays the received text data on the confirmation / correction screen to correct the correction from the confirmation / corrector. Accept. The computing means of the terminal device 40 for confirmation correction overwrites the received text data with the correction data input from the confirmation corrector together with the confirmation correction flag indicating the confirmation correction information in the received text data, Return it. For this reason, even if there is an error in the recognition of the OCR unit 311 or there are characters that cannot be recognized, it is possible to finally execute the order receiving work based on the text data that is accurately recognized.

When an operation indicating the end of the confirmation / correction operation is performed in step S5, the confirmation / correction unit 312 determines whether to create a confirmation / correction history (step S6).
This determination is made based on the contents of the received text data. For example, in a configuration in which information on a field representing “form ID” is defined in the form definition information 302, a confirmation / correction history is created when a specific form ID is entered in this field together with a confirmation / correction flag. When the confirmation / correction flag is not set in the “form ID” field, it can be determined that the confirmation / correction history is not created.

  If it is determined in step S6 that a confirmation correction history is to be created, the confirmation correction unit 312 creates a confirmation correction history and stores it in the confirmation correction history DB 305 (step S7). If it is determined not to create the confirmation correction history, step S7 is not executed, that is, the confirmation correction unit 312 does not create the confirmation correction history.

Next, the host cooperating unit 315 creates communication data based on the received text data (the corrected portion is corrected) and the confirmation correction history, and transmits the communication data to the host system 120 (step S8). Here, since the data transmission destination is specified to be the contractor A in step S2, the communication data transmission destination is the host system 120 of the contractor A.
In step S <b> 5, the computing means of the OCR server 30 stores the field name and the correction content as the correction information different from the received text data and transmits the confirmation correction information to the confirmation correction unit 312. Thereafter, in step S6, the confirmation / correction unit 312 can be configured to determine whether or not to create a confirmation / correction history by comparing the received text data and the received correction information.
In step S8, the host cooperation unit 315 does not transmit the confirmation / correction history to the host system 120, but stores it in the confirmation / correction history DB 305, and does not link with the processing shown in FIG. A confirmation correction history can be transmitted based on the request. Since the confirmation / correction history includes a management number for identifying the FAX image, a confirmation / corrector ID, and a confirmation / correction date / time, the request from the host system 120 specifies one of the information, so that the host system 120 becomes 1 More than correction confirmation histories can be received.

  Note that the description of the processing when FAX transmission from the contractor to the orderer, that is, the processing of the overlay form creation unit 316 and the FAX transmission unit 24 is omitted. These configurations and operations can be appropriately designed by those skilled in the art based on well-known techniques.

Embodiment 2. FIG.
In the second embodiment, the configuration and operation of the FAX server 20 in the first embodiment are partially changed.
FIG. 5 shows the configuration of the FAXOCR system 10a according to the second embodiment. The difference from the first embodiment is that the configurations of the FAX board 21a and the FAX distribution unit 23a of the FAX server 20a are different, and the storage means of the FAX server 20a stores the orderer / order receiver correspondence information 23b. Is a point.

The FAX board 21 a has a single FAX number in the FAX network 60. In other words, the orderer designates and transmits all the FAX images addressed to any of the contractors A to C by designating the same FAX number.
The orderer / orderer correspondence information 23b stores the orderer information (for example, the name of the orderer) representing the orderer and the orderer, that is, the data communication destination in association with each other.

  The FAX distribution unit 23a identifies the contractor who is the data transmission destination of the received FAX image, as with the FAX distribution unit 23 of the first embodiment. However, in the second embodiment, the data transmission destination is specified based on the orderer information included in the FAX image.

For example, the FAX distribution unit 23a recognizes numbers or characters included in the FAX image as text data using a well-known OCR technique (that is, the FAX distribution unit 23a according to the second embodiment uses the embodiment). 1 may include a part of the function of the OCR unit 311 in FIG.
Then, the FAX distribution unit 23a determines whether any of the orderer information defined in the orderer / orderee correspondence information 23b is included in the text data recognized from the FAX image. If any of the orderer information is included in the text data, the FAX distribution unit 23a identifies the data communication destination corresponding to the orderer information as the data communication destination of the FAX image.

  According to such a configuration, the relay operator does not need to prepare a different FAX number for each contractor in the FAX OCR system 10a. In addition, since the orderer usually writes his / her name in the order form, the FAX distribution unit 23a responds based on the orderer's name even if it is a FAX image addressed to the same FAX number. Can be specified. In the second embodiment, it is necessary to limit the number of contractors that one orderer places an order through the FAXOCR system 10a to one.

The following modifications can be made to the FAXOCR system 10 according to the first embodiment and the FAXOCR system 10a according to the second embodiment.
In the first and second embodiments, the constituent elements of the tenants 31 to 33 are configured independently for each contractor, but some of the constituent elements may be provided in common for all contractors. Moreover, the component provided in common may be arrange | positioned in the separate tenant independent of the contractor. For example, a common tenant different from the tenants 31 to 33 may be provided, and the common tenant may have a maintenance tool and a confirmation / corrector management DB. In this case, the contractor's tenant performs authentication in cooperation with the common tenant in step S4.

In the first and second embodiments, the determination in step 6 is performed based on the form ID, but this may be performed based on other character strings included in the received text data. For example, when the received text data includes a character string “credit”, it may be determined to create a confirmation / correction history.
Further, the determination in step 6 may be performed based on information other than the received text data. For example, the tenant 31 may have a function of recognizing a two-dimensional barcode, and the determination may be performed based on information (such as a form ID) encoded in the two-dimensional barcode.

Moreover, you may perform determination of step 6 based on terminal ID. For example, a confirmation / correction history may be created only for the confirmation / correction work from the confirmation / correction terminal 40, and a confirmation / correction history may not be created for the confirmation / correction work from the PCs 130 to 132. With such a configuration, the authentication process can be simplified.
Further, the determination in step S6 may be omitted. That is, a configuration may be employed in which step S7 is always executed after step S5 to create a confirmation correction history.

  It is good also as a structure which combined Embodiment 1 and 2. FIG. That is, after defining a plurality of FAX numbers on the FAX board, a plurality of contractors may be associated with each FAX number. In such a configuration, the FAX distribution unit may specify the data communication destination based on the combination of the FAX number related to reception and the orderer information included in the text data recognized from the FAX image.

The structural unit of hardware is not limited to that shown in the first and second embodiments. For example, the FAX server 20 and the OCR server 30 may be configured by the same computer, and the tenants 31 to 33 may be configured by individual computers. The OCR unit 311, the confirmation / correction unit 312, the login processing unit 313, Any of the maintenance tool 314, the host cooperation unit 315, and the overlay form creation unit 316 may be configured by an independent computer.
In these cases, the FAXOCR program for causing a computer to function as a FAXOCR system may have any internal configuration as long as it allows a single computer or a plurality of computers to function as a single FAXOCR system as a whole. For example, partial programs may be created for each hardware structural unit, and these partial programs may constitute one FAXOCR program as a whole.

10, 10a FAX OCR system, 20, 20a FAX server, 21, 21a FAX board, 22 FAX receiving unit, 23, 23a FAX sorting unit, 23b Ordering / order receiving correspondence information, 24 FAX transmitting unit, 30 OCR server, 31 Tenant of Contractor A, 32 Tenant of Contractor B, 33 Tenant of Contractor C, 40 Confirmation and correction terminal, 50 SBC server device, 60 FAX network, 70 Internet (communication network), 110 Orderer FAX device, 120 Host system of party A, 121 Host system of contractor B, 122 Host system of contractor C,
301 FAX reception image, 302 Form definition information, 303 Confirmation correction person management DB, 304 Correction screen definition information, 305 Confirmation correction history DB, 306 Host transmission definition information, 307 FAX transmission data, 308 Overlay form, 309 FAX transmission image ,
311 OCR part, 312 confirmation correction part, 313 login processing part, 314 maintenance tool, 315 host cooperation part (transmission destination cooperation part), 316 overlay form creation part.

Claims (7)

A FAXOCR system that is connected to a FAX network and a communication network and mediates communication between them.
A FAX receiving unit that receives a FAX image via the FAX network;
A FAX distribution unit that identifies a data transmission destination of the received FAX image;
An OCR unit for recognizing numbers or characters included in the FAX image as received text data;
A confirmation correction unit that corrects the received text data in accordance with the operation of the confirmation corrector, and creates a confirmation correction history representing a correspondence relationship between the confirmation corrector and the FAX image related to the received text data;
Equipped with a,
The FAXOCR system , wherein the confirmation correction unit determines whether or not to create the confirmation correction history based on whether or not the received text data includes a form ID . A FAXOCR system that is connected to a FAX network and a communication network and mediates communication between them.
A FAX receiving unit that receives a FAX image via the FAX network;
A FAX distribution unit that identifies a data transmission destination of the received FAX image;
An OCR unit for recognizing numbers or characters included in the FAX image as received text data;
A confirmation correction unit that corrects the received text data in accordance with the operation of the confirmation corrector, and creates a confirmation correction history representing a correspondence relationship between the confirmation corrector and the FAX image related to the received text data;
Equipped with a,
The FAXOCR system , wherein the confirmation correction unit determines whether to create the confirmation correction history based on the content of the received text data . Further, the communication data is created based on the received text data, and the communication data is transmitted to the different computer according to the data transmission destination via the communication network, and includes a transmission destination cooperation unit.
The communication data includes the confirmation modification history, FAXOCR system according to claim 1 or 2. The FAXOCR system further includes a confirmation / corrector management DB for storing confirmation / correction person IDs for identifying a plurality of confirmation / correction persons,
A login processing unit that refers to the confirmation corrector management DB and identifies a confirmation corrector ID associated with the confirmation corrector;
The FAXOCR system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the confirmation correction history associates the FAX image with the confirmation corrector ID. The FAXOCR system has a plurality of FAX numbers in the FAX network,
The FAX OCR system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the FAX distribution unit specifies the data transmission destination based on a FAX number related to reception of the FAX image.   The FAX OCR system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the FAX distribution unit specifies the data transmission destination based on the received text data.   A FAXOCR program for causing a computer to function as the FAXOCR system according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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