JPH01278172A - Image filing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To efficiently operate a device by recording and managing a registration date at every registration image information, designating a retention term at every registration image information, and displaying the lapse of the retention term when the term exceeds the retention term. CONSTITUTION:The title device is provided with a controller 1, a CRT display device 2, an image reader 3, an optical disk deck 4, a hard disk device 5, a printer 6, an automatic original carrier 7, and a keyboard 8. And the registration date is recorded and managed at every registration image information, and also, the retention term is designated at every information, and when the term exceeds the retention term, the fact is informed to an operator by displaying. Therefore, it is possible to judge the retention or the deletion of a file precisely. In such a way, the operation of an image filing device can be performed efficiently.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an image filing device, which records and manages the registration date and time of each registered image information, and specifies a retention period for each registered image information. When the storage period has elapsed, a message to that effect is displayed on the display device.

"Prior art and problems to be solved by the invention" Some of the image information (files) registered in the image filing device may become less important or unnecessary as time passes. However, as the number of such files increases, it takes more time to manage the files.
This becomes a factor that impedes efficient operation of the copy filing device.

For this reason, we set a retention period for each registered image information, perform extremely detailed file retention management based on its importance, content, etc., and display it on a display device when the retention period has elapsed.
By presenting this information to the operator as file management information, it becomes possible to appropriately judge whether to store or discard a file, and by taking appropriate countermeasures, it is expected that the efficiency of the operation of the image filing device will be improved.

The present invention has been made with attention to the above-mentioned points, so that the registration date and time of each registered image information is recorded and managed, and a storage period is specified for each registered image information, and when the storage period has elapsed, It is an object of the present invention to provide an image filing device that displays this information on a display device.

"Means for Solving the Problem J" The specific means for achieving the above purpose is to store the read image information in a storage means, register the image information with a corresponding search keyword, and search for the image information. In an image filing device that searches for target image information based on a keyword for displaying the image on a display device, a record management means records and manages the registration date and time of each registered image information;
Register i4! The present invention is characterized in that it includes a designating means for designating a retention period for each tL information, and a display control means for displaying a message to that effect at the display position for image information whose retention period has elapsed.

"Function" As clarified in the description of the specific means, the present invention records and manages the registration date and time for each registered image tFF report using the record management means, and also specifies the retention period for each. If the elapsed time has elapsed, this fact is displayed on the display device and presented to the operator.

(Hereafter, the rest is white) "Example" Embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic system configuration diagram of an electronic filing system, in which a controller 1 and a CRT display device 2 are connected via an image bus to an image reader 3, which is an image reading device. Optical disk deck 4. Hard disk W
t5 and the printer 6 are connected through an image bus and a command bus, respectively, and furthermore, an automatic document feeder 7 for the image reader 3 and a keyboard 8 are connected through a command bus.

FIG. 2 is an internal block diagram of the above system, in which the system bus connects CPU10, ROM'11, and RAM1.
2. Hard disk interface (hereinafter referred to as I/F) 13° optical disk I/F 14.
and the keyboard I/F 15, and display block 161 image memory 17. Compression/expansion block 18
Also connect. Further, the display block 161, image memory 17, and compression/expansion block 18 connect the scanner I/F 19 and printer I/F 20 via an image bus. The CPU10 manages the entire system according to the program stored in the ROMII.

Hard disk I/F 13 that performs control, extracts specified areas on the original image information, and also performs character recognition, etc.
transfers management information of image information stored on the hard disk, input keywords, etc. Optical disk I/F1
4 sends the encoded image information to the optical disk in the compression/expansion block 18 when registering the image information, and compresses/expands the encoded image information sent from the optical disk when displaying the image information. Transfer to block 18. The keyboard 17F15 sends various information input from the keyboard 8 to the CPU10. Furthermore, the display block 16 includes a display memory, and an image memory 17.
The image information transferred from the CI'U via the compression/expansion block 18 and the information directly written by the CI'U 10 are displayed on the CRT display device 2. The image memory 17 is a memory that stores image information of at least one side, and stores image information transferred from the scanner I/F 19, and also transfers the stored image data to the printer I/F 20 or the compression/expansion block 18. The image data is further expanded in the compression/expansion block 18 and the image data to be transferred is stored. In addition, image information within a specified area read by scanning by the image reader 3 is stored. Also, image memory 1
The image information stored in the hard disk I/F 1 can be read or written directly by the command of the CPU 10, or the image information stored in the hard disk I/F 1
3. Optical disk I/F14. The zero image memory 17, which transfers image information to and from the compression/expansion block 18, can be accessed from either the image bus or the system bus, as shown in the block diagram. The compression/expansion block 18 is composed of a compression section that encodes image information and an expansion section that returns the encoded image information to the original image information.
The image information sent from the image memory 17 via the image bus is encoded and transferred to the optical disk I/F 14, and the encoded image information sent from the optical disk I/F 14 via the system bus is decoded. , and transferred to the image memory 17 via the image bus. In addition, the scanner I/F transfers the image information sent from the scanner or the image information within the specified area to the image memory 17, and the printer I/F 20 transfers the image information sent from the scanner or the image information within the specified area to the image memory 17, and the printer I/F 20 transfers the image information sent from the scanner or the image information within the specified area. The displayed image information is transferred to the printer 6, and the printer 6 converts the image information into a hard copy.

Next, each flowchart regarding the processing operation of this electronic filing system and the CRT at the start of the processing operation will be explained.
This will be explained with reference to the screen of the display device 2.

FIG. 3(a) is a flowchart showing the main routine of this embodiment. Also, FIG. 6(b) shows the screen display at the start of this routine.

In step S11 (hereinafter the steps are omitted), the conditions necessary for various operations are initialized after the power is turned on, and then (
312), the registration work routine (813), the search work routine (S14), or the utility work routine (S1
5).

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the registration work routine.

First, in (S21), an image input processing routine is executed.Next, in (S22), a keyword registration input processing routine is executed to add a keyword for later retrieval of the read and stored image information.

In the image writing processing routine (323), the image information read by the reading device and stored in the image memory 17 is encoded and written to the optical disk.

In the continuation (S24), a keyword and management information writing processing routine is executed, and the input keyword and image management information (storage location on the optical disk) are executed.

storage capacity, etc.) to the hard disk.

Proceeding to (S25), the operator is asked whether there is a next document to be read, and if there is, the registration work routine is repeated; if there is not, the registration work routine is ended.

FIG. 5(a) is a flowchart showing the image input processing routine, and FIG. 5(b) shows the CR at the start of this processing routine.
This is a screen display of the T-display device 2.

This image input processing routine is executed by the CR shown in FIG. 5(b).
The operations are executed sequentially in accordance with the operator's instructions (S31) entered from the keyboard after looking at each message on the T-display device 2.

First, a document with image information to be stored and registered in the electronic filing system is set on the automatic document feeder 7 for the image reader 3, which is an image reading device, or directly on the document glass table of the image reader 3. The originals set in the automatic original transport bag W7 are automatically fed one after another onto the original glass stand in response to an instruction to start reading. and,(
In step S32), it is checked whether or not the resolution mode has been changed.If the input content in step S31 is a change in resolution mode, the current resolution mode is changed to high resolution mode (400 dpi) or normal resolution mode (200 dpi) (333). ,
Return to keyboard input (S31) again. If the resolution mode is not changed (No in S32), it is checked in (S34) whether or not to start reading, and if the content input in (S31) is not an instruction to start reading, other parameter processing (S32) is performed.
35), other parameter processing is shown in the same figure (b).
), when the operator inputs an instruction to start reading from the keyboard (YES in S34), the scanner of the image reader 3 performs the scanning operation. The original image on the original glass table is imaged onto a photoelectric conversion element, converted into a digital signal, and stored in the image memory 17 as image information. Scanning is performed by electrically scanning a photoelectric conversion element in the main scanning direction and by moving the scanner in the sub-scanning direction (33
6), the read image information stored in the image memory 17 is
Depending on the resolution of the CRT display device, the data may be thinned out according to a predetermined reduction ratio, or it may be transferred to the display memory of the display unit 16 without being thinned out and displayed on the screen of the CRT display device 2 (537), and this routine ends. .

The image information is thinned out by the image information reading device 3 and the CRT display device! This is to display the entire image due to the 12 different resolutions.

FIG. 6(a) is a flowchart showing the keyword registration input processing routine, and FIG. 6(b) is a screen display of the CRT display device 2 at the start of this processing routine.

First, in (S41), image information of a characteristic part of the image information to be read is extracted by specifying a region, and search auxiliary information (hereinafter referred to as image keyword) is extracted separately from the image information.
Reset the flag to "0" to indicate whether to register as
Subsequently (S42), the image information storage flag for specifying the period for storing image information for each registered image information is reset to "0". Each of the following steps is performed by the operator inputting instructions from the keyboard (843
).

As the image keyword, pictorial information such as a drawing, graph, table, etc. that characteristically displays the image information to be registered is suitable;
It may be character information such as simple symbols.

In (S44), it is inquired whether the keyword input work has been completed, and if the keyword input work has been completed, this processing routine is ended.

If it is not completed, proceed to (345), determine whether the content input in (343) is an image keyword registration, and
If it is o, it is asked whether or not to save the image information in (S46), and if it is not saved, the normal keyword registration input process f
! ! (S47) is performed, and the process returns to (S43) for keyboard input. If it is to be saved, the process proceeds to (348) and it is determined whether the operator level is appropriate. What is operator level?
This refers to the criteria for determining the presence or absence of appropriate decision-making ability and experience when storing and registering image information, and is determined based on the operator's department, position, etc. If it is determined that the operator level is appropriate, YES in S48),
-Call the save processing subroutine described later (S49)
Then, the storage process is performed and the process returns to step (543).

When performing the image keyword registration described in (S45), (
Proceeding to S50), the image keyword registration flag is set to "1", a subroutine for image keyword area setting processing to be described later is called (S51), the area is set, and the process returns to keyboard input in (S43).

FIG. 7(a) is a flowchart showing the storage processing routine (S49), and FIG. 7(b) is a display screen of the CRT display unit 2 when the storage period is input.

The storage processing routine sets the image information storage flag to "1" in (S61), inputs a storage period from the operator (S62), and ends this routine.

FIG. 8(a) is a flowchart showing the image keyword area setting processing routine, and FIG. 8(b) is a display screen of the CRT display device 2 prompting for registration area setting.

In (S71), the currently displayed keyword input instruction screen is evacuated from the screen of the CRT display device 2, and the read image information to be registered transferred from the image memory 17 to the display memory is displayed (S72). Next, in (873), the starting position t for setting the image keyword area is
Set lIKXs and IKYS to “0” (S 74
), image keyword length information IKXL, IKYL
Initialize. The above IKXS, IKYS, IKXL,
The area currently set based on IKYL is displayed in a frame on the screen of the CRT display device 2 (S75). Each of the following steps is performed by the operator's instruction input from the keyboard (376). Movement key operation is performed (YIE S in S77), I K
Or update IKYS in the increasing or decreasing direction to move the frame display (578), and the size key is operated (Y in S79).
ES), I KXL or I KYL is updated in the increasing or decreasing direction to change the size of the frame display (S80), and when the end key is operated (YES in S81), the keyword input instruction screen (6th Figure (b)) is restored (S82).
, this processing routine ends. After each key operation (S7
7. YES'S in S79, NO in S81) is (S75)
and waits for the next input instruction from the keyboard.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the image writing processing routine.

(S91), the image information stored in the image memory 17 is transferred to the compression/expansion block 18 and encoded, and the write start address to the optical disc is calculated (S92), that is, the last registered image information Set the write address after the end address. Next, the image information encoded and compressed by the compression/expansion block 18 is transferred and written to the optical disk in the order of the write addresses (393), and then (S94), the final address of the written image information is transferred. is extracted to be stored on the hard disk as management information.

With the above steps, this processing routine ends.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the keyword and management information writing processing routine.

(Slot), the image keyword registration flag is "1"
If it is not set, it jumps to (S107) which will be described later, and if it is set, it calculates the write start address to the optical disk (5LO2), and then if the resolution mode is high resolution mode. 5103), and in the image keyword area setting processing routine (FIG. 8(a)),
If the image information on the image memory 17 corresponding to the area set on the display screen by KXS, IKYS, IKXL, and IKYL is set in the normal resolution mode (No in 3103),
) If you are in high resolution mode (YES at 3103)
S), the image information is thinned out and transferred to an optical disk to keep the pixel density constant and used as a written image keyword (5104 and 5105, respectively).

Image keywords are written on the optical disc at a location separate from the image information, ie, on a separate page or in a separate file location. Furthermore, image keywords are stored on the optical disc without data compression. This is because the display area of the image keyword itself is small and the amount of memory does not increase that much. This eliminates the need for decompression during display and allows processing in a short time. .

Even in the normal resolution mode, image information can be thinned out and transferred to reduce pixel density.

Next, the final write address of the image keyword written on the optical disk is extracted to be used as image keyword management information (S106), the display print count value is cleared in (S107), and the address is written to the hard disk in (S108). Calculate the write start address for writing management information,
Proceeding to (S109), the management information is transferred to the hard disk.

The management information includes an image keyword registration flag, and image keyword start and end tracks.

There are the X and Y lengths of image keywords, one image start and end track, pixel density, storage period, registration date and time, keywords, etc. as shown in FIG.

FIG. 12(a) is a flowchart showing the search work routine of the electronic filing system, and FIG. 12(b) is the screen display of the CRT display device r2 at the start of this routine.

(Sill), the operator enters the search keyword,
Input using the keyboard 8. Next, in (S112), it is determined whether there is an instruction to end the search, and if there is an instruction, this search work routine is ended, and if there is no instruction, the process proceeds to (3113), and the search results are stored in the hard disk based on the input search keyword. Read out the management information table (see Figure 11) and perform a search. If the corresponding document is not found as a result of the search (No in S114), return to keyword input, and if the corresponding document is searched (S 114 is YES
) calls a subroutine for displaying a corresponding document list, which will be described later (5115), and displays the document list on the CRT display device 2. The operator must select the document to be read from the optical disk from the document list.
116), then if the search is to be continued after determining whether the search has ended (No in S117), the process returns to the keyword input (S111), and if the search has been completed (S11)
7), the corresponding image information is read from the optical disk based on the management information, decoded by the compression/expansion block 18, and transferred to the image memory 17 (3118), and displayed on the CRT display device 2 (S119) (Fig. c)
), (S120), the displayed document (image information)
If you want to print the displayed image information and make a hard copy, check whether the input from the keyboard (S L 21) is a print instruction. How hippopotamus 512
If it is determined in step 2) that the document is to be printed, the document is counted, written to the hard disk as own post-management information (3123), and the image information on the image memory 17 is transferred to the printer 6. , print out (
S1j4).

FIG. 13(a) is a flowchart of the corresponding document list display processing routine, and FIG. 13(b) is an example of displaying the document list displayed on the CRT display device.

First, in step (3131), a display address for determining the display position on the display screen of the CRT display device 2 is calculated. In (3132), it is determined whether or not the searched document display has finished. If it has been finished, this routine is terminated, and if there are still documents that have been searched but are not displayed, in (8133)
) to determine whether there is any display area left on the display screen.

If there is no display area, this routine ends.If there is a 0 display area remaining, the keyword of the searched document is displayed (8134), and the image keyword registration flag is set to "1" in S135). Determine whether it is set. If the flag is not set to "1" (No in 8135), the process returns to step S132, and if it is set, the image information of the image keyword is read from the optical disk based on the management information and stored in the display memory. (S136) (Fig. 13(b)),
Next, in (3137), one item has been displayed, so the display address should be updated in preparation for the next display (5132).
Return to

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the utility work routine.

This work is performed in accordance with the instructions entered by the operator via the keyboard (S141), and the respective update processing routines (S142
), - Batch update processing routine (3143).

Other processing routines (S144) are executed.

FIG. 15(a) is a flowchart showing the update processing routine, and FIG. 15(b) is a flowchart showing the update processing routine.
An example of a screen display of the display device 2 is shown.

In (S151), the file management tff? which is the image information stored and registered? 1 from the hard disk, and if the end of the file is determined in (S152), the process proceeds to the keyboard input process in (S160) without displaying the file. If it is not the end of the file, the keyword of the file is displayed in (S153). Then, it is determined whether the save flag is set to "1" (5154), and if a save designation has been made, it is determined whether the save date and time has passed after registration (S155).

If the save flag is not set to rl in the above (S154), it is determined whether a predetermined date and time has passed after registration (S156), and in each of the above steps (S155) and (S156), the date and time are not set. If it is determined that the progress has been made,
Display the period since registration and the elapsed date and time on the screen of the CRT display device 2 (S157). If the storage or predetermined date and time have not passed, proceed to (9158) and check whether the number of times of display and printing is appropriate. For example, compare the display count value written on the hard disk as management information with the print count value, and if display count value > print count value x 2, it will be searched and displayed on the screen of CRT display device 2. Since the displayed document is often not the desired document, it indicates that the number of times it has been printed is extremely lower than the number of times it has been viewed, and the keyword for the search is determined to be inappropriate, and a message to that effect is displayed. (S159).

Continued (S160) Each of the following steps is performed by the operator's instructions via keyboard input.

(S161) determines whether or not to end this routine.
(8163) determines whether or not to perform deletion processing for the next document.
In S164), the operator is asked whether or not to change the keyword, and the corresponding process is prompted.If update processing is to be performed for the zero-order document, the process returns to (S151), and if deletion processing is to be performed, the process proceeds to (8166). , if the keyword change process is to be performed, the process advances to (S165), and after the process, the process returns to (S160).

FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing the batch update processing routine.

In (S171), the management information of the file is retrieved from the hard disk, and then in (S172), if it is determined that the file has ended, this routine ends; if not, (
3173), determines whether the save flag is set to ``1'', and if it is set, determines whether the save date and time has passed since registration, and if not, determines whether the predetermined date and time has passed since registration. (S 174) and (S
175), and if it has passed, it will be deleted Fl!
(S176) is performed.

Deletion processing is the process of deleting files that have been registered for a specified period of time, but since optical discs are write-only, the management information of the file written on the hard disk is deleted to make it inaccessible. However, it is also possible to improve the efficiency of document disposal by providing a means for selecting whether or not to delete documents, or by automatically deleting documents after a predetermined period of time has passed.

In the above embodiment, the image data is stored in the optical disk memory as an image keyword without being compressed, but the image keyword may be processed by compressing or expanding it.

"Effects of the Invention" The present invention has the above-mentioned specific means and (as clarified in the following explanation), the record management means records and manages the registration date and time for each registered screen width information, and also specifies the retention period for each piece of information. However, when the retention period has elapsed, this fact is displayed on the display device and presented to the operator, making it possible to appropriately decide whether to store or discard the file and take appropriate action. This has the effect of increasing the efficiency of the operation of the image filing device.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The attached drawings illustrate an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a schematic system diagram of an electronic filing system, FIG. 2 is an internal block diagram of the electronic filing system, FIG. 3(a) is a main routine, and FIG. 4 is a registration work. FIG. 5(a) shows the image input processing routine, FIG. 6(i) shows the keyword registration input processing routine, FIG. 7(a) shows the saving processing routine, and FIG. 8(a) shows the routine.
) shows the image keyword area setting processing routine, FIG. 9 shows the image writing processing routine, FIG. 10 shows the flowchart 1 of the keyword and management information writing processing routine, and FIG. 11 shows an example of management information. Explanatory diagram, 12th
Figure (a) shows the search work routine, Figure 13 (a) shows the applicable document list display processing routine, Figure 14112 shows the utility work routine, Figure 15 (a) shows the update processing routine, and Figure 16 shows the batch processing routine. Flowcharts of each update processing routine are shown. In addition, Fig. 3(b), Fig. 5(b), Fig. 6(b), Fig. 7(b), Fig. 8(b), Fig. 12(b),
c). FIG. 13(b) and FIG. 15(b) are explanatory diagrams each illustrating the screen display of the CRT display device 2 when the corresponding routine is executed. 111. Controller, 2, , CRT display device π, 391. Image League, 401. Optical disk deck, 510. hard disk device, to
,,,cpu, 16. ,,display block, 17゜0
1 image memory, 18. ,,compression/decompression block. Figure 4, Figure 9, Figure 11, Figure 13 (b) Keyword Image Keyword, Figure 14, Figure 16

Claims (1)

[Claims] Storing the read image information in a storage means,
In an image filing device that registers the image information with a corresponding search keyword, searches for the desired image information based on the search keyword, and displays it on the display device, the registration date and time of each registered image information is set. a record management means for record management; a specification means for specifying a retention period for each registered image information;
An image filing device characterized in that, for image information whose storage period has elapsed, display control means is provided to display a message to that effect on the display device.