JPH04150461A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate the need of preparing exclusively used character reading forms for registration by an operator by outputting the character reading form and a character pattern list indicating standard character patterns which become examples of writing characters on the form after printing. CONSTITUTION:When an operator request a registration form by operating an operation key 9 and an MPU 5 recognizes that the requested registration form is an OCR form, the OCR form of a prescribed format is outputted from a printer 8 after printing. The printer 8 successively prints a list of standard character patterns of the characters to be written on the OCR form. The operator writes registering contents on the OCR form by putting the outputted OCR form on one of the standard character patterns and tracing the pattern on the list below the OCR form with, for example, a black ball-point pen.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile machine that allows selective registration for selectively activating functions and registration of a sender's name.

Conventional technology Conventional general facsimile machines were configured so that the above-mentioned selective registration and registration of sender's name, etc., were performed by operating operation keys, but in recent years, character-reading type facsimile machines that do not rely on operation keys have been introduced. A facsimile device that can perform registration using paper (hereinafter abbreviated as OCR paper) has also been developed.

That is, the above OCR (0ptical Charac)
terReader) paper is printed with multiple squares in which to write the registration contents using characters such as letters and numbers, and the operator can write the contents to be registered by writing characters freehand in the squares. is displayed and input this OCR paper into the facsimile machine. On the other hand, a facsimile machine reads the characters written on the OCR paper, recognizes the content to be registered from the characters, and registers this.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in the above-mentioned facsimile device that can register using OCR paper, it is necessary to prepare a special OCR paper for registration, which is inconvenient.

Furthermore, since the operator writes characters freehand in the squares of the OCR paper, the recognition rate when the facsimile machine recognizes the character pattern is low, resulting in the problem that accurate registration cannot be performed.

Note that in order to increase the recognition rate of freehand characters, it is possible to use advanced recognition algorithms in facsimile machines, but in this case, a new problem arises: the processing speed for character pattern recognition becomes slow. will occur.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a facsimile device that can easily and accurately perform registration using OCR paper without preparing a dedicated OCR paper.

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention recognizes the content to be registered by reading the characters when a character-readable form indicating the content to be registered using handwritten characters is input, and registers the recognized content. A facsimile device characterized in that the facsimile device includes means for printing out the character-readable paper and a character pattern list displaying model character patterns when handwriting characters on the paper. It is.

According to the present invention, since the facsimile machine itself prints out the character-readable form for registration, the operator does not have to prepare a special character-readable form for registration.

In addition, a character pattern list is also printed out from the facsimile machine along with the character-readable paper, so by placing the character-readable paper on top of the character pattern list and tracing the character pattern underneath with a writing instrument, the facsimile machine can recognize the character pattern list. An easy exemplary character is written on the character-readable form, which improves the recognition rate of the character pattern by the facsimile machine and enables accurate registration.

Embodiment FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the basic configuration of a facsimile machine that is an embodiment of the present invention.

Line control diagram 1i'8 (NeLu+ork Con1.
rol Unit (hereinafter abbreviated as NCt+) 1 outputs a signal to call the other party's telephone based on the calling number given from the telephone 2 to the telephone line t3, and also outputs a signal output from the modem 4 to the telephone line 3, This circuit transmits signals sent via the telephone line 3 to the telephone 2 or modem 4.

modem
) 4 is a circuit that modulates and demodulates signals.

Chuo F! ! ! Micro Processing
g unit (hereinafter abbreviated as MPU) 5 is a circuit for controlling the operation of the entire facsimile machine.

The input/output control circuit 6 processes the content read by the scanner 7 in response to input using the operation keys 9, or
This is a circuit for outputting, through the printer 8, the contents according to the input by the printer 8.

The scanner 7 is a device that optically reads the contents of an input document, and the printer 8 is a device that prints out the contents sent through the input/output control circuit 6.

Read Only Memory
10 (hereinafter abbreviated as ROM) is a memory that stores programs to be executed by the MPU 5, and is a memory that can be read and written at any time (Rando+n8cce).
ss memory (hereinafter abbreviated as RAM) 11 is
This is a memory for storing contents read by the scanner 7, contents inputted through the telephone line 3, and the like.

The battery 12 is a power source for backing up the RAM 11.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the registration operation of the facsimile machine.

Next, the basic operation of transmitting and receiving image data by the facsimile device will be explained.

When the operator inputs a reading command to the input/output control circuit 6 using the operation key 9, the input/output control circuit 6 gives a reading start command to the scanner 7, and the scanner 7 reads the information printed on the input paper. Read the contents.

The read content, that is, the image data, is stored in the RAM 11.
is stored in

Separately, when the operator inputs the telephone number of the other party into the NCUI using the telephone 2, the NCLI 1 calls the telephone of the other party through the telephone line 3. When communication with the other party becomes possible, the image data stored in the RAM 11 is read out, converted into a signal suitable for transmission by the modem 4, sent to the telephone line 3 via NCIJl, and transmitted to the other party. facsimile machine.

On the other hand, when the telephone of the other party calls the telephone 2 through the telephone line 3 and NC1J1, a response signal is output from the telephone 2, thereby enabling communication with the other party. Next, the image data from the other party inputted from the telephone line 3 to the NCIJ 1 is demodulated by the modem 4, and then sent to the printer 8 via the input/output control circuit 6, where the image is printed out.

Next, the registration operation in the facsimile machine will be explained with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

Following the start of step n1, when the operator operates the operation key 9 in step n2 to request a registration form, M
The PU5 confirms the type of registration paper requested in step n3.

If the requested registration paper is a mark sheet paper, a mark sheet paper in a predetermined format is printed out by the printer 8 in the next step n4.

This mark sheet paper has explanatory texts for each registered content, as well as squares in which marks should be written in association with these explanatory texts. Furthermore, the contents that can be registered using this mark sheet paper are limited to those that can be registered selectively, such as a user switch that selectively activates the functions of a facsimile machine.

The operator writes marks by selectively filling in the squares on the mark sheet paper with a writing instrument. In this case, since the mark sheet paper is thermal paper, a black ballpoint pen, for example, is more suitable than a pencil as a writing instrument for writing marks.

When the mark sheet paper with marks written on it is set in the scanner 7 and the operation key 9 is operated, the mark sheet paper is read by the scanner 7 in step n5.

In step n6, the MPU 5 takes in the data read by the scanner 7 through the input/output control circuit 6, recognizes the selected registered content, and converts the recognized result into a code 1.
and store it in RAMII.

Since R and AMll are backed up by the battery 12, their stored contents are retained even if the facsimile machine is turned off.

Further, after recognition by MPLI 5, the recognition result is automatically printed out from printer 8 in step n7.

The operator checks the printed recognition result, and if there is an error in the recognition result, writes a mark at the erroneous location and sets it on the scanner 7 again to read it.

In step n8, when there is a re-input to the scanner 7, the MPU 5 recognizes the mark read by the scanner 7 in step n9, and then returns to step n4 and sends the correction mark sheet paper for only the marked items from the printer 8. Print out.

The operator similarly writes marks on this correction mark sheet paper and causes the scanner 7 to read them. Thereafter, the same process is repeated through steps n5 to n7 until there are no errors.

If there is no error in the printed recognition result, no further registration operation is performed and the registration process ends at step nlO.

On the other hand, if it is confirmed in step n3 that the requested registration paper is an OCR paper, an OCR paper in a predetermined format is printed out from the printer 8 in the next step nil.

This OCR paper has squares printed on it for writing registered contents in characters such as letters and numbers. Note that the content that can be registered with this OCR form is limited to content expressed in letters and numbers, such as the sender's name.

Following the printing of the OCR paper, the printer 8 prints out standard patterns of characters to be written on the OCR paper, that is, a list of exemplary character patterns that can be recognized by the facsimile machine, in the next step n12.

The operator overlays the above OCR paper on top of the character pattern list and traces the pattern below with, for example, a black ballpoint pen to OCR the registered contents in the form of characters.
Fill out the form. In this case, since the characters are written using the character pattern as a model, the recognition rate by the facsimile machine is much better than when the characters are simply written freehand without a model.

When the OCR paper on which registered contents are written in the form of characters is set on the scanner 7 and the operation key 9 is operated, the OCR paper is read by the scanner 7 in step n13.

In step n14, the MPU 5 takes in the data read by the scanner 7 through the input/output control circuit 6, recognizes the registered content expressed in characters, encodes the recognized result, and stores it in the RAM 11.

Further, after the recognition by the MPU 5, the recognition result is automatically printed out from the printer 8 in step n15.

The operator checks the printed recognition result, and if there is an error in the recognition result, writes a mark at the erroneous location and sets it on the scanner 7 again for reading.

In step n16, when there is a re-input to the scanner 7, the MPU 5 inputs the mark read by the scanner 7 in step n17.
After that, the process returns to step nil and the printer 8 prints out the correction OCR paper for only the marked items.

The operator similarly writes the registered contents in the form of characters on this OCR paper for correction, and causes the scanner 7 to read it. Thereafter, the same process is repeated through steps n13 to n15 until there are no errors.

If there is no error in the printed recognition result, no further registration operation is performed and the registration process ends at step n1.0.

Effects of the Invention As described above, the facsimile apparatus of the present invention provides a means for printing out a character reading substitute sheet and a character pattern list displaying model character patterns when handwriting characters on this sheet. Therefore, the operator does not need to prepare a special character reading sheet for registration.

In addition, a character pattern list is printed out from the facsimile machine along with the character reading substitute paper, so by overlaying the character reading substitute paper on the character pattern list and tracing the character pattern below with the brush, the facsimile machine can print out the character pattern list. An exemplary character that is easy to recognize can be written on the character reading allowance form, the recognition rate of the character pattern by the facsimile machine is improved, and accurate registration is possible.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a facsimile machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a registration operation in the facsimile machine. 1...NCU, 2...Telephone, 4...Modem, 5
...MPU, 6...Input/output control circuit, 7...Scanner, 8...Printer, 9...Operation key, 10...R
OM, 11・RAM, 12...Battery agent Patent attorney Number of strokes Keiichi

Claims (1)

[Claims] When a character-readable form indicating content to be registered using handwritten characters is input, the content to be registered is recognized by reading the characters, and the recognized content is registered. A facsimile device comprising means for printing out the character-readable paper and a character pattern list displaying model character patterns for handwriting characters on the paper.