JPH0423074A - Image processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain the high speed photographing, the unmanned conversion, and the extreme rationalization and to shorten the processing time by extracting the index information after reading out the recorded images and producing automatically an index file. CONSTITUTION:In an optical disk recording mode, the read digital image signals are once recorded in a bit map memory 13. When a sheet of original is read, the data are compressed by a data compression/expansion circuit 17 and recorded to an optical disk 18. Meanwhile the digital image signals are thinned and displayed on a display device 16 containing a keyboard. In an index file production mode, the image data recorded to the disk 18 are expanded by the circuit 17 and sent to a data extracting circuit 14. When an apparent bar code signal is detected out of a digital signal, this bar code signal is immediately sent to a bar code decoder and analyzed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus that employs an optical disk to save/archive a single document and automatically recognizes a code that uniquely characterizes the document.

[Prior Art] In recent years, in order to reduce storage space for documents and the like that are generated in large quantities, image information has been recorded and stored on magnetic/magneto-optical disks and the like. From a management perspective, it is necessary to enter an index corresponding to each piece of information in order to enable easy access (search) to this information at a later date. was spending a huge amount of time on.

Therefore, as a means of solving this problem, it is generally known that code information to be used as an index is attached to one document, and this code information is read by a scanner, and at the same time, one document is photographed/recorded. Examples of scanners include barcode scanners for barcode data, MICR for reading magnetic characters, and OCR for reading general characters.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a simple example of a conventional device.

In this apparatus, a barcode 101 attached to a document 100 as index information is read by a Ben-type scanner 102. The read barcode data is displayed on a display terminal 105 with a keyboard. Note that if the information cannot be read, manual input is performed from the display terminal 105.

Next, the image is read by the image scanner 103. The read image data is stored in the memory 104 and displayed on the display terminal 105 with a keyboard. On this display screen, index information read by the scanner 102 or manually input is also displayed.

When the operator confirms the displayed content and presses the "confirmation key", the processing circuit 106 performs predetermined image processing (for example, edge enhancement, data compression, etc.) on the image data stored in the memory 104. The image data and index data are recorded on the optical disc 107.

In addition, as another configuration, the image data is stored on the optical disk 107.
．． The index data may be recorded separately on another recording medium 108 (eg, Flow, P disk).

By using this index data, the posterior mouth,
You can easily and reliably search for ``J'' images from an optical disc.

An example of this is US Clock No. 4,283,621, which uses microfilm as a medium. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 4,283,621 describes reading a code while a document is being conveyed continuously.

[Problem to be solved by the invention] By the way, in the prior art as described above.

The overall processing speed depends on the speed of paper handling, including barcode scanner reading, so even if you increase the speed of image scanning of document documents, there is a limit to processing capacity, making it unsuitable for large-volume processing. be. .

Also, if it is possible to continuously transport one document.

If a code reading error occurs, the system is interrupted and recovery (re-input) by the operator is required. For this reason, the conventional technology has the disadvantage that the operator must always be in close contact with the device.

Also, as a way for a scanner to read a barcode and confirm its data.

(1) Scan the barcode two or more times and confirm when the data matches.

(2) Scan the barcode three times and confirm when it matches twice in a row.

(3) Scan the barcode 3 times L and confirm by majority logic.

The reliability is improved by adopting one of the hats.

On the other hand, since most high-speed scanners determine data in one scan, the reliability of read data or correct reading rate is low.

As described above, in conventional scanners, high-speed processing is insufficiently reliable, and in order to obtain sufficient reliability, the processing speed must be reduced.
There is one problem.

An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing device that can effectively store images while ensuring high speed and high reliability.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention includes a first mode in which a document is recorded on a recording medium, a digital image recorded on the recording medium is read out, index information therein is read out, and an index file is created. It is characterized by having a second mode and making these two modes independent.

[Operation] In the present invention, a document generated on Mars is continuously read by an image scanner or the like and recorded on an optical disk or the like. When one batch is completed, the mode is switched and index information such as a barcode is read from the recorded images. In this way, since the processing can be divided between reading and recording the image and reading the index information, it is possible to easily index the image while ensuring high-speed/high-reliability reading of the image.

Although the total processing time may be shorter with conventional methods, the index information is read after converting it to a recording medium that is easier to handle than paper itself, so once the document is recorded, subsequent processing is unattended. This makes it possible to operate the system, shorten the actual processing time, and save labor.

[Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an image recording system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The basic configuration of this system consists of a scanner section A that electronically reads a document and a data processing/control section B.

The scanner section A is provided with a paper feed section 2 on which a document P to which code information l (for example, a barcode) is added is loaded. At a position adjacent to the paper feed section 2, a conveying means is arranged to convey the originals P on the paper feed section 2 one by one from the bottom to the document reading section 5.

In this embodiment, since the one-dimensional CCD sensor 7 is used, it is arranged at right angles to the traveling direction of the conveyor belt 4. Therefore, in FIG. 1, the image reading section 5 appears dotted.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the traveling direction X of the belt 4 and the arrangement of the CCD sensor 7. FIG.

The image information corresponding to l life is imaged onto the CCD sensor 7 by the lens 6.

The conveying means consists of a belt 4 that is placed around rollers 3a and 3b, and a (reverse rotation) roller 3c that contacts roller 3a. On the downstream side of the conveying means in the conveying direction, there is a read original document Pi-! A paper discharge stacker 9 for 2t is provided.

The original to be read is illuminated by an illumination lamp 8 and an optical lens 6
A line image is formed on the CCD sensor 7.

The signal read by the CCD sensor 7 is subjected to processing such as A/D conversion and edge enhancement in the signal processing circuit IO, and the digital image signal is connected to the pass line 12 via the control circuit 11 of the scanner section A.

The data processing/control section B is also connected to the bus line 12. The control circuit 11 also controls the conveyor belt 4.

The data processing/control unit B includes a display device 2t16 that performs data thinning on the digital image signal according to a predetermined rule and displays it, a bitmap memory 13 that temporarily records the digital image signal, and a bitmap memory 13 that temporarily records the digital image signal. A compression/expansion circuit 17 that compresses or expands data using a predetermined method (for example, MH, MR, etc.), an optical disk 18 that records compressed data, and a floppy disk 19 are connected to the pass line 12.

Furthermore, a data extraction circuit 14 and a data decoder 15 are connected to the pass line 12 for extracting a signal likely to be a barcode from one line of image data.

Also, switches SW1., SW1., SW1., SW1., SW1., SW1., SW1., SW1., SW1., SW1., SW1., SW1., SW1., SW1., SW1., SW1., SW1., SW1., SW1., SW1., SW1., SW1., SW1., SW1., SW1., SW1., SW1., SW1., SW1., SW1., SW1,. SW2. S
W3 is provided.

Note that the main control of the entire system is performed by the microprocessor 20.

In the case of the first mode, that is, optical disc recording mode, 5
W1=on, 5W2=off, and 5W3=off. Note that the switches SWI, SW2, and SW3 do not need to be physical switches, and may be software switches.

The digital image signal read in such an environment is temporarily recorded in the bitmap memory 13, and when the reading of -. sheets of originals is completed, the data is compressed in the compression/expansion circuit 17 and the compressed data is recorded on the optical disk 18. Ru. During this time, the digital image signal is subjected to a predetermined decimation (for example, 2:l), and the image is displayed on the display device with keyboard fi16.

In the second mode, that is, the index file creation mode, 5w1=off, 5W2=on, and 5W3=on.

In this mode, the image data recorded on the optical disc 18 is decompressed by the compression/expansion circuit 17 and transferred to the data extraction circuit 14. When the data extraction circuit 14 detects a signal that appears to be a barcode signal from among the digital signals, the signals from that point to the rear end of one line are sent to the barcode decoder 15 for signal analysis.

Here, a signal that seems to be a barcode is one in which white run → black run → white run, and the first white run is three times the amount of the black run.If this condition is met, the black run is extended. If this decoding is successful, the following decoding is continued, and if it fails, the above-mentioned signal that seems to be a barcode signal is detected again. This process is repeated until the end of the line, and if the same data is detected a predetermined number of times, it is held as read data.

When the data transfer for one frame is completed, the decoder 15
The data held in is also recorded and becomes index data.

The index file may be recorded on an optical disk on which images are recorded for unified management, or may be recorded on another medium (for example, a floppy disk).

Since index data has far less data than image data, it is possible to manage a plurality of image discs with one index data.

Control of the entire system is performed by a control circuit 20. Control circuit 20
A microcomputer is usually used.

The relationship between barcodes and reading density is as follows.

For example, in the case of a standard code with a narrow bar of 0.3+*, the frequency of the narrow bar (1st layer 0.31) is calculated by calculating twice the frequency, taking into account deterioration due to printing, and 1mm+0. 3 mm x 2 = 6.67 pels, and barcodes can be reliably read at this frequency.

Therefore, it can be seen that in this example, it is sufficiently possible to read code information from a digital image read using an image sensor equivalent to 8 pels.

In the above embodiment, the code added to the document is described as a barcode, but the code is not limited to this, and OCR characters can be applied in almost the same way. However, in the case of OCR characters, it is difficult to extract them from one sentence, so the location where the OCR characters are recorded is determined in advance, and the extraction circuit 14 extracts the data at the location.
It will be sent to the R decoder. Also, as another method,
A practical method is to mark with a so-called highlighter and extract only that part.

[One-shot-one-many-one effect] According to the present invention, after reading a large number of documents and recording them in a recording body, this recorded image is read out, index information is extracted, and an index file is automatically created. By doing so, high-speed shooting/unmanned conversion and significant streamlining can be realized.

Furthermore, since the index information is not recognized by directly scanning the document, but is recognized from signals processed by digital image processing, accurate recognition is possible, and in addition, an inexpensive system that does not require special optional equipment can be realized. .

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an image recording system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 shows the traveling direction and C of the conveyor belt in the same embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the arrangement of a CD sensor. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a simple example of a conventional device. 1...Barcode, 5...Photography department, 6...Optical lens. 7... Image ft reading element 8... Illumination lamp. lO...Signal processing circuit. 13...Bitmap memory, 14...Data extraction circuit, 15...Decoder. 16... Display device, 17... Data compression circuit, 18... Optical disk. 19...Floppy disk, (CCD) 20...Control circuit.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) It has a first mode in which a document is recorded on a recording medium, and a second mode in which a digital image recorded on the recording medium is read, index information therein is read, and an index file is created. An image processing device characterized in that these two modes are independent. (2) a reading means for photoelectrically reading a document; a digital image signal processing means for processing the image signal read by the reading means; a data compression means for compressing the image signal processed by the processing means; A first recording means for recording the image data compressed by the compression means on a recording medium; A data decompression means for decompressing the image data recorded by the first recording means; Image data decompressed by the decompression means A signal extraction means for extracting code data from; a decoding means for decoding the data extracted by the signal extraction means; and a second recording means for recording the data decoded by the decoding means on a recording medium; An image processing device characterized by: