JPH07221911A - Message input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily send a message to a portable communication equipment or the like. CONSTITUTION:A message sent to a portable communication equipment 109 is described on an input paper sheet and set to a facsimile equipment 100. The device receives the picture signal and stores the signal to a picture signal memory section 102. Then a character description area detection section 103 detects a character description area including a character description column from the picture signal and a character segmentation section 104 segments characters and a character recognition section 105 recognizes the segmented character string. Then the recognized character string is edited into a text processed by a radio transmission section 108 at a text edit section 106 and sent to the radio transmission section 108 via a line interface section 107 and then sent from the radio transmission section 108 to a portable communication equipment 109. Thus, message communication is simplified by using the facsimile equipment to send a message by the described characters.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention inputs character information written on an input sheet with a scanner such as a facsimile, recognizes the character information, and receives a character string composed of alphabetic characters, kana characters, kanji characters, etc. The present invention relates to a message input device that sends a message to a portable communication device or the like having a display function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as means for transmitting a message to a portable communication device of this kind, a method of transmitting a message input using a PB signal of a telephone or a keyboard of a personal computer or the like has been used. The method of sending a message was used.

[0003]

However, in the former method using the PB signal in the above-mentioned prior art, the operation is complicated, such as pressing the push button at least three times to input one character at the time of input, and further It was necessary to look at the code table, and there was a problem in operability. Further, the latter method using a keyboard of a personal computer or the like has problems that a large input device such as a personal computer is required and that inputting with the keyboard requires habituation.

The present invention has been made to solve these problems, and an object thereof is to enable a message to be easily transmitted to a portable communication device having a function of displaying a character string. The present invention is to provide a message input device.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the message input device of the present invention comprises means for inputting written characters to a communication device having a function of receiving and displaying a character string, and Means for receiving the input image signal of the written character, character recognition means for recognizing the received image signal of the written character, means for editing the result of the recognition, and communication of the character string based on the edited result. And means for transmitting to the device.

In the above structure, the character recognition means for recognizing the image signal of the written character has a means for detecting the character writing area from the image signal of the written character, a means for cutting out the detected character in the character writing area, And a means for recognizing the cut-out character. Further, if the input character input from the input character input means is composed of a message to be transmitted to the communication device and system information for controlling the transmission, the character indicating the message is transmitted by the means for transmitting the character string. The columns can be processed differently based on the system information.

The present invention is particularly suitable for a portable communication device that receives and displays a message.

In the above arrangement, as a means for inputting the written characters, a means having a scanner for inputting the written characters on the input sheet can be used. An image transmission device such as a facsimile is available as a means for inputting characters written on an input sheet by using such a scanner. If the means for inputting the characters to be written on the input sheet is miniaturized by incorporating a scanner, it can be incorporated in the telephone, and if it is a public telephone, a telephone card can be used as the input sheet.

Further, as a means for inputting written characters,
A device having a pen input device or a touch input device using a liquid crystal panel can be used. A unit having an input device using such a liquid crystal panel for inputting written characters can also be incorporated in the telephone.

[0010]

According to the present invention, a message to be transmitted to a communication device having a function of receiving and displaying a character string can be input by inputting characters on an input sheet, a liquid crystal panel or the like by using a character recognizing means for a written character. In this way, a simple usage of message communication is realized as compared with the conventional method using the PB signal and the method using the personal computer.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

First, as an embodiment of the present invention, an example will be shown in which a message to be transmitted to a portable communication device having a function of receiving and displaying a character string is filled in an input sheet so that it can be transmitted from a facsimile or the like. This embodiment can realize a simple method of writing a message on an input sheet as compared with the conventional method using a PB signal and the method using a personal computer, and the existing facsimile or the like can be directly used as an input device. It has the feature of being able to do.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of an input sheet used in this embodiment. Reference numeral 1 is an input sheet, 2 is a control mark indicating the sub-scanning position on the left side of the character entry frame, and 3 is the right side of the character entry frame. A control mark indicating the sub-scanning position of 4 is a character entry field. The control marks 2 and 3 are printed in black or a color that can be detected by a sensor (scanner) such as a facsimile, and the character entry field 4 is printed in a color that is not detected by the sensor of the facsimile (dropout color) or a color that can be detected. Then, the control marks 2 and 3 are printed on both ends of the input sheet, and the character entry fields 4 are evenly arranged between them.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a method for detecting a character writing area in the present embodiment. 10 is a character writing area, d is a main scanning distance between control marks 2 and 3, and h is a sub scanning distance between control marks 2 and 3. The scanning distance, Pn, is the center position of the upper part of the character entry field 4.

Next, a method of detecting the character writing area 10 in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. First, when the input sheet 1 is stored as an image signal in the image signal memory or the like, the input sheet 1
The control marks 2 and 3 on both ends of the are detected. The control marks 2 and 3 are detected by checking the black pixel rows within a certain range from both ends of each scanning line from the beginning of the image signal, and when the black pixel rows are within a certain range and continue in a certain range in the sub-scanning direction. The control mark 2 or 3 can be detected as being present. When the pair of control marks 2 and 3 are detected, the main scanning distance d and the sub scanning distance h of the control marks 2 and 3 are calculated from the positions of the upper right end of the control mark 2 and the upper left end of the control mark 3. Based on this value, the upper center Pn (Xn, Yn) of the nth character entry field 4 in each row is calculated as follows. However, the upper right end position of the detected control mark 2 is (Mx, My).

Xn = d × n / N + Mx, Yn = h × n / N + My, calculated in this way, the upper center Pn of the nth character entry field
From this, a character entry area 10 larger than the character entry field 4 is determined.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a character cutting process in this embodiment. Reference numeral 20 is a character area in which a written character is surrounded by a circumscribed rectangle, 21 is a recognition buffer for one page, and 22 is an i.
The th character writing area.

Next, the character cutting method in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. First, a quadrangle that is surrounded by a quadrangle from the edge of the character writing area 10 to the inside and is in contact with the black pixel row is detected as the character area 20. The character area 20 detected in this way is cut out, and the recognition buffer 2
Writing is performed so as to be arranged in the center of the i-th character writing area 22 of 1. When the character entry field 4 is detected by a scanner, a process of removing a line segment of a predetermined length in a predetermined direction that is first detected when the character entry area 10 is surrounded by a rectangle from the edge of the character entry area 10 to the inside. Should be given.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a transmission message in this embodiment, and 30 is a transmission message. In this example, the transmission message 30 includes a system information column such as a subscriber number, a service type, and the number of transmission words, and a message entry column, and is transmitted to a wireless transmission unit that transmits a message to a portable communication device.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of this embodiment. The present embodiment is a block diagram showing a configuration in which a subscriber number of a portable communication device, a service type, etc. are written on an input sheet as system information and a wireless transmission section is separated, and 100 is a facsimile machine for scanning the input sheet 1. , 101 is an FA for extracting an image signal from a facsimile signal transmitted from the facsimile 100 via a telephone line.
X interface section, 102 is a picture signal memory section for storing picture signals, 103 is a character entry area detection section for detecting a character entry area 10 including the character entry column 4 in the picture signal, and 104 is the detected character entry area 10. A character cutout unit that cuts out a character from the image signal and transfers it to the character recognition unit.
Is a character recognizing unit that recognizes the cut-out character string, 106 is a message editing unit that edits the character recognition result to create a message that can be handled by the wireless transmission unit, and 107 is the transmission message 30 that is transmitted to the wireless transmission unit via the telephone line. Line interface unit for sending, 10
Reference numeral 8 is a wireless transmission unit for transmitting a message to the mobile communication device, and 109 is the mobile communication device.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 5 will be described. First, the user calls the apparatus and sends a facsimile 10
Input the input form 1 from 0. The facsimile 100 scans the input sheet 1 and transmits a facsimile signal to the FAX interface unit 101. FAX interface 1
01 extracts an image signal from a facsimile signal sent through a telephone line and stores it in the image signal memory unit 102. When the storage is completed, the FAX interface unit 101 notifies the character entry area detection unit 103 of the completion of storage. FA
Upon receiving the storage completion notification from the X interface unit 101, the character entry region detection unit 103 detects the character entry region 10 by the method shown in FIG. When the position of the character entry area 10 for one line is detected, the position information is transferred to the character cutout unit 104. The character cutout unit 104 cuts out a character by the method shown in FIG. 3 based on the position information of the character entry area 10 received from the character entry area detection unit 103, and writes it into the recognition buffer 21. When the character entry area detection process and the character cutout process are completed for one page, the recognition buffer 21
Data is transmitted to the character recognition unit 105. Character recognition unit 1
At 05, the received data in the recognition buffer 21 is recognized and the recognition result is transferred to the electronic message editing unit 106. The message editing unit 106 checks the recognition result according to the format registered in advance, and creates the subscriber number, service type, etc. in the system information column of the input form 1 and the information in the message entry column according to the format of the transmission message 30 in FIG. To do. Then, the created transmission power source 30 is connected to the line interface unit 1.
Transfer to 07. The line interface unit 107 transmits the transmission message 30 to the wireless transmission unit 108 via the telephone line. The wireless transmission unit 108 decodes the service of the transmission message 30 received via the telephone line, and in the case of message transmission, the message is transmitted to the portable communication device 109 of the subscriber number in the transmission message 30 to perform message registration. In case of such service, it is registered in the message registration area of the corresponding subscriber number, and the registered sentence can be used as a fixed sentence.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the subscriber number of the portable communication device is input by the telephone and the wireless transmitter is also used. FIG. 2 shows an example of the configuration of two devices, 200 is a facsimile with a telephone for scanning the input sheet 1, 201 is a voice guidance to the telephone and PB of the telephone.
A telephone interface unit that takes in the subscriber number of the portable communication device input from the (push button), 202 is a subscriber collation unit that collates the subscriber number of the portable communication device, and other components are the same as those in the first embodiment. It has the same function as that shown in.

Next, the operation of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 6 will be described. First, the user makes a call to the present apparatus by using the telephone of the facsimile 200 with a telephone. Then, the telephone interface unit 201 outputs a voice to the effect that "Please input the subscriber number of the portable radio (109) in PB" or an input request sound such as "Pupp ..." to the telephone of the facsimile 200 with telephone. The user is prompted to enter the subscriber number of the portable communication device 109. In response to this, when the user inputs the subscriber number of the portable communication device 109 by PB, the telephone interface section 210 that has received the subscriber number transfers the subscriber number to the subscriber verification section 202. Then, the subscriber verification unit 202 determines that the mobile communication device 10 corresponding to the subscriber number.
9 is present, and the result is transferred to the telephone interface unit 201. In the telephone interface unit 201 that has received the subscriber verification result, if there is no corresponding portable communication device 109, the user plays a voice saying "There is an error in the number of the corresponding portable communication device (109)." Disconnect. Applicable portable communication device 10
If 9 is present, a voice saying "Please put a message by fax" or a fax input sound "pee" is played. At this time, the telephone interface unit 201 issues a reception instruction to the FAX interface unit 101 and transfers the subscriber number to the electronic message editing unit 106. Upon receipt of the reception instruction, the FAX interface unit 101 follows the facsimile procedure, and the facsimile with telephone 2
The facsimile signal of the input sheet 1 inputted from 00 is received, and the image signal is extracted from the facsimile signal and stored in the image signal memory unit 102. When the storage is completed, the FAX interface unit 101 notifies the character entry area detection unit 103 of the completion of storage. Upon receiving the storage completion notification from the FAX interface unit 101, the character entry area detection unit 103 detects the character entry area 10 by the method shown in FIG. When the position of the character entry area 10 for one line is detected, the position information is transferred to the character cutout unit 104. The character cutout unit 104 writes the character cutout in the confirmation buffer 21 by the method shown in FIG. 3 based on the position information of the character entry area 10 received from the character entry area detection unit 103. When the character entry area detection process and the character cutout process for one page are completed,
The data in the recognition buffer 21 is transmitted to the character recognition unit 105. The character recognition unit 105 recognizes the received data in the recognition buffer 21 and transfers the recognition result to the electronic message editing unit 106. The message editing unit 106 checks the recognition result according to the format registered in advance, and sends the service type in the system information column of the input sheet 1, the information in the message entry column, and the subscriber number transferred from the telephone interface unit 201 as a transmission message. Create according to the 30 format.
Then, the created transmission message 30 is transferred to the wireless transmission unit 108. The wireless transmission unit 108 transmits the transmitted transmission message 3
The service of 0 is decoded, and in the case of message transmission, the message is transmitted to the portable communication telephone 109 of the subscriber number in the transmission telegram 30, and in the case of service such as message registration, the message of the corresponding subscriber number. Register in the registration area so that the registered sentence can be used as a fixed phrase.

The message on the input sheet 1 facsimile-input by performing the processing of FIGS. 5 and 6 in this manner is displayed on the portable communication device 109 via the wireless transmission unit 108, or the wireless transmission unit as a registration statement. 108 can be registered.

The character entry area detecting method and the character cutting method of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 are merely examples, and other methods may be used. Further, although the service has shown an example of message transfer and message registration, it is also possible to broadcast to a plurality of portable communication devices 109. Although there is one wireless transmission unit 108 in FIG. 5, when there are a plurality of wireless transmission units 108, the transmission message 30 of the plurality of wireless transmission units 108 may be transmitted, and the FAX interface unit 101 and the telephone interface 201 are also required. You can add more according to your needs. Further, as a method for the user to transmit the input sheet 1, if the FAX interface unit 101 in FIG. 5 and the telephone interface unit 201 in FIG. 6 have the function of the exchange, the user can send only the subscriber number or the special number when transmitting the input sheet 1. + You can enter a message with your subscriber number.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the example of the portable communication device having the function of receiving and displaying the character string is shown, but a general communication device having the function of receiving and displaying the character string ( Of course, it can be applied to general telephones, etc.). In the above-mentioned embodiment, a new usage of the image transmission device such as a facsimile is shown by using a facsimile or a facsimile with a telephone.However, by using a liquid crystal panel, characters are written on the liquid crystal panel by pen input or touch input, The image signal of the written character may be sent in the same manner as in the above embodiment. If a small scanner or a pen input type or touch input type written character input device using the above liquid crystal panel is used, it can be incorporated into a public telephone or a general telephone, and message communication can be easily used. For example, in a public telephone or the like incorporating a small scanner, the input paper becomes small, and a telephone card or the like can be used as the input paper, which is easy to handle.

[0027]

As described above, since the message communication message input device of the present invention can transmit the message to be displayed on the communication device by recognizing the entered character input,
It has the advantages that it is much simpler to operate than the PB telephone input, and does not require a personal computer or a special operation of the personal computer.

According to the third aspect of the invention, in particular, it becomes easy to input system information for controlling message transmission and the like.

According to the invention of claim 4, in particular, it becomes easy to input a message to the current portable communication device such as a pager capable of receiving and displaying a character string.

According to the invention of claim 5, in particular, the message to be displayed on the communication device can be written on the input sheet and transmitted.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, in particular, it becomes possible to input a message from a generally popular facsimile and send a message, and the use of the facsimile is expanded.

According to the invention of claim 9, the message can be transmitted by inputting the entered characters without using the input paper.

Claim 7 or Claim 8 or Claim 10
According to the invention, particularly, a message can be easily transmitted from a public telephone, a general household telephone or the like.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of input paper used in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a method for detecting a character writing area according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a character pattern cutting process according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a telegram for transmission to a wireless transmission unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Input paper 2 ... Control mark showing left sub-scanning direction of character entry frame 3 ... Control mark showing right sub-scanning direction of character entry frame 4 ... Character entry column 10 ... Character entry area d ... Control mark 2 Main scanning distance 3 ... Sub scanning distance between control marks 2 and 3 Pn ... Center position of the upper part of the character entry frame 20 ... Character area 21 ... 1 page recognition buffer 22 ... Character writing area for i-th character 30 ... Transmission message 100 ... Facsimile 101 ... FAX interface unit 102 ... Image signal memory unit 103 ... Character entry area detection unit 104 ... Character cutout unit 105 ... Character recognition unit 106 ... Message editing unit 107 ... Line interface unit 108 ... Wireless transmission unit 109 ... Portable communication device 200 ... Facsimile with telephone 201 ... Telephone interface unit 202 ... Subscriber verification unit

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Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A communication device having a function of receiving and displaying a character string, means for inputting an input character, means for receiving an image signal of the input input character, and an image of the received input character. A message input device comprising: character recognition means for recognizing a signal; means for editing the result of the recognition; and means for transmitting a character string based on the edited result to the communication device. 2. A character recognition means for recognizing an image signal of a written character, a means for detecting a character writing area from the image signal of the written character, a means for cutting out a character in the detected character writing area, and the cut out character. The message input device according to claim 1, further comprising means for recognizing a string. 3. The input character input from the input character input means comprises a message to be transmitted to a communication device and system information for controlling the transmission, and the character string transmission means indicates the message. The message input device according to claim 1, wherein a character string is processed based on the system information. 4. The message input device according to claim 1, wherein the communication device is a portable communication device. 5. The message input device according to claim 1, wherein the means for inputting the input characters comprises a scanner for inputting the input characters on the input sheet. 6. The message input device according to claim 5, wherein the means for inputting the written characters on the input sheet by using the scanner is an image transmission device such as a facsimile. 7. The message input device according to claim 5, wherein a unit having a scanner for inputting characters to be written on an input sheet is incorporated in the telephone. 8. The message input device according to claim 7, wherein the input sheet also serves as a telephone card. 9. The message input device according to claim 1, wherein the means for inputting written characters has a pen input device or a touch input device using a liquid crystal panel. 10. The message input device according to claim 9, wherein the input device using a liquid crystal panel has a unit for inputting written characters, which is incorporated in the telephone.