JPH08131962A - Code input control method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To efficiently perform the input processing corresponding to images of various conditions, in a code input control method suitable for a mail classifying system by character recognition by unifying one - several input devices by the same input method and inputting a code while looking images. CONSTITUTION: A mail classifier 10 for classifying mails at every addresses is constituted so that mails are taken out from an accumulation device one at a time by a supply device 12 to be supplied to a recognition device 13 and, according to recognition results, mails are distributed to sections at every addresses by a classifying device 14. The code input control device 20 connected to the mail classifier 10 by a communication line 40 reads the data such as the number of figures, or the number of unread characters of the postal codes on mails when the information on the mails are not recognized by the recognition device 13 and selects one most suitable code input device 30 from code input devices 30 to distribute the data thereto. The same input method is adapted to the respective code input devices 30 and a code can be inputted while looking at an image and, by this constitution, the input efficiency is enhanced.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention, when a character or the like is input to a large number of images, such as a classification system based on character recognition of mail, the input method is changed according to the recognition result of the image. The present invention relates to a code input control method in which data is distributed to devices and input.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a system in which image data and its recognition result are displayed side by side, and an operator corrects unreadable characters or erroneously recognized characters while viewing the image data. For example,
There is a classification system that uses a character recognition device to classify a large amount of mail by address. In this classification system,
The mail address is read using a character recognition device, and the mail is classified based on the read result. Overseas, there is a system in which an image of a mail that cannot be read by the character recognition device is displayed on a display, and an operator looks at the image and inputs a classification code using a keyboard. 4A and 4B are operation explanatory diagrams of a conventional mail classification system. In FIG. 4 (a), the feeder 12 sends out a large amount of postal matter one by one, the recognition device 13 recognizes the postal code, and the sorting device 14 sorts the postal mail into districts based on the recognition result. . Items that cannot be recognized by the recognition device 13 are collected in the reject mail storage column of the sorting device 14 and sorted manually. In FIG. 4B, the sorting work is automatically performed by manually inputting the sorting work with the code input device. If the recognition device 13 cannot recognize the destination,
The mail is made to pass through a delay path 16 for delaying the flow of the mail, while the mail image is controlled by the control computer 11.
Also, it is transferred to the storage device 21 via the code input control device 20 and stored therein. At the same time, the code input control device 20 transmits to the respective code input devices 30, the person inputs the code with the keyboard while viewing the mail image, returns the result to the control computer, and the mail is sent to the sorting device 14 by the code as the result. Classify things. In this case, although the input is performed by several code input devices, not all the devices are input by one input method, but various input methods are used depending on the recognition result.

[0003]

When the postal code is entered by looking at the image data of the postal matter as in the conventional postal matter classification system, the postal code may be directly input with the keyboard depending on the postal matter. However, if the postal code is not listed, you may have to enter the address to identify the postal code. 0 for postal code only
It is sufficient to input the numeric keypad of only the numeral 9 but when inputting an address, all keys are required and the number of types increases considerably. In this way, if a single input device is operated by mixing numbers, kana codes, kanji codes, etc., erroneous operations will increase and input efficiency will decrease. The object of the present invention is to solve such conventional problems,
An object of the present invention is to provide a code input control method capable of efficiently performing input corresponding to images of various conditions, and the same input method and the same input screen.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, the code input control method of the present invention displays an image of an article to be delivered and classified on a display device, and adds a destination number, a destination character and the like to the image. In a code input control method for controlling a plurality of terminals for inputting information, a plurality of terminals are assigned so that one terminal has the same input method,
By using the additional information such as the presence or absence of the destination number, the number of digits of the destination number, and the number of unreadable characters, the code input control unit
It is characterized in that the image on which the article is displayed is distributed to terminals having an appropriate input method and additional information is input.

[0005]

In the present invention, a mail sorting machine for sorting mails and a code input device for inputting a zip code or the like are connected via a communication network, and a mail image rejected from the mail sorting machine and a recognition result are also displayed. The information is searched for and the recognition result of the image is judged from the information, and the result is sorted to each input device. These input devices are all sorted by the same input method, such as numeric keypad input only, numeric keypad input only, kana code input only, mixed kanji and kana code input, etc. Subsequent input processing can be done quickly. As an input method, an image is displayed by a code input device, and a code is input while viewing the image. As a result, it is possible to efficiently perform input processing corresponding to images of various conditions.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a mail classification system to which the present invention is applied. In FIG. 1, 10 is a mail sorting machine for sorting the mail by destination, 11 is a control computer of the mail sorting machine, 12 is a supply for taking out the mails one by one from the storage device and supplying them to the recognition device. Device, 13
Is a recognizing device for recognizing the destination of the postal matter, 14 is a sorting device for categorizing the destinations according to the recognition result, and 15 is a conveying route for the postal matter. Further, 30 is a device for inputting a code having the same or different input method, 20 is a control device for inputting a code, and 21 is an external storage device connected to the code input control device. 40 is a mail sorting machine 10
Is a communication line that connects the code input control device 20 with the. This communication line is, for example, a LAN (Local Area Network).
k), which connects the sorting machine 10 and the code input control device 20 arranged in another room in the same building. When the recognition device 13 cannot recognize the code, the code input control device 20 determines whether or not there is a postal code on the postal matter, the number of digits in the postal code,
By identifying information such as the number of unreadable characters, one of the most appropriate code input devices 30 is selected and assigned to that. A feature of the present invention is to dispose the code input device 30 of the same input method for every one or several units. Thus, the code can be input while looking at the image, and the code can be input by the same input method for all the same input devices, so that the operation is simple and the input efficiency can be improved.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram when the code input device in FIG. 1 is a personal computer. Figure 2
In the figure, 31 is a central processing unit that controls the entire personal computer, 32 is an internal memory that stores programs and data,
Reference numeral 33 is a control unit of various devices. Further, 34 is a display device for displaying input data on the screen, 35 is a keyboard, 36 is a mouse, and 37 is an external storage device such as a magnetic tape device. FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram when the code input device in FIG. 1 is a pen computer using a pen as a pointing device. In FIG. 3, 31 is a central processing unit that controls the entire pen computer, 32 is an internal memory that stores programs and data, and 33 is a control unit for various devices. Further, 34 is a display device for displaying input data on the screen, 38 is a tablet placed in contact with the screen, 39 is an input pen operated on the tablet, and 37 is an external storage device such as a magnetic tape device. In the present invention, the code input device is the personal computer described in FIG. 2 unless otherwise specified.
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described by taking a mail processing system as an example.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of a code input control method showing an embodiment of the present invention, showing a flow of mail in the mail classification system. The flow of mail is shown in Fig. 4 (b).
Although the method is the same as the method shown in FIG. 3, a different point is that the code input device 30 allows different input methods. For example, the code input device (1) 30
Then, the input method A and the code input device (2) 30 are input method B. For example, one input device performs exactly the same input method. The code input device 30 and the input method do not necessarily have to be one-to-one, and the same input method may be performed by several input devices 30. For example, the code input device (1) is an input method only for numbers, the code input device (2) is an input method only for kana characters, and the code input devices (n-1) and (n) are characters in which kanji and kana are mixed. Can be assigned to the input method. The storage device 21 for storing the code input information and the postal image is connected to the code input control device 20, but is not limited to this, and may be connected to the control computer 11. As described above, the object of the present invention is to change the input device in accordance with the input contents in the postal code input by the code input device 30 so that only one input device performs the same input. , To improve input efficiency.

Next, examples of input screens in some input methods of this code input device will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 6 shows the case where the postal code is described, but there is one unreadable character consisting of three digits. 50 is the actual postal image, 51
Is an image area indicated by a dotted line, and 52 is a recognition result display frame, which accepts input. Characters that cannot be recognized are represented by “#” in the recognition result display frame 52, and when a number is input from the keyboard, the # symbol replaces the number. The operator may compare the postal image and the recognition result and input only unreadable characters. In this case, "2" may be input, and FIG. 7 shows the display image after "2" is input.
Although the postal code is shown in FIG. 8, it is a case where there are 5 digits and 3 unreadable characters. In this case, "235" may be input from the keyboard, and FIG. 9 shows the display image after "235" is input. If the recognition result is not used or cannot be used, it is considered to be a part of these, and if the postal code has 3 digits, the unreadable character is 3 characters, and if it has 5 digits, the character is 5 characters.

FIG. 10 and subsequent figures show examples in the case where there is no postal code. FIG. 10 is a diagram of a screen for inputting an address in the address input frame while viewing the postal image. In FIG. 10, 50 is a postal image, 51 is an image area, 53 is an address input frame, and 54 is a postal code display frame. When the address is entered from the keyboard, the computer retrieves the postal code from the address and displays it in the postal code display frame. Here, in the case of inputting “Owariasahi City, Aichi Prefecture”, FIG. 11 shows the screen after the input. A postal code "488" is displayed depending on the address. FIG. 12 is a diagram of a screen for inputting the prefecture name of the address by pressing the input button on which the prefecture name is written while looking at the postal image. Reference numeral 55 is an input button for the prefecture name displayed on the screen. For example,
When "Aichi" is pressed, "Aichi prefecture" is entered in the storage device, and the city / gun county name following Aichi prefecture is searched. Then, on the next screen, the retrieved city / ward county name is displayed (see FIG. 13).

Similar to FIG. 12, FIG. 13 is a diagram of a screen for inputting a city / ward name by pressing an input button while viewing a postal image. Based on the prefecture name input in FIG. 12, the searched city / ward / gun name is displayed. When the address is input to the storage device by inputting the address in this manner, the computer searches the postal code using the address as a keyword. The computer is equipped with a zip code dictionary for searching the zip code by the address code. When the zip code is determined at this stage, when the city / ward name is pressed, the corresponding zip code is displayed in the zip code display frame 54. For example, when “Owari Asahi City” is pressed, the postal code is searched and the postal code “488” is displayed in the postal code display frame. Further, if the postal code is not determined at this stage, similarly, the town name and the like following the pressed city / ward county are displayed and pressed to input. By inputting the address in this way, the zip code is searched. In order to select each input button by pointing, a mouse is used in the case of the personal computer described in FIG. Further, when the pen computer described with reference to FIG. 3 is used, since the pointing device is a pen, input becomes easier.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of utilizing the recognition result when the address is recognized. In FIG. 14, 5
Reference numeral 6 is an address recognition result display frame. Address recognition result display frame 5
The recognition result is displayed in 6, and the character that cannot be recognized is indicated by "#". When an operator enters a character from a keyword, the # symbol replaces the character, and when all the characters can be entered, the computer searches the postal code from the address. Figure 15 shows
It is a figure which shows the example after inputting the unrecognizable character which is "#" in FIG. Address recognition result display frame 56
Indicates the address, and the postal code display frame 54 displays the postal code retrieved by the address. Here, "488" by "Owariasahi City, Aichi Prefecture"
Is searched for.

Next, of the input devices having one of these input screens, the information for associating each piece of necessary information with the postal matter or the postal image in order to determine which device will input the code will be described. To do. FIG. 16 is a data flow diagram for distributing input devices. First postal image i
d61 is associated with the postal matter 62 and the postal image 63,
Recognition result 64 by pointer a, each determination result 65, input device id 66, zip code 67 input by the code input device
Are associated with. The mail image 63 and the recognition result 64 are used to sort the input devices by the result 65 determined by each determination item. The input device id66 is simply 1 to n
For example, 1 is assigned to input only numbers, 2 is input to only kana characters, 3 is input to kanji and kana, 4 is input to only alphabetic characters, and the like.

FIG. 17 is a flow chart showing an example of judgment in the control computer when three judgment items are stored. “12 #” is stored in the recognition result 64. Characters that cannot be recognized are indicated by "#". Judgment item 1
Is the presence / absence of a postal code, 1 for "Yes", 0 for "No"
In this case, "1" is stored. Judgment item 2 is the number of digits in the postal code, 3 for 3 digits, 5 for 5 digits,
This is the case when the number of digits is unknown and is set to 0, and "3" is stored. Judgment item 3 is the number of unreadable characters, and "1" is stored. From these results, the input device id will be determined. FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a work flow in the control computer in the present invention. The result of recognizing the postal code of the mail piece by the recognition device is received (step 7).
0), the recognition result is determined (step 71). If there are unrecognized numbers (unread), enter the postal code. First, search the postal code area (step 7
2) It is determined whether or not there is a postal code in the area (step 73). If there is a zip code, the number of digits is determined (step 75), and the determined number of digits is stored (step 76). Also, the number of unread characters is determined (step 7
7) Store the determined number of unread characters (step 7)
8). The presence / absence of a zip code is stored (step 79), and the input device is determined according to the stored items (step 80). The determined input device id is stored (step 81) and is transmitted to each input device based on the input device id (step 82). The postal code is received (step 83) and the postal code is transmitted to the sorting device (step 8).
4).

Next, FIG. 19 is a flow chart of the determination processing of the input device in the present invention. First, the information stored by the control computer is loaded (step 90), and the presence or absence of the postal code is determined (step 91). Here, if the postal code is "absent", the input device id is set to "1" (step 92), and if it is "present", the next determination (determination of the number of digits of the postal code) is performed (step 93). ). If the postal code is "3", it is further determined whether the number of unreadable characters is some (step 94), and whether the input device id is "2" (step 95) or "3" (step 95). 96) Set. Also, the determination of the number of digits in the postal code (step 93)
Even if the postal code is "5", it is determined whether the number of unread characters is some (step 97) and the input device id is set to "4" (step 98) or "5" (step 98). In step 99), "6" is set (step 100). If the input device id is set, the input device id is transmitted to the control computer (step 10).
1). FIG. 20 is an input processing flow chart of the code input device according to the present invention. First, a postal image is loaded from the stored information (step 110), and additional information is loaded (step 111). The loaded postal image is displayed on the display (step 112), and the recognition result is displayed in the recognition result display frame (step 113). A code input screen is displayed (step 114), and input of unread characters is accepted (step 115). The input postal code is stored (step 116) and the postal code is transmitted to the control computer (step 117). In the present embodiment, the classification of mail items has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to classification of goods in which destination numbers, destination characters, etc. are described.

[0016]

As described above, according to the present invention,
One or more units have a certain input method or input screen,
Since the code can be entered while looking at the image, it is possible to quickly enter the unrecognized character, and the same input method and input screen can improve the input efficiency.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a classification system to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a first example of the code input device in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a second example of the code input device in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a flow of a conventional mail classification system.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a flow of a mail item classification system according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a zip code input screen when a part of the zip code cannot be recognized.

7 is a diagram showing an example after a code is input on the zip code input screen in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a postal code input screen when a plurality of characters of a postal code cannot be recognized.

9 is a diagram showing an example after a code is input on the zip code input screen in FIG.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a zip code input screen when inputting in an address input frame.

11 is a diagram showing an example after a code is input on the postal code input screen in FIG.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a zip code input screen displaying a prefecture name input button.

13 is a diagram showing an example of a case where the screen for inputting a city / gun name is switched to the screen for inputting city / gun names on the zip code input screen in FIG.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of a postal code input screen with an address recognition result frame.

15 is a diagram showing an example after a code is input on the zip code input screen in FIG.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a related example of information for determining an input device according to the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an input device determination example in the control computer according to the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a work flow in a control computer according to the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart of the determination process of the input device according to the present invention.

FIG. 20 is a diagram showing an input processing flow in the code input device according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... Postal sorting machine, 20 ... Code input control device, 30 ...
Code input device, 11 ... Control computer, 12 ... Supply device, 13 ... Recognition device, 14 ... Sorting device, 15 ... Transport path, 21 ... Storage device, 31 ... Central processing unit, 32 ... Memory, 33 ... Control unit, 34 ... display, 35 ... keyboard, 36 ... mouse, 37 ... storage device, 38 ... tablet, 39 ... input pen, 40 ... communication line, 50 ... postal image,
51 ... Image area, 52 ... Recognition result display frame, 53 ... Address input frame, 54 ... Postal code display frame, 55 ... Input button, 56
... Address recognition result display frame.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A code input control method for controlling a plurality of terminals for displaying an image of an article to be delivered and classified on a display device and for inputting additional information such as a destination number and a destination character of the image, wherein one terminal By assigning a plurality of terminals so that the input method is the same, and by using the additional information such as the presence / absence of the destination number, the number of digits of the destination number, and the number of unreadable characters in the code input control unit,
A code input control method characterized in that an image on which an article is displayed is distributed to terminals having an appropriate input method and additional information is input.