JPH096807A - Image input/output device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide the image input/output device which enables image information to easily be inputted, retrieved, and outputted through minimum operation without the need for input operation for a key word, etc., and a display device, and can be shortened in occupation time. CONSTITUTION: To record an image, a document is read and temporarily stored as image information in a memory, and then recorded as a document on a magnetooptic disk to structure a data base for documents including document IDs (step S11) and also generate a mark sheet having the document IDs included in image codes (step S12). Then when the image is outputted, the generated mark sheet is read and only the corresponding document is retrieved among the documents stored on the magnetooptic disk according to the document ID as a clue (step S16) and outputted (step S17).

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image input / output device which records image information on a recording medium and retrieves and outputs the recorded image information.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image input / output device (image filing device) having functions such as recording, searching, and outputting of image information has a plurality of pieces of image information read from a manuscript containing a plurality of sheets as one unit. It is managed by recording it as a set of documents together with image attributes such as reading resolution, reading size or reading gradation, and the documents to be recorded further include document names, document numbers, registration dates, etc. to facilitate search operations. This has been realized by adding various search keywords in advance, constructing a database, and performing unified management.

That is, when an image is input, a scanner or the like is activated to read an original after inputting a keyword, and at the time of image search and output, a corresponding keyword is input to narrow down a corresponding document, and the document information is displayed on the display device. After displaying and confirming, a desired image is printed out.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional image input / output device, it is indispensable to input a keyword or the like at the time of recording in order to improve searchability. If the user forgets it or if the classification is ambiguous, there is a problem that sufficient searchability cannot be obtained and the search operation is difficult.

Further, in the above conventional image input / output device,
Since the recording operation and the search output operation are separate operations, the operation is difficult to understand and complicated, and since the search operation is often performed on the display device, the image input / output device tends to be occupied. there were.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to easily input image information with a minimum number of operations without inputting a keyword or the like and requiring a display device. An object of the present invention is to provide an image input / output device capable of performing a search and an output and reducing an occupied time.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, an image input / output apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises a reading means for optically scanning a document to read document information and converting it into image information. An image input / output device having image output means for outputting image information as a visible image, wherein the first recording means for recording the image information output from the reading means, and whether the document is a predetermined sheet Whether the first
Discriminating means for discriminating based on the image information recorded in the recording means, and when the discriminating means discriminates that the original is not the predetermined sheet, the image information recorded in the first recording means is recorded as a document. Second recording means, a sheet creating means for creating a predetermined sheet corresponding to the document recorded in the second recording means, and outputting the sheet through the image output means; If it is determined that the sheet is a sheet, the search means searches the document recorded in the second recording means for a document corresponding to the predetermined sheet.

Specifically, the second recording means records the document in association with predetermined search information for specifying the document, and the sheet creating means associates with the predetermined search information in the predetermined search information. It is preferable that the sheet is created and the search means searches the document based on the predetermined search information.

In order to achieve the same object, an image input / output device according to a third aspect of the present invention is the image forming apparatus according to the first or second aspect, wherein the sheet creating means stores the document in the second recording means. After the recording is completed, the predetermined sheet is automatically created.

Further, in order to achieve the same object, an image input / output device according to a fourth aspect of the present invention has the structure according to any one of the first to third aspects, in which the retrieval means retrieves the document. The image information relating to the searched document is output to the image output means.

In order to achieve the same object, an image input / output device according to a fifth aspect of the present invention has an output setting means for setting a condition regarding output by the image output means in the configuration of the fourth aspect. Is characterized by.

Further, in order to achieve the same object, an image input / output device according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is the image forming apparatus according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein the sheet creating means performs the predetermined creation. At least a part of the image information of the document recorded in the second recording unit is added to the sheet.

In order to achieve the same object, an image input / output device according to a seventh aspect of the present invention is the image forming device according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, in which the sheet creating means creates the predetermined image. It is characterized in that information regarding the creation date and time is added to the sheet.

[0014]

According to the image input / output device of claim 1 of the present invention,
The document is scanned, the document information is converted into image information and recorded, and when the document is determined not to be a predetermined sheet by the determination means, the recorded image information is recorded as a document, and the recorded document is recorded. Is generated and output, and when the discriminating unit discriminates the prescribed sheet, the document corresponding to the prescribed sheet is searched from the recorded documents.

According to another aspect of the image input / output apparatus of the present invention, the document is recorded in association with predetermined search information for specifying a document, and the document is recorded in association with the predetermined search information. A predetermined sheet is created, and the document is searched based on the predetermined search information.

Further, according to the image input / output device of the third aspect of the present invention, the predetermined sheet is automatically created after the recording of the document is completed.

According to the image input / output device of the fourth aspect of the present invention, the image information relating to the retrieved document is output to the image output means and output as a visible image.

Further, according to the image input / output device of the fifth aspect of the present invention, the condition regarding the output by the image output means is set.

According to the image input / output device of the sixth aspect of the present invention, at least a part of the image information relating to the recorded document is added to a predetermined sheet to be created.

Further, according to the image input / output device of the seventh aspect of the present invention, the information regarding the creation date and time is added to the predetermined sheet to be created.

[0021]

EXAMPLES The present invention will be described below with reference to examples.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of an image input / output device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The reader unit 1 reads an image of a document and outputs image data corresponding to the document image to the printer unit 2 and the image input / output control unit 3. The printer unit 2 records an image corresponding to the image data from the reader unit 1 and the image input / output control unit 3 on a recording sheet (not shown). The image input / output control unit 3 is connected to the reader unit 1, and includes a facsimile unit 4, a file unit 5, an external storage device (magneto-optical disk drive unit) 6, a computer interface unit 7, a formatter unit 8, an image memory unit 9, and a core. The unit 10 and the hard disk 12 are included.

The facsimile section 4 decompresses the compressed image data received via the telephone line, transfers the decompressed image data to the core section 10, and compresses the image data transferred from the core section 10. , Compressed compressed image data is transmitted to the outside via a telephone line. A hard disk 12 is connected to the facsimile unit 4, and the received compressed image data can be temporarily stored in the hard disk 12. The file unit 5 temporarily stores the image signal from the reader unit 1 in a memory (described later) in the file unit 5, and the CPU 516 (described later) in the file unit 5 determines, based on the image data stored in the memory, By a method called pattern matching described later, it is determined whether or not the original is a predetermined sheet. An external storage device 6 is connected to the file unit 5, and the file unit 5 compresses the image data transferred from the core unit 10, and a keyword for searching the image data, together with an external storage device (magneto-optical disk). The data is stored in a magneto-optical disk 521 (not shown) set in the drive unit) 6. The file unit 5 also searches the compressed image data stored in the magneto-optical disk 521 based on the keyword transferred via the core unit 10, reads out the searched compressed image data, expands it, and expands it. The transferred image data is transferred to the core unit 10 (details will be described later). The computer interface unit 7 is an interface between the personal computer or workstation (PC / WS) 11 and the core unit 10. The formatter unit 8 expands the code data representing the image transferred from the PC / WS 11 into image data that can be recorded by the printer unit 2, and the image memory unit 9 temporarily stores the data transferred from the PC / WS 11. Although details of the core unit 10 will be described later, the core unit 1
0 is a reader unit 1, a facsimile unit 4, a file unit 5, a computer interface unit 7, a formatter unit 8,
It controls the flow of data between the image memory units 9.

Hereinafter, description will be made also with reference to FIG.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the reader unit 1 and the printer unit 2. The document feeding device 101 of the reader unit 1 feeds documents one by one from the last page onto the platen glass 102, and after the document reading operation is completed, the platen glass 102 is fed.
Eject the original document above. When the document is conveyed onto the platen glass 102, the lamp 103 is turned on, and the scanner unit 104 starts moving to expose and scan the document.
The reflected light from the document at this time is reflected by the mirrors 105, 106,
It is guided to a CCD image sensor (hereinafter referred to as “CCD”) 109 by 107 and a lens 108. In this manner, the scanned image of the document is read by the CCD 109. The image data output from the CCD 109 is
After being subjected to a predetermined process, it is transferred to the printer unit 2 and the core unit 10 of the image input / output control unit 3.

The laser driver 221 of the printer unit 2 drives the laser emitting unit 201, and causes the laser emitting unit 201 to generate laser light according to the image data output from the reader unit 1. This laser light is applied to the photosensitive drum 20.
2 and a latent image corresponding to the laser beam is formed on the photosensitive drum 202. A developer is attached to the latent image portion of the photosensitive drum 202 by a developing device 203. Then, at the timing synchronized with the start of laser light irradiation, the recording paper is fed from one of the cassette 204 and the cassette 205 and conveyed to the transfer unit 206, and the photosensitive drum 202.
The developer adhered to is transferred to the recording paper. The recording paper on which the developer is placed is conveyed to the fixing unit 207, and the developer is fixed on the recording paper by the heat and pressure of the fixing unit 207. Fixing unit 2
The recording paper that has passed through 07 is discharged by the discharge roller 208, and the sorter 220 sorts the discharged recording papers into the respective bins. The printer unit 2 is configured to be able to set various modes related to output, and the sorter 220 stores the recording paper in the uppermost bin when sorting is not set in the above modes. When double-sided recording is set in the above mode, after the recording paper is conveyed to the discharge roller 208, the rotation direction of the discharge roller 208 is reversed and the flapper 209 guides the recording paper to the re-feeding conveyance path. Further, when the multiple recording is set in the above mode, the recording paper is discharged from the discharge roller 208.
The flapper 209 guides the sheet to the re-feeding conveyance path 210 so as not to convey the sheet. The recording sheet guided to the re-feeding conveyance path 210 is transferred to the transfer unit 2 at the above-described laser beam irradiation start timing.
The paper is fed to 06.

Next, the reader unit 1 will be described in detail.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the reader unit 1. C
The image data output from the CD 109 is the CCD 109
The A / D / SH unit 110 connected to performs analog / digital conversion and shading correction. The image data processed by the A / D / SH unit 110 is transferred to the printer unit 2 via the image processing unit 111 connected to the A / D / SH unit 110, and the image data is input via the interface unit 113. It is transferred to the core unit 10 of the output control unit 3. The CPU 114 is connected to the image processing unit 111, the operation unit 115, the memory 116, and the interface 113, and controls the image processing unit 111 and the interface 113 according to the setting contents set by the operation unit 115. For example, when the copy mode in which the operation unit 115 performs the trimming process to perform the copy is set, the CPU 114 causes the image processing unit 111 to perform the trimming process and transfers the image data to the printer unit 2.
Also, a control command according to the facsimile transmission mode is transferred to the core unit 10 by the operation unit 115. Such a control program of the CPU 114 is stored in the memory 116, and the CPU 114 performs control while referring to the memory 116. Further, the memory 116 is the CPU 114.
It is also used as a work area.

Next, the core portion 10 will be described in detail.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the core section 10 and related elements. The core unit 10 includes an interface 120, an interface 122, a data processing unit 121, and a CPU 1.
23 and memory 124, and interface 12
Reference numeral 0 connects the facsimile unit 4, the file unit 5, the computer interface unit 7, the formatter unit 8 and the image memory unit 9. The data processing unit 121 is connected to the interfaces 120 and 122, and the CPU 123 controls the interfaces 120 and 122.
And a memory 124 is further connected to the CPU 123. The image data from the reader unit 1 is transferred to the data processing unit 121 via the interface 122, and the control command from the reader unit 1 is transferred to the CPU 123. The data processing unit 121 performs image processing such as image rotation processing and scaling processing, and the image data transferred from the reader unit 1 to the data processing unit 121 corresponds to the control command transferred from the reader unit 1. Then, it is transferred to the facsimile unit 4, the file unit 5, and the computer interface unit 7 via the interface 120. Code data representing an image input via the computer interface 7 is transferred to the data processing unit 121 via the interface 120 and then transferred to the formatter unit 8 to be expanded into image data. Processing unit 1
21 is transferred to the printer unit 2 connected to the facsimile unit 4 and the reader unit 1. The image data from the facsimile unit 4 is transferred to the data processing unit 121 and then to the printer unit 2, the file unit 5, and the computer interface unit 7. The image data from the file unit 5 is transferred to the data processing unit 121 and then to the printer unit 2, the facsimile unit 4, and the computer interface unit 7. The CPU 123 performs such control according to the control program stored in the memory 124 and the control command transferred from the reader unit 1. The memory 124 is also used as a work area of the CPU 123. In this way, it is possible to perform complex processing such as reading of a document image, image printing, image data transmission / reception, image data storage, and data input / output from a computer, centered on the core unit 10.

Next, the file section 5 will be described in detail.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the detailed structure of the file unit 5. The structure and operation will be described with reference to FIG.

A decompression circuit 504, a compression circuit 503, a timing generation circuit 514 and a dual port memory 515 are connected to the connector 500, and the memory controller 5 is connected.
10 is connected to the expansion circuit 504, the compression circuit 503, and the timing generation circuit 514, as well as the memory A 506,
Memory B507, Memory C508, Memory D509, C
It is also connected to the ODEC 517, the scaling circuit 511, and the SCSI (Small Computer System Interface) controller 519. The DMA controller 518 is
CP is connected to the scaling circuit 511 and the CPU bus 560.
A CPU 516, a dual port memory 515, a SCSI controller 519, a memory controller 510, and a CODEC 517 are connected to the U bus 560. SCSI
The external storage device 6 is connected to the controller 519.

The file section 5 exchanges signals with various elements connected to the core section 10 via the connector 500. The multi-level input signal 551 is input to the compression circuit 503, where the multi-level image information is converted into compression information and output to the memory controller 510. Compression circuit 503
Output signal 552 of the memory A 510, memory B 507, memory C 50 under the control of the memory controller 510.
8, memory D 509, or two memories connected in cascade. The memory controller 510 is instructed by the CPU 516 to execute the memory A5 operation.
06, memory B507, memory C508, memory D50
9 and the CPU bus 560, a mode for exchanging data with the CODEC 517 for encoding / decoding.
A mode of exchanging data with the C bus 570, a mode of exchanging data of the contents of the memory A 506, the memory B 507, the memory C 508, and the memory D 509 with the bus 562 from the scaling circuit 511 under the control of the DMA controller 518, and timing. A mode in which the signal 552 is stored in one of the memories A506 to D509 under the control of the generation circuit 514, and a mode in which the memories A506 to D5 are stored.
09 to read the memory contents from any of the signal lines 55
6 has five functions of output mode.

The memory A 506, the memory B 507, the memory C 508, and the memory D 509 each have 2 Mbytes.
And stores an image equivalent to A4 at a resolution of 400 dpi. The timing generation circuit 514 is connected to the connector 5
00 and a signal line 553, and the core 10
Control signals (HSYNC, HEN, VSYNC, V
EN) to generate signals to achieve the following two functions.

First, the information from the core unit 10 is stored in the memory A.
506 to a function of storing in any one of the memories D509 or two memories, the second is the memory A50
6 to the memory 509, and has a function of reading image information and transmitting it to the signal line 556. The dual port memory 515 includes a CPU 123 of the core unit 10 and a signal line (CPU bus) 560 via a signal line 554.
It is connected to the CPU 516 of the file unit 5 via. The CPUs 123 and 516 exchange commands via the dual port memory 515. S
CSI (Scazy; Small Computer System Interfac
e) The controller 519 interfaces with the external storage device 6 connected to the file unit 5 in FIG. The external storage device 6 stores data such as image information on a magneto-optical disk 521, which is not specifically shown. The recording medium is not limited to the magneto-optical disk, and may be another recording medium. CODEC 517 has a memory A506
~ Image information stored in any of the memories D509 is read out and coded by any one of MH (one-dimensional coding), MR (two-dimensional coding) and MMR (two-dimensional sequential coding) systems Memory A506-
It is stored as encoded information in any of the memories D509. On the other hand, after the coded information stored in the memories A506 to D509 is read out and decoded by any one of the MH, MR, and MMR methods, the memory A506
The decoded information, that is, image information is stored in any of 506 to the memory D509.

Here, one mode in which file information is stored in the magneto-optical disk 521 via the external storage device 6 will be described. The 8-bit multi-valued image signal from the reader unit 1 is input from the connector 500 and the signal line 551 to the compression circuit 503. The signal 551 is the compression circuit 503.
Is input into the compressed information 552. The compression information 552 is input to the memory controller 510. In the memory controller 510, the timing generation circuit 514 generates the timing signal 559 according to the signal 553 from the core unit 10, and the compressed signal 55 is generated according to this signal.
2 is stored in the memory A 506. The CPU 516 uses the memory A 506 and the memory B 5 of the memory controller 510.
07 is connected to the bus line 570 of the CODEC 517. The CODEC 517 reads the compressed information from the memory A 506, encodes it by the MR method, and writes the encoded information in the memory B 507. When the CODEC 517 finishes encoding, the CPU 516 connects the memory B 507 of the memory controller 510 to the CPU bus 560. The CPU 516 stores the encoded information in the memory B50.
It is sequentially read from 7 and transferred to the SCSI controller 519. The SCSI controller 519 stores the encoded information 572 in the magneto-optical disk 521 of the external storage device 6.

Next, one mode in which information is taken out from the external storage device 6 and output to the printer unit 2 will be described. Upon receiving the information search / print command, the CPU 516
The encoded information is received from the external storage device 6 via the SCSI controller 519, and the encoded information is transferred to the memory C508. At this time, the memory controller 5
The CPU 10 connects the CPU bus 560 to the bus 566 of the memory C508 according to an instruction from the CPU 516. Memory C50
When the transfer of the encoded information to 8 is completed, the CPU 516
By controlling the memory controller 510,
The memory C508 and the memory D509 are connected to the bus 570 of the CODEC 517. CODEC 517 is a memory C
After reading the encoded information from 508 and sequentially decoding,
Transfer to memory D509. If scaling such as enlargement / reduction is required when outputting to the printer unit 2, the memory D509
Is connected to the bus 562 of the scaling circuit 511 to scale the contents of the memory D509 under the control of the DMA controller 518. The CPU 516 communicates with the CPU 123 of the core unit 10 via the dual port memory 515, and the memory D
Image data from 509 is sent to the printer unit 2 through the core unit 10 to make settings for printing out an image.
When the setting is completed, the CPU 516 activates the timing generation circuit 514 and outputs a predetermined timing signal from the signal line 559 to the memory controller 510. The memory controller 510 includes a timing generation circuit 514.
The decoding information is read out from the memory D509 in synchronization with the signal from and is transmitted to the signal line 556. Signal line 5
The decoding information transmitted to 56 is input to the decompression circuit 504 and decompressed. Output signal 555 of decompression circuit 504
Is output to the core unit 10 via the connector 500 and is output to the printer unit 2.

Next, the recording processing operation of the image input / output apparatus according to the present invention will be described.

6 and 7 are flowcharts showing an example of the processing procedure of the image input / output apparatus according to the present invention. Corresponding to this, operation screens (not shown) are shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.
Indicates the display content of.

According to this flowchart, the processing is different between the case of a normal original and the case of a predetermined sheet (described later). Therefore, the case of a normal original will be described first with reference to FIGS. 6 to 9.

First, when the magneto-optical disk 521 is inserted into the external storage device 6 and the file key 1111 is pressed on the operation screen of the screen F111 of FIG. 8, the operation screen is switched to the file function, and recording / search is possible. become.

In step S1 of FIG. 6, a document reading mode is set. The document reading mode setting is on screen F1.
By pressing the 11 recording setting key 1112, various settings such as resolution, reading mode (double-sided original), noise removal, density, halftone, and reading size can be performed as in the screen F112. Note that step S1 may be omitted and the reading may be performed in the default setting reading mode.

Next, in step S2, a bundle of documents is placed on the document feeding device 101 of the reader unit 1, a start key (not shown) is pressed, and the process proceeds to step S3.

In step S3, the operation screen is the screen F11.
3 as well as one of the documents stacked on the document feeding device 101 of the reader unit 1 is conveyed to the platen glass surface 102, and the image information read by the reader unit 1 is changed to the image information read by the reader unit 1. It is stored in the memory A 506 of the file unit 5 based on the detection result by the photo sensor for detecting the document size (not shown).

In step S4, the CPU 516 reads the image data stored in the memory A 506 and determines by pattern matching whether or not it is a predetermined mark sheet. Details of the pattern matching will be described later.

Next, in step S5, the step S4 is executed.
As a result of the determination, if the mark sheet is a predetermined mark sheet, the process proceeds to step S14. If the mark sheet is not the predetermined mark sheet, that is, if the document is a normal document, the process proceeds to step S6.
Since it is assumed that the document is a normal document here, the process proceeds to step S6.

In step S6, the image data is recorded as a document on the magneto-optical disk 521 according to the procedure described above, and the operation screen is switched to the screen F114. When the recording of the image data is completed, step S7
In step S8, the number of recorded image data is counted up, and the process proceeds to step S8.

In step S8, it is determined whether or not all the document stacks stacked on the document feeder 101 have been processed. When the unprocessed originals remain, the process returns to step S3, while when all the originals have been processed, the process proceeds to step S9.

In step S9, as in step S5, it is determined whether the read document is a predetermined mark sheet. Since it is determined here that the document is a normal document, the process proceeds to step S10, and the magneto-optical disk 52 is used.
It is determined whether or not the recording of the image data in 1 is completed.

At step S10, the operation screen is changed to screen F1.
The process is switched to 15 so that the next process can be selected. If the recording is completed, the recording end key 1151 on the screen F115 is pressed, and the process proceeds to step S11. On the other hand, when the recording is not completed, the document feeding device 1
The document stack on 01 is exchanged, and another document recording key 1152 or the same document continuation key 1153 is pressed to proceed to step S3. If the separate document recording key is pressed here, the original is recorded as a document different from the previous one in the processing of the next step S6, and if the same document continuation key is pressed, the processing of the next step S6. Then, the document is recorded in addition to the previously recorded document.

Next, in step S11, the external storage device 6 is associated with various management information (for example, recording date, recording time, image data reading mode, etc.) for managing the recorded image data as a group of documents. The data is written in the magneto-optical disk 521 of FIG. It should be noted that the database contains the specific information of each document and the unique document ID of each document.

In step S12, the operation screen is changed to screen F11.
At the same time as switching to No. 6, a predetermined sheet (hereinafter referred to as "mark sheet") corresponding to the recorded document one-to-one is created and output (step S13), and this processing is ended.

The mark sheet 1201 for retrieval will be described below with reference to FIG.

FIG. 10 shows an example of the format of the mark sheet 1201 used in the search in the file section 5.

This sheet has a detection pattern 1211 for detecting whether it is a mark sheet on the right side or the lower side,
1212, 1213, 1214, 1215, 1216 and a display column 1220 for document information. In the document information display field 1220, the document ID, document name, document number, access date, update date, number of images, paper size, etc. are displayed. The document name, document number, etc. may be registered at the time of image recording or after image recording. Further, the post-search automatic print setting field 1221 has mark fields 1222 and 1223 for actual marking, and the mark field 1222 is a field defaulted when the marking of the setting field 1221 is omitted. This default setting can be changed, and may be changed in units of magneto-optical disks 521 or in units of documents. If no mark is made in the mark column 1223, for example, after searching, one copy of a document having a document name of “document sample” is automatically printed out. When the mark field 1223 is marked, only the search is performed and the automatic printing is not performed. The display column 1224 displays the image document name, and the display column 122
A handwritten image is displayed at 5. This handwritten image may be registered at the time of image recording or may be registered after the image recording. The image 1226 is the output of the image data of the document recorded under the document name “document sample”, and the display 1227 is one of the six images.
Indicates the first sheet. The display 1228 indicates the paper size of the recorded image data. The display 1229 indicates the resolution of the recorded image data. Although FIG. 10 shows an example in which the first recorded image is pasted, a plurality of image data may be pasted. Display 123
0 indicates the disc name of the recording medium, and the display 1231 indicates
The date and time information of creating and outputting the mark sheet 1201 is shown. In the image code 1232, the document ID in the document information is binary coded and described as information that allows the stored document and the mark sheet to correspond to each other on a one-to-one basis and to identify each other. In addition to this, the type of mark sheet, disk name such as "image input / output device",
Search information for specifying a document, such as a document name such as "document sample", is described. Then, the document stored in the memory 13 of the file unit 5 is searched for the document corresponding to the document ID of the image code.

Next, the processing when the read original is a mark sheet, that is, the search processing and the image print processing operation will be described with reference to FIGS. 6, 7, 10, 11 and 12. 11 and 12 show the display contents displayed on the operation screen (not shown) corresponding to this processing.

First, when the magneto-optical disk 521 is inserted into the external storage device 6 and the file key is pressed on the operation screen of the screen F131 shown in FIG. 11, the operation screen is switched to the file function, and recording / searching is possible. Become.

In step S1 of FIG. 6, a document reading mode is set. As described above, step S1 may be omitted and reading may be performed in the default setting reading mode.

Next, in step S2, the retrieval sheet 1201 is placed on the document feeding device 101 of the reader unit 1 and a start key (not shown) is depressed, and the process proceeds to the next step S3.

In step S3, the operation screen is the screen F13.
2 as well as one of the search sheets 1201 stacked on the document feeder 101 of the reader unit 1 is conveyed onto the platen glass surface 102, and the image information read by the reader unit 1 is changed to the reader. It is stored in the memory A 506 of the file unit 5 based on the detection result by the photo sensor (not shown) for detecting the document size of the unit 1.

In step S4, the CPU 516 reads the image data stored in the memory A 506 and determines by pattern matching whether or not it is a predetermined mark sheet.

Here, the pattern matching will be described. First, the CPU 516 sets the pattern 1211, the pattern 1212, and the pattern 1 at predetermined positions on the memory A 506.
It is checked whether 213, pattern 1214, pattern 1215 and pattern 1216 are present. next,
Each examined pattern is compared with a template pattern prepared in advance to determine whether the image data stored in the memory A 506 is a predetermined mark sheet. In the case of a predetermined mark sheet, the image code 1232 which is the description information on the mark sheet and the mark columns 1222 and 1223 in the post-search automatic print setting column 1221 are read. These pieces of information are obtained from offset coordinates from a reference position on a mark sheet defined in advance. Here, the judgment of whether or not a mark is written in the mark field is
For example, the number of black pixels in the mark column 1223 is counted, and it is determined whether or not the number of black pixels exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

Returning to the flowchart, in step S5,
It is determined whether or not the read document is a mark sheet. Here, since it is determined that the sheet is a mark sheet, the operation screen is switched to the screen F133 and the process proceeds to step S14.

In step S14, the CPU 516 temporarily stores the read search information of the search sheet 1201 and the content marked by the automatic print after the search, and then proceeds to step S15.

In step S15, the number of read mark sheets is counted up, and the process proceeds to step S8.

In step S8, it is determined whether or not all the mark sheets stacked on the original feeding apparatus 101 have been processed. If any unprocessed search sheets remain, the process returns to step S3, while all search sheets are processed. If so, the process proceeds to step S9, and it is determined whether the read document is a predetermined mark sheet.

Since the mark sheet is processed here, it is determined that the mark sheet is a predetermined mark sheet, and step S16
Proceed to.

In step S16, after reading, the CPU 5
The document database is sequentially opened from the magneto-optical disc 521 according to the search information of the mark sheet 1201 temporarily stored in 16 and the content marked by the automatic print after the search, and the corresponding document is searched using the document ID as a clue. I do. The total number of documents and the total number of pages obtained by this search result are displayed on the operation screen as in screen F133. Here, a case where automatic printing is performed after a search will be described.

In step S17, the image data of the retrieved document is read from the magneto-optical disk 521 one document at a time, printed out to the printer unit 2 according to the procedure described above, and the process proceeds to step S18.

In step S18, it is determined whether or not all the processing of the read mark sheet 1201 has been completed. If any unprocessed sheet remains, the process returns to step S9, and if all the sheets have been completed, this processing ends.

By the processing of FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, even if a specific keyword for searching a document is not input at the time of recording,
A specific document can be searched from among a plurality of documents recorded in the recording medium.

Also, a normal original and mark sheet 1201
Since the reading unit and the output unit are common and the recording operation and the search operation can be performed by the same operation, the operation can be easily and minimized.

That is, the retrieval process can be performed by a method familiar to each user, in which each user simply specifies the mark sheet by referring to the image data, and the mark sheet is sent only to the place where the apparatus is installed when printout is desired. Can be achieved by simply reading
The occupancy time of the device by one user can be shortened and it can be effectively utilized.

Since the mark sheet 1201 is provided with the mark column 1221 for automatic printing of the retrieved document, printing can be performed only when necessary, and when the automatic printing is performed, the recording of the document is completed. Easy to check.

Further, since the output mode can be set in the printer 2, the retrieved document can also be output in the desired output mode.

Further, since the image data of each document is pasted and printed on the search mark sheet, the search process can be easily performed without the need for a display device for image display. The apparatus can be simplified and the cost can be reduced.

Furthermore, since information regarding the date and time of creation is added to the mark sheet 1201, the mark sheet can be easily organized and managed.

Regarding the reading order of the mark sheets 1201 and the document printing order after retrieval, the print processing may be sequentially performed according to the reading order of the mark sheets, or the print processing may be performed in reverse order.

If automatic printing is not performed after the search, the operation screen may be switched to the screen F135 in FIG. 12 after the search in step S16 of FIG. 6 to display the searched documents in a list.

In this embodiment, in the case of automatic printing after searching, the print setting for the printer unit 2 is set to print on one side of the paper when the number of copies is one. However, after the list is displayed, the print key is pressed. By pressing 1351, the operation screen may be switched to a screen F136 in FIG. 12, and various settings such as screen, paper selection, and sorter may be set. Further, it may be set so that the FAX transmission can be performed similarly.

In this embodiment, the case where the original feeding apparatus 101 is used for recording has been described, but the original is not used and the original is directly placed on the original glass platen surface 102.
The same configuration can be applied to a case where the document is placed on the top and recorded, by treating the document bundle as one sheet. When the document feeding device 101 is used, in order to improve the easiness of the operation, the state shown in FIG.
In the processing of step S10, the recording may be completed without returning to step S3.

In this embodiment, the document ID is used as the information for retrieving the document, but the present invention is not limited to this, and it is possible to specify one document without inputting at the time of recording. Other information may be used as long as it is inside information.

Further, in the present embodiment, the mark sheet is used for the document retrieval, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the size can be any as long as it can be output and managed externally and can be read by the reader unit 1. It does not matter how it is shaped or the like.

Although the image data to be recorded is optically read in the present embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this, and recording, retrieval and recording according to the present invention can be performed on image data obtained by other means. Output processing may be similarly applied.

[0086]

According to the image input / output apparatus of the first aspect of the present invention, the reading means for optically scanning the original to read the original information and converting it into the image information, and outputting the image information as a visible image. An image input / output device having an image output means, wherein the first recording means records the image information output from the reading means, and the first recording means determines whether the original is a predetermined sheet. A discriminating means for discriminating based on the recorded image information, and the first discriminating means if the discriminating means discriminates that the original is not the predetermined sheet.
Second recording means for recording the image information recorded in the recording means as a document, and sheet preparation for producing a predetermined sheet corresponding to the document recorded in the second recording means and outputting it through the image output means Means and a searching means for searching the document recorded in the second recording means for a document corresponding to the predetermined sheet when the determination means determines that the original is the predetermined sheet. Since it has a feature that it is possible to save the trouble of inputting search information such as a keyword at the time of recording, the desired image information can be easily searched by the same operation as the recording operation, and the occupation time of the image input / output device can be reduced. Can be shortened.

Further, according to the image input / output device of the third aspect of the present invention, the sheet creating means automatically creates the predetermined sheet after the recording of the document in the second recording means is completed. Since this is a feature, it is possible to easily confirm the completion of recording.

Further, according to the image input / output device of the fourth aspect of the present invention, the search means outputs the image information related to the searched document to the image output means after searching the document. Therefore, it is possible to easily search and output the image information by the same operation as the recording operation without inputting the search information such as the keyword at the time of recording and without the need for the display device. The occupancy time of the input / output device can be shortened.

Further, according to the image input / output device of the fifth aspect of the present invention, it is characterized in that the image output device has an output setting means for setting a condition relating to the output by the image output means. It can be output depending on the mode.

Further, according to the image input / output device of the sixth aspect of the present invention, the sheet creating means stores at least a part of the image information relating to the document recorded in the second recording means on the predetermined sheet to be created. Since it is characterized by adding,
Searching for a sheet becomes an actual search operation, which makes the search easier and minimizes the time occupied by the image input / output device. Further, a display device such as a display is not required, and the configuration can be simplified.

Further, according to the image input / output device of the present invention, since the sheet creating means adds the information relating to the creation date and time to the predetermined sheet to be created, the sheet creation timing is set. Easy to identify.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image input / output device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a reader unit and a printer unit according to this embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a reader unit according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a core unit according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a file unit according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the image input / output device of the present embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the image input / output device of the present embodiment.

FIG. 8 shows contents displayed on an operation screen in a normal document process corresponding to the processes of FIGS.

FIG. 9 shows contents displayed on the operation screen in normal document processing, corresponding to the processing in FIGS.

FIG. 10 is an example of a mark sheet.

FIG. 11 shows contents displayed on the operation screen in the mark sheet processing corresponding to the processing of FIGS.

FIG. 12 shows the contents displayed on the operation screen in the mark sheet processing corresponding to the processing of FIGS.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 reader unit 2 printer unit 3 image input / output control unit 5 file unit 6 external storage device 7 computer interface unit 8 formatter unit 10 core unit 506 memory A 507 memory B 508 memory C 509 memory D 510 memory controller 516 CPU 519 SCSI controller

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An image input / output device comprising: a reading unit that optically scans a document to read document information and converts it into image information; and an image output unit that outputs the image information as a visible image. First recording means for recording the image information output from the reading means; determining means for determining whether or not the document is a predetermined sheet based on the image information recorded in the first recording means; When the determination unit determines that the original is not the predetermined sheet, the second recording unit that records the image information recorded in the first recording unit as a document and the document recorded in the second recording unit A sheet creating unit that creates a corresponding predetermined sheet and outputs the image through the image output unit, and the second recording unit when the determination unit determines that the document is the predetermined sheet. 2. An image input / output device, comprising: a search unit that searches for a document corresponding to the predetermined sheet from the documents recorded in FIG. 2. The second recording means records the document in association with predetermined search information for identifying the document, and the sheet creating means stores the predetermined sheet in association with the predetermined search information. 2. The image input / output device according to claim 1, wherein the image creating / creating unit searches the document based on the predetermined search information. 3. The image inputting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sheet creating unit automatically creates the predetermined sheet after the recording of the document in the second recording unit is completed. Output device. 4. The search means, after searching the document,
4. The image information according to the searched document is output to the image output means.
The image input / output device according to the item. 5. The image input / output device according to claim 4, further comprising an output setting unit that sets a condition regarding output by the image output unit. 6. The sheet creating means adds at least a part of image information relating to a document recorded in the second recording means to the predetermined sheet to be created, according to any one of claims 1 to 5. The image input / output device according to item 1. 7. The image input / output device according to claim 1, wherein the sheet creating unit adds information regarding a creation date and time to the predetermined sheet to be created.