JPH11312231A - Recording medium with data processing program recorded therein, data processor and its method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a medium with a data processing program recorded therein, a data processor and its method, which simply editing of a layout for changing the arrangement of a text area, a table area, an image area, etc., for an existing document read by OCR, etc., and which automatically prepare a structured file in a hypertext form, etc., for a document whose layer is edited. SOLUTION: An area recognition apparatus 11 recognizes to which of a character area, a table area or an image area, an original image inputted from an image reader such as OCR belongs. When the original image belongs to the character area or the table area, characters within the area are recognized and made as a character code. When the original image belongs to the image area, an image within the area is segmented to prepare an image file. A layout editing part 15 displays a rectangle in each area to allow a user to edit layout by moving the rectangle, and a part 16 prepares a hypertext based on this edited layout. A storing part 17 retains a file prepared by a series of processings with a proper expander, and a managing part manages retained file.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the creation of a structured file in an HTML (hypertext) format or the like from an image of an existing document in which character strings, figures, tables, and the like optically read by an OCR or the like are mixed. The present invention relates to a recording medium, a data processing device, and a data processing method in which a data processing program for storing and managing the created file is recorded.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a multimedia environment such as the Internet (WWW (World Wide Wave)), a browser is called a browser by using a structured file such as a hypertext format in which sentences, tables, images, and the like are described in association with each other. The search display tool can output (display, etc.) text, images, charts, and the like in association with each other. That is, information such as documents, tables, and images can be handled in an integrated manner. With the development of such a multimedia environment, recently, users have begun to request devices and software for automatically creating a structured file such as a hypertext format.

Conventionally, as this type of apparatus, there has been proposed an apparatus which optically reads an existing document by OCR or the like, processes the read document image, and automatically creates a structured file (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 9-260,197). No. 9-223240).

[0004]

However, the apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-223240 is
A hypertext format file that faithfully reproduces an existing document read by OCR was created. Therefore, the user was able to obtain a file in a hypertext format faithful to the existing document read by the OCR, but changed the layout of the document, table, image, etc. in the existing document according to his / her preference. Could not get a file in hypertext format. Also, a hypertext format file cannot be obtained for an existing document in which an unnecessary area is deleted.

When a browser outputs a hypertext format file, the browser must be able to recognize the file type of the associated file. For this reason, it is defined that each file is saved with a file name with an extension corresponding to the type (text, image, etc.). Therefore, when saving a file, it is necessary to check the type of each file and save the file with an extension corresponding to the type of the file, and it takes time and effort to save and manage the file. There was also.

An object of the present invention is to edit a layout for changing the arrangement of a text area, a table area, an image area, and the like in an existing document read by an OCR or the like, and to perform a hypertext format based on the edited layout. It is an object of the present invention to provide a recording medium, a data processing device, and a data processing method in which a data processing program for creating a structured file such as a file is recorded.

Further, the present invention allows a user to save and manage a file without being aware of the file name (extension), thereby recording a data processing program that saves time and effort in saving and managing the file. It is an object to provide a medium, a data processing device, and a data processing method.

[0008]

According to the present invention, an original image read by an image reading apparatus such as an OCR is processed to identify, for each divided area, a character area, a table area, or an image area. A first step of recognizing a character in the area identified as a character area or a table area in the first step and converting the character into a character code; and A third step of cutting out an image in the area identified as an image area in step 1 and creating an image file in an appropriate format such as a bit map format; A fourth step of performing layout editing for replacing the position of each identified area, and a structured file in a hypertext format or the like based on the layout edited in the fourth step. It has a fifth step of creating a Le, a.

In this configuration, the original image read by an image reading apparatus such as an OCR is identified as a character area, a table area, or an image area for each divided area. For a character area or a table area, a character in the area is recognized and converted to a character code, and for an image area, an image in the area is created in an image file in a bitmap format or the like. In a fourth step, editing of a layout that replaces the position of each identified area is accepted, and a structured file in a hypertext format or the like is created based on the edited layout.

For example, in an image reading apparatus such as an OCR, FIG.
The original image shown in FIG. In the first step, a character editing area, a table area and an image area in the document image are identified, and a layout editing screen is displayed in which each area is displayed as a rectangle as shown in FIG. 9B. Then, the user moves the rectangle to an arbitrary position by operating the mouse or the like and edits the rectangle to a layout that suits the user's preference (FIG. 9C).
reference). Here, a structured file in a hypertext format is created based on the edited layout. When the structured file created here is output with a browser, FIG.
As shown in (D), a display with a layout different from that of the original image can be obtained.

Further, for each data generated in a series of processing, such as the image data of the original image, the character recognition result, the image file, the structured file, etc., a file extension corresponding to the data type is added and saved. It has six steps.

In this configuration, an appropriate extension according to the type of data is automatically added at the time of saving a file, so that there is no need to worry about the data type of the file to be saved, and the file can be easily stored and managed. Can be done.

The second step may include a step of recognizing a font as a character type and a number of points as a character size, or a step including a step of recognizing a ruled line in a table area. You can also.

[0014] In addition, for each structured file stored in the sixth step, a seventh image for reducing and displaying the original image is provided.
With this step, the contents of the structured file stored and managed can be easily confirmed.

Further, the method has an eighth step of reading out the file stored in the sixth step and starting processing such as re-editing of the layout. The layout and the like can be re-edited without reading by OCR or the like.

[0016]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a data processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The data processing device 1 includes a control unit 2 having a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like, an input unit 3 for performing an input operation, and a display unit 4 for performing a display.
And a storage unit 5 for storing a structured file or the like created in a process described later, and an OCR for optically reading an existing document.
And an interface (I / F) unit 6 with the device 9. The control unit 2 of the data processing device 1 has a CD-R
A program (a data processing program according to the present invention) is supplied from a recording medium such as an OM, and the processing described below is executed according to the program.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the data processing device according to the embodiment of the present invention. An area recognition unit 11 recognizes a character area, a table area, and an image area in an existing document read by the OCR device 9. Reference numeral 12 denotes a character recognition unit that recognizes characters existing in the character region and the table region recognized by the region recognition unit 11 by well-known pattern matching. Reference numeral 13 denotes a character encoding unit that converts a character recognized by the character recognition unit 12 into a character code. 14
Is an image processing unit that extracts an image in the image area recognized by the area recognition unit 11 and creates an image file in a bitmap format or the like. Reference numeral 15 denotes a layout editing unit that edits a layout of a character area, a table area, and an image area in an existing document read by the OCR 9. Reference numeral 16 denotes a hypertext unit that creates a hypertext format file (structured file) for a layout edited by the layout editing unit 15. A storage unit 17 stores a hypertext file created by the hypertext unit 16, an image file created by the image processing unit 14, an original image file input from the OCR 9, and the like. Reference numeral 18 denotes a management unit that manages files stored in the storage unit 17.

Next, the processing of the data processing apparatus 1 of this embodiment will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the processing of the data processing device. First, an existing document is optically read by the OCR 9. The data processing device 1
When image data of a document read by the OCR 9 is input via the / F unit 6 (n1), the input image is displayed on the display unit 4 (n2). As shown in FIG. 4, three windows are displayed on the display unit 4, and an original image is displayed in an original image display window 21. At this point, nothing is displayed in the recognition character display window 22 and the layout display window 23.

In this state, the user specifies a region for the original image displayed in the original image display window 21. The designation of the area may be performed by operating the mouse provided on the input unit 3 and dragging the designated area. When the area is specified (n3), the data processing device 1 identifies whether the specified area is a character area, a table area, or an image area (n4). Data processing device 1
Is determined to be a character area or a table area at n4,
Characters in the area are recognized by well-known pattern matching (n5), and the recognized character is converted into a character code (encoded into JIS code, ASCII code, or the like) to create character string data in the area (n6). In n5, font and character size (point number) which are character types
Is also recognized. On the other hand, if it is determined in n4 that the area is an image area, an image in the area is cut out and an image file in a bitmap format, a GIF format or the like is created (n7).
Thereafter, if the completion of the area designation is not instructed (n8),
Returning to n3, the designation of a new area is accepted, and the above processing is repeated.

When the user specifies the area, n
At 9 the layout editing process is started. FIG. 5 shows a display example of the display unit 4 when the designation of the area is completed. A region surrounded by a broken line in the original image display window 21 shown in FIG. 5 is a designated region. The character area is surrounded by a red broken line, the table area is surrounded by a blue broken line, and the image area is surrounded by a green broken line. Therefore, the user can easily recognize whether or not the type of the designated area is correctly identified from the color of the broken line. The designated area is given a recognition number. This figure shows a state where two image areas and one character area are designated. An arrow attached to the right of the recognition number in the designated character area indicates the reading direction (recognition direction) of the character string. In addition, the recognition character window 22 displays n for the specified character area.
The recognition results processed in steps 5 and n6 are displayed, and a rectangle is displayed in the layout display window 23 for each designated area.

The user confirms in the recognition character window 22 whether or not erroneous character recognition has occurred in the designated character area and table area. If there is any erroneously recognized character, it is corrected in this recognized character window 22. As a method of correcting a misrecognized character, the user may specify the misrecognized character and input the correct character from the keyboard, or display a character having a shape similar to the specified character as a candidate. Then, the user may be caused to select a correct character from the displayed candidates. A rectangle is displayed in the layout display window 23 for each of the designated regions as described above. A rectangle corresponding to the character region is red, a rectangle corresponding to the table region is blue, and a rectangle corresponding to the image region is green. Is displayed. In addition, a recognition number is given to the upper left of each rectangle, so that the user can easily recognize which rectangle corresponds to which area specified in the original image.

The user edits the layout edit window 23
The layout is edited by moving each of the rectangles displayed in the column to an arbitrary position with the mouse. Data processing device 1
When layout editing by the user is completed, rectangular layout data (layout data) in the layout display window 23, a character recognition result in a character area or a table area, table ruled line information in a table area, image data in an image area, etc. Then, a structured file in a hypertext format is created based on (n11). FIG.
Shows a display example when the structured file created in step (1) is output by a browser. As shown in FIG. 6, from an image read from an existing document, it is possible to obtain an output of a layout that suits the user's preference only in the area selected by the user himself.

When the creation of the structured file is completed in n11, the data processing device 1 collectively stores the image file read by the OCR 9, the character string data recognized in the character area and the table area, and the related files such as the image file in the image area. Then, a saving process is performed (n12). FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a display screen of the display unit 4 in the storage processing. As shown, a save window 25 is displayed on the display unit 4.
Is displayed to prompt the user to enter a file name. Here, the user inputs an object name as a file name. The data processing device 1 uses an image file read by the OCR 9, character string data recognized in a character area or a table area, an image file in an image area, or the like as a file name obtained by adding an appropriate file extension to an input object name. Save to a directory. For example, if the input object name is “OMRON”, the image file read by OCR is
MRON. bmp ”and the image file is“ OMRO
N. gif ”and the text file is“ OMRON. t
xt ”and“ OMRON.xt ”in the hypertext file.
"htm", etc., and an extension corresponding to the type of file, and save these files in the same directory. When there are a plurality of files of the same type (for example, when there are a plurality of image files), “OMRON1. g
if ”“ OMRON2. gif ”and the like are appended with a recognition number after the input file name and stored.

As described above, since the data is saved with an appropriate extension in accordance with the type of the file to be stored by the data processing apparatus 1, when the user saves the file, the user recognizes the type of the file and appropriately expands the file. There is no need to attach a child, and since a plurality of related files are stored collectively, the files can be easily stored.

The file stored in the storage unit 5 in the above processing is managed by the management unit 18. Hereinafter, file management in the management unit 18 will be described. The data processing apparatus 1 has a function of reducing (thumbnail display) a part of the document image read by the OCR 9 for each hypertext file stored and managed by the management unit 18.
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a display example of the display unit 4 on which the thumbnail display is performed. This figure shows an example in which the management unit 18 manages three hypertext files. As shown in the figure, since the original image read by the OCR 9 is displayed for each hypertext file managed by the management unit 18, the user sees the thumbnail display and saves and manages it by the management unit 18. You can easily check the contents of the existing hypertext file. Although a part of the original image is displayed in the window, the position of the original image displayed in the window can be set arbitrarily. Therefore, the user can set the position of the original image whose content is most easily determined. The position set here is stored and displayed when the image at the position set here is displayed as a thumbnail. Although the original image read by the OCR 9 is displayed as a thumbnail here, the image may be an image in an image area designated by the user in the above processing.

The original image stored and managed by the management unit 18 can be output to the area recognition unit 11 and a new hypertext file can be created using this image.
Thus, when re-editing the layout of a document once read by OCR, it is not necessary to read this document again by OCR, and operability in re-editing can be improved.

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention, the OC
A user can edit a document read by an image reading device such as R into a layout that suits his / her preference, and can create a structured file in which the layout is edited. Therefore, it is possible to easily create a structured file that meets the user's preference.

When a file is saved, a file extension corresponding to the data type is automatically added, so that the user does not need to input the file extension when saving the file. Therefore, the user can save the file without being aware of the data type of the file to be saved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a data processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing functions of a data processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a process of the data processing device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a display example on a display unit.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a display example on a display unit.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a display example on a display unit.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a display example on a display unit.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a display example on a display unit.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1-Data processing device 2-Control unit 3-Input unit 4-Display unit 5-Storage unit 6-Interface unit 9-OCR 11-Area recognition unit 12-Character recognition unit 13-Character coding unit 14-Image processing unit 15 -Layout editing unit 16-Hypertext unit 17-Storage unit 18-Management unit

Claims (10)

[Claims] A first step of processing an original image read by an image reading apparatus such as an OCR to identify each of the divided areas as a character area, a table area, or an image area; A second step of recognizing a character in the area identified as a character area or a table area in the first step and converting the character into a character code; and an image area in the first step. A third step of cutting out an image in the area and creating an image file in an appropriate format such as a bitmap format for the area identified as above, and setting the position for each area identified in the first step. A fourth step of performing layout editing to be replaced; and a fifth step of creating a structured file in a hypertext format or the like based on the layout edited in the fourth step. Recording medium recording the data processing program having a flop, a. 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of saving the image data of the original image, the result of character recognition, an image file, a structured file, and the like with a file extension corresponding to the data type. A recording medium that records a data processing program. 3. The recording according to claim 1, wherein the second step includes a step of recognizing a font as a character type and a point number as a character size. Medium. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second step includes a step of recognizing a ruled line in the table area.
Or a recording medium recording the data processing program according to any one of 3. 5. The data processing according to claim 1, further comprising a seventh step of reducing and displaying the original image for each structured file stored in the sixth step. A recording medium on which a program is recorded. 6. The original image file stored in the sixth step is read out, and the processing from the first step on is performed on the read original image.
Or a recording medium on which the data processing program according to any one of 5 is recorded. 7. An area identification unit that processes an original image read by an image reading apparatus such as an OCR and identifies each of the divided areas as a character area, a table area, or an image area; Character processing means for recognizing a character in the area identified as a character area or table area by the identification means and converting the character into a character code; and an area identified by the area identification means as an image area Image file creation means for creating an image file in an appropriate format such as a bitmap format by cutting out an image in the area, and editing the layout by replacing the position of each area identified by the area identification means. Layout editing means for creating a structured file in a hypertext format or the like based on the layout edited by the layout editing means. Data processing apparatus including of a file creation means. 8. A file storing means for storing image data of the original image, a result of character recognition, an image file, a structured file, etc. with a file extension corresponding to the data type. Data processing equipment. 9. An original image read by an image reading apparatus such as an OCR is processed to identify each of the divided areas as a character area, a table area, or an image area. For an area identified as being present, characters in the area are recognized and converted to character codes, and for an area identified as an image area, an image in the area is cut out and converted to a bitmap format or the like. A data processing method that creates an image file in an appropriate format, further accepts layout editing by replacing the position of each identified area, and creates a structured file in a hypertext format or the like based on the edited result of the layout. . 10. The data processing method according to claim 9, wherein image data of the original image, a result of character recognition, an image file, a structured file, and the like are saved with a file extension corresponding to the data type.