SE518643C2 - Handling of meta information - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and a method for transmitting image information acquired as a digital image file (6) in an image information acquiring operation by an image information acquiring means (5), to a data network (2). The system comprises an input device (4) for input of meta information regarding a selected image, which comprises image information acquirable by said image information acquiring means (5). Further it comprises means for connecting said meta information regarding said selected image to the digital image file (6) in connection with an image information acquiring operation whereby said image information acquiring means (5) acquires the image information of said selected image. It also comprises means for transmitting said meta information (18b) regarding said selected image and the digital image file (18a) to said data network (2).

Description

25 30 35 518 643 "2 file system before the extra information can be added. This method is inefficient for the user because it adds extra steps after the actual scanning procedure. It also requires access to a client station where the extra information can be added. 2 * However, there is another way to obtain the extra information, this can be achieved with the help of software that interprets the scanned document image and uses various image processing techniques and OCR (optical character recognition) to obtain the extra image information from the document itself. This method is very complex and resource-intensive. There may even be a need for servers to process the scanned document or image. The processing software must also know exactly how the various documents are formatted so that it can not automatically adapted to new documents.

EP 0 748 107 A2 describes a method for scanning to be able to extract the extra information. and add additional information. Information regarding a document to be scanned, written or printed according to this document on a form. The form is then scanned and the additional information is extracted using an image recognition technique. The information extraction is not as complex for the scanning device as when the information is extracted from the document itself, but an image processing is still required, which is why other problems are added. The scanning device must be able to sense that the paper it is scanning is an information form and therefore only a limited number of different embodiments of the form can be used. If a form is changed, in case any other information is needed, the scanning device must be reprogrammed in order to extract the information.

In the known techniques where extra information is added to the scanning procedure, the purpose of the extra 10 15 20 25 30 35 518 643 ¥? Š ¥ §ÜÉ_§f; f fi I '3 information is only to inform a computer about how to handle the digital image file . If a digital image file is transferred from a first user who retrieved the image to a second user, the second user will need to analyze the digital image file. The first user may want to add extra information for the second user to instruct the second user on what to do. This type of information must be added by the first user in an additional step when the digital image file is transferred to the second user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the invention is to remedy the above-mentioned problems and to provide opportunities for a user to enter in an appropriate manner additional information regarding a digital image file at the time of an image acquisition operation.

This is achieved by providing a system according to claim 1 or by a method according to claim 9.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention are defined in the dependent claims 2-8 and 10-14.

Thus, a system is provided which connects an image information retrieval means to an image information transmission network, which is acquired in the form of a digital image file by an image information retrieval operation by said image information retrieval means, to said image information retrieval means. computer networks. The system comprises an input device for inputting meta-information regarding a selected image, which comprises image information obtainable by means of said means for obtaining image information, means for coupling said meta-information regarding said selected image to the digital image file in connection with an operation. for retrieving image information, said image information retrieving means retrieving the image information of said selected 10 15 20 25 30 35 518 643 now. u n ø. . . o o. c. . ° 4 image, and means for transmitting said meta-information regarding said selected image and of the digital image file to said data network.

The meta information is additional information about the image, its content or any other information related to this specific document. This meta4 information can be used to control how the digital image file is handled by another user or device, such as a database, file server, computer, etc. It is therefore convenient that the user transferring a digital image file adds meta information to it, in order to enable the file to be handled correctly at a later time. the processing of the digital image file and enables the Meta information also simplifies the later automatic handling without resource requirements as no new instructions for the digital image file need to be added.

This system enables a user to enter the meta information to be linked to the digital image file at the time and place of the image acquisition operation. No extra inconveniences are added and data processing is reduced. A user who wants to transfer a document to a recipient who needs instructions on how to handle the document can perform the image acquisition, transfer and instruction in one step.

In a preferred embodiment, the system comprises further means for requesting the input of said meta-information available for a selected image.

This results in the system being able to easily interpret the meta information because it knows what information is requested when an entry is made. Furthermore, this is of great help to the user, who thereby gets to know what information is needed regarding the digital image file.

In another preferred embodiment, the system further comprises means for utilizing a control file for dynamically controlling the request of the meta information. 10 15 20 25 30 35 518 643 u .. v o u. . . v o ': ø I. 5 In this way, the information requested by the system can be easily varied in countless ways to suit different image files or destination applications.

In yet another preferred embodiment, the means for utilizing a dynamic control control file in response to an input destination of the digital image file is arranged to request meta information according to the requirements of said input destination.

The request for the meta-information can be controlled in such a way that if the user enters a specific destination for the digital image file, specific requirements are made that suit the destination.

In yet another preferred embodiment, the system further comprises means for controlling the format of the meta-information transmitted to the data network.

This makes the files sent over the network compatible for the destinations and the user does not have to adapt the information format. The system may use some input information to determine the format in which the meta-information is to be transmitted. The objects of the invention are also achieved by a method for providing image information with meta-information, which image information is obtainable in the form of a digital image file from a selected image by means of a means for obtaining image information, comprising the steps of, in connection with an operation for retrieving image information, requesting meta-information regarding the selected image, entering, in response to the request, the meta-information by means of an input device, coupling said meta-information regarding said selected image to the digital image file, and transmitting said meta-information regarding said selected image and said image information obtained in the form of a digital image file. This method enables a user to access said data network. enter the meta information to be linked to the digital image file at the time and place of the image acquisition operation. No extra inconveniences are added and data processing is reduced. A user who wants to transfer a document to a recipient who needs instructions on how to handle the document can perform the image retrieval, transfer and instruction in one step. An advantage of requesting the meta information is also that the system has no problem in determining the type of information to be entered and that the user does not have to remember any order in which specific data must be entered.

Preferably, the image information is obtained by means of a scanning device.

One scenario where this may be useful is if a user scans a document at a scanning device such as a digital copier, scanner or multifunction device (MFP) then the user could attach some additional information to the image. For example, if an invoice is scanned, the user could link an invoice number and last payment date to the image. This linked meta-information can then, for example, be used by various applications such as an accounting program or to store it in a database server under a unique name.

In a preferred embodiment, the method further comprises the step of utilizing a control file for dynamically controlling the request of the meta information.

This means that a control can be made so that a user enters the meta information needed for the digital image file. The request for information may also depend on what the user enters. For example, a specific destination for the digital image file could be entered by the user and these requests could then be made to adapt the information to an application at the destination.

In another preferred embodiment, the control file is editable for an administrator.

This means that an administrator can control the request of information to suit, for example, the needs of an application. n. v. 7 cation or person. This allows each administrator to customize the request for information to fit the data network.

In yet another preferred embodiment, the method further comprises the step of controlling the format of the meta-information transmitted to the data network.

This is advantageous because the information and the digital image file can thus be captured to suit the destination application, which may have very different needs depending on whether it is an e-mail recipient or a database.

Preferably, the method further comprises the step of validating the entered information.

In this way, the information can be controlled so that it is in the correct format. For example, if an amount is requested, the validation would ensure that the information entered is a number.

Brief Description of the Drawings The invention will now be described in more detail by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a data network with different applications which includes the system according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a schematic view of an implementation of the system according to the invention.

Fig. 3 is a schematic view of a working method according to the invention.

Detailed Description of a Preferred Embodiment Fig. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of a system 1 according to the invention, which is connected to a network 2. The system 1 comprises a network document server (NDS) 3, an input device 4 and a connection to a network. means 5 for collecting image information.

The system further comprises a means for requesting 1018 20 25 30 35 518 643 v n. n | now 0 n 8 information regarding the image information. This means 5 for capturing image information is in most cases a scanner, but it could also be a digital copier, a fax machine, a digital camera, etc. The input device 4 can be any type of input device, e.g. a keyboard or a pen scanner, and the information can be entered by simply entering data or by selecting it from a list presented in connection with a request. The means for requesting information may be some type of monitor or a speech device for requesting information by voice.

The NDS 3 is the heart of the system 1 and connects the scanner to a data network 2. The NDS 3 can either be built into the scanner 5 or be a separate device located in the vicinity of the scanner 5.

The NDS 3 handles information which it has received from the scanner 5 and the input device 4 and further handles transmissions to the data network 2.

The functionality of the NDS 3 will now be described in detail with reference to Fig. 2. The NDS 3 receives image information 6 from the image information retrieval means 4 in the form of a digital image file.

A control file 7 controls which data is to be entered into the meta information and controls the interaction between the NDS 3 and a user. This control file 7 has been retrieved by the NDS 3 from an FTP, HTTP, database or generic. then analyzes the control file 7, derers it and creates an object model representation 8 of the control file 7. From this object model representation 8, the NDS 3 will request meta information from the user 12. The meta information is added information regarding the digital image file 6, such as which destination it is to be transferred to , what type of information the digital image file 6 contains, how the information is to be interpreted, etc.

XML (eXtensible Markup Language) is used as the language to define the requested meta information. A definition file 9 or an XML schema is used to specify the syntax of the control file 7 format. The control file 7 must follow the conventions defined in the definition file 9 or in the XML schema. The definition file 9 or in the XML schema is used for analysis and validation of the control file 7. The definition file 9 can describe processes and flows, and not just documents, through the use of XML. This is used to enable a description of how the method for entering meta-information for the user should work.

A system administrator can create or change the control file 7. The control file 7 can then be downloaded to the NDS 3 so that the NDS 3 is adapted to be able to request new meta-information. However, the control file 7 can also be downloaded directly from a destination that the user has selected for the digital image file 6. This presupposes, of course, that the selected destination maintains a service for providing the NDS 3 with a control file 7.

The object model representation 8 dynamically controls which information is requested. Depending on the information entered by the user, different meta-information is requested. This ensures that the meta information includes the information that a recipient of the digital image file 6 needs. This also makes it possible to limit the information of the meta-information to useful information. In a preferred embodiment, the requested information is dependent on a selected destination for the digital image file 6. If several destinations are selected, meta information is requested for all the destinations.

The meta information can be transmitted in a format that allows different applications at the destinations to adapt the information to their needs. The NDS 3 can transmit all the meta information in different sections to all the destinations. To make the meta information adaptable to different applications. The destination applications then read the specific sections of the meta-information they are interested in and ignore the other sections.

The requests are presented to the user by means of means 14 for requesting the entry of the meta-information.

The meta information is entered by a user by means of the input device 4. The NDS 3 receives the meta information and validates it by means of an input validator 16. This means that a check is made that the correct type of information is entered, eg a value within a valid range. The input of meta information can be performed either before, during or after image acquisition. It is also possible to design the system so that image acquisition is prevented until the meta information has been entered.

The system administrator can also arrange the control file 7 so that it adds some extra meta-information automatically. This can be any type of information that the NDS 3 can access without extensive processing, such as a timestamp for the scan, the size of the digital image file 6 or a name of the scanner 5 that produced the digital image file 6.

When the NDS 3 has received a digital image file 6 and all the meta information has been entered, the NDS 3 connects the meta information 18b to the digital image file 18a.

The meta information 18b may be enclosed in the same file as the digital image file 18a, which is referred to as 18 in Fig. 2, but it may also be in a file separate from the digital image file 18a. If the meta information 18b is in a separate file, the meta information is preferably supplemented with a pointer to the image file.

The NDS 3 transmits the digital image file 18a and the meta information 18b to a selected destination on a data network 2. This destination is not necessarily the same for the digital image file 18a as for the meta run and the information 188, for example, the digital image file 18a can be transferred to a special directory on a file server while the meta information 18b is transferred to another directory on another file server.

The components shown as internal NDS components in Fig. 2 can also be external components that can be accessed via a network when needed.

A process utilizing the invention is described below with reference to Fig. 3. In step 101, the administrator writes a control file 7 and in step 102, the administrator places the control file 7 on a server. In step 103, the administrator configures the NDS 3 to receive the control file 7.

Thereafter, the NDS 3 receives the control file in step 104.

The control file 7 is then processed by the NDS 3 in step 105.

During processing, the control file 7 is analyzed and validated, and if the control file 7 is not correct, an error information is sent to an administrator interface and the control file 7 is ignored, step 106. The administrator corrects the control file 7 in step 107 and then returns the process to step 102.

If the control file 107 is found to be correct in step 105, the control file 7 can be used to control the request for meta-information in the NDS 3. In connection with an operation for retrieving image information, the user is then asked to enter meta-information. The information requested is marked on an NDS display in step 108. In step 109, the user enters a value that is reviewed according to a specification in control file 7 in step 110. If the value is not correct, the process returns to step 108.

If a correct value is entered in step 110, the NDS 3 examines, is requested according to the control file 7. If so, returns in step 111, whether more information should the process to step 108, otherwise in step 112 an output file is created which includes the meta information. Some additional meta-information can be added automatically to the output file. This is information that the NDS 3 can eat without extensive processing, such as a timestamp for 10 15 20 25 30 35 C 0 -la o o 'v! a 518 643 -Hzu-- ~ ¿fl. ~~ - - - -. n V v u, v v-; "I 1 |. '' Ua _ -u.. O; -., '' II un. 0 roc..,,. .. 12 scan, the size of the digital image file 6 or a name of the scanner 5 that produced the digital image file 6. The control file 7 contains a specification of the format of the output file which corresponds to a format requested by a destination of the output file.The output file is then sent to the destination in step 113. 3 'Finally, in step 114, the meta information If so, the NDS 3 may be designed to restart in step 108 to request the user to provide the information required for the destination. In all such cases, the NDS 3 creates a new output file in step 112 for the next destination. The output file is then prepared to be compatible with the destination application. destinations in step 114, the process is complete.

A specific application of the invention will be described in the following. This application is an example of how the system can be used and it relates to invoice management. In a company, many different people can receive invoices. However, all invoices are handled by the same department or can even be handled by accounting software. When a person receives an invoice, it must be sent to the invoice manager. The invoice manager wants to receive specific information regarding the invoice so that a further analysis of the invoice can be avoided. This information can be an invoice number, a date of payment and the name of an orderer.

The system administrator designs a control file for a system according to the invention so that the specific information needed by the invoice manager is requested from a user when the invoice manager is selected as the destination for a scanned document. The administrator provides an attribute to the information regarding whether it is requested, optional or hidden information. If the information is requested otherwise. 1 1 use ... 10 15 20 25 30 518 643 x 13 the user must enter the information to be able to send the document, while if the information is optional, it is optional for the user to enter the information.

If the information is hidden, the user does not see that the information has been added, it is thus obtained automatically. Furthermore, the administrator sets a pattern for checking the lexical accuracy of an entered value. In this case, the invoice number can be set to be a five-digit number, the payment date is set to be a date in the form DD / MM / YYYY and the name is set to be a free text.

The person receiving the invoice scans the invoice at a scanning device equipped with the system according to the invention for transferring a scanned document to the invoice manager. During the scanning step, the person is asked for meta information regarding the invoice. As the person enters the invoice manager as the destination for the scanned document, the dynamic control of the request will ensure that the person is prompted to enter the specific information that the invoice manager needs. When all the requested information has been entered, the scanned document is sent together with the meta information to the destination. The recipient then has all the information he needs for the further processing of the document.

It should be emphasized that the preferred embodiment described herein is in no way limiting and that many alternative embodiments are possible within the scope of the protection defined by the appended claims.

For example, languages other than XML can be used to define the necessary information. u .ann-

Claims (14)

10 15 20 25 30 35 518 643 14 PATENT REQUIREMENTS A system for connecting a means for capturing image information to a data network for transmitting image information, which is acquired in the form of a digital image file by an operation for obtaining image information by means of said means for obtaining image information, to said data network, which system comprises an input device for inputting meta-information regarding a selected image, which comprises image information obtainable by means of said image information acquisition means, means for coupling said meta-information regarding said selected image to the digital image file in connection with an image information retrieval operation, wherein said image information retrieval means retrieves image image information of said selected image, and means for transmitting said meta-information regarding said selected image and the digital image file to said image information. computer networks. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for collecting image information comprises a scanning device. The system of claim 1 or 2, further comprising means for requesting input of said meta-information corresponding to a selected image. The system of claim 3, further comprising means for utilizing a control file for dynamically controlling said request for meta-information. The system of claim 4, wherein the means for utilizing a dynamic control control file in response to an input destination for the digital image file is arranged to request meta information in accordance with the requirements of said input destination. A system according to any one of claims 1-5, further comprising means for controlling the format of the meta-information transmitted to the data network. n nu. 10 15 20 25 30 518 643 a un: ,, 15 A system according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein the input device is a keyboard. A system according to any one of claims 3-5, further comprising means for displaying requests. 9. A method of providing image information with meta-information, which image information is obtainable in the form of a digital image file from a selected image by means of a means for obtaining image information, comprising the steps of, in connection with an operation for retrieving of image information, requesting meta-information regarding the selected image, entering, in response to said request, the meta-information by means of an input device, coupling said meta-information regarding said selected image to the digital image file, and transmitting said meta-information regarding said selected image and said image information, which is obtained in the form of a digital image file, to said data network. 10. collected The grasping method according to claim 9, wherein the image information by means of a scanning device. Method according to claim 9 or 10, further the step of using a control file for dynamic control of said request for meta-information. 12. editable for an administrator. Comprising the step of controlling the format of the meta-Method according to claim 11, wherein the control file is the Method according to any one of claims 9-12, further the information transmitted to the data network. The method of any of claims 9-13, further comprising the step of validating the input information. »O en '