JPH02268384A - Optical character reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To efficiently input characters, etc., using a slip by reading picture information stored based on read picture designation information and generating a read result composed of read-out picture information and read-in picture information. CONSTITUTION:A registration data slip 20 is read by a slip read mechanism part and stored to a sheet buffer 12. A control part 11 reads FC information from an FC information storage part 14 and a recognition part 13 recognizes registered data based on the FC information. Then, a recognized result is stored to a registered data storage part 15. Next, a general slip 30 is read and stored to the sheet buffer 12. The control part 11 reads the registered data of the registered data storage part 14 based on the FC information of the FC information storage part 14. Based on the read registered data and the general slip data of the sheet buffer 12, registered data B are inserted between character data D and E, for example, and registered data C are inserted between character data E and F. Then, registered data A are attached to the back of the character data F and outputted to an output part 15.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a character reading device that reads characters written on a form.

(Prior Art) Generally, in a form on which character reading processing is performed by an optical character reading device, a position (reading field) where characters are written is set in advance, and the position is indicated by a field frame or the like. Furthermore, information indicating the position of a reading field in which characters are written on a form is set in advance in the optical character reading device. An optical character reading device detects a character pattern from a form image obtained by optically scanning a form based on information indicating the position of a preset reading field, and performs character recognition processing on this character pattern. is being carried out.

Further, the optical character reading device has a function of detecting an image within a specific area provided on a form and transmitting the image.

(Problem to be solved by the invention@) Conventionally, optical character reading devices have handled recognition results obtained by character recognition processing for each form. For this reason, forms have been designed so that relevant information can be written on one sheet.

Furthermore, even when multiple forms have common content, the same content is written in each form and character reading processing is performed.

Therefore, if multiple documents have common content,
Work efficiency was poor because the same work had to be done for each form.

Further, since there is a limit to the size of a form, the information that can be input by reading one form is limited according to the size of the form.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide an optical character reading device that can efficiently input characters, images, etc. using a form.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention provides the reading method from a first form in which image designation information corresponding to an image written in at least one reading area is written. A first form reading means for reading the image written in the area and the image designation information; and a correspondence between the image information of the image read by the first form reading means and the image designation information corresponding to the same image. It is equipped with a storage means for storing it. Further, from a second form on which image designation information for specifying the image information obtained from the image written in at least one reading area and the first form is written, the image written in the reading area is a second form reading means for reading the image entered in the image and the image designation information, and reading out the image information stored in the storage means based on the image designation information read by the second form reading means. It is equipped with image information reading means. Then, a reading result consisting of the image information read by the image information reading means and the image information of the image read by the second form reading means is generated, and this reading result is used as the reading result of the second form. It is configured so that.

(Function) In the optical character reading device configured in this manner, image information to be added to the reading result of an image of characters, etc. written on the second form causes the first form to be read. It is stored in advance by Then, pre-stored image information is read out based on the image designation information obtained when reading processing is performed on the second form, and the image information and the image information of the image entered in the second form are read out. A reading result consisting of is generated.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an optical character reading device according to the same embodiment. In the figure, a control section 11 controls each section constituting the optical character reading device. The control unit 11 causes a not-illustrated form reading mechanism unit to detect a form image by optically scanning a form to be subjected to character reading processing. In the form reading mechanism section,
A sheet buffer 12 for storing one detected form image is connected. sheet buffer 1
2 is connected to a recognition unit 13 that cuts out a character pattern for one character from the stored form image based on format control information (hereinafter referred to as FC information) to be described later and performs character recognition processing. The recognition unit I3 is connected to the control unit 11.The control unit 11 has 1, an FC information storage unit 14 for storing FC information, and a registration-F for storing registration data read from a registration data form to be described later.
- data storage section 15 and character reading result 1 read from the form
An output unit IB to which images and the like are output is connected. F.C.
The information storage unit 14 stores FCRJ information used in the process of reading characters from a form. FC information is
Before executing the character reading process, each time the information entered in the FC definition sheet for FC information registration is read,
It is generated by the control unit 11. The FC information includes information indicating the position of a reading target area such as a reading field provided in a form to be processed, information regarding characters written in each reading field, and the like. The registration data storage unit 15 stores image information including characters written in the reading area of the registration data form in association with a registration number specifying the information written in each area. The output unit 1G stores and displays two images of character reading results obtained by performing character reading processing on a form.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the registered data form 20 used in the same embodiment. Registration data form 20
ID1m is where the number (ID) for document identification is entered.
121 is provided. The form 20 also includes three registration areas 22 to 24, and registration numbers 11125 to 11125 for entering registration numbers corresponding to each registration area 22 to 24.
27 are provided. Here, registration areas 22 to 24
The contents of the registration data entered in will be explained as registration data A to C, respectively.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a general form 30 used in the same embodiment. In the general form 30, an ID field 31 in which a form identification number (ID) is entered is provided at the same position as the 10th field 21 in the registration data form 20. The same form 30 also has three reading fields 32 to 34, and a line position between each reading field (i.e., registered data insertion position) for writing a registration number to specify the registered data entered in the registered data form. Registration number designation columns 35 to 37 are provided. Here, the characters written in the reading fields 32 to 34 will be explained as written character data DF, respectively.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

First, before executing the character reading process, FC information regarding various forms is set in advance. This FC information information includes information indicating the position of the ID field provided in common for forms subject to character reading processing, the positions of registration areas 22 to 24 regarding the registered data form 20, and the positions of registration number fields 25 to 27. Reading field 32 regarding information shown and general form 3°
34 and information indicating the positions of registration number designation columns 35 to 37 are included.

In the registration data form 20, registration data (characters, images, etc.) commonly used in the plurality of general forms 3o is entered in a plurality of registration areas 22-24. Also, registration area 2
The registration numbers specifying the information entered in 2 to 24 are entered in the registration numbers [25 to 27] corresponding to each registration area.

The registration numbers entered in the registration number columns 25 to 27 can be arbitrarily specified.

On the other hand, in the general form 30, if registered data related to the input character data entered in the reading fields 32 to 34 of the same form 3o is written in the registration areas 22 to 24 of the registered data form 2o, A registration number designating the registration data is entered in a predetermined registration number designation field. That is, in FIG. ” is entered in the registration number designation column 35. Similarly, read field 33.
Is the registration number "3" specifying that the registration data C is inserted between the input character data E and F written in 34 a registration number designation? 1I3B, and a registration number “1” designating that the registration data A is to be added to the input character data F written in the reading field 34 is written in the registration number designation column 37.

First, a reading process is performed on the registered data book M2o. First, the registered data form 2o is optically scanned by a form reading mechanism (not shown) to detect a form image. The form image detected by the form reading mechanism is stored in the sheet buffer 2. When the form image is stored in the sheet buffer 12, the control unit 11
The FC information for ID reading is read from the FC information storage unit 14 and transferred to the recognition unit 13. The recognition unit 13 is the control unit 1
Based on the FC information given from 1, the character pattern of the character "01" written in the ID column 21 is recognized from the form image stored in the sheet buffer 12, and this recognition result is transferred to the control unit 11. . The control unit 11 is the recognition unit 1
Based on the recognition result obtained in step 3, the type of the read form is determined. That is, it is determined that the read form is the registered data form 20 in which the ID number "01" is written. The control unit 11 receives an ID number “01” indicating the registered data form 2o.
Registration areas 22 to 24 and registration number column 25 corresponding to
FC information for reading information such as characters written in 27 is read from the FC information storage unit 14 and transferred to the recognition unit 13. The recognition unit 13 recognizes the FC transferred from the control unit 11.
Based on the information, recognition processing is sequentially performed on the registration numbers entered in the registration number columns 25-27 and the registration data entered in the registration areas 25-27. The recognition unit 13 is an FC
The recognition result for the area specified by the information is transferred to the control unit 11. The control unit 11 stores the registration number and the registration data recognition result from the recognition unit 13 in the registration data storage unit 15 in association with each other. That is, the registration data A entered in the registration area is associated with the registration number "1", and in the same way, the registration data B is associated with the registration number "2", and the registration data C is associated with the registration number "3". , is stored in the registered data storage section 15.

Next, a reading process is performed on the general form 30.

The general form 30 is usually read as a batch of a plurality of sheets. First, a form reading mechanism (not shown) optically scans one form in the batch, and stores the form image in the sheet buffer 12.

The control unit 11 reads FC information for ID reading from the FC information storage unit 14 and transfers it to the recognition unit 13. Recognition part 1
3 is based on the FC information given from the control unit 11,
From the form image stored in the sheet buffer 12, I
The character pattern of the character "02" written in the D column 21 is recognized, and the recognition result is transferred to the control unit 11. Control part 1
1 determines the type of the read form from the recognition result by the recognition unit 13. That is, it is determined that the read form is the registered data form 30 in which the ID number "02" is written. The control unit 11 displays an I indicating the registered data form 30.
Reading fields 32 to 34 corresponding to D number “02”
, and FC information for reading information such as characters written in the registration number designation columns 35 to 37, is read from the FC information storage section 14 and transferred to the recognition section 13. The recognition unit 13 performs recognition processing on the written character data written in the reading field 32 based on the FC information transferred from the control unit 11, and transfers the recognition result to the control unit 11. Next, the recognition unit 13 performs recognition processing on the characters of the registration number “2” entered in the registration number designation field 35 and transfers the recognition result to the control unit 11. The control unit 11 reads the registration data stored in the registration data storage unit 15 according to the registration number entered in the registration number designation column 35. That is, the control unit 11 reads the registration data A corresponding to the registration number "2". The control unit 11 edits the reading result for the reading field 32 (entered character data D) and the registered data A as continuous information. In this way, the entered character data E and F entered in the reading field 33.34 and the registration number r3J entered in the reading number designation field 36.37.
The reading process is performed sequentially for rlJ. Then, the registered data C and A corresponding to the registration numbers r3J rlJ are sequentially read out from the registered data storage section 15 and edited in association with the entered character data E and F. That is, by pre-storing the registered data using the registered data form 20 and then performing the reading process on the general form 30, it is possible to obtain the reading result for the form as shown in FIG. 4 above. The form shown in Figure 4 has character data D and E.
Registration data B is inserted in between, registration data C is inserted between input character data E and F, and registration data A is added to input character data F. The control unit 11 is
The reading result in which the written character data written on the general form 30 and the registered data written on the registered data form 20 are mixed is transferred to the output section IO. The output unit 16 displays and stores the reading results.

In this way, the reading process is performed sequentially for the general forms 30 treated as a batch. The registration number entered in the registration number designation columns 35 to 37 of each general form 30 can be arbitrarily selected. Furthermore, if the registration number designation fields 35 to 37 are left blank, it is assumed that no registration data has been inserted.

In addition, the registration number designation column 35~ provided in the general form 30
Since the reading position can be designated by the FC information, the position 37 can be provided at a position other than between each reading field. For example, if a registration number specification field is provided in a specific line, it is necessary to set which registration number specification field is used to specify at which position between the reading fields the registration data is inserted. This is possible by setting the

Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the number of registered data and the number of registration number designation columns provided in the general form 30 are made to match, but they do not need to be made to match. For example, registration data form 2
By storing a large number of registered data in advance using 0 and arbitrarily selecting specific data from the plurality of registered data for each general form 30, it is possible to read a mixture of written character data written in the reading field and registered data. You can have more freedom when editing results.

In this way, content common to a plurality of forms can be registered in advance using the registration data form, so it is possible to save the effort of filling in common content in each form. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate the need for character reading processing that is performed for each form for common content, and thus it is possible to shorten the processing time.

Furthermore, since it is possible to internally add registered data that has been registered in advance using the registered data form 20 to the input character data entered on the general form 30, the amount of information that cannot be input using one general form can be avoided. However, the appearance is top 1
Entry can be made using multiple forms.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, registered data is stored in advance in a registered pig form, and entries made in the general form are registered based on the registration number specifying the registered data entered in the general form. Character data and pre-stored registration data are combined into 1
Since it is edited and output as the reading result of a sheet of paper, it is possible to efficiently input characters, images, etc. using the paper.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the structure of an optical character reading device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the structure of a registered data form in the same embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a general diagram showing the structure of a registered data form in the same embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the structure of a form to be read, which corresponds to the reading result. 11... Control unit, 12... Sheet buffer, 13.
... Recognition unit, 14... FC information storage unit, 15... Registration data storage unit, 16... Output unit. Applicant's agent Patent attorney Takehiko Suzue

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] In an optical character reading device that reads an image of characters, etc. written in at least one reading area provided in a document to be subjected to character reading processing, a first form reading means for reading an image written in the reading area and the image designation information from a first form in which image designation information corresponding to the image written in the image is written; storage means for storing image information of an image read by the reading means and image designation information corresponding to the image in association with each other; and storing the image written in at least one reading area and the first a second form reading means for reading the image written in the reading area and the image specification information from a second form on which image specification information for specifying the image information obtained from the form is written; image information reading means for reading out the image information stored in the storage means based on the image designation information read by the second form reading means; reading result generation means for generating a reading result consisting of image information of the image read by the second form reading means; An optical character reading device characterized by: