JPS6375887A - Form transfer control method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To speed up a processing time by transferring a slip to a stopping position located immediately preceding to a distributing mechanism during the identification processing time in which a recognition processing part executes the identification processing based on image information. CONSTITUTION:The slip taken out of a hopper 1 is transferred by a transfer means 2 to a reading position A by the means 2 where a reading part 3 is located, and the part 3 reads image information such as characters or graphics on the slip. While the identification processing part 4 is executing the identification processing based on the read image information, the slip is further transferred to the determined stopping position B just before the distributing mechanism beforehand by the transfer means 2, and the slips are distributed to a stacker 6 by the distributing mechanism 5 based on the result of the identification processing executed by the identification processing part 4, to stored the slip.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] A form is identified based on image information processing such as optical character recognition for characters or figures attached to a form, and processes such as sorting of forms are performed according to the identification results. In the form sorting system, the processing speed of the form sorting system is improved by transporting the form to a stop position determined immediately before the sorting mechanism during the identification processing time for identifying the form.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention provides a form processing system for sorting a large number of forms, particularly a form sorting system that identifies forms based on optical character recognition. Concerning transfer control method.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, when performing a form sorting process, while a form is taken out from a hopper and transported to a sorting mechanism by a transport means, image information such as characters or figures attached to the form is transferred along the transport route. The document is read by a reading unit installed in the machine, the read image information is subjected to image information processing to identify the document, and the document is stored in a predetermined location in the stacker by a sorting mechanism according to the identification result. .

At this time, the form taken out from the hopper is first transported by the transport means to the reading position of the reading unit in the transport path, and its image information is read. It remains at this reading position until the recognition-based identification process is completed.

Thereafter, when the identification process is completed, the form is transferred from the reading position to the sorting mechanism and stored in the stacker by the sorting mechanism as described above.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

Although the sorting process that is normally performed on a large number of forms is automated as described above, it is desirable to shorten the processing time.

An object of the present invention is to shorten the time required for such document sorting processing.

[Means for solving problems]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a form sorting processing system to which the present invention is applied, in which a form taken out from a hopper 1 is transferred to a reading position A on this transport means where a reading section 3 is located.
The reading section 3 reads image information such as characters or figures attached to the document, and while the identification processing section 4 performs identification processing based on the read image information, the document is Further, the transfer means 2 transports the documents to a stop position B determined immediately before the distribution mechanism 5, and the distribution mechanism 5 distributes and stores the documents in the stacker 6 based on the result of the identification processing performed by the identification processing section 4. I decided to do so.

The control section 7 controls the drive of the transfer path and the system.

[For production]

It generally takes a lot of time to process image information such as optical character recognition of characters or figures attached to a form, especially handwritten characters, and it takes a long time for the form to be stored in a stacker after the image information is read. Since it is necessary to transport the form from the reading position to the sorting mechanism, it is necessary for the form sorting system to carry out the process of identifying the form, which performs image information processing, and transporting it to the sorting mechanism in parallel. Effective for improving speed.

〔Example〕

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the progress of one form sorting process by associating the elapsed time with each position on the form transfer path in FIG. 1. The operation of the embodiment will be explained with reference to .

When the control unit 7 outputs a reading command to start the document sorting process, the transfer means 2 takes out the document from the hopper 1, transports it to the reading position A, and stops the document at the reading position A. When the reading section 3 installed at reading position A detects that the form has been transferred to reading position A, it starts reading the characters attached to the form, and when the reading is completed, the reading is completed. is notified from the reading section 3 to the control section 7.

The image information of the characters read at this time is sent to the identification processing unit 4, which performs image information processing such as image extraction from the image information or character recognition, and also determines whether or not this character recognition is possible or creates a form based on the recognition result. Identification processing such as classification is performed.

On the other hand, when the control device 7 receives a notification from the reading section 3 that the Kamikita reading has been completed, it restarts the transfer of the form, and while the identification processing section 4 is performing the identification process, the control device 7 transfers the form from the reading position to the sorting mechanism 5. The document is transported to a stop position B immediately before the document, and the form is stopped at this stop position B.

Thereafter, when the identification processing of the identification processing section 4 is completed and the processing result is output to the sorting mechanism 5, the sorting mechanism 5, based on the result, assigns the stacker 6 a predetermined number corresponding to the processing result. The form is stored in a storage location, for example, each storage location corresponding to the classification of the form, or a location where the forms are stored when the form cannot be identified.

When a form is transferred in this way, the processing of that -time form follows the course shown by the solid line (a) in Figure 2, and in the conventional method described earlier, )
As it is clear from this figure, according to the present invention, the reading position A is lower than that of the conventional method.
The processing time can be shortened by the time required to transport from to stop position B.

In addition, in the above example, we have explained the case of a form sorting processing system in which the form is temporarily stopped at the reading position and the reading process is performed, but this reading process is a method in which the form is read while moving. Needless to say, in that case, the form may be passed through the reading position and transferred directly to the sorting mechanism.

Although the processing of - times of forms has been described above, this type of processing is normally performed on a large number of forms, and it is clear that in that case, the effect of shortening the processing time will be even greater.

, Furthermore, if the time required to transport from reading position A to stop position B is longer than the time required for identification processing, it goes without saying that the processing time can be shortened by the time required for identification processing. do not have.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, the form is transported to the position immediately in front of the sorting mechanism during the identification processing time, so that after the image information of the form is read every - times the form is processed. The processing speed can be increased by the time required to transport the material to the position of the sorting mechanism.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram explaining a form processing system to which the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the progress of the operation of the embodiment. 1 is a hopper, 2 is a transfer means, 3 is a reading section, 5 is a sorting mechanism, and 6 is a stacker.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] The document is transferred from the hopper (1) for storing the document to the sorting mechanism (5) by the transfer means (2), and during the transfer of the document, a reading section provided in the transfer path is provided. (3) reads the image information of the characters or figures attached to the form,
The identification processing unit (4) identifies the form based on the read image information, and the sorting mechanism (5)
), in which the above-mentioned form is stored in a predetermined storage location selected from a plurality of storage locations based on the identification result; A form transfer control system characterized in that the form is transferred to a stop position B determined immediately before the sorting mechanism during the specified time.