Image processing apparatus, method thereof, and its control method

• US 20060114485A1
• Filed: 11/29/2005
• Published: 06/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Sato, Mineko
• Granted Patent: US 7,961,950 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.130
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/56 having vectorial format
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/10 Character recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1448 based on markings or identifiers characterising the document or the area
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/245 Font recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/413 Classification of content, e.g. text, photographs or tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2179 Interfaces allowing access to a plurality of users, e.g. connection to electronic image libraries
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32133 on the same paper sheet, e.g. a facsimile page header
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4413 involving the use of passwords, ID codes or the like, e.g. PIN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4433 to an apparatus, part of an apparatus or an apparatus function
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3249 data relating to a linked page or object, e.g. hyperlink
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3295 Deletion of stored data; Preventing such deletion

Abstract

Along with digitization of information, it has become more easy to share and use information over a broad range. It is very important to manage digital documents and documents obtained by printing the digital documents. After completion of a conference, each participant makes an MFP read a document image of a distributed reference. The MFP searches for a data file which matches the read document image with reference to information in a storage unit, and deletes the detected data file. If the number of pages of the read image is short, the data file cannot be detected, or the read document image shows a partial loss, the MFP generates a warning. Upon reception of a collection completion message, the MFP checks with reference to information in the storage unit if all data files associated with the conference are deleted. If a data file to be deleted still remains and that data file is printed, the MFP generates a warning.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

a reader, arranged to read an image of a document;

a printer, arranged to print a digital document on a print medium; and

a controller, arranged to supply a digital document which corresponds to a user and is stored in a memory to said printer, and to search for a digital document which corresponds to the image supplied from said reader and is stored in the memory.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a converter, arranged to convert a digital document to be stored in the memory and the image supplied from the reader into vector data, wherein said controller executes the search by comparing the vector data.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a segmentation section, arranged to segment, into blocks, a digital document to be stored in the memory and the image supplied from the reader;

a converter, arranged to convert the respective segmented blocks into vector data; and

a comparator, arranged to compare the vector data for each block to calculate a similarity, wherein said controller executes the search based on the similarity.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said controller deletes the digital document detected by the search from the memory.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said controller determines that a digital document, an image of which is not supplied from said reader after the digital document is supplied to said printer, and which is stored in the memory, is uncollected, and informs information associated with the uncollected digital document.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein when the shortage of the number of pages of the image supplied from said reader, a partial loss of the image, or non-detection of the search occurs, said controller informs a message that advices accordingly.

7. A method of controlling an image processing apparatus which comprises a reader and a printer, said method comprising the steps of:

printing a digital document, which corresponds to a user and is stored in a memory, on a print medium by controlling the printer;

reading an image of a document by controlling the reader; and

searching for a digital document which corresponds to the read image and is stored in the memory.

8. An image processing method comprising the steps of:

reading an image of a document;

vector-converting the read image;

searching for a file using the vector-converted image; and

deleting a file detected by the search.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of informing, when a file corresponding to the image cannot be detected or when the image shows a partial loss, a message that advices accordingly.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the informing step utilizes an e-mail message or a display.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the document is a reference for a conference, and said method further comprises the steps of:

reading an image of a document held by a participant of the conference; and

deleting a file corresponding to the read image, and informing a message that advices accordingly.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

checking if a file to be deleted for the conference still remains after deletion of the file; and

checking, when the file to be deleted still remains, a print history of the file.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of informing, when the print history records that the file has already been printed, a message indicating that a document corresponding to the file to be deleted is uncollected.

14. A computer program for a method of controlling an image processing apparatus which comprises a reader and a printer, said method comprising the steps of:

printing a digital document, which corresponds to a user and is stored in a memory, on a print medium by controlling the printer; and

reading an image of a document by controlling the reader, and searching for a digital document which corresponds to the read image and is stored in the memory.

15. A computer program product stored on a computer readable medium comprising program code for executing a method of controlling an image processing apparatus which comprises a reader and a printer, said method comprising the steps of:

printing a digital document, which corresponds to a user and is stored in a memory, on a print medium by controlling the printer; and

reading an image of a document by controlling the reader, and searching for a digital document which corresponds to the read image and is stored in the memory.

16. A computer program for an image processing method, said method comprising the steps of:

reading an image of a document;

vector-converting the read image;

searching for a file using the vector-converted image; and

deleting a file detected by the search.

17. A computer program product stored on a computer readable medium comprising program code for executing an image processing method, said method comprising the steps of:

reading an image of a document;

vector-converting the read image;

searching for a file using the vector-converted image; and

deleting a file detected by the search.