System for performing multiple processes on images of scanned documents

• US 5,889,896 A
• Filed: 12/27/1994
• Issued: 03/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Radian, Inc. (Leonardo S.p.A.), Powerscan, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Radian, Inc. (Leonardo S.p.A.)
• Inventors: Sherman, David, Hammond, James, Branche, Stan, Tighe, Kenneth, Fleischer, Timothy, Sweeting, Thomas, Meshinsky, John
• Primary Examiner(s): COUSO, YON JUNG
• Application Number:
  US08/365,605
• Time in Patent Office: 1,554 Days
• Field of Search: 382/305, 707/514, 707/10, 707/104
• US Class Current: 382/305
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/30 of unstructured textual data document management systems G06F16/93
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/00 Pattern recognition

Abstract

A plurality of node index records are created in a database containing stored scanned image data and related index files. The node index records are batched in accordance with a hierarchy of documents from which they were derived. The index node records are stored in a work queue which is divided into stages. The first stage of the work queue includes a system administrator connected to the database which identifies a work flow comprising several processes to be carried out on the node index records and related image files. A plurality of workstations networked to the database carry out the work flow process and upon completion of each process, restores the index node records to a lower stage of the work queue where subsequent processes are carried out by the networked computer workstations.

Claims

1. A system for processing scanned images comprising:

a database controller for receiving frames of scanned image data representing said scanned images, and an index file identifying each frame;

a database for storing said scanned image data and index file;

a system administrator coupled to said database controller for defining a job and batch of images for said job, a batch comprising a plurality of node index records created from said index file, said node index records being linked to form a hierarchy representing sets and subsets of said image frames, each level of said hierarchy including a node index record identifying related sets and subsets of said images, the lowest of said levels having a node index record representing a stored image, and for storing said node index records in a work queue location corresponding to a process to be carried out on said related images; and

,

a plurality of computer workstations connected to said database, each computer workstation including an application program for retrieving a node index record from said work queue, and a related image frame from said database, each workstation having a processing capability for modifying said related node index record and placing said modified node index record in said work queue at a location related to a subsequent process, wherein another workstation can retrieve said modified node index record and perform a subsequent process.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein said work queue locations are partitioned to correspond to a first batch of images which are to be visually inspected along with a related index node record which is to be marked with a flag when said images are determined to be of substandard quality, and are partitioned to correspond to a second batch of images which are to be subjected to optical character recognition.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein one of said workstations contains a format bridge which maps data contained in said related index node record to a retrieval device input file.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said system administrator assigns an operator to each job, and said database controller limits access to images and related records to said operator.

5. A system for performing multiple processes on scanned images simultaneously comprising:

a database controller for receiving frames of scanned image data and an index file identifying each scanned image;

a database for storing said scanned image data and index file;

a system administrator connected to said database controller, said system administrator defining a batch of linked records corresponding to each scanned image which is to be processed as a job, and storing said linked records in a first stage of a work queue;

a plurality of computer workstations connected to said database controller, a first of said workstations being programmed to retrieve and display said linked records and related images on said workstations, said workstation modifying said linked records and storing said linked records in a second stage of said database work queue;

a second computer workstation programmed to retrieve said linked records in said second stage of said database work queue and performing a second process on said linked records, and storing said linked records following said second process in a third stage of said database work queue; and

a third computer workstation connected to said database controller for retrieving data from records in said third stage of said database work queue, and being programmed to map said data to a retrieval device input file.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said administrator defines for each process an operator identity, and supplies said identity to said database controller which restricts transfers of said linked records to said operator.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein said administrator defines multiple jobs of different priorities, and stores batches of linked records relating to said jobs in a position in said work queue relating to said priorities.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said first workstation retrieves said batches of linked records on the basis of said priority.

9. The system according to claim 5, wherein said first computer workstation visually inspects each image in a batch contained in said first stage, and marks each related record of an image which is of poor quality with a flag indicating said image is to be reworked.

10. The system according to claim 5, wherein said first computer workstation manually adds information to said linked record, further identifying a related image.

11. The system of claim 5, wherein said first computer workstation issues a command to said database controller to correct for image skew of a displayed image.