Content-based filing and retrieval system for name cards and hankos
First Claim
1. A document filing and retrieval apparatus comprising:
- means for scanning a first name card to produce a first electronic representation, said first name card comprising at least one graphic image;
means for extracting a first plurality of features from said first electronic representation, said first plurality of features being extracted from said at least one graphic image;
means for scanning a first document to produce a first electronic representation of said first document;
means for storing said first electronic representation of said first document in an electronic document repository;
means for storing said first plurality of features;
means for associating said first plurality of features with said first electronic representation of said first document;
means for scanning a second name card to produce a second electronic representation, said second name card comprising at least one graphic image;
means for extracting a second plurality of features from said second electronic representation, said second plurality of features being extracted from said at least one graphic image;
means for matching said second plurality of features with said first plurality of features, said means capable of determining whether said first plurality of features match said second plurality of features; and
means for retrieving said first electronic representation of said first document associated with said first plurality of features if said means for matching determines that said first plurality of features matches said second plurality of features.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In an improved filing and retrieval system, documents associated with a name card are scanned for electronic storage, the name card is scanned for electronic storage of its image and the electronic version of the document is associated with the electronic version of the name card. The name card is then stored in a name card file, usually a conventional name card storage system. When retrieval of a document associated with a particular name card is desired, the name card is obtained from the name card file, scanned, and the scanned image is matched to the previously stored scanned image of the name card. Once the correct name card is identified electronically, the associated documents are retrieved.
129 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A document filing and retrieval apparatus comprising:
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means for scanning a first name card to produce a first electronic representation, said first name card comprising at least one graphic image; means for extracting a first plurality of features from said first electronic representation, said first plurality of features being extracted from said at least one graphic image; means for scanning a first document to produce a first electronic representation of said first document; means for storing said first electronic representation of said first document in an electronic document repository; means for storing said first plurality of features; means for associating said first plurality of features with said first electronic representation of said first document; means for scanning a second name card to produce a second electronic representation, said second name card comprising at least one graphic image; means for extracting a second plurality of features from said second electronic representation, said second plurality of features being extracted from said at least one graphic image; means for matching said second plurality of features with said first plurality of features, said means capable of determining whether said first plurality of features match said second plurality of features; and means for retrieving said first electronic representation of said first document associated with said first plurality of features if said means for matching determines that said first plurality of features matches said second plurality of features. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 29)
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16. A method for filing and retrieving documents, said method comprising:
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scanning a first name card to produce a first electronic representation, said first name card comprising at least one graphic image; extracting a first plurality of features from said first electronic representation, said first plurality of features being extracted from said at least one graphic image; scanning a first document to produce a first electronic representation of said first document; storing said first electronic representation of said first document in an electronic document repository; storing said first plurality of features; associating said first plurality of features with said first electronic representation of said first document; scanning a second name card to produce a second electronic representation, said second name card comprising at least one graphic image; extracting a second plurality of features from said second electronic representation, said second plurality of features being extracted from said at least one graphic image; matching said second plurality of features with said first plurality of features, said matching including determining whether said first plurality of features match said second plurality of features; and retrieving said first electronic representation of said first document associated with said first plurality of features if said matching determines that said first plurality of features matches said second plurality of features. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30)
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31. A document filing and retrieval system comprising:
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a scanner; a filing controller, operatively connected to said scanner; an electronic document repository, operatively connected to said filing controller to store a first electronic representation of a first document, a name card image database, operatively connected to said filing controller to store a first plurality of features; and a cross reference database, operatively connected with said filing controller to associate said first plurality of features in said name card image database with said first electronic representation of said first document in said electronic document repository; wherein said scanner is operatively disposed to scan a first name card to produce said first electronic representation, said first name card comprising at least one graphic image, said scanner is further operatively disposed to scan said first document to produce said first electronic representation of said first document, said scanner is further operatively disposed to scan a second name card to produce a second electronic representation, said second name card comprising at least one graphic image; said filing controller is operatively disposed to extract a first plurality of features from said first electronic representation, said filing controller is further operatively disposed to extract a second plurality of features from said second electronic representation, said second plurality of features being extracted from said at least one graphic image, said filing controller is further operatively disposed to match said second plurality of features with said first plurality of features, said matching further comprising determining whether said first plurality of features match said second plurality of features, said filing controller is further operatively disposed to retrieve said first electronic representation of said first document associated with said first plurality of features if said matching determines that said first plurality of features matches said second plurality of features.
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32. A method for storing information, said method comprising:
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scanning a first name card to produce a first electronic representation, said first name card comprising information, said information being independent of systematic arrangement; extracting a first plurality of features from said first electronic representation, said first plurality of features being extracted from said information; obtaining a first electronic representation of a first document; storing said first electronic representation of said first document in an electronic document repository; storing said first plurality of features; associating said first plurality of features with said first electronic representation of said first document so that said first electronic representation of said first document can be retrieved by scanning a second name card, said second name card matching said first name card.
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33. A method for storing and retrieving information, said method comprising:
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scanning a first name card to produce a first electronic representation, said first name card comprising information, said information being independent of systematic arrangement; extracting a first plurality of features from said first electronic representation, said first plurality of features being extracted from said information; obtaining a first electronic representation of a first document; storing said first electronic representation of said first document in an electronic document repository; storing said first plurality of features; associating said first plurality of features with said first electronic representation of said first document; scanning a second name card to produce a second electronic representation, said second name card comprising information, said information being independent of systematic arrangement; extracting a second plurality of features from said second electronic representation, said second plurality of features being extracted from said information; matching said second plurality of features with said first plurality of features, said matching including determining whether said first plurality of features match said second plurality of features; and retrieving said first electronic representation of said first document associated with said first plurality of features if said matching determines that said first plurality of features matches said second plurality of features.
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34. A computer program product for storing information, said computer program product comprising:
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code for scanning a first name card to produce a first electronic representation, said first name card comprising information, said information being independent of systematic arrangement; code for extracting a first plurality of features from said first electronic representation, said first plurality of features being extracted from said information; code for obtaining a first electronic representation of a first document; code for storing said first electronic representation of said first document in an electronic document repository; code for storing said first plurality of features; code for associating said first plurality of features with said first electronic representation of said first document so that said first electronic representation of said first document can be retrieved by scanning a second name card, said second name card matching said first name card; and a computer readable storage medium for storing the codes.
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35. A computer program product for storing and retrieving information, said computer program product comprising:
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code for scanning a first name card to produce a first electronic representation, said first name card comprising information, said information being independent of systematic arrangement; code for extracting a first plurality of features from said first electronic representation, said first plurality of features being extracted from said information; code for obtaining a first electronic representation of a first document; code for storing said first electronic representation of said first document in an electronic document repository; code for storing said first plurality of features; code for associating said first plurality of features with said first electronic representation of said first document; code for scanning a second name card to produce a second electronic representation, said second name card comprising information, said information being independent of systematic arrangement; code for extracting a second plurality of features from said second electronic representation, said second plurality of features being extracted from said information; code for matching said second plurality of features with said first plurality of features, said code for matching including code for determining whether said first plurality of features match said second plurality of features; code for retrieving said first electronic representation of said first document associated with said first plurality of features if said code for matching determines that said first plurality of features matches said second plurality of features; and a computer readable storage medium for containing the codes.
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Specification