Document information management system

• US 6,356,923 B1
• Filed: 07/21/1998
• Issued: 03/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Yano, Takashi, Tabata, Yasuhiro, Ishijima, Hisashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Stephen S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huynh, Cong-Lac
• Application Number:
  US09/120,032
• Time in Patent Office: 1,330 Days
• Field of Search: 707/513, 707/500, 707/501, 707/512, 707/501.1
• US Class Current: 717/127
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9554 by using bar codes

Abstract

The document information management system according to the present invention comprises data base with a plurality of document files previously stored therein, a medium form having a document information section with document information recorded thereon and a bar code information section with electronic information corresponding to contents of the document information converted to bar code information and stored therein, a marking unit for giving a selection mark by selecting a desired word from a medium form, a reading unit for reading a selection mark and bar code information from a medium form with the selection mark given thereto, a retrieving unit for retrieving a corresponding document file from a data base using a word with a selection mark given thereto as a key word according to the selection mark and bar code information, and an output unit for outputting the retrieved document file as related information.

Claims

1. A document information management system comprising:

a data base with a plurality of document files previously stored therein;

a medium form having a document information section with document information including at least a word recorded therein and a bar code information section with electronic information equivalent to contents of said document information having been converted to bar code information recorded therein;

a reading unit for reading, from said medium form with desired words selected from document information and given selection marks by an appropriate marker respectively recorded therein, said selection marks and bar code information;

a retrieving unit for retrieving a corresponding document file from said data base by referring to the selection marks and bar code information read with said reading unit and using the words with said selection marks given respectively as key words; and

an output unit for outputting a document file retrieved with said retrieving unit as related information.

2. A document information management system according to claim 1;

wherein said electronic information is described with a hypertext describing language including at least one of Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Portable Document Format (PDF), and extensible Markup Language (XML).

3. A document information management system comprising:

a data base with a plurality of document files previously stored therein;

a file unit with information relating to a particular word, text, symbol, or graphics previously stored as a related information file therein;

a medium form having a document information section with at least described information including at least one of a word, a text, a symbol, and graphics and word information including data other than said described information recorded therein, and a bar code information section with linking information for linking said described information to a related information file in said file unit and electronic information equivalent to contents of said document information section each converted to bar code information and recorded therein;

a marker for selecting desired described information and/or word information from described information and word information recorded on said medium form and giving at least a selection mark to each described information or each word information;

a reading unit for reading said selection mark and bar code information from said medium form with selection marks given by said marker;

a determining unit for determining, according to the selection marks and bar code information read with said reading unit, whether information with said selection mark is described information or word information;

a first retrieving unit for retrieving, when a result of determination by said determining unit indicates described information, a corresponding related information file from said file unit according to said selection marks and linking information in said bar code information;

a second retrieving unit for retrieving, when a result of determination by said determining unit indicates word information, a corresponding document file from said data base using the information with said selection mark given thereto as a key word according to said selection mark and electronic information in said bar code information; and

an output unit for outputting the related information file and/or document file retrieved with said first retrieving unit and/or second retrieving unit.

4. A document information management system according to claim 3;

wherein marking patterns each for particular described information and a marking pattern for word information are previously prepared as selection marks given to said described information and said word information, and said determining unit determines, when said selection mark is a marking pattern for word information, the information with said selection mark given thereto as word information, and also determines, when said selection mark is a marking pattern for described information, whether the information is described information or word information by checking existence of linking information corresponding to the information with said selection mark given thereto.

5. A document information management system comprising:

a data base with a plurality of document files previously stored therein;

a file unit with information relating to a particular word, text, symbol, or graphics previously stored as a related information file therein;

a medium form having a document information section with at least described information including at least one of a word, a text, a symbol, and graphics and word information including data other than said described information recorded therein, and a bar code information section with linking information for linking said described information to a related information file in said file unit and electronic information equivalent to contents of said document information section each converted to bar code information and recorded therein;

a marker for giving at least one marking command consisting of a previously specified pattern to a desired position on said medium form;

a reading unit for reading, from said medium form with the marking command given by said marker, said marking command and bar code information;

a marking command analyzing unit for analyzing contents of said marking command according to the marking command and bar code information read with said reading unit;

a first retrieving unit for retrieving, when a result of analysis by said marking command analyzing unit indicates retrieval of described information, a related information file corresponding to the described information with said marking command given thereto from said file unit according to linking information in said bar code information;

a second retrieving unit for retrieving, when a result of analysis by said marking command analyzing unit indicates retrieval of word information, a corresponding document file from said data base by using the word information with said marking command given thereto as a key word according to electronic information in said bar code information; and

an output unit for outputting the related information file and/or document file retrieved by said first retrieving unit and/or second retrieving unit as related information.

6. A document information management system according to claim 5;

wherein a specification column for specifying therein which of described information and word information is to be retrieved is provided on said medium form, and said marking command analyzing unit analyzes which of described information and word information is to be retrieved by checking whether a marking command is given in said specification column or not.

7. A document information management system according to claim 5;

wherein said marking command includes a first selection marking command for retrieving said described information and a second selection marking command for retrieving said word information, and

said marking command analyzing unit analyzes which of described information and word information is to be retrieved by checking whether said marking command is a first selection marking command or a second selection marking command.

8. A document information management system according to claim 5;

wherein said output unit is built with a plurality of output units;

said marking command includes a selection marking command for selecting desired described information and/or word information from described information and word information recorded on said medium form and an output destination marking command for specifying an output unit as a destination for output of said selected described information and/or word information;

said marking command analyzing unit determines which of described information and word information is to be retrieved according to said selection marking command and identifies an output unit as a destination for output according to an output destination marking command given to an area around said selection marking command; and

said output unit outputs said related information to a corresponding output unit as a destination for output according to a result of analysis by said marking command analyzing unit.

9. A document information management system according to claim 8;

wherein said marking command further includes an AND retrieval marking command for specifying AND retrieval by linking a plurality pieces of said selection marking commands;

said marking command analyzing unit determines, when said AND retrieval marking command is being used, that AND retrieval is to be made by using the described information and/or word information selected according to a plurality of marking commands linked to each other with said AND retrieval marking command as key words; and

said second retrieval unit retrieves, when a result of analysis by said marking command analyzing unit indicates AND retrieval, a corresponding document file from said data base by means of AND retrieval using the described information and/or word information with said selection marking command given thereto according to electronic information in said bar code information.

10. A document information management system according to claim 8;

wherein said marking command further includes a retrieval condition marking command for specifying a category of retrieval used in retrieval by said second retrieving unit as a condition for retrieval;

said marking commend analyzing unit analyzes a retrieval condition for related information outputted in response to each selection marking command according to said retrieval condition marking command; and

said second retrieving unit retrieves a corresponding document file from said data base according to the retrieval condition analyzed by said marking command analyzing unit.

11. A document information management system according to claim 8;

wherein said marking command further includes an output condition marking command for specifying, as information for output by said output unit, which of said related information and a bibliographic item for said related information is to be outputted;

said marking command analyzing unit determines for each selection marking command which of related information or a bibliographic item for related information is to be outputted according to said output condition marking command; and

said output units outputs related information or a bibliographic item for related information for each selection marking command according to a result of analysis by said marking command analyzing unit.

12. A document information management system according to claim 8;

wherein said marking command includes a dialog marking command for setting an arbitrary area (dialog) on said medium form as a command description area, an identification marking command for discretely identifying described information and/or word information with said selection marking command given thereto, and a retrieval condition/output condition marking command for a retrieval condition/output condition in said command description area set according to said dialog marking command;

said marking command analyzing unit identifies a command description area according to said dialog marking command, analyzes retrieval condition/output condition according to the retrieval/output condition marking command described in said command description area, and identifies the described information and/or word information described in said retrieval condition/output condition according to said identification marking command and selection marking command;

said second retrieving unit retrieves a corresponding document file from said data base using the corresponding described information and/or word information as key words under corresponding retrieval condition according to a result of analysis by said marking command analyzing unit; and

said output unit outputs the related information or a bibliographic items for the related information retrieved by said second retrieving unit under corresponding output condition according to a result of analysis by said marking command analyzing unit.

13. A document information management system according to claim 5;

wherein said marking command further includes an output order marking command for specifying an output order of described information and/or word information selected by said selection marking command;

said marking command analyzing unit determines an output order of related information outputted in response to each selection marking command according to said output order marking command; and

said output unit outputs corresponding related information according to the analyzed output order according to a result of analysis by said marking command analyzing unit.

14. A document information management system according to claim 13;

whether said marking command further includes an AND retrieval marking command for specifying AND retrieval by linking a plurality pieces of said selection marking commands;

said marking command analyzing unit determines, when said AND retrieval marking command is being used, that AND retrieval is to be made by using the described information and/or word information selected according to a plurality of marking commands linked to each other with said AND retrieval marking command as key words; and

said second retrieval unit retrieves, when a result of analysis by said marking command analyzing unit indicates AND retrieval, a corresponding document file from said data base by means of AND retrieval using the described information and/or word information with said selection marking command given thereto according to electronic information in said bar code information.

15. A document information management system according to claim 13;

wherein said marking command further includes a retrieval condition marking command for specifying a category of retrieval used in retrieval by said second retrieving unit as a condition for retrieval;

said marking command analyzing unit analyzes a retrieval condition for related information outputted in response to each selection marking command according to said retrieval condition marking command; and

said second retrieving unit retrieves a corresponding document file from said data base according to the retrieval condition analyzed by said marking command analyzing unit.

16. A document information management system according to claim 13;

wherein said marking command further includes an output condition marking command for specifying, as information for output by said output unit, which of said related information and a bibliographic item for said related information is to be outputted;

said marking command analyzing unit determines for each selection marking command which of related information or a bibliographic item for related information is to be outputted according to said output condition marking command; and

said output units outputs related information or a bibliographic item for related information for each selection marking command according to a result of analysis by said marking command analyzing unit.

17. A document information management system according to claim 13;

wherein said marking command includes a dialog marking command for setting an arbitrary area (dialog) on said medium form as a command description area, an identification marking command for discretely identifying described information and/or word information with said selection marking command given thereto, and a retrieval condition/output condition marking command for a retrieval condition /output condition in said command description area set according to said dialog marking command;

said marking command analyzing unit identifies a command description area according to said dialog marking command, analyzes retrieval condition/output condition according to the retrieval/output condition marking command described in said command description area, and identifies the described information and/or word information described in said retrieval condition/output condition according to said identification marking command and selection marking command;

said second retrieving unit retrieves a corresponding document file from said data base using the corresponding described information and/or word information as key words under corresponding retrieval condition according to a result of analysis by said marking command analyzing unit; and

said output unit outputs the related information or a bibliographic items for the related information retrieved by said second retrieving unit under corresponding output condition according to a result of analysis by said marking command analyzing unit.

18. A document information management system according to claim 5;

wherein a retrieval sheet specification column for specifying output of a retrieval sheet for entering therein a retrieval condition for retrieval using described information and/or word information specified with said marking command as a key word or key words and an output condition is provided on said medium form;

said marking analyzing unit determines whether output of said retrieval sheet has been specified or not by checking whether a marking command is given to said retrieval sheet specification command; and

said output unit outputs, when a result of analyses by said marking command analyzing unit indicates output of a retrieval sheet, a retrieval sheet in which retrieval conditions including at least one of an equation for retrieval, a specification of a data base as an object for retrieval, and a specification of a category, or output conditions including at least one of a specification of output of related information and a bibliographic item for the related information, specification of a destination for output, or specification of an output order can be written in.

19. A document information management system according to claim 18;

wherein said reading unit reads said retrieval conditions and output conditions from said retrieval sheet;

said marking command analyzing unit analyzes the retrieval conditions and output conditions according to the retrieval conditions and output conditions read by said reading unit;

said second retrieving unit retrieves a corresponding document file from said data base using corresponding described information and/or word information as key words under corresponding retrieval conditions according to a result of analysis by said marking command analyzing unit; and

said output unit outputs the related information or a bibliographic item for the related information retrieved by said second retrieving unit under corresponding output conditions according to a result of analysis by said marking command analyzing unit.

20. A document information management system according to claim 5 further comprising:

an operation display unit enabling display of various types of information and various operations;

wherein a retrieval dialog specification column for specifying display of a retrieval dialog for entering therein retrieval conditions for executing retrieval using the described information and/or word information specified according to said marking command and output conditions is provided on said medium form;

said marking command analyzing unit determines whether display of said retrieval dialog has been specified or not by checking whether a marking command has been given to the retrieval dialog command;

said operation display unit displays, when a result of analysis by said marking command analyzing unit indicates display of a retrieval dialog, a retrieval dialog enabling input of retrieval conditions including at least one of an equation for retrieval, specification of a database as an object for retrieval, and specification of a category, or output conditions including at least one of a specification of output of related information or a bibliographic item for the related information, specification of a destination for output, and specification of an output order;

said marking command analyzing unit analyzes, when retrieval conditions and output conditions are inputted into the retrieval dialog via said operation/display unit, the retrieval conditions and output conditions according to said inputted retrieval conditions and output conditions;

said second retrieving unit retrieves a corresponding document file from said data base using corresponding described information and/or word information as key words under corresponding retrieving condition according to a result of analysis by said marking command analyzing unit; and

said output unit outputs the related information or a bibliographic item for the related information retrieved by said second retrieving unit under corresponding output conditions according to a result of analysis by said marking command analyzing unit.

21. A document information management system according to claim 20;

wherein said operation display unit has a marking pen which is a pointing device, and said retrieval conditions and output conditions are directly inputted into a retrieval dialog on a display using said marking pen.

22. A document information management system according to claim 20;

wherein said operation display unit has a mouse which is a pointing device; and

when inputting said retrieval conditions and output conditions, at first a retrieval equation entry column for entering therein a selection menu and a retrieval equation each enabling selection and input of retrieval conditions including specification of a data base as an object for retrieval or specification of a category or output conditions including at least one of a specification of output of related information and a bibliographic item for the related information, specification of a destination for output, or specification of an output order is displayed as said retrieval dialog, a desired selection item is specified from said selection menu by operating said mouse, and a retrieval equation is directly inputted into said retrieval equation entry column.