Data medium handling apparatus and data medium handling method

• US 6,501,864 B1
• Filed: 01/29/1999
• Issued: 12/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Naoi, Satoshi, Katsumata, Yutaka, Yamamoto, Kazunori, Kamata, Hideo, Eguchi, Shinichi, Watanabe, Eiichi, Chiba, Koichi, Sakane, Shunji, Inaoka, Hideyuki, Ushita, Kazuhide, Matsuhashi, Tomohiro
• Primary Examiner(s): AHMED, SAMIR ANWAR
• Application Number:
  US09/240,006
• Time in Patent Office: 1,432 Days
• Field of Search: 382/173, 382/175, 382/176, 382/181, 382/209, 382/224, 382/229, 382/282, 382/311, 382/306, 382/177, 700/500, 700/530, 345/145, 345/156, 345/157, 345/333, 345/118, 345/434, 358/453, 707/6, 707/509, 707/510, 707/517, 707/526
• US Class Current: 382/306
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/987 with the intervention of an operator
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/412 Layout analysis of documents structured with printed lines or input boxes, e.g. business forms or tables
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/416 Extracting the logical structure, e.g. chapters, sections or page numbers; Identifying elements of the document, e.g. authors

Abstract

A data medium handling apparatus and a data medium handling method suitable for use for handling of documents, for example, in a financial organ. The data medium handling apparatus (30) for recognizing, based on an image (19) read from a data medium on which information is described in an arbitrary format, the information, is constructed such that it comprises means (2) for extracting characteristics unique to the data medium including the format from the read image data (19) and specifying, from the characteristics, a position at which information to be recognized is present, and image recognition means (3) for recognizing the image (19) at the position specified by the preceding means (2) to discriminate the information, so that the data medium handling apparatus (30) can handle documents having various formats such as private slips.

Claims

1. A method for handling a variety of specific data media, on each of which various pieces of data containing at least one unique piece of data are recorded in a different specific format, comprising the steps of:

(a) registering identification information of each of the various specific data media into a document identification dictionary based on an inputted image of the individual specific data medium, said registering step including

(a1) extracting an image of the unique piece of data together with a position and a size of the unique data piece from the inputted image of the individual specific data medium, and

(a2) registering a combination of the extracted image, position and size of the unique data piece into the document identification dictionary as the identification information associated with the individual specific data medium; and

(b) identifying an given data medium based on an inputted image of the given data medium using the registered identification information of each of the various specific data media, said identifying step including

(b1) extracting from the inputted image of the given data medium an image of a selected piece of data together with a position and a size of the selected data piece, said selected data piece to correspond to the registered identification information of the individual data medium, and

(b2) consulting the document identification dictionary for one specific data medium whose identification information is substantially equivalent to a combination of the extracted image, position and size of the selected data piece, to thereby identify the given data medium with one of the various specific data media,

wherein said method further comprises verifying the identification information of each of the various specific data media registered in the document identification dictionary based on a re-inputted image of the individual specific data media subsequently to said registering step, said verifying step including

(1) extracting from the re-inputted image of the individual specific data medium an image of the unique piece of data together with a position and a size of the image of the unique data piece, and

(2) collating a combination of the image, position and size of the unique data piece extracted from the re-inputted image with the registered identification information of the individual specific data medium in the document identification dictionary, thereby verifying whether the individual specific data medium is identifiable in terms of the registered identification information, and

wherein said identifying step is carried out after each of the various specific data medium is verified to be identifiable in terms of the associated identification information in said verifying step.

2. A data medium handling method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said extracting of the image of the unique data piece in said registering step is carried out by displaying the input image of the individual specific data medium on a display unit, designating a region of the inputted image containing the unique data piece, and extracting the designated region of the image as the image of the unique data piece.

3. A data medium handling method as set forth in claim 1, wherein in said registering step, the image, position and size of the unique data piece are automatically extracted from the inputted image of the individual specific data medium and the combination of the extracted image, position and size is automatically registered as the identification information of the individual specific data medium into the document identification dictionary.

4. A data medium handling method as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

in said registering step, the inputted image of the individual specific data medium is stored upon registration of the identification information of the individual specific data medium into the document identification dictionary; and

in said verifying step, the stored image of the individual specific data medium is read to be used as the re-inputted image of the individual specific data medium.

5. An apparatus for handling a variety of data media, on each of which various pieces of data containing at least one unique piece of data are recorded in a different specific format, comprising:

image inputting means for inputting an image of each of the various specific data media and an image of a given data medium;

image storing means for storing the image of the individual specific data media and the image of the given data medium both inputted in terms of said image inputting means;

identification-information extracting means for extracting an image of the unique piece of data together with a position and a size of the unique data piece from the image of the individual specific data medium stored in said image storing means, and for extracting an image of a selected piece of data together with a position and a size of the selected data piece from the image of the given data medium stored in said image storing means, said selected data piece to correspond to the registered identification information of the individual specific data medium;

a document identification dictionary for registering a combination of the image, position and size of the unique data piece extracted by said identification-information extract in means as the identification information of the individual specific data medium;

consulting means for consulting said document identification dictionary for one specific data medium whose registered identification information is substantially equivalent to a combination of the image, position and size of the selected data piece of the given data medium extracted by said identification-information extracting means; and

identifying means for identifying the given data medium with one of the various specific data media based on a result of the consultation by said consulting means,

wherein said apparatus further comprising;

collating means for collating a combination of the image, position and size of the unique data piece of the individual specific data medium extracted by said identification-information extracting means with the identification information of the individual specific data medium registered in said document identification dictionary;

verifying means for verifying whether the individual specific data medium is identifiable in terms of the registered identification information based on a result of the collation by said collating means.

6. A data medium handling apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said consulting means serves also as said collating means, and said identifying means serves also as said verifying means.

7. A method for handling a data medium on which at least one group of original emblems is recorded, comprising the steps of:

(a) recognizing images of the individual original emblems to be converted into code data from an inputted image of the data medium, each original emblem image being a minimum unit to be converted into a single code representing a emblem of each said original emblem image;

(b) converting the recognized original emblem images into corresponding codes each representing a resultant emblem;

if any original emblem image is not successfully recognized or converted into a corresponding code in said step (b),

(c) displaying in a display area on a display unit both the unrecognized original emblem image and one or more original emblem images associated with the unrecognized original emblem image;

(d) highlighting the unrecognized original emblem image during said displaying step;

(e) inputting data specifying a correct resultant emblem which corresponds to the unrecognized original emblem image in terms of data inputting means;

(f) displaying the inputted correct resultant emblem in a remaining display area on the display unit;

(g) complementing the corresponding resultant emblem in said remaining display area with the inputted correct resultant emblem, and

(h) changing a manner of highlighting the unrecognized original emblem image so as to indicate that the corresponding resultant emblem has been complemented.

8. A method for handling a data medium on which at least one group of original emblems is recorded, comprising the steps of:

(a) recognizing images of the individual original emblems to be converted into code data from an inputted image of the data medium, each original emblem image being a minimum unit to be converted into a single code representing a emblem of each said original emblem image;

(b) converting the recognized original emblem images into corresponding codes each representing a resultant emblem;

(c) displaying in a display area on a display unit both a selected one of the recognized original emblem images and one or more other original emblem images associated with said selected one original emblem image, and also displaying in the display area two or more resultant emblems represented by two or more codes into which said selected one original emblem image and said one or more associated original emblem images are respectively converted, in such a manner that each of said selected original emblem image and said associated original emblem images corresponds to a respective one of said two or more resultant emblems;

(d) highlighting said selected one original emblem image during said displaying step;

(e) if said selected one emblem image is incorrectly converted into the corresponding code,

(f) inputting data specifying a correct resultant emblem which corresponds to said selected one original emblem image in terms of data inputting means;

(g) displaying the inputted correct resultant emblem in a remaining display area on the display unit; and

(h) changing a manner of highlighting said one original emblem image so as to indicate that the corresponding resultant emblem has been corrected.

9. A data medium handling method as set forth in claim 8, wherein said displaying step includes:

displaying another selected one of the recognized original emblem images and at least one other original emblem image associated with said selected another original emblem image; and

highlighting a desired one of said selected one and said another selected original emblem image.

10. A data medium handling method as set forth in claim 8, further comprising correcting the corresponding resultant emblem in said remaining display area with the inputted correct resultant emblem.

11. An apparatus for handling a data medium on which at least one group of original emblems is recorded, comprising:

image inputting means for inputting an image of a data medium;

emblem recognizing and converting means for recognizing images of the individual original emblems to be converted into code data from an image of the data medium inputted in terms of said image inputting means, each original emblem image being a minimum unit to be converted into a single code representing a emblem of each said original emblem image, and for converting the recognized original emblem images into corresponding codes each representing a resultant emblem;

a display unit for displaying such original emblem images in one display area;

original-emblem display controlling means for controlling said display unit such that, when any original emblem image is not successfully recognized or converted into a corresponding code by said emblem recognizing and converting means, said display unit displays in said one display area both the unrecognized original emblem image and one or more original emblem images associated with the unrecognized original emblem image;

highlighting means for highlighting the unrecognized original emblem image displayed in said one display area of said display unit;

data inputting means for inputting data specifying a correct resultant emblem which corresponds to the unrecognized original emblem image;

resultant-emblem display controlling means for controlling said display unit such that said display unit displays, responsive to the inputting of the data of the correct resultant emblem in terms of said data inputting means, the inputted correct resultant emblem in a remaining display area;

high light changing means for changing, responsive to the inputting of the data of the correct resultant emblem in terms of said data inputting means, a manner of highlighting of the unrecognized original emblem image by said highlighting means so as to indicate that the corresponding resultant emblem has been complemented; and

resultant-emblem complementing means for complementing, responsive to the inputting of the data of the correct resultant emblem in terms of said data inputting means, the corresponding resultant emblem in said remaining display area with the inputted correct resultant emblem.

12. A data medium handling apparatus as set forth in claim 11, further comprising high light changing means for changing, responsive to the displaying of the inputted correct resultant emblem in said remaining display area, a manner of highlighting of the unrecognized original emblem image by said high lighting means so as to indicate that the corresponding resultant emblem has been complemented.

13. An apparatus for handling a data medium on which at least one group of original emblems is recorded, comprising:

image inputting means for inputting an image of a data medium;

emblem recognizing and converting means for recognizing images of the individual original emblems to be converted into code data from an image of the data medium inputted in terms of said image inputting means, each original emblem image being a minimum unit to be converted into a single code representing a emblem of each said original emblem image, and for converting the recognized original emblem images into corresponding codes each representing a resultant emblem;

a display unit for displaying such original emblem images and such resultant emblems in one display area;

original-emblem extracting means for extracting such original emblem images to be displayed in said display unit from the image of the data medium inputted in terms of said image inputting means;

original-emblem display controlling means for controlling said display unit such that said display unit displays in said one display area both a selected one of the recognized original emblem images and one or more other original emblem images associated with said selected one original emblem image, and also displays two or more resultant emblems represented by two or more codes into which said selected one original emblem image and said one or more associated original emblem images are respectively converted, in such a manner that each of said selected original emblem image and said associated original emblem images corresponds to a respective one of said two or more resultant emblems;

highlighting means for highlighting said selected one original emblem image displayed in said one display area of said display unit;

data inputting means for inputting data specifying a correct resultant emblem which corresponds to said selected one original emblem image;

resultant-emblem display controlling means for controlling said display unit such that, if said selected one emblem image is incorrectly converted into the corresponding code, said display unit displays, responsive to the inputting of the data of the correct resultant emblem in terms of data inputting means, the inputted correct resultant emblem in a remaining display area on the display unit; and

highlight changing means for changing, responsive to the displaying of the inputted correct resultant emblem in said remaining display area, a manner of high lighting of said one original emblem image so as to indicate that the corresponding resultant emblem is corrected.

14. A data medium handling apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein:

said original-emblem display controlling means is operable to control said display unit such that said display unit displays a selected another one of the extracted original emblem images and at least one other original emblem image associated with said selected another original emblem image on; and

said apparatus further comprising highlighting means for highlighting a desired one of said selected one and said selected another original emblem image displayed in said one display area of said display unit.

15. A data medium handling apparatus as set forth in claim 13, further comprising resultant-emblem correcting means for correcting, responsive to the inputting of the data of the correct resultant emblem in terms of data inputting means, the corresponding resultant emblem in said remaining display area with the inputted correct resultant emblem.