Method and apparatus for assigning keywords to documents

• US 6,625,335 B1
• Filed: 05/11/2000
• Issued: 09/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kanai, Junichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Homere, Jean R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wong, Leslie
• Application Number:
  US09/568,409
• Time in Patent Office: 1,230 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/500, 707/512, 382/305, 382/306, 382/177, 715/512, 715/514, 715/530
• US Class Current: 382/306
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5854 using shape and object relationship
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access

Abstract

A keyword assignment system is provided to assign keywords when a digitized image of a document is created. The keyword assignment system includes a digitizer to generate the digitized image from the input document. A keyword entry system determines a keyword to be associated with the digitized image. A linker generates linking information that associates the keyword with the digitized image. A database is provided to store the digitized image and linking information.

Claims

1. An electronic imaging device for generating a digitized image of an input document having a plurality of physical pages, comprising:

a digitizer to generate the digitized image from the input document;

a keyword entry system for determining at least one keyword to be associated with the digitized image, said keyword entry system determining at least one said keyword from at least one handwritten keyword on said physical pages, said keyword entry system determining keywords from handwritten keywords on the initial page of said plurality of pages, said keywork entry system foregoing determination of keywords from handwritten words on all pages other than said initial page in said plurality of pages;

a linker to generate linking information that associates the keyword with the digitized image;

A keyword manager for storing the selected keyword in a keyword list being organized hierarchically and

a database to store the digitized image and linking information, wherein the determined keyword is appended to the digitized image.

2. The imaging device of claim 1 wherein the keyword is stored with the digitized image in the database.

3. The imaging device of claim 2 wherein the keyword is included in a tag of a TIFF file that contains the digitized image.

4. The imaging device of claim 1 further including a keyword manager for storing the keyword.

5. The imaging device of claim 4 wherein the keyword manager stores the keyword in a keyword list.

6. The imaging device of claim 5 wherein the keyword list is organized hierarchically.

7. The imaging device of claim 5 wherein the keyword list is organized in an XML compatible format.

8. The imaging device of claim 2 wherein the keyword entry system includes a keyword entry device to input the keyword.

9. The imaging device of claim 8 wherein the keyword entry device is selected from the group of:

a real keyboard and a virtual keyboard.

10. The imaging device of claim 8 wherein the keyword entry system includes a user identifier provided by a user, that is associated with a user keyword list.

11. The imaging device of claim 10 wherein the user identifier is selected from the group of:

a user ID, a password, signature recognition, a magnetic card, a timestamp, and a machine ID.

12. The imaging device of claim 2 further including a circled region detector for detecting a circled word written on the document, such that the circled word is used as the keyword.

13. The imaging device of claim 2 further including a circled region detector for detecting a circled word written on the document, such that the circled word is recognized and used as the keyword.

14. The imaging device of claim 8 wherein the keyword is added to the keyword list.

15. A system for assigning a selected keyword to a digitized image, comprising:

a digitizer to generate the digitized image from an input document having a plurality of physical pages;

a keyword entry system for determining at least one selected keyword, the keyword entry system including a keyword entry device for entering user information, said keyword entry system determining at least one said keyword from at least one handwritten keyword on said physical pages, said keywork entry system determining keywords from handwritten keywords on the initial page of said plurality of pages, said keyword entry system foregoing determination of keywords from handwritten words on all pages other than said initial page in said plurality of pages;

a keyword manager for storing the selected keyword in a keyword list being organized hierarchically;

a linker to generate linking information that associates the selected keyword with the digitized image; and

a database to store the digitized image and linking information, wherein the selected keyword is appended to the digitized image.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the user information includes a user identifier and an input keyword.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the keyword entry system is selected from the group of:

a virtual keyboard and a real keyboard.

18. A method for assigning keywords to digitized images, comprising:

providing an input document having a plurality of physical pages;

generating a digitized image from the input document;

determining at least one selected keyword to be associated with the digitized image, said determining selecting at least one said keyword from at least one handwritten keyword on said Physical pages, said determining selecting keywords from handwritten keywords on the initial page of said plurality of pages, said determining foregoing determination of keywords from handwritten words on all pages other than said initial page in said plurality of pages;

generating linking information that associates the selected keyword with the digitized image, A keyword manager for storing the selected keyword in a keyword list being organized hierarchically wherein the determined keyword is appended to the digitized image; and

storing the digitized image and linking information.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of determining further includes inputting user information with a keyword entry device.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of determining further includes detecting a circled region on the digitized image, such that the circled region includes a circled keyword.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of determining further includes detecting a circled region on the digitized image and performing recognition on said circled region to select said keyword.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of determining further includes on-line handwriting recognition of a user-supplied writing.

23. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of determining further includes performing voice recognition on a user-supplied utterance.

24. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of determining further includes performing electronic ink matching upon a user-supplied writing.

25. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of determining further includes receiving a user-supplied alphanumeric input.

26. The method of claim 18 further comprising storing said keyword as part of an image file containing said digitized image.

27. The method of claim 18 further comprising storing said keyword within a file name associated with an image file containing said digitized image.

28. The method of claim 18 further comprising storing said keyword within a directory name and storing an image file containing said digitized image under said directory name.