Transmission of subsets of layout objects at different resolutions
First Claim
1. A method for transmitting a document image stored in a memory at a server workstation to a client workstation, comprising the steps of:
- receiving a bitmap representation of a hardcopy document in the memory to define the document image;
segmenting the document image into a set of layout objects;
each layout object in the set of layout objects being one of a plurality of layout object types;
each of the plurality of layout object types identifying a structural element of the document image;
computing a set of attributes for each layout object in the set of layout objects;
the attributes computed for each layout object having values that quantify properties of a structural element and identify spatial relationships with other segmented layout objects in the document image;
receiving a user input that identifies a selected first attribute of a layout object;
dividing the set of layout objects into a first subset and a second subset of layout objects, said dividing step including layout objects with the selected first attribute in the first subset of layout objects;
the second subset of layout objects including those layout objects in the set of layout objects not in the first subset of layout objects; and
transmitting from the server workstation to the client workstation the first subset of layout objects at a first resolution and the second subset of layout objects at a second resolution.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a document search and retrieval system, document images are segmented into layout objects. Each layout object identifies different structural elements in a document image. In addition, the system computes attributes and features for each segmented layout object. Before any document images are transmitted between a client and a server, users specify which document image attributes and features are most relevant to their browsing or searching tasks. Transmission (and/or display) of document images is then divided into two stages. During the first stage, those layout objects which are identified as having the specified features or attributes are transmitted at a first or high resolution; the remaining layout objects in an image are transmitted at a second or lower resolution (or in the form of bounding polygons). If the second stage is invoked, those remaining layout objects are re-transmitted at the first or high resolution. The second stage of transmission may be invoked when either a user request is received or when there is a system timeout.
141 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for transmitting a document image stored in a memory at a server workstation to a client workstation, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a bitmap representation of a hardcopy document in the memory to define the document image;
segmenting the document image into a set of layout objects;
each layout object in the set of layout objects being one of a plurality of layout object types;
each of the plurality of layout object types identifying a structural element of the document image;
computing a set of attributes for each layout object in the set of layout objects;
the attributes computed for each layout object having values that quantify properties of a structural element and identify spatial relationships with other segmented layout objects in the document image;
receiving a user input that identifies a selected first attribute of a layout object;
dividing the set of layout objects into a first subset and a second subset of layout objects, said dividing step including layout objects with the selected first attribute in the first subset of layout objects;
the second subset of layout objects including those layout objects in the set of layout objects not in the first subset of layout objects; and
transmitting from the server workstation to the client workstation the first subset of layout objects at a first resolution and the second subset of layout objects at a second resolution. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 21, 22)
receiving a user input that identifies a feature of the document image;
executing a routine for identifying the feature of the document image;
the routine having a sequence of selection operations that consumes the set of layout objects and uses the computed attributes to produce a third subset of layout objects;
said executing step identifying the third subset of layout objects as the feature of the document image;
wherein said transmitting step transmits the third subset of layout objects at the first resolution and a fourth subset of layout objects at the second resolution;
the fourth subset of layout objects including those layout objects in the set of layout objects not in the first or third subsets of layout objects.
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5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of re-transmitting the second subset of layout objects at the first resolution.
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6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said transmitting step transmits the first subset of layout objects before transmitting the second subset of layout objects.
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7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying on a display the first subset of layout objects at the first resolution and the second subset of layout objects at the second resolution.
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8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said transmitting step transmits only one of the first and the second subset of layout objects.
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9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said transmitting step transmits bounding polygons in place of the second subset of layout objects.
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10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
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receiving a user input that identifies a selected second attribute of a layout object; and
specifying a transmission ordering by ranking the selected first attribute and the selected second attribute;
wherein said dividing step includes layout objects with the selected second attribute in the second subset of layout objects; and
wherein said transmitting step transmits the first subset of layout objects at a higher resolution than the second subset of layout objects.
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21. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of receiving user input further comprises:
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displaying a table that provides a text description of attributes to the user; and
receiving a user selection selected from the text descriptions.
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22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the table includes text description of document layouts, each text description of attributes being associated with a text description of document layouts.
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11. A program storage device readable by a server workstation, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the server workstation to perform method steps for transmitting an image stored in a memory at the server workstation to a client workstation, said method steps comprising:
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receiving a bitmap representation of a hardcopy document in the memory to define the document image;
receiving a user input that identifies a selected first attribute of a layout object;
segmenting the document image into a set of layout objects;
each layout object in the set of layout objects being one of a plurality of layout object types;
each of the plurality of layout object types identifying a structural element of the document image;
computing a set of attributes for each layout object in the set of layout objects;
the attributes computed for each layout object having values that quantify properties of a structural element and identify spatial relationships with other segmented layout objects in the document image;
dividing the set of layout objects into a first subset and a second subset of layout objects;
said dividing step including layout objects with the selected first attribute in the first subset of layout objects;
the second subset of layout objects including those layout objects in the set of layout objects not in the first subset of layout objects; and
transmitting from the server workstation to the client workstation the first subset of layout objects at a first resolution and the second subset of layout objects at a second resolution. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
receiving a user input that identifies a feature of the document image;
executing a routine for identifying the feature of the document image;
the routine having a sequence of selection operations that consumes the set of layout objects and uses the computed attributes to produce a third subset of layout objects;
said executing step identifying the third subset of layout objects as the feature of the document image;
wherein said transmitting step transmits the third subset of layout objects at the first resolution and a fourth subset of layout objects at the second resolution;
the fourth subset of layout objects including those layout objects in the set of layout objects not in the first or third subsets of layout objects.
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14. The program storage device as recited in claim 11, wherein said method steps further comprise the step of receiving a user input that identifies a selected second attribute of a layout object;
- wherein said dividing step includes layout objects with the selected second attribute in the second subset of layout objects.
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15. The program storage device as recited in claim 11, wherein said method steps further comprise the steps of:
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receiving a user input that identifies a selected second attribute of a layout object; and
specifying a transmission ordering by ranking the selected first attribute and the selected second attribute;
wherein said dividing step includes layout objects with the selected second attribute in the second subset of layout objects; and
wherein said transmitting step transmits the first subset of layout objects at a higher resolution than the second subset of layout objects.
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16. A document management system for transmitting an image from a server workstation to a client workstation, comprising:
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a memory for storing the document images and image processing instructions at the server workstation; and
a processor coupled to the memory for executing the image processing instructions at the server workstation;
the processor in executing the image processing instructions;
receiving a bitmap representation of a hardcopy document in the memory to define the document image;
segmenting the document image into a set of layout objects;
each layout object in the set of layout objects being one of a plurality of layout object types;
each of the plurality of layout object types identifying a structural element of the document image;
computing a set of attributes for each layout object in the set of layout objects;
the attributes computed for each layout object having values that quantify properties of a structural element and identify spatial relationships with other segmented layout objects in the document image;
receiving a user input that identifies a selected first attribute of a layout object;
dividing the set of layout objects into a first subset and a second subset of layout objects;
said dividing instruction including layout objects with the selected first attribute in the first subset of layout objects;
the second subset of layout objects including those layout objects in the set of layout objects not in the first subset of layout objects; and
transmitting from the server workstation to the client workstation the first subset of layout objects at a first resolution and the second subset of layout objects at a second resolution. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
receiving a user input that identifies a feature of the document image;
executing instructions for identifying the feature of the document image;
the routine having a sequence of selection operations that consumes the set of layout objects and uses the computed attributes to produce a third subset of layout objects;
said executing instructions identifying the third subset of layout objects as the feature of the document image;
wherein the third subset of layout objects are transmitted at the first resolution and a fourth subset of layout objects at the second resolution;
the fourth subset of layout objects including those layout objects in the set of layout objects not in the first or third subsets of layout objects.
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23. A method for transmitting a bitmap representation of a hardcopy document stored in a memory at a server workstation to a client workstation, comprising the steps of:
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receiving the bitmap representation of the hardcopy document in the memory to define a document image;
segmenting the document image into a set of layout objects;
each layout object in the set of layout objects being one of a plurality of layout object types;
each of the plurality of layout object types identifying a structural element of the document image;
computing a set of attributes for each layout object in the set of layout objects;
the attributes computed for each layout object having values that quantify properties of a structural element and identify spatial relationships with other segmented layout objects in the document image;
receiving a user input that identifies a feature of a document image;
executing a routine for identifying the feature of the document image;
the routine having a sequence of selection operations that consumes the set of layout objects and uses the computed attributes to produce a first subset of layout objects;
said executing step identifying the first subset of layout objects as the feature of the document image;
dividing the set of layout objects into a first subset and a second subset of layout objects, said dividing step including layout objects with the feature in the first subset of layout objects;
the second subset of layout objects including those layout objects in the set of layout objects not in the first subset of layout objects; and
transmitting from the server workstation to the client workstation the first subset of layout objects at a first resolution and the second subset of layout objects at a second resolution.
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Specification