Image reading apparatus capable of management of personal information

• US 7,783,137 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2006
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Tsujihara, Kiyohito, Eguchi, Hiroshi, Eguchi, Tatsuya, Yamada, Tatsutoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, KANJIBHAI B
• Application Number:
  US11/594,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20080031546A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,384 Days
• Field of Search: 382/115, 382/305, 382/312, 382/315, 707/1, 707/100, 358/1.16, 358/505
• US Class Current: 382/305
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/10 Character recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1444 Selective acquisition, locating or processing of specific regions, e.g. highlighted text, fiducial marks or predetermined fields

Abstract

An image formation apparatus detects personal information, (a name, a contact address or the like) from image data obtained by scanning a document. Personal information stored in a database, or DB personal information, associated with an and retrieved personal information have a difference and the DB personal information is information later than the personal information detected from the image data then the personal information in the image data is modified with the retrieved DB personal information.

Claims

1. An image reading apparatus comprising:

an acquisition unit acquiring image data by scanning a document;

a storage unit storing said image data acquired;

a detection unit detecting first personal information present in said image data acquired;

a search and retrieval unit searching a database and retrieving therefrom second personal information associated with an individual specified by said first personal information detected;

a comparison unit comparing said first personal information with said second personal information; and

a modification unit modifying said personal information present in said image data stored with said second personal information if said comparison unit provides a result indicating that said second personal information is information later than said first personal information, and modifying data present in said database with said first personal information if said comparison unit provides a result indicating that said first personal information is information later than said second personal information.

2. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a decision unit making a decision on whether there is said first personal information as a history of said database, wherein if said decision unit makes a decision that there is said first personal information then said personal information present in said image data stored is modified with said second personal information.

3. The image reading apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said database has recorded therein a date creation of said database, a date of registration of data in said database, a date of approval of said database, or a date at which said database is updated.

4. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a decision unit making a decision on whether there is said first personal information as a history of said database; and

a determination unit determining a date of creation of said image data acquired, wherein if said decision unit makes a decision that there is not said first personal information then a decision is made, from a result of a determination made by said determination unit and said data of said database, on how late said first personal information is.

5. The image reading apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said database has recorded therein a date creation of said database, a date of registration of data in said database, a date of approval of said database, or a date at which said database is updated.

6. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said search and retrieval unit connects via a network to said database to conduct a search and retrieval.

7. An image reading apparatus comprising:

an acquisition unit acquiring image data by scanning a document;

a storage unit storing said image data acquired;

a detection unit detecting first personal information present in said image data acquired;

a search and retrieval unit searching a database and retrieving therefrom second personal information associated with an individual specified by said first personal information detected;

a comparison unit comparing said first personal information with said second personal information; and

a selection unit displaying a result of comparing said first and second personal information by said comparison unit indicating that said first and second personal information have a difference, and receiving that one of said first and second personal information is selected.

8. The image reading apparatus according to claim 7, wherein if said first personal information is selected in said selection unit said storage unit stores said image data acquired without modification.

9. The image reading apparatus according to claim 7, wherein if said second personal information is selected in said selection unit then said personal information present in said image data stored in said storage unit is modified with said second personal information.

10. The image reading apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said personal information present in said image data acquired can be modified with a manual input.

11. The image reading apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said data in said database is modified with data of said manual input.

12. The image reading apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said search and retrieval unit connects via a network to said database to conduct a search and retrieval.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing an image reading apparatus controlling program product, causing a computer to perform the steps of:

acquiring image data by scanning a document;

storing said image data acquired;

detecting first present in said image data acquired;

searching a database and retrieving therefrom second personal information associated with an individual specified by said first personal information detected;

comparing said first personal information with said second personal information; and

modifying said personal information present in said image data stored with said second personal information if the step of comparing provides a result indicating that said second personal information is information later than said first personal information, and modifying data present in said database with said first personal information if the step of comparing provides a result indicating that said first personal information is information later than said second personal information.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing an image reading apparatus controlling program product, causing a computer to perform the steps of:

acquiring image data by scanning a document;

storing said image data acquired;

detecting first personal information present in said image data acquired;

searching a database and retrieving therefrom second personal information associated with an individual specified by said first personal information detected;

comparing said first personal information with said second personal information; and

if the step of comparing provides a result indicating that said first and second personal information have a difference, then displaying said result and receiving that one of said first and second personal information is selected.

15. A method of controlling an image reading apparatus, comprising the steps of:

acquiring image data by scanning a document;

storing said image data acquired;

detecting first personal information present in said image data acquired;

searching a database and retrieving therefrom second personal information associated with an individual specified by said first personal information detected;

comparing said first personal information with said second personal information; and

modifying said personal information present in said image data stored with said second personal information if the step of comparing provides a result indicating that said second personal information is information later than said first personal information, and modifiing data present in said database with said first personal information if the step of comparing provides a result indicating that said first personal information is information later than said second personal information.

16. A method of controlling an image reading apparatus, comprising the steps of:

acquiring image data by scanning a document;

storing said image data acquired;

detecting first personal information present in said image data acquired;

searching a database and retrieving therefrom second personal information associated with an individual specified by said first personal information detected;

comparing said first personal information with said second personal information; and

if the step of comparing provides a result indicating that said first and second personal information have a difference, then displaying said result and receiving that one of said first and second personal information is selected.