JP2008066819A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus which facilitates specification of image data recorded on a recording medium. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus includes a wording recognizing means of recognizing wording used in the image data, a most-frequently-used-wording extracting means of extracting wording of the highest use frequency from the wording recognized by the wording recognizing means, and a file name determining means of determining a file name including the wording extracted by the most-frequency-used wording extracting means. Consequently, the file name determined by the file name determining means is determined based upon the most frequently used wording in the file, so the file name with which what kind of contents the image data have can easily be discriminated is determined. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention has a plurality of functions such as a copy function, a printer function, and a facsimile function, and a recording medium for recording image data such as image data read by a scanner, image data received by facsimile, and image data to be printed and output, The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that automatically determines a file name corresponding to the content of image data stored in a recording medium.

  In recent years, in an image forming apparatus (multifunction machine) having a plurality of functions such as a copy function, a printer function, and a facsimile function, image data read by a scanner, image data received by a facsimile, or image data printed by a printer, etc. A model that records and saves on a recording medium such as an HDD has become widespread.

  The image data to be stored in the recording medium is given a file name that allows the contents of the data and the function of the device used to be grasped in a straightforward manner. Next, character recognition is performed in the preset area of the output data, the size or color of the character or character string obtained by character recognition is determined, and the character or character string following a specific wording, the character of a predetermined size or color is selected. File name determining means for automatically determining the file name is provided.

  However, according to this conventional file name determination means, the preset area does not necessarily include a specific wording, a specific size character, a specific color character, etc., and is not necessarily related to the contents of the image data. The file name that makes it easy to grasp the contents is not always automatically determined, and it may be difficult to specify the image data from the assigned file name.

For example, it is difficult to find which data is stored in which file when a large amount of data is filed in a multifunction device or computer network shared in an office of several to twenty people. The problem of becoming.
JP 2005-56315 A

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the prior art and to provide an image forming apparatus including a file name determination unit that makes it easy to specify image data recorded on a recording medium.

  In order to achieve this object, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention is an image forming apparatus that automatically determines and assigns a file name corresponding to the content of image data to image data to be stored in a recording medium, Extracted by the word recognition means for recognizing the words used in the image data, the most frequently used word extraction means for extracting the most frequently used words from the words recognized by the word recognition means, and the most frequently used word extraction means File name determining means for determining a file name including the written word.

  According to the present invention, since the file name determined by the file name determining means is determined based on the most frequently used wording in the file, it is easy to determine what kind of content the image data is. The file name that can be identified is determined.

  Further, the file name determining means can determine a file name including identification data for identifying a device that stores image data in a recording medium. Thus, a file name that can easily identify the image data transmitted from which apparatus is determined.

  Further, the file name determining means can determine a file name including authentication data for authenticating a user. As a result, a file name that can easily identify which user's image data is determined.

  Further, the file name determining means can determine a file name including the function of the device that output the output data. Thereby, it is possible to easily identify which function of the image forming apparatus uses the image data.

  As described above, according to the present invention, there is an effect that it is possible to automatically determine a file name that can easily identify what type of image data is used, which function of which device. Obtainable.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

  In the drawings, FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a file name determination program of the present invention.

  An image forming apparatus according to this embodiment includes a scanner function for scanning an image including characters to obtain image data, a copy function for copying an image based on image data obtained by the scanner function, and image data output from a recording medium A printer function for outputting printed matter based on the above, a facsimile function for printing and receiving image data received by facsimile, and a facsimile function for transmitting image data obtained by the scanner function by facsimile, and a scanner function, a facsimile reception function, and a printer function And a recording medium including an HDD for recording image data acquired by the above method.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 1 includes an image reading unit 5 that reads image data, a recording medium 6 that records image data read by the image reading unit 5 and a file name assigned thereto, An automatic file name assigning means 7 for automatically assigning a file name to image data read by the image reading apparatus 1 is provided. Note that the image data to which the file name is given is not only read by the image reading means, but also, for example, image data sent from a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a PC) via the network or the Internet. Also included is image data transmitted via facsimile.

  This automatic file name assigning means 7 includes a word recognition means 71 for identifying a word included in image data, a frequency counter 72 for counting the number of times (frequency) that the word identified by the word recognition means 71 is used, and a frequency It includes a most frequently used word extracting means 73 for extracting the most frequently counted words from the words counted by the counter 72, and a file name determining unit 74. Here, the wording includes not only a word composed of one word used in a sentence but also a word composed of a plurality of words such as an idiomatic phrase and a phrase. Moreover, it is not limited to Hiragana, Katakana, Kanji, etc., For example, alphanumeric characters, such as a number and an alphabet, are also included.

  Further, the image forming apparatus 1 is provided with, for example, a PC identifying unit 8 for identifying which PC has transmitted image data, a function determining unit 9 for determining which function is used, and an operation panel 10. ing. Here, the function is a function used for inputting or outputting the image data in a function of the image forming apparatus for inputting or outputting image data, for example, a scanner function, a copy function, a printer function, or a facsimile function. is there. The function selection means 9 includes a function selection switch 101 provided on the operation panel 10 and a start switch 102 for confirming the selected function and starting its execution.

  Further, the image forming apparatus 1 is provided with a file name changing unit 12 so that a user can give a file name different from the automatically determined file name to the image data. A Y / N answer button 103 provided on the operation panel 10, a character input key 104 for inputting characters by hiragana input, katakana input, alphanumeric character input, and the like, and a character conversion key 105 for converting the input hiragana or katakana into kanji including.

  For example, when the user transmits image data from the PC to the image forming apparatus 1 and executes printing, the function determining unit 9 determines that the function is a printer function. The image data transmitted to the image forming apparatus 1 is given a file name and written to the recording medium 6.

  The file name is automatically assigned to the image data by the file name automatic assigning means 7 according to the following procedure.

  When the image data is written in the recording medium 6, the file name assigning program shown in FIG. 2 is started at the same time, and the words included in the image data are identified by the word recognition means 71 (S1).

  The frequency of use of the identified word is counted by the frequency counter 72, and the most frequently used word is extracted by the most frequent word extraction unit 73 (S2). The data and the function (for example, printer function) discriminated by the function discriminating means 9 are read (S3), and the file name determination unit 74 automatically determines the file name including the identification data, the most frequently used word and the function (S4). ).

  The automatically determined file name includes, for example, a three-digit number (for example, 201) representing PC as identification data for identifying the PC, a most frequently used word (for example, a word “report”), and “P” indicating a printer function. For example, a file name “201 report P” is automatically determined.

  The file name determination unit 74 further determines whether or not the automatically determined file name overlaps with a file name already stored in the storage means 6 (S5).

  The image forming apparatus 1 is provided with a monitor 11 for displaying a message to the user. When there are duplicate file names, for example, “There is a file with the same file name together with the automatically determined file name. A change inquiry message "Do you want to overwrite?" Is displayed on the monitor 11 (S6).

  The user's answer to this inquiry is given by the operation of the Y / N answer button 103 on the operation panel 10 (S7). When an affirmative answer (Yes) is given, the image of the file name displayed on the monitor 11 is displayed. The data is rewritten to the newly read image data (S8).

  Here, the image data to be written on the recording medium 6 is compressed image data compressed by a known data compression technique, but may be uncompressed image data.

  Thereafter, the end of rewriting of the image data is displayed on the monitor 11 (S9). When a predetermined time has elapsed (S10), the display on the monitor 11 is ended (S11), and then the file name assignment program is ended.

  When the user's answer to the change inquiry is a negative answer (No), the operation guide message for guiding the operation procedure for changing the file name is displayed on the monitor 11 and the mode for changing the file name is started. Is notified to the user (S12).

  When the user operates the character input key 104, the character conversion key 105, etc. of the operation panel 10 in accordance with this operation guide (S13), the file name determination unit 74 is a file in which the changed file name is already stored in the storage means 6. If there is a duplicate file name, for example, “There is a file with the same file name. Do you want to overwrite it?” Is displayed on the monitor 11 (S7).

  Thereafter, when the user gives an affirmative answer, the image data of the file name displayed on the monitor 11 is rewritten with the newly read image data (S8), and the end of rewriting of the image data is displayed on the monitor 11 (S9). When the predetermined time has elapsed (S10), the display on the monitor 11 is terminated (S11), and then the file name assignment program is terminated.

  If the user gives a negative answer, a message of an operation guide for guiding the operation procedure for changing the file name is displayed on the monitor 11 (S12), and the user follows the operation guide and the character input key 104, character conversion key on the operation panel 10 is displayed. When the user operates 105 or the like (S13), the file name is changed, and the file name determination unit 74 re-determines whether the changed file name and the file name already stored in the storage unit 6 are duplicated. (S5).

  When a file having a file name that is automatically determined or has a file name that overlaps with the changed file name is not stored in the storage means 6, a confirmation inquiry “Do you want to register with this file name?” To the monitor 11 Is displayed (S14).

  When the user gives an affirmative answer to this inquiry by operating the Y / N answer button 103 (S15), the file name is determined, and the image data is written in the storage means 6 together with the determined file name (S16). ).

  Of course, the image data to be written on the recording medium 6 is compressed image data compressed by a known data compression technique, but may be uncompressed image data.

  When the writing of the file name and image data to the storage means 6 is completed, the writing end is displayed on the monitor 11 (S17), and after a predetermined time has passed (S10), the display on the monitor 11 is terminated. The file name assignment program is terminated.

  Each PC has a function selection switch, a start switch, a Y / N answer button, a character input key, a keyboard having keys corresponding to the character conversion key, a monitor, a PC identification means for identifying the PC, A recording medium is provided for recording image data that is input to or output from the image forming apparatus 1 by operating a PC with a file name, and the image forming apparatus 1 can be controlled by any PC. Yes.

  When the image forming apparatus 1 is controlled by any one of the PCs, the file name, operation guide, change inquiry, confirmation inquiry, rewrite end, write on the monitor screen of the PC and the monitor 11 of the image forming apparatus 1 simultaneously. A message such as “End” is displayed.

  In addition, when the automatically determined file name overlaps with the file name already recorded on the recording medium 6, the file name determination unit 74 is not limited to the file name already recorded on the recording medium 6. A different temporary file name, for example, a temporary file name in which the number of times the file name is duplicated at the end of the most frequently used word of the file name already recorded on the recording medium 6 is automatically determined, and this temporary file name is assigned to the image data. To be recorded on the recording medium 6.

  In this case, for example, when the number of times that the same file name as the file name already recorded on the recording medium 6 is automatically determined is the second time, the identification data, the most frequent wording, the duplicate number 2 and the printer A temporary file name in which Ps representing functions are arranged in order is automatically determined, and image data with the temporary file name is recorded on the recording medium 6.

  As described above, the image forming apparatus 1 recognizes and recognizes the identification data for identifying the PC storing the image data in the recording medium 6 and the wording used in the image data by the word recognition means 71. Since it includes a file name automatic determination device that automatically determines a file name including the most frequently used word extracted by the most frequently used word extraction means 73 from the word and the function of the image forming apparatus that has output the output data. According to this image forming apparatus 1, it is possible to automatically determine a file name that can easily identify what kind of image data is used by which function from which PC.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where a printer function for transmitting image data from a PC and outputting the image data is used has been described. However, the same applies to the case where a copy function, a facsimile function, and a scanner function are used.

  For example, when the user uses the copy function, the function selection switch is pressed to select the copy function. Thereby, the function determining means determines that the copy function is used. In this case, the letter “C” indicating the copy function is included in the file name.

  Further, in addition to (or instead of) the PC identification means, an authentication means for authenticating the user name may be provided. The authentication means may be any means as long as it can authenticate the user name. For example, an authentication method using an ID card can be used. In this case, a user-specific ID number is included in the file name as authentication data. By referring to this ID number, it is possible to quickly confirm which user the file is.

  The present invention can be widely applied to image forming apparatuses composed of multifunction peripherals.

It is a functional block diagram of the present invention. It is a flowchart of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

6 Recording medium 7 Automatic file name determination means,
8 PC identification means,
11 Monitor 71 Word recognition means 72 Frequency counter,
73 Most frequently used word extraction means 74 File name determination unit

Claims (6)

An image forming apparatus that automatically assigns a file name corresponding to the content of image data to image data to be stored in a recording medium,
A word recognition means for recognizing a word used in image data;
The most frequently used word extraction means for extracting the most frequently used words from the words recognized by the word recognition means;
A file name determining means for determining a file name including the word extracted by the most frequently used word extracting means;
An image forming apparatus. The file name determining means is
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a file name including identification data for identifying an apparatus that stores image data in a recording medium is determined. The file name determining means is
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a file name including authentication data for authenticating a user is determined. The file name determining means is
The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a file name including a function of the image forming apparatus to which image data is input or output is determined.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a monitor that displays a file name given to the output data.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a file name changing unit that changes the automatically determined file name by a user operation.

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