JP2008092451A - Scanner system - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a scan data classification method in which a user does not add a mark or the like to a document and does not depend on the content of the document. Furthermore, the present invention provides a classification method capable of appropriate processing even when a plurality of documents are on the document table. It also provides a simple setting method for setting the scan processing itself.
According to the present invention, image reading means for reading an image on a document table and document position acquisition means for acquiring a document position on the document table for each of one or more documents placed on the document table are provided. The processing operation after the image reading process is changed depending on the position where the document is placed on the document table. More specifically, the storage location of the scan data is changed or the setting of the scan itself is changed depending on the position where the document is placed.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for determining a storage destination of scan data and a processing method after scanning.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various proposals have been made in order to reduce the labor of a user with respect to manuscript scanning processing and handling of scanned data after scanning. For example, when scanning a document, generally, the user himself / herself has to classify and store the scan data after scanning, but when scanning a large amount of documents, it takes considerable time. Therefore, as in JP-A-5-54120, a mark such as a bar code is added to the original and is detected for classification, or the original layout and contents are analyzed as in JP-A-2001-101213. A method for performing classification is proposed.

In addition, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-45369, proposals have been made to automatically send scan data to a registered mail address depending on the position where the document is placed.
JP-A-5-54120 JP 2001-101213 A JP 2005-45369 A

  However, in the proposal as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-54120, an operation of adding an identifier such as a mark in advance to a document occurs, or a symbol unrelated to the document itself is added to the document, resulting in poor appearance. That happens. In addition, the proposal as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-101213 has a problem that it is difficult to analyze a handwritten manuscript that is not well-formatted. Furthermore, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-45369 does not consider the case where a plurality of documents are placed on the document table at the same time.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a scan data classification method in which a user does not add a mark or the like to a document and does not depend on the content of the document. Furthermore, the present invention provides a classification method capable of appropriate processing even when a plurality of documents are on the document table. It also provides a simple setting method for setting the scan processing itself.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, an image reading means for reading an image on a document table and a document position for acquiring a document position on the document table for each of one or more documents placed on the document table. An acquisition unit is provided, and the processing operation after the image reading process is changed depending on the position where the document is placed on the document table. More specifically, the storage location of the scan data is changed or the setting of the scan itself is changed depending on the position where the document is placed.

  As described above, by determining the storage destination according to the position where the user places the document, it is possible to classify the document without adding a mark or the like and without depending on the content of the document. Further, since a plurality of documents are cut out and individually processed, a plurality of documents can be classified at a time by a single scanning process. It is also possible to change the scan setting depending on the position where the document is placed.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of an information processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. This system is configured by connecting a scanner device 40 to a host computer 30 via a communication cable 12. The host computer 30 includes a ROM 1, a RAM 3, a keyboard input device 4, a mouse 5, a display 6, an HDD (hard disk device) 7, an FD (flexible disk device) 8, an external storage device 9 and a communication IF (interface) 10. They are connected by a bus 11.

  In the host computer 30, the ROM 2 stores a program executed when the host computer 30 is activated. The RAM 3 is used for loading programs necessary for various processes and temporarily storing various data. A keyboard 4 and a mouse 5 as a pointing device are used by the user to input various instructions. The display 6 visibly displays various information, and displays a screen related to a scan program and a storage destination setting program, which will be described later. The HDD 7 is a large-capacity storage device, and is used not only for storing programs and files, but also for temporarily storing data that cannot be controlled by the RAM 3 or the like. The HDD 7 further stores a scan program 20 for processing image data read from the scanner device 40, a storage destination setting program 21 for setting a file storage destination, and a storage destination table 22 for storing storage destination setting information. Has been. The FD 8 reads and writes data on a flexible disk (not shown). The external storage device 9 is a storage device (for example, CD-RW, DVD, etc.) using a medium different from the HDD 7 and the FD 8. The communication IF 10 controls communication with input devices such as the scanner device 40. The system bus 11 exchanges data between components in the host computer 30. The CPU 1 controls the entire host computer 30 via the system bus 11. The communication cable 12 physically connects the host computer 30 and the scanner device 40 and enables communication of data, signals, and the like between them.

  The scanner device 40 includes a device-side CPU 15, a device-side communication IF 13, a device-side RAM 17, an image input unit 16, a device-side ROM 14, and a scan button 18 that are connected via an in-device bus 19. In the scanner device 40, the device-side CPU 15 controls the entire device. The device side communication IF 13 controls communication with the host computer 30. Various programs are stored in the device ROM 14. The image input unit 16 has a sensor and a drive system (not shown) for optically reading an image such as a document or a photo. The device-side RAM 17 is used for temporarily storing the read image data.

  Next, the processing procedure of the present invention will be described. The present invention has two processing procedures: a storage destination setting process by the storage destination setting program 21 and a scan process by the scan program. In the storage destination setting process, a UI is displayed on the display 6, the user is allowed to set the storage destination of the image file associated with each area, and the setting is stored in the storage destination table 22. Since the storage destination table is used in the scan process, the user must execute the storage destination setting process before executing the scan process.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart of the storage destination setting process. The save destination setting process is instructed by the user using the mouse 5 or keyboard 4 on the host computer 30. Upon receiving a storage destination setting process start instruction from the user, the host computer 30 loads and executes the storage destination setting program 21 stored in the HDD 7 on the RAM 3.

  First, in S <b> 201, the CPU 1 displays a storage destination setting UI on the display 6. FIG. 3 shows an example of the save destination setting UI. Reference numeral 301 denotes an area virtually divided on the document table. In the present embodiment, as shown in the figure, the document table is equally divided into four equal parts, left and right, and vertically divided into two equal parts, and the ABCD name is given to each area. Reference numeral 302 denotes a part for setting a folder name for storing an actually scanned file when a document is placed in each area. The user can freely set the folder name in 302. In the example of FIG. 3, when an original is placed in area A, the scanned file of the original is saved in the D: \ PhotoData \ Family folder, and the scanned file of the original placed in area B is D: \ PhotoData \ Business. Saved in. Reference numeral 303 denotes a setting button. When this button is pressed by the user, it means that the setting operation by the user is completed. Reference numeral 304 denotes a cancel button. When this button is pressed, the storage destination setting process is immediately terminated.

  In S202, the setting value change is accepted until the user presses the OK button 303. When the OK button 303 is pressed, the process proceeds to S203.

In S203, the storage destination folder name for each area set in S202 is stored in the storage destination table 22. FIG. 4 is an example of the storage destination table.
This completes the storage destination setting process.

  Next, the scanning process will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  The scan processing activation instruction is transmitted to the host computer 30 through the communication cable 12 when the user presses the scan button 18 on the scanner device 40. Upon receiving the activation instruction, the host computer 30 loads the scan program 21 in the HDD 7 onto the RAM 3 and executes it.

  First, in step S <b> 501, the host computer 30 transmits a scan start command to the scanner device 40. Upon receiving the scan start command, the scanner device 40 operates the image input unit 16 to scan the document on the document table, and transmits the scan data to the host computer 30 through the communication cable 12. The scanning operation is completed by scanning the entire surface of the document table. The transmitted scan data is stored in the RAM 3 or the HDD 7 in the host computer 30. Note that scan settings such as scan resolution and color / monochrome scan may be fixed, or may be set in advance in the scan program 20 by the user.

  In step S502, a document cut-out process is performed on the scan data acquired in step S501. Since the data read in S501 is scan data for the entire surface of the original platen, the actual original region is cut out by performing edge detection processing or the like here. Naturally, when a plurality of documents are placed on the document table and scanned, the plurality of documents are cut out simultaneously. FIG. 6 shows a cut-out example. When three original documents 601, 602, and 603 are placed on the document table and scanned and cut out, scan data 611 that is scan data of the document 601, scan data 612 that is scan data of the document 602, and document 603. Three scan data of the scan data 613, which is the scan data, are cut out.

  In S503, it is determined to which area on the document table the scan data cut out in S502 belongs. Specifically, the barycentric point of the scan data cut out in S502 is obtained, and it is determined in which area of the divided areas on the document table this point is located. The area where the barycentric point is located is the area to which the cut scan data belongs. An example is shown in FIG. If the barycentric point of the scan data 701 is 711 and the barycentric point of the scan data 702 is 712, the scan data 701 is determined to belong to the area A because the barycentric point 711 is located in the area A. Similarly, the scan data 702 determines that it belongs to the area D because the barycentric point 712 is located in the area D.

  In S504, the storage destination table 22 is searched, and the storage destination folder corresponding to the area to which the determination is made in S503 is acquired. Then, the scan data is stored in the acquired folder. The save file name is automatically generated according to a certain rule.

  In step S505, it is confirmed whether the scan data storage processing for all the originals cut out in step S502 has been completed. If not completed, the process returns to S503 again, and the processes from S503 to S504 are repeated again.

  This completes the scanning process.

  FIG. 8 shows an example of the processing result when six originals are placed on the original table. When the save destination table has the contents shown in FIG. 4, the document 801 and the document 802 are “D: \ PhotoData \ Family”, the document 803 and the document 804 are “D: \ PhotoData \ Business”, and the document 805 is The document 806 is saved in “D: \ PhotoData \ Private” and “D: \ PhotoData \ Etc”.

  That is, six scan data are automatically stored in the associated folder by one scan process.

  As described above, the storage destination can be determined by the position where the user places the document.

(Other embodiments)
As another embodiment, an example in which the scan setting itself is changed depending on the position where the document is placed is shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 9A, the document table is virtually divided into left and right parts to be area A and area B, respectively. The scan setting for area A is set to a scanning resolution of 300 dpi and monochrome scan, and the scan setting for area B is set to a reading resolution of 600 dpi and color scan.

  When the scan processing is executed, first, prescan is performed to acquire the position of the original, and then the main scan is performed according to the scan setting corresponding to the acquired position. For example, when an original is placed as shown in FIG. 9B, monochrome scanning is performed with a scanning resolution of 300 dpi, and when placed as shown in FIG. 9C, scanning is performed with a scanning resolution of 600 dpi and color scanning.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to change the scan setting only by placing the original by giving meaning to the position where the original is placed.

System Configuration. The flowchart of a save destination setting process. An example of a save destination setting UI. An example of the save destination table. The flowchart of a scanning process. An example of clipping. Example of affiliation area. An example of placing multiple documents on the document table. An example of changing scan settings.

Claims (7)

  Image reading means for reading an image on the platen; and document position acquisition means for acquiring the document position on the platen for each of one or more originals placed on the platen, and placing the document on the platen A scanner system characterized in that a processing operation after an image reading process is changed depending on the position.   2. The scanner system according to claim 1, wherein the change in the processing operation after the image reading process changes a storage destination of the read data read by the image reading unit according to the position of the document.   The scanner system according to claim 2, wherein a user can freely set a storage destination of read data read by the image reading unit. When one document is placed on the document table, the change in the processing operation after the image reading process is as follows:
2. The scanner according to claim 1, wherein the image reading condition is changed according to the position of the original read by the image reading means, and the original is read by the image reading means again under the changed reading condition. system.   The scanner system according to claim 4, wherein a user can freely set image reading conditions at the time of second image reading.   6. The scanner system according to claim 4, wherein the image reading condition at the second image reading is reading resolution.   6. The scanner system according to claim 4, wherein the image reading condition at the time of the second image reading is a color scan or a monochrome scan.

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