JP2762878B2 - Image data registration device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image filing system for registering / retrieving / editing image data in an electronic filing system, and more particularly to an output from a host in a computer system in which a host computer and an electronic filing system are connected online. Receives data (code data for print output), converts it to image data,
The present invention relates to an image data registration device for directly registering a recording medium such as an optical disk.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a large-scale computer system, a processing result (code data) of a host computer is registered as image data, and output information (code data for print output) processed by the host computer is registered to register a registered image. There is a growing need to utilize data in personal systems.

In a conventional computer system,
For example, as disclosed in JP-A-59-216279, output data of a host computer is output to paper once using an output device such as a printer, and output information output on paper is input to a scanner or the like. It is necessary to register with the electronic filing device using the device. Storing the output result of the host computer on paper severely deteriorated the paper and required a storage place. However, these problems could be solved by using an electronic filing device.

[0004] However, when registering the output result of the host computer output on paper to the electronic filing apparatus by the scanner, there is a problem that it takes time and labor and the work efficiency is poor.

For this reason, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-71269 discloses an image registration device that registers output data of a host computer in an electronic filing device without outputting the data to a printer.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
By emulating a print operation for the print controller and a scanner operation for the electronic file device, the output data of the host computer is converted into a format that can be registered by the electronic file device and registered. Of the present invention can be used. However, in this image registration apparatus, only registration of output data of a host computer as bit data is considered, and information such as keywords necessary for search is stored in an image by an operator using a console such as a keyboard. It is necessary to directly input a key to the registration device, and the efficiency of the registration operation is not considered.

No consideration is given to format names and external characters (characters uniquely handled by the host computer including the extended character set) included in output data of the host computer.

An object of the present invention is to provide an image data registration apparatus capable of automatically registering a large amount of document information created by a host computer as image data in an electronic filing apparatus without the intervention of an operator. To provide.

Another object of the present invention is to automatically convert printer output code data of a host computer into image data that can be registered by an electronic filing device, and to convert keywords relating to the printer output code data by an electronic filing device. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image data registration device that can be generated by a host computer in accordance with a registrable keyword configuration and can register a keyword for the search together with image data.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an image data registration apparatus capable of registering as image data even if a format name or an external character is designated in the printer output code data of the host computer. is there.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an image data registration device capable of registering printer output code data of a host computer as image data in a registration destination designated by the host computer.

[0012]

An image data registration apparatus according to the present invention manages transmission and reception of code data with a host computer (hereinafter referred to as a host), analyzes the code data, and transfers the code data in accordance with the analysis result. Control means for controlling printer data, image data processing means for receiving printer output code data from a host via the control means and converting the code data into image data, and registration means for registering the converted image data in a nonvolatile storage medium. The control means controls the image data processing means and the registration means, and while receiving the printer output code data from the host by the control means, converts the code data into image data by the image data processing means and registers it in the storage medium of the registration means. The control means receives a keyword relating to the printer output code data created by the host, and And registers remain registration means of the code data.

According to one feature of the present invention, the control means reads a keyword configuration that can be registered in the registration means from the registration means in accordance with an instruction from the host, transfers the keyword configuration to the host, and converts the keyword configuration into the transferred keyword configuration. In response, a keyword created by the host is received, and the keyword is registered in the registration unit together with the image data as code data.

According to one feature of the present invention, there is provided storage means for storing format data relating to printer output code data created by a host, and for converting the printer output code data into image data. By importing necessary format data from the storage means to the image data processing means, even if a format is specified in the printer output code data, it can be registered as image data conforming to the format.

According to one feature of the present invention, external character data (including an extended character set) to be handled by the host is stored in the storage means in advance, and the external character data is taken into the image data processing means, thereby enabling the printer output. Even if an external character is specified in the application code data, it can be registered as image data.

According to another feature of the invention, the control means comprises:
Information about the registration destination is received from the host together with the keyword, and the registration unit is controlled to register the image data together with the keyword in the registration destination designated by the host.

[0017]

According to the present invention, an image which can be registered in an electronic filing apparatus without man-in-the-middle operation by an operator with the same man-hour as outputting document information (print output code data) created by a host to a printer. It can be converted into data and registered directly with the keyword for the search.

A keyword for search is generated by the host in accordance with a keyword configuration suitable for the registration means.
Since it is received together with the print output code data from the host, the operator does not need to perform key input and keyword extraction work on the image data registration device side, and the registration work efficiency is improved. The registered image data can be easily searched based on a keyword based on the code data generated by the host.

Further, the image data registration device of the present invention
It has storage means for storing the format data created by the host and the external character data handled by the host, and the necessary format data and external character data can be imported according to the request of the image data processing means. Even if a format or external character is specified in the output code data, it can be converted into registerable image data conforming to the format, and various document information created by the host can be directly registered as image data.

Further, by designating information (for example, a station name and a medium name) relating to the registration destination from the host, the image data can be registered in the registration destination station / medium designated by the host.

[0021]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an image data registration device according to the present invention. The image data registration device according to the present embodiment is a computer system in which a host and an electronic filing device are connected online, receives output data (print data) from the host, converts the data into image data, and directly converts the output data into a recording medium such as an optical disk. It is used as an image data registration device of an electronic filing system for registration.

In FIG. 1, a MAIN control unit 1 controls the entire image data registration device. Here, a case will be described in which the operator controls the operation unit 15 and instructs the MAIN control unit 1 to register printer output data. The MAIN control unit 1 first requests the image data processing unit 17 for an initialization process. Next, MAIN
The control unit 1 instructs the host control unit 6 to receive data from the host (not shown), and instructs the data analysis control unit 7 to convert the print output data into image data.
Do each.

The host controller 6 has a plurality of reception buffers 12 from the host. When data is received from the host, the data is reported to the data management unit 9 and the reception of the next data is awaited. The data analysis control unit 7 includes a reception data management unit 9
Waits for data establishment, and when data is received
The data analysis processing shown in (1) is performed. Then, upon receiving the print output data, it issues a registration request instruction to the optical disk control unit 8 and delivers the data to the image data processing unit 17.

The image data processing section 17 delivers the print output data to the vector raster conversion device 11, and performs the processing shown in FIG. 3 based on the result. Optical disk control unit 8
Then, the data is received from the registration data management unit 10 and registered on the optical disc 14. When registration is completed, the image data registration buffer 13 is released, and when registration of one page of data is completed, the registration completed page management area 16 is updated.

An operator operates the operation unit 15 in advance (before giving an instruction to register print output data) to instruct the file transfer control unit 2 to transfer external characters / format data, respectively, and to preliminarily store instructions in the image data registration apparatus. The external character / format data is transferred to the magnetic disk 3 in advance. Upon receiving a request for initialization from the MAIN control unit 1, the image data processing unit 17 converts a number of characters from the beginning of the external character data transferred in advance and stored in the external character table 4 on the magnetic disk 3 to vector raster conversion. Transfer to the device 11. At this time, the default setting information 18 is shown to the vector raster conversion apparatus 11 (the default processing is performed when the code data for print output is invalid such as inconsistency between the page size and the number of characters, or when there is no necessary information such as the character size). )
Hand over.

If the external character code and format code that could not be transferred to the vector raster converter 11 are included in the print output data from the host, when the vector raster converter 11 detects these, When “external character / no format” is reported to the processing unit 17, the image data processing unit 17 reads out the necessary external character / format data from the external character / format table on the magnetic disk 3 and delivers it to the vector raster conversion device 11.

FIG. 2 shows the operation of the data analysis control unit, and FIG. 9 shows the format of data received from the host. In FIG. 9, the data length indicates the length of data received at one time, and the data type indicates the type of data such as a keyword registration request. Divided transfer is the first data /
The type of data at the time of division, such as final data, is shown. Based on these types of data, the data analysis control unit 7 in FIG. 1 determines what the data received from the host is.

Returning to FIG. 2, the data analysis control unit 7 receives data from the host from the data management unit 9 (processing 2).
0), the data is sorted according to the type of the data. First, it is determined whether or not the received data is a request for acquiring a keyword configuration (step 21). If the received data is a request for acquiring a keyword configuration, the optical disc control unit 8 is instructed to read the keyword configuration (step 22). The reading result is reported to the unit 9 and the data receiving process is performed again.

If the received data is not a request for acquiring a keyword configuration, it is determined whether or not the received data is a request for keyword registration (process 2).
4) If it is a request for keyword registration, an order reception response is sent to the data management unit 9 (process 25). At this time, the registration completion management area 16 reports the status of the completion of the registration. Then, a request for keyword registration is made to the optical disk control unit 8 (process 26). Subsequently, data is received from the data management unit 9 (process 27), and it is checked whether or not the data is print output data (process 28). If the data is print output data, the data management unit 9 receives an order as needed. In response (process 29), a registration instruction is issued to the optical disk control unit 8 (process 30), a data conversion instruction is issued to the image data processing unit 17 (process 31), and data reception from the data management unit 9 is waited again. .

When a request for keyword composition acquisition / keyword registration is received from the host, not only the name of the medium for keyword composition acquisition / keyword registration but also the station are designated, so that not only the local but also the remote station registration device can be designated. Registration is also possible.

If the received data is an end instruction (process 32), the process waits until all registrations to the optical disk are completed (process 33), and outputs a report of the process result to the data management unit 9 (process 34). . At this time, the remaining capacity on the optical disk is checked by specifying the near end determination value in the initial setting information 18 in advance, and if the remaining capacity is smaller than the near end determination value, a near end report may be output together with the processing result. It is possible.

If another order is received, an abnormal end is reported to the data management unit 9 (process 35).

FIG. 3 shows the operation of the image data processing section 17.

When the image data processing unit 17 in FIG. 1 receives the data for print output from the data analysis control unit 7, it passes the data to the vector raster conversion device 11 (process 40). The vector raster conversion device 11 reports the status based on the received data. First, it is checked whether or not the state is normal (step 41). If the state is normal, the process ends normally and waits for reception of the next data from the data analysis control unit 7.

When receiving the report of the image data reception warning from the vector raster conversion device 11, the delivery of the print output data is temporarily interrupted, and it is checked whether or not the request is for the image data reception (process 42).
1 is requested to receive data (process 43). If the data can be normally received, the image data is delivered to the registered data management unit 10 (process 45), and subsequently, a request for data reception is made to the vector raster conversion device 11. If no data is reported (process 44), print output data is transferred to the vector raster conversion device 11 again.

If there is no external character (process 46), a request for obtaining necessary external character data is made from the vector raster conversion device (process 47), and the image data processing unit 17 is stored in the external character table 4 of the magnetic disk 3. The necessary external character data is read from the external character data, and is reported to the vector raster conversion device 11 (process 48). Similarly, if the state is no format (process 49), the vector raster conversion device 1
1 and a request for obtaining necessary format data is made (process 5).
0), necessary format data is read from the format table 5 of the magnetic disk 3 and reported to the vector raster conversion device 11 (process 51). When the report of the required external character / format data is completed, the printer output data is delivered to the vector raster conversion device 11 again. When another state is reported, the data analysis unit 7 is notified of the abnormal termination.

FIG. 4 shows a program system of the main registration device. Software: An application program for registration device 60 and hardware: An existing registration device can be easily changed to a regular registration device by incorporating the program 62 and the vector raster conversion device 63 into a standard device including an image registration device 61. is there. Further, if a search designation is issued from the operation unit to the existing registration device application program after the registration is completed, it becomes possible to search the registered image data by converting the image data into the image data according to the designation from the host.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a format for creating format data and external character data in a host and transferring the format data and external character data to the image data registration apparatus of the present invention.

When the host terminal 71 gives an instruction to create format data, the format data creation program 72 creates format data 74 on a data set in the host computer 70.
Create The operation unit 15 of the registration device instructs the host transfer control unit 85 in the file transfer control unit 2 to receive binary data in advance, and the host terminal 71
By issuing a transfer command to the online transfer control unit 76, the format data 80 from the host is transferred to the magnetic disk 3 on the registration device side. Thereafter, the format conversion utility 82 is started from the operation unit 15 to create a unique format table 5 suitable for the main registration device.

Similarly, when an instruction to create external character data is issued from the host terminal 71, an external character data creation program 73 creates external character data 75 on a data set in the host computer 70. Operation unit 1 on the registration device side in advance
5 instructs the host transfer control unit 85 to receive binary data, and issues a transfer command to the online transfer control unit 76 from the host terminal 71. External character data 81
Is transferred. Then, the external character conversion utility 83 is activated from the operation unit 15 to create a unique external character table 4 suitable for the official registration device.

FIG. 6 shows the format of the format table. The registration number of the format table indicates the number of format data existing on the table. The format code is a name given when a format is created by the host computer 70. The format data storage file name indicates a file name in which format data corresponding to the format code is actually stored. Format conversion utility 8 for converting the format data received from host 70
At the time of conversion in step 2, if the same format code already exists in the format table 5, the operator is prompted to specify whether to overwrite or skip. When a request for obtaining format data is made from the vector raster conversion device 11 of FIG. 1, a corresponding format code is searched from the format table, and the requested format data is delivered to the vector raster conversion device 11. Upon receiving the format data, the vector raster conversion device 11 expands the format data into image data, and further expands the print output code data into image data.

FIG. 7 shows the format of the external character table. The external character code indicates a character code representing an external character. The external character data is dot image data corresponding to the external character code. After transferring new external character data from the host 70,
When the external character conversion utility 83 is operated, external character data is merged so that the external character codes in the external character table 4 are arranged in ascending order. If the same external character code already exists, the operator is prompted to overwrite or skip.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram for explaining the transfer control of print output code data and keywords created by the host computer to the registration device.

The output control unit 95 in the host computer 70 is operated from the console 91 in advance, and the registration device 100 is set in a state of waiting for data reception from the host. In this state, when the host terminal 71 instructs the storage device 92, the name of the registration destination medium, the name of the registration destination, the registered keyword, the number of registered pages, and the data to be output, the storage control portion 92 prints the output data for printing. The code data is stored in the code data storage buffer 93, and the other data is stored in the registration information storage area 94 as the registration information 90 in a format exemplified in the lower part of FIG.

When data is stored in the print output code data storage buffer 93, the output control section 95 requests the registration apparatus 100 of the 'apparatus 1' to register a keyword, and the number of registered pages in the registration information storage area 94 continues. The data is read out from the print output code data storage buffer 93 by an amount corresponding to the number and the registration device 100 is instructed to register the print output data. In the example shown in the figure, a registration request is made to the registration device 100 of the 'device 1' on the optical disk 101 having the medium name “CABINE1” in the own station with the registration keyword “ABCD”. Data for pages 10 to 93 are sequentially output, and a request for print output data registration is made. Subsequently, a registration request is made to the registration device 100 with the registration keyword “abcd” on the optical disk 106 having the medium name “CABINE2” in the registration device 105 of the “device 2” which is a remote station, and then from the print output code data storage buffer 93. Two pages of data are sequentially output, and a request for print output data registration is made. Repeat until there is no more data to be registered.

The keyword configuration of the medium to which data is to be registered (the keyword is composed of a plurality of items, and the keyword configuration indicates the number of items that can be registered in the registration device and the character type and the number of digits) is obtained. In this case, when the host terminal 71 instructs the output control unit 95 to acquire the keyword configuration, the registration device 100 requests the registration device 100 to acquire the keyword configuration. To be displayed.

FIG. 10 shows conversion control of print output data in the vector raster conversion device 11. When the data receiving unit 111 receives the data, the data checking unit 1
12 and the data is passed. If there is something wrong with the data,
If a format code or an external character code is included, the data is reported to the data receiving unit. Otherwise, the print data developing unit 114 is activated, and the conversion of the print output code data into image data is performed in the developing buffer (two-sided buffer configuration) 115. If there is no necessary format data / external character data in the vector raster conversion device 11, when the data accepting unit 111 receives the required format data / external character data from the magnetic disk 3 via the image data processing unit 17, the format receiving unit 111 Then, the format data is developed into image data, and then the print data developing section develops print output data. If the expansion is completed, the encoding processing unit 1
At 16, image data (dot data) is encoded into an encoding buffer (two-sided buffer configuration) 117. When the encoding is completed, the data receiving unit 111 is notified that the image registration data has been established.

[0049]

According to the present invention, it is possible to register print output data as an output result from a host computer on an optical disk without outputting the data to paper, thereby facilitating the registration work, reducing paper use, and saving storage space. Not only the space can be increased, but also a keyword matching the registration data is received from the host side, so that the registration apparatus does not need to perform a key operation by title at the time of registration. Also, by alternately sending the keyword and the data for print output, it is possible to assign a keyword for each registered data page / a plurality of pages. In addition, when reading registered data using a keyword, a search can be easily performed by the function of the existing image data registering device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an embodiment of an image data registration device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of a data analysis control unit;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of an image data processing unit;

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a program system of the image data registration device according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram for explaining transfer control of format data and external character data from a host to a registration device;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a format of a format table.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a format of an external character table.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram for explaining data transfer control from the host to the registration device;

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a format of data received from a host.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram for explaining conversion control in the vector raster conversion apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 MAIN control unit 2 File transfer control unit 3 Magnetic disk 4 External character table 5 Format table 6
..Host controller 7 Data analysis controller 8 Optical disk controller 9 Data manager 10 Registered data manager
11 ・ ・ Vector raster converter 12 ・ ・ Reception buffer 13 ・ ・
Image data registration buffer 14 Optical disk 15 Operation unit 16 Registration completed page management area 17 Image data processing unit
18. Initial setting information 60 Software: Application program for registration device 61 Hardware image registration device 62 This program 63 Vector raster conversion device

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Kenji Machida 2880 Kozu, Odawara-shi, Kanagawa Hitachi, Ltd. Storage Systems Division (56) References JP-A-3-71269 (JP, A) (58) Survey Field (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G06T 1/00 H04N 1/21

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A host computer (hereinafter referred to as a host)
And control means for analyzing the code data and controlling the transfer of the code data in accordance with the analysis result, and receiving printer output code data from the host via the control means, and receiving image data. Image data processing means for converting the image data into a non-volatile storage medium, and the control means controls the image data processing means and the registration means. While the data is received by the control means, the image data is converted into image data by the image data processing means and registered in the storage medium of the registration means, and the control means receives a keyword concerning the printer output code data created by the host. Registering the keyword as code data in the registration means. Location. 2. The control unit reads a keyword configuration that can be registered by the registration unit from the registration unit in accordance with an instruction from the host, transfers the keyword configuration to the host, and causes the host to execute the keyword configuration in accordance with the keyword configuration. 2. The image data registration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a keyword related to the created printer output code data is received. 3. A storage means for storing format data relating to the printer output code data created by the host, wherein the format data necessary for converting the printer output code data into image data is stored. 3. The image data registration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image data is registered in said image data processing means. 4. An external character data (including an extended character set) handled by the host is received and stored in advance in the storage means from the host, and the external character data is taken into the image data processing means from the storage means. The image data registration device according to claim 3, wherein 5. The control means receives information on a registration destination together with the keyword from a host, and controls the registration means to register the image data together with the keyword in a registration destination designated by the host. 3. The image data registration device according to claim 2, wherein: