JP5879286B2 - Search system using device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a search system utilization apparatus capable of accessing a search system and obtaining a search result.

  Search services that allow a user to input a search term into a personal computer, cause the search system (for example, a search engine on the Internet) to perform a search using the search term, and display the search result on the personal computer are widely used. As a search system using device that can use the search service, there is a mobile terminal such as a smartphone in addition to a personal computer.

  In order to search using such a search service, it is necessary to input a search term into a personal computer or a portable terminal. Some users are unfamiliar with computer keyboard and mobile device key operations. Therefore, a technique has been proposed that allows a search term to be input without operating a keyboard or keys (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  According to this technology, a document is scanned, keywords are extracted from a document image using an OCR engine, the extracted keywords are displayed in a list on the screen, a keyword used by a user as a search key is selected, and a search is started. Press the button to execute the search.

JP 2007-34847 A (paragraph 0058-paragraph 0060)

  The search results are displayed on the display unit of a personal computer or a mobile terminal, but some users are unable to read small characters. Such a user can be handled by changing the character size setting of the search result displayed on the display unit to a larger size. However, for users who are unfamiliar with the operation of the keyboard of a personal computer or the keys of a mobile terminal, setting the character size is very troublesome and sometimes the user does not know how to set it.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for using a search system that can output a search result with a character size that can be read by the user without the user setting the character size.

  A search system using device according to the present invention that achieves the above object is a search system using device that is accessible via a search system and a network, and includes a document reading unit that reads a document and generates image data, and the image data The character recognition unit for recognizing characters described in the document and the character recognized by the character recognition unit are accessed as a search term from the image of the document indicated by An access unit that receives the search results, an output unit that outputs the search results to the user, and a character size that can be output by the output unit, with reference to the size of the character described in the document. A size determining unit for determining a character size and the character size determined by the size determining unit for outputting the search result In the character size, and an output control unit to output the search result to the output unit.

  The search system utilization apparatus according to the present invention recognizes a character described in a manuscript, accesses the search system using the character as a search word, receives the search result from the search system, and outputs the search result. According to the search system utilization device according to the present invention, the character size is determined by referring to the character size described in the document from among the character sizes that can be output by the output unit (for example, described in the document). The character size corresponding to the character size is determined), and the determined character size is set to the character size of the search result and the search result is output. Accordingly, it is possible to output the search result with a character size that is the same as or close to the size of the characters described in the document. Therefore, by using a manuscript that is written in a size that can be read by the user (for example, paper that has been handwritten by the user), the user can read it without setting the character size. The search result can be output with the character size that can be.

  In the above configuration, the display unit, an operation unit to which an instruction by the user is input, and a display control unit that displays the character recognized by the character recognition unit on the display unit, the access unit, When the user operates the operation unit and an instruction to confirm the search word is input to the operation unit, the search is performed on the character recognized by the character recognition unit displayed on the display unit. The search system is accessed as a word, and a search result searched by the search system is received.

  According to this configuration, the search term can be confirmed on the display unit.

  In the above configuration, an instruction to designate and delete unnecessary characters from the characters recognized by the character recognition unit displayed on the display unit when the user operates the operation unit is displayed on the operation unit. When input, the display control unit causes the display unit to display a character obtained by deleting the unnecessary character from the character recognized by the character recognition unit.

  For example, in the flyer, product names, prices, company names, etc. are scattered, and images other than characters (pictures, figures, photos, etc.) are placed between them. For this reason, a character string including a product name, a price, a company name, and the like is displayed on the display unit as a search word. According to this configuration, in order to make a search word required by the user, it is possible to display on the display unit, as a search word, an unnecessary character deleted from the character string. For example, when a company name is to be used as a search term, the company name can be used as a search term by deleting characters other than the company name.

  In the above configuration, when there are a plurality of the characters described in the document and a plurality of the character sizes determined by the size determining unit, the display control unit is the smallest from the largest character size. A selection screen that prompts the user to input an instruction to select an arbitrary size within the range up to the character size of the value is displayed on the display unit, and the output control unit operates the operation unit by the user. Then, when the selection instruction is input to the operation unit, the selected character size is set as the character size of the search result output by the output unit.

  When two or more characters are described in the document, the size of the characters may be different. In such a case, a plurality of character sizes are determined by the size determination unit. According to this configuration, the user is allowed to select an arbitrary size out of the range from the largest character size to the smallest character size among a plurality of character sizes, and the selected character size is selected. The character size of the search result output by the output unit is set.

  In the above configuration, the output unit outputs the search result by image display, and the output control unit causes the output unit to display an image of the search result at the character size determined by the size determination unit.

  This configuration is an aspect in which the character size determined by the size determination unit is applied to the search result displayed as an image.

  In the above configuration, the output unit forms an image on a sheet, and the output control unit causes the output unit to form the search result on the sheet with the character size determined by the size determination unit.

  This configuration is a mode in which the character size determined by the size determination unit is applied to the search result printed on the paper.

  In the above configuration, the user operates the operation unit, and in the search result displayed as an image on the output unit, selects a location where a hyperlink is set, and displays a page linked to the location. When an instruction to input is input to the operation unit, the output unit includes an acquisition unit that acquires the page via the network, and the output control unit converts the page with the character size determined by the size determination unit. An image is displayed on the output unit.

  This configuration is an aspect in which the character size determined by the size determining unit is applied to a page displayed as an image.

  In the above configuration, the output unit forms an image on a sheet, and the output control unit causes the output unit to form the search result on the sheet with the character size determined by the size determining unit, The output control unit causes the output unit to form the page on the paper at the character size determined by the size determination unit.

  This configuration is a mode in which the character size determined by the size determining unit is applied to the search result printed on the paper and the page printed on the paper.

  In the above configuration, the output unit forms an image on a sheet, the display control unit causes the search result to be displayed on the display unit, and the output control unit determines the character size determined by the size determination unit. Then, the search result is formed on the sheet by the output unit.

  This configuration is an aspect in which the character size determined by the size determination unit is applied to the search result printed on the paper without being applied to the search result displayed on the image.

  In the above configuration, the user operates the operation unit, and in the search result displayed on the display unit, selects a location where a hyperlink is set, and displays a page linked to the location. When an instruction is input to the operation unit, the display unit includes an acquisition unit that acquires the page via the network, the display control unit displays the page on the display unit, and the output control unit includes the size. The output unit forms the page on the paper with the character size determined by the determination unit.

  This configuration is a mode in which the character size determined by the size determining unit is applied to the page printed on the paper without being applied to the page displayed as an image.

  The said structure WHEREIN: The said display control part displays the said character which the said character recognition part recognized by the said character size determined by the said size determination part on the said display part.

  According to this configuration, the character (that is, the search word) recognized by the character recognition unit can be displayed on the display unit with a character size that can be read by the user without setting the character size by the user.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to output a search result with a character size that the user can read without setting the character size by the user.

It is explanatory drawing explaining the outline of the internal structure of the image forming apparatus with which the search system utilization apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention was applied. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the image forming apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1. It is a flowchart explaining operation | movement of the search system utilization apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. It is a top view of the paper on which the search word is described on a blank sheet. It is explanatory drawing explaining the display part on which the search term was displayed. It is explanatory drawing explaining the display part by which the search result was displayed. It is explanatory drawing explaining the display part on which the page was displayed. It is explanatory drawing explaining the display part on which the search term was displayed.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an outline of the internal structure of an image forming apparatus 1 to which a search system utilization apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. The image forming apparatus 1 can be applied to, for example, a digital multifunction machine having functions of a copy, a printer, a scanner, and a facsimile. The image forming apparatus 1 is disposed on the apparatus main body 100, an original reading unit 200 disposed on the apparatus main body 100, an original feeding unit 300 disposed on the original reading unit 200, and an upper front surface of the apparatus main body 100. An operation unit 400 is provided.

  The document feeding unit 300 functions as an automatic document feeding device, and can feed a plurality of documents placed on the document placing unit 301 so that the document reading unit 200 can read them continuously.

  The document reading unit 200 includes a carriage 201 on which an exposure lamp or the like is mounted, a document table 203 made of a transparent member such as glass, a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) sensor (not shown), and a document reading slit 205. When reading a document placed on the document table 203, the document is read by the CCD sensor while moving the carriage 201 in the longitudinal direction of the document table 203. On the other hand, when reading a document fed from the document feeding unit 300, the carriage 201 is moved to a position facing the document reading slit 205, and the document fed from the document feeding unit 300 is scanned. Reading is performed by the CCD sensor through the reading slit 205. The CCD sensor outputs the read original as image data.

  The apparatus main body 100 includes a sheet storage unit 101, an image forming unit 103, and a fixing unit 105. The sheet storage unit 101 is disposed at the lowermost part of the apparatus main body 100 and includes a sheet tray 107 that can store a bundle of sheets. In the bundle of sheets stored in the sheet tray 107, the uppermost sheet is sent out toward the sheet conveyance path 111 by driving the pickup roller 109. The sheet is conveyed to the image forming unit 103 through the sheet conveyance path 111.

  The image forming unit 103 forms a toner image on the conveyed paper. The image forming unit 103 includes a photosensitive drum 113, an exposure unit 115, a developing unit 117, and a transfer unit 119. The exposure unit 115 generates modulated light corresponding to image data (image data output from the document reading unit 200, image data transmitted from a personal computer, image data received by facsimile, etc.), and is uniformly charged. Irradiate to the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 113. As a result, an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the image data is formed on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 113. In this state, a toner image corresponding to image data is formed on the peripheral surface by supplying toner from the developing unit 117 to the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 113. This toner image is transferred by the transfer unit 119 to the sheet conveyed from the sheet storage unit 101 described above.

  The sheet on which the toner image is transferred is sent to the fixing unit 105. In the fixing unit 105, heat and pressure are applied to the toner image and the paper, and the toner image is fixed to the paper. The paper is discharged to the stack tray 121 or the paper discharge tray 123.

  The operation unit 400 receives a user instruction. The operation unit 400 includes an operation key unit 401 and a display unit 403. The display unit 403 has a touch panel function, and displays a screen including soft keys. The user operates the soft key while viewing the screen to make settings necessary for executing functions such as copying.

  The operation key unit 401 is provided with operation keys including hard keys. Specifically, a start key 405, a numeric keypad 407, a stop key 409, a reset key 411, a function switching key 413 for switching between copy, printer, scanner, and facsimile are provided.

  A start key 405 is a key for starting operations such as copying and facsimile transmission. A numeric keypad 407 is a key for inputting numbers such as the number of copies and a facsimile number. A stop key 409 is a key for stopping a copy operation or the like halfway. The reset key 411 is a key for returning the set contents to the initial setting state.

  The function switching key 413 includes a copy key, a transmission key, and the like, and is a key for switching between a copy function, a transmission function, and the like. When the copy key is operated, an initial copy screen is displayed on the display unit 403. When the transmission key is operated, an initial screen for facsimile transmission and mail transmission is displayed on the display unit 403.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIG. The image forming apparatus 1 has a configuration in which an apparatus main body 100, a document reading unit 200, a document feeding unit 300, an operation unit 400, a control unit 500, and a communication unit 600 are connected to each other by a bus. Since the apparatus main body 100, the document reading unit 200, the document feeding unit 300, and the operation unit 400 have already been described, description thereof will be omitted.

  The control unit 500 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), an image memory, and the like. The CPU executes control necessary for operating the image forming apparatus 1 for the above-described components of the image forming apparatus 1 such as the apparatus main body 100. The ROM stores software necessary for controlling the operation of the image forming apparatus 1. The RAM is used for temporary storage of data generated during execution of software, storage of application software, and the like. The image memory temporarily stores image data (image data output from the document reading unit 200, image data transmitted from a personal computer, image data received by facsimile, etc.).

  The control unit 500 includes a character recognition unit 501, a display control unit 503, an access unit 505, a size determination unit 507, an acquisition unit 509, and an output control unit 511 as functional blocks. Details of these blocks will be described later.

  The communication unit 600 includes a facsimile communication unit 601 and a network I / F unit 603. The facsimile communication unit 601 includes an NCU (Network Control Unit) that controls connection of a telephone line with a destination facsimile, and a modulation / demodulation circuit that modulates / demodulates a signal for facsimile communication. The facsimile communication unit 601 is connected to the telephone line 605.

  The network I / F unit 603 is connected to a LAN (Local Area Network) 607. A network I / F unit 603 is a communication interface circuit for executing communication with a terminal device such as a personal computer connected to the LAN 607.

  The image forming apparatus 1 has a function of a search system utilization apparatus. The search system using device can be accessed via a search system such as a search engine via the Internet. The present invention is applicable not only to the Internet but also to a mode in which a search system is accessed via a network such as an intranet.

  The character recognition unit 501, the display control unit 503, the access unit 505, the size determination unit 507, the acquisition unit 509, and the output control unit 511 are elements that implement the functions of the search system utilization device.

  The character recognizing unit 501 recognizes characters described in the original from the image of the original indicated by the image data generated by the original reading unit 200 using optical character recognition processing.

  The display control unit 503 causes the display unit 403 to display the character recognized by the character recognition unit 501 as a search word.

  The access unit 505 accesses the search system on the Internet using the network I / F unit 603 and receives the search result searched by the search system.

  The display unit 403 and the image forming unit 103 function as an output unit, and output the search result received by the access unit 505 to the user. As described above, the output unit outputs the search result by image display and forms the search result on the paper.

  The size determining unit 507 determines a character size corresponding to the size of the character written on the document read by the document reading unit 200 from the character sizes that can be output by the display unit 403 and the image forming unit 103. The character size is not limited to the character size corresponding to the character size described in the document, and the character size may be determined with reference to the character size described in the document read by the document reading unit 200. .

  The acquisition unit 509 instructs the user to operate the operation unit 400, select a location where a hyperlink is set in the search result displayed on the display unit 403, and display a page linked to that location. Is input to the operation unit 400, the page is acquired via the Internet using the network I / F unit 603.

  The output control unit 511 changes the character size determined by the size determination unit 507 to the character size for outputting the search result, causes the display unit 403 and the image forming unit 103 to output the search result, or the size determination unit 507. The page size is determined by the acquisition unit 509, and the page is output to the display unit 403 and the image forming unit 103.

  An operation of the search system utilization device according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining this operation. The user writes the search term by hand on a blank sheet of paper. FIG. 4 is a plan view of a sheet on which a search term is written on a blank sheet. As a search term, “food supermarket XXX” is written by hand. This paper is referred to as a document S.

  It is also possible to prepare a sheet in which an area for describing a search word is provided in advance, and the character recognition unit 501 performs character recognition for that area and does not perform character recognition for other areas. In this way, character recognition can be speeded up.

  When the user operates the operation unit 400 in FIG. 1 and an instruction to select a search mode is input to the operation unit 400, the display control unit 503 displays a search mode screen on the display unit 403.

  When the user sets the document S on the document placement unit 301 in FIG. 1 and inputs an instruction to read the document S to the operation unit 400, the document feeding unit 300 sets the document set on the document placement unit 301. S is sent to the document reading unit 200, and the document reading unit 200 reads the document S (step S1).

  As a result, the document reading unit 200 generates image data of the document S. The character recognition unit 501 recognizes characters written on the document S from the image indicated by the image data (step S2).

  As shown in FIG. 5, the display control unit 503 displays the screen 11 indicating the search word on the display unit 403. The screen 11 includes a display field 13, various keys 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, and cursor keys 25.

  Characters recognized by the character recognition unit 501 are displayed in the display field 13 of the display unit 403. Here, “food supermarket XXX” is displayed. That is, in the display column 13, a character expression (character string) composed of characters recognized by the character recognition unit 501 is displayed as a search word.

  The cursor key 25 is used for moving the frame 27 displayed in the display column 13, or for selecting a page (web page) to be displayed in the display column 13 from search results described later.

  The delete key 21 is a key for inputting, to the operation unit 400, an instruction to delete the characters surrounded by the frame 27 among the characters displayed in the display field 13.

  If the character displayed in the display column 13 includes an unnecessary character as a search word, the user operates the cursor key 25 to move the frame 27 displayed in the display column 13 to the position of the unnecessary character. And the delete key 21 is pressed to input an instruction to delete characters to the operation unit 400. As a result, the display control unit 503 deletes unnecessary characters from the display field 13. That is, when the user operates the operation unit 400 and an instruction to specify and delete unnecessary characters from the characters recognized by the character recognition unit 501 displayed on the display unit 403 is input to the operation unit 400 The display control unit 503 causes the display unit 403 to display a character obtained by deleting unnecessary characters from the characters recognized by the character recognition unit 501.

  The enter key 23 is a key for inputting, to the operation unit 400, an instruction to confirm the character displayed in the display field 13 as a search word. Other keys 15, 17, and 19 will be described later.

  The size determining unit 507 determines a character size corresponding to the size of the character described in the document S from the character sizes that can be output by the output unit (the display unit 403 and the image forming unit 103) (step S3). . More specifically, the size determination unit 507 determines the character size for each extracted character in the step of extracting characters one by one when the character recognition unit 501 recognizes the characters described in the document S.

  Of the font sizes that can be output by the output unit (display unit 403 and image forming unit 103), if there is a font size that is the same as the size of the character that was first cut out, that font size is the character size of the character that was cut out first. It is determined. If the font size that can be output by the output unit is not the same as the size of the first cut out character, the font size closest to the size of the first cut out character will be the size of the first cut out character. Determined as character size. This determination is also performed for each character cut out after the second.

  If all the extracted characters are the same character size, the character size is one, and the character size corresponds to the character size described in the document S. If the cut out characters are not all the same character size, there are a plurality of character sizes, and the plurality of character sizes correspond to the character size described in the document S. The size determining unit 507 determines whether a plurality of character sizes have been determined (step S4).

  When the size determining unit 507 determines that a plurality of character sizes have been determined (Yes in step S4), the display control unit 503 determines that the largest character size and the smallest value among the plurality of character sizes are obtained. A selection screen that prompts the user to select one of the character sizes is displayed on the display unit 403 (step S5). The selection screen is a screen including the following character image in the screen 11 shown in FIG.

  “Press the key 15 to output the search result with the largest character among the characters described in the manuscript, and press the key 17 to output the search result with the smallest character.”

  When there are a plurality of characters described in the document S and there are a plurality of character sizes determined by the size determination unit, the display control unit 503 displays the character size from the largest value to the smallest character size. A selection screen that prompts the user to input an instruction to select an arbitrary size within the range may be displayed on the display unit 403.

  When the user does not press the key 15 or the key 17 (No in step S6), the display control unit 503 continues the state in which the selection screen is displayed on the display unit 403 (step S5).

  If the user presses the key 15 or 17 (Yes in step S6), or if the size determination unit 507 determines that there is one character size in step S4 (No in step S4), the process proceeds to step S7. .

  When the user wants to search for a character displayed in the display field 13 of the display unit 403 as a search word, the user presses the enter key 23. The access unit 505 determines whether or not the user has pressed the enter key 23 (step S7). If the access unit 505 does not determine that the user has pressed the enter key 23 (No in step S7), step S7 is repeated.

  When the user presses the enter key 23 (Yes in step S7), an instruction to confirm the character displayed in the display field 13 as a search word is input to the operation unit 400. As a result, the access unit 505 accesses the search system on the Internet using the characters displayed in the display field 13 as search words, and receives the search results searched by the search system. The output control unit 511 displays the screen 31 shown in FIG. 6 on the display unit 403 (step S8).

  Search results are displayed in the display column 13 of the screen 31. The character size of the search result is a size corresponding to the characters described in the document S. Similarly, the character size of a page, which will be described later, is also a size corresponding to the character described on the document S.

  In step S6, when the key 15 is pressed to select the largest character size, the character size of the search result is the largest character size. When the character having the smallest value is selected by pressing the key 17, the character size of the search result is the character size having the smallest value. The same display is performed on pages described later.

  When the key 17 is pressed while the search result is displayed in the display field 13 with the largest character size, the output control unit 511 sets the character size of the search result to the smallest character value. Switch to size. When the key 15 is pressed while the search result is displayed in the display field 13 with the smallest character size, the output control unit 511 changes the character size of the search result to the largest character size. Switch. The same operation can be performed when a page to be described later is displayed.

  When the key 19 is pressed, the output control unit 511 causes the display unit 403 to display a setting screen that can change the character size. In the setting screen, the user inputs an instruction to set a character size other than the size corresponding to the characters described in the document S to the operation unit 400, and inputs an instruction to switch to the search result screen 31 to the operation unit 400. Is done. As a result, the output control unit 511 causes the display field 13 to display the search result with the set character size. The same operation can be performed when a page to be described later is displayed.

  When the key 33 is pressed, the display control unit 503 causes the display unit 403 to display a setting screen for setting a paper size for printing the search result. When the key 35 is pressed, the display control unit 503 causes the display unit 403 to display a setting screen for setting the number of prints when the search result is printed. The same operation can be performed when a page to be described later is displayed.

  The acquisition unit 509 operates the cursor key 25 to select a location where a hyperlink is set in the search result displayed in the display field 13 and whether or not the determination key 23 is pressed. to decide. In other words, the acquisition unit 509 selects whether or not the user has selected an area where a hyperlink is set in the search result displayed in the display field 13 and has instructed to display a page linked to that area. Judgment is made (step S9).

  If the acquisition unit 509 does not determine that the user has issued an instruction to display a page (No in step S9), the output control unit 511 determines whether the print key 37 has been pressed (step S10). If the print key 37 is not pressed (No in step S10), the process returns to step S8.

  When the print key 37 is pressed (Yes in step S10) and a print instruction is input to the operation unit 400, the output control unit 511 displays the character size determined by the size determination unit 507, that is, the display field 13. The search result is formed on a sheet by causing the image forming unit 103 to form a search result having the same character size as that of the search result (step S11).

  If the acquisition unit 509 determines that the user has issued an instruction to display a page (Yes in step S9), the acquisition unit 509 acquires a page (web page) linked to the acquired location via the Internet. To do. The output control unit 511 causes the display unit 403 to display the screen 41 illustrated in FIG. The page acquired by the acquisition unit 509 is displayed in the display field 13 of the screen 41 (step S12). The character size of the page is a size corresponding to the characters written on the document S.

  The output control unit 511 determines whether or not the print key 37 has been pressed (step S13). If the print key 37 is not pressed (No in step S13), the process returns to step S12.

  When the print key 37 is pressed (Yes in step S13) and a print instruction is input to the operation unit 400, the output control unit 511 displays the character size determined by the size determination unit 507, that is, the display field 13. The page is formed on the paper by the image forming unit 103 with the same character size as the character size of the current page (step S14).

  Note that the document on which the search word is described has been described with reference to the document S on which the search word illustrated in FIG. 4 is written by hand, but is not limited thereto. If the manuscript is printed with characters (for example, a flyer), it can be a manuscript with a search term. A flyer will be described as an example.

  In the flyer, product names, prices, company names, and the like are scattered, and images other than characters (pictures, figures, photos, etc.) are placed between them. For this reason, the display control unit 503 causes the display unit 403 to display a screen 51 showing a search term as shown in FIG. A screen 51 shown in FIG. 8 is a screen showing a search word in the same manner as the screen 11 shown in FIG. In the display column 13 of the screen 51, a character string including a product name, a price, a company name, and the like is displayed as a search word.

  The user operates the cursor key 25 to move the frame 27 displayed in the display field 13 to an unnecessary character position, and presses the delete key 21 to input an instruction to delete the character to the operation unit 400. Is done. As a result, the display control unit 503 causes the display column 13 to display the character string after the characters surrounded by the frame are deleted. By repeating this, characters other than “food supermarket OO” can be deleted, and the characters displayed in the display column 13 can be made the search words intended by the user.

  A mode in which all characters recognized by the character recognition unit 501 are not displayed in the display column 13 is also possible. In this aspect, the character recognizing unit 501 has a function of recognizing characters described in a region surrounded by a closed line. Among the characters described in the flyer, the user describes a character as a search word with a pen and circles the search word with a circle. From this flyer image data, the character recognizing unit 501 recognizes only the characters described in the region surrounded by ○. In this way, character recognition can be speeded up.

  The main effects of this embodiment will be described. In the present embodiment, a character described in the document S is recognized, the character is used as a search word (FIG. 5), the search system is accessed, the search result is received from the search system, and the search result is displayed on the display unit 403. (FIG. 6), the search result is printed on the paper according to the print instruction of the user. According to this embodiment, the character size corresponding to the character size described in the document S is determined from the character sizes that can be output by the output unit (the display unit 403 and the image forming unit 103). The character size is set to the character size of the search result, and the search result is displayed or printed on paper. Accordingly, the search result can be displayed or printed with a character size corresponding to the character size described in the document S. Therefore, by using a document S written in characters that can be read by the user (for example, a sheet on which characters are handwritten by the user), the user does not have to set the character size. Search results can be displayed and printed with a readable character size.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, when a location where a hyperlink is set is selected in the search result displayed on the display unit 403 (FIG. 6) and an instruction to display a page linked to that location is given. Then, a page linked to the selected location is acquired, the page is displayed on the display unit 403 (FIG. 7), and the page is printed on paper according to a user's print instruction. According to this embodiment, the character size corresponding to the character size described in the document S is determined from the character sizes that can be output by the output unit (the display unit 403 and the image forming unit 103). Set the text size to the text size of the page, and display or print the page. Therefore, it is possible to display or print a page with a character size corresponding to the size of the characters described on the document S. Therefore, by using the document S written in characters that can be read by the user, the page can be displayed in a character size that the user can read without setting the character size. Can be printed.

  In the present embodiment, the character size determined by the size determination unit 507 is the search result displayed on the display unit 403, the page displayed on the display unit 403, the search result printed on paper by the image forming unit 103, and This is applied to a page printed on paper by the image forming unit 103. However, the following modifications are also possible.

  In the first modification, the character size determined by the size determining unit 507 is applied to the search result displayed on the display unit 403, and the page displayed on the display unit 403 and the search printed on the paper by the image forming unit 103 are used. The result is not applied to the page printed on the paper by the image forming unit 103.

  In the second modification, the character size determined by the size determining unit 507 is applied to the search result displayed on the display unit 403 and the search result printed on paper by the image forming unit 103 and displayed on the display unit 403. This is not applied to a page to be printed and a page printed on paper by the image forming unit 103.

  In the third modification, the character size determined by the size determining unit 507 is applied to the search result displayed on the display unit 403 and the page displayed on the display unit 403, and is printed on paper by the image forming unit 103. Search results and pages that are printed on paper by the image forming unit 103.

  In the present embodiment and Modifications 1 to 3, the character size determined by the size determination unit 507 is applied to the search result displayed on the display unit 403, but Modifications 4 and 5 that are not applied are also possible.

  In the fourth modification, the character size determined by the size determining unit 507 is applied to the search result printed on the sheet by the image forming unit 103 without being applied to the search result displayed on the display unit 403. The display control unit 503 displays the search result on the display unit 403. When the user operates the operation unit 400 and an instruction to print the search result displayed on the display unit 403 is input to the operation unit 400, the output control unit 511 uses the character size determined by the size determination unit 507. Then, the search result is formed on the sheet by the image forming unit 103.

  The modified example 5 is limited to the modified example 4. The character size determined by the size determining unit 507 is printed on a sheet by the image forming unit 103 without applying the character size to the page displayed on the display unit 403. Applies to pages that When the user operates the operation unit 400 and an instruction to display a page linked to a location where a hyperlink is set in the search result displayed on the display unit 403 is input to the operation unit 400, the acquisition unit A page 509 acquires the page via the Internet. The display control unit 503 displays the page on the display unit 403. When the user operates the operation unit 400 to input an instruction to print the page displayed on the display unit 403 to the operation unit 400, the output control unit 511 uses the character size determined by the size determination unit 507. The image forming unit 103 forms a page on a sheet.

  Further, the present embodiment can be modified as follows. On the screen showing the search word, the character (search word) recognized by the character recognition unit 501 with the character size determined by the size determination unit 507 is displayed on the display unit 403. That is, the display control unit 503 displays the characters recognized by the character recognition unit 501 with the character size determined by the size determination unit 507 on the screen 11 shown in FIG. 5 or the screen 51 shown in FIG. 13 is displayed.

  According to this modification, the character recognized by the character recognition unit 501 can be displayed on the display field 13 with a character size that can be read by the user without setting the character size by the user.

1 Image forming device (search system using device)
103 Image forming unit (output unit)
403 Display unit (output unit)

Claims (11)

A search system using device accessible via a search system and a network,
A document reading unit that reads the document and generates image data;
A character recognition unit for recognizing characters written on the document from the image of the document indicated by the image data;
An access unit that accesses the search system as a search term the character recognized by the character recognition unit, and receives a search result searched by the search system;
An output unit for outputting the search result to the user;
A size determining unit that determines a character size corresponding to the size of the character described in the document from among the character sizes that can be output by the output unit;
A search system utilization device comprising: an output control unit that causes the output unit to output the search result by setting the character size determined by the size determination unit to the character size for outputting the search result. A display unit;
An operation unit for inputting an instruction by the user;
A display control unit for displaying the character recognized by the character recognition unit on the display unit,
The access unit is displayed on the display unit and recognized by the character recognition unit when the user operates the operation unit and an instruction to confirm the search word is input to the operation unit. The search system utilization apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the search system is accessed by using a character as the search word and receives a search result searched by the search system.   When the user operates the operation unit and an instruction to designate and delete unnecessary characters from the characters recognized by the character recognition unit displayed on the display unit is input to the operation unit The search system utilization apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the display control unit causes the display unit to display the character recognized by the character recognition unit, in which the unnecessary character is deleted. The display control unit, when there are a plurality of the characters described in the document and there are a plurality of the character sizes determined by the size determination unit, from the largest character size to the smallest value A selection screen that prompts the user to input an instruction to select an arbitrary size out of the range up to the size is displayed on the display unit,
When the user operates the operation unit and the selection instruction is input to the operation unit, the output control unit outputs the selected character size of the search result output by the output unit. The search system utilization apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the search system utilization apparatus has a character size. The output unit outputs the search result by image display,
The search system utilization device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the output control unit causes the output unit to display an image of the search result with the character size determined by the size determination unit. The output unit forms an image on paper,
The search system utilization device according to claim 5, wherein the output control unit causes the output unit to form the search result on the paper with the character size determined by the size determination unit. The user operates the operation unit, and in the search result displayed as an image on the output unit, an instruction to select a location where a hyperlink is set and to display a page linked to the location is An input unit that acquires the page via the network when input to the operation unit;
The search system utilization device according to claim 5, wherein the output control unit causes the output unit to display an image of the page with the character size determined by the size determination unit. The output unit forms an image on paper,
The output control unit causes the output unit to form the search result on the paper at the character size determined by the size determination unit,
The search system utilization device according to claim 7, wherein the output control unit causes the output unit to form the page on the sheet with the character size determined by the size determination unit. The output unit forms an image on paper,
The display control unit displays the search result on the display unit,
The search system utilization device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the output control unit causes the output unit to form the search result on the paper with the character size determined by the size determination unit. The user operates the operation unit, and in the search result displayed on the display unit, an instruction to select a location where a hyperlink is set and display a page linked to the location is the operation. An acquisition unit that acquires the page via the network when input to the unit;
The display control unit displays the page on the display unit,
The search system utilization apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the output control unit causes the output unit to form the page on the sheet with the character size determined by the size determination unit. The search according to any one of claims 2 to 10, wherein the display control unit causes the display unit to display the character recognized by the character recognition unit at the character size determined by the size determination unit. System utilization device.

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