JP2000132627A - Ocr system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make readable a fixed form and a non-fixed form mixedly existing by judging whether the form which is optically read is the fixed one or the non-fixed one. SOLUTION: An OCR 1 takes in a form which is set one by one. A scanner part reads it and a control part generates image data. Generated image data are transmitted to an OCR client 2. The fixed form/non-fixed form distribution control means 5 of the OCR client 2 retrieves a sheet ID 3a from image data sent from the OCR 1, judges whether sent image data are that of the fixed form 3 when prescribed sheet ID exists and requests a recognition processing to a fixed form recognition control means 6. The fixed form recognition control means 6 cuts necessary information from image data based on format information such as form size and reading position, which are previously registered, recognizes them and informs job AP 8 of a recognized result and image data of a recognition object.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an OCR system used in financial institutions for currency exchange processing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a financial institution, in order to streamline data entry for exchange processing, a form is optically read to obtain image data, and necessary information such as a bank name, an account number and a name is recognized from the image data. OCR (Optical Charac) used as input data
ter Recognition) system has been introduced.

[0003] In such an OCR system, not only standardized forms whose format is determined in advance by the OCR system but also non-standardized forms individually determined by the trading companies are accepted. For fixed forms, formats such as form position and reading position are registered in the OCR system in advance.
Extraction and recognition can be almost automated. On the other hand, since the format of the non-standard form is not known, the operator may intervene in the extraction and recognition. As described above, since the handling of the standard form and the non-standard form is different, the conventional OCR system processes the standard form and the non-standard form separately.

[0004]

However, a form to be read does not accept a fixed form and a non-standard form in a unit, and a form distribution operation by an operator occurs, which causes a reduction in work efficiency. Had become. Also, if an irregular form is mixed in the fixed form group due to a mistake in the sorting work, or if a fixed form is mixed in the non-fixed form group, the reading operation stops because the normal recognition cannot be performed during the reading operation As a result, there is a problem that operation efficiency is reduced.

[0005]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a reading means for optically reading a form and acquiring image data of the form, and a form read by the reading means. An OCR system comprising a fixed / non-fixed type determining means for determining whether a fixed form or a non-fixed form, a fixed form recognizing means for recognizing image data of a fixed form, and an atypical recognizing means for recognizing image data of a non-fixed form. is there.

In the above-mentioned OCR system, the fixed / unfixed determination means searches form identification information from the image data sent from the reading means to determine whether the form is fixed or non-fixed, and sends the fixed form. If the received image data is of a fixed form, the fixed form recognition means performs the recognition processing, and if the sent image data is of a non-fixed form, the non-fixed form recognition means performs the recognition processing. It shall be.

Alternatively, in the above-mentioned OCR system, the reading means includes the fixed form recognition means, and the acquired image data is recognized by the fixed form recognition means. In addition to notifying the atypical determination means, if the recognition is not successful, an error is notified to the atypical / atypical determination means. Judge that the form is atypical,
The reading means is requested for the acquired image data, and the atypical recognition means performs recognition processing of the sent image data.

[0008]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of an OCR system according to the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a form reading apparatus (OCR), which includes a scanner unit having a form reading mechanism, a transport mechanism, and the like, and a control unit for processing read data and the like. 2 is the OCR1
OCR client to which is connected, output device such as display, input device such as keyboard and mouse, CPU
And a control device for controlling the input / output device and the OCR 1.

[0009] The control device of the OCR client 2 includes a fixed form / unfixed form distribution control unit 5 for determining whether the form read by the OCR 1 is a fixed form 3 or an irregular form 4, and recognition of the fixed form. A fixed form recognition control means 6 for performing processing, a fixed form recognition control means 7 for performing recognition processing of a fixed form, and a processing based on recognition results processed by the fixed form recognition control means 6 and the fixed form recognition control means 7. A business application (AP) 8 is incorporated as software.

The standard form 3 refers to a form whose format is recognized in advance by the OCR system. Then, the fixed form recognition control means 6 performs processing based on format information such as a form size and a reading position registered in advance.
Necessary information is cut out from the image data sent from the OCR 1 and recognized. Here, form identification information such as a sheet ID 3a indicating that the form 3 is a fixed form is printed on the fixed form 3. Then, the OCR client 2 stores the sheet I in a table or the like (not shown).
D3a information, the fixed / unfixed distribution control means 5 searches the image data sent from the OCR 1 for the sheet ID 3a, and if there is a predetermined sheet ID, the sent image data is fixed. It is determined that the image data is for the form 3, and if there is no predetermined sheet ID, it is determined that the transmitted image data is for the non-standard form 4. The form identification information is not limited to the sheet ID, but may be other information such as a mark sheet.

The atypical form 4 is a free-form form created by a business company that has made a transaction or created by a word processor or the like. For this reason,
The atypical recognition control means 7 determines the format by performing ruled line analysis, partial identification of titles and the like, and cuts out and recognizes necessary information. The function of recognizing an irregular form is not limited to this.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of the OCR system. The above-described OCR 1 and OCR client 2 are installed in a branch of a financial institution and are connected to a centralized center via a communication line. Reference numeral 9 denotes a file server which stores a recognition result and image data to be recognized sent from the OCR client 2 in a database (DB).
Keep in.

A correction client 10 displays the recognition result and the image data to be recognized stored in the file server 9, and corrects the recognition result as needed.
Reference numeral 11 denotes a verification client for verifying the corrected recognition result. Then, the recognized recognition result is edited into a message in a predetermined format and sent to the host.

The centralized center has a FAX server for receiving a form by FAX and a CR server for performing recognition.
Although a U and CRU server and the like are provided, they are not used in the OCR system of the present invention, and therefore description thereof is omitted. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing according to the first embodiment. The operation of the OCR system according to the first embodiment will be described below.

First, the OCR 1 is provided with a hopper capable of setting a plurality of forms at a time, and sets a fixed form and an atypical form in a mixed state without sorting in advance (SA1). Then, when the operator operates the OCR client 2 or the like,
The business application AP8 issues a read execution instruction to the OCR1 (SA2).

In response to this instruction, the OCR 1 fetches the set sheets one by one, reads them by the scanner unit, creates image data by the control unit, and transmits the created image data to the OCR client 2. The OCR client 2 sends the image data sent from the OCR 1 to the fixed / atypical distribution control unit 5. The standard / non-standard type distribution control means 5 searches the image data for the sheet ID 3a (SA3), and if there is a predetermined sheet ID, judges that the transmitted image data is that of the standard form 3, Request the recognition processing to the standard recognition control means 6. The template recognition control unit 6 cuts out necessary information from the image data based on the format information such as the form size and the reading position registered in advance, recognizes the information, and transmits the recognition result and the image data to be recognized to the business AP 8. Notify (SA4).

If there is no predetermined sheet ID, the standard / non-standard distribution control unit 5 determines that the image data sent is that of the non-standard form 4, and requests the non-standard recognition control unit 7 to perform recognition processing. I do. The atypical recognition control means 7
The format is determined by performing ruled line analysis and partial identification of titles and the like, necessary information is cut out from the image data and recognized, and the recognition result and the image data to be recognized are notified to the business application AP8. (SA5).

When the recognition is performed normally, the business AP
8 to the OCR 1, prints a serial number on the form successfully recognized, and discharges it to the stacker. Further, the business AP 8 displays the recognition result and the image data to be recognized sent from the standard recognition control unit 6 or the non-standard recognition control unit 7 according to the type of the form, and transmits the image data to the file server 9 of the centralized center. I do.

As described above, in the OCR system according to the first embodiment of the present invention, even if the standard form 3 and the irregular form 4 coexist, the form and irregular form distribution control means 5 distributes them. In addition, the provision of the fixed form recognition control means 6 and the non-fixed form recognition control means 7 makes it possible to perform a recognition process suitable for each form, and thus enables the mixed reading of the fixed form and the irregular form. Becomes
This eliminates the need for the operator to sort the forms before the reading operation, thereby improving the working efficiency.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the OCR system according to the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 12 denotes an OCR, which includes a scanner unit having a form reading mechanism, a transport mechanism, and the like, and a control unit for processing read data and the like. The control unit incorporates, as software, fixed form recognition control means 13 for performing recognition processing of the fixed form 3.

The fixed form recognition control means 13 cuts out necessary information from the image data sent from the scanner unit based on the fixed form data such as the form size and the reading position sent from the host, and performs recognition. Then, the recognition result and the image data to be recognized are sent to the higher order. Reference numeral 14 denotes an OCR client to which the OCR 12 is connected. The OCR client includes an output device such as a display, an input device such as a keyboard and a mouse, a CPU, a memory, a hard disk, and the like, and includes a control device for controlling the input / output device and the OCR 12. ing.

The control device of the OCR client 14 includes a fixed / unfixed form distribution control unit 15 for determining whether the form read by the OCR 12 is the fixed form 3 or the non-fixed form 4, and a non-fixed form 4 And an application AP 17 for performing processing based on the recognition results processed by the standard recognition control unit 13 and the non-standard form recognition control unit 16 are implemented as software.

The fixed / non-fixed type distribution control means 15
Determines that the read form is the fixed form 3 when receiving the notification of the normal recognition result from the OCR 12, and determines that the read form is the irregular form 4 when receiving the error notification. The atypical recognition control unit 16 determines the format by performing ruled line analysis and partial identification of titles and the like,
Cut out and recognize necessary information.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing according to the second embodiment.
The operation of the R system will be described. First, the OCR 12 is provided with a hopper capable of setting a plurality of forms at a time, and sets a fixed form and an atypical form in a mixed state without sorting in advance (SB
1).

When the operator operates the OCR client 14, the business AP 17 issues a read execution instruction to the OCR 12 (SB2). In response to this instruction, the OCR 12 takes in the set forms one by one, reads them by the scanner unit, creates image data by the control unit, and performs recognition by the standard recognition control unit 13 (SB3). This fixed form recognition control means 13 includes an OCR
Based on the form information such as the form size and the reading position sent from the client 14, necessary information is cut out from the image data sent from the scanner unit and recognized. If the recognition is successful, the recognition result and the image data to be recognized
Send to the client 14, and if it cannot be recognized normally, send an error to the OCR client 14.

The OCR client 14 sends the recognition result sent from the OCR 12 to the fixed / non-fixed type distribution control means 15. The fixed / atypical distribution control means 15 includes:
If the recognition result is normal (SB4), the read form is determined to be the standard form 3, and the recognition result and the image data to be recognized are sent to the business AP 17 (SB5). If the recognition result is an error, the read form is an irregular form 4
Is determined, the image data transmission request is made to the OCR 12 (SB6), and the recognition processing is requested to the irregular recognition control means 16. The atypical recognition control unit 16 determines the format by performing ruled line analysis and partial identification of titles and the like, cuts out necessary information from the transmitted image data, recognizes the recognition result, and recognizes the recognition result and the image to be recognized. The data is notified to the business AP 17 (SB7).

When the recognition is performed normally, the business AP
17 notifies the OCR 12, prints a serial number on the form that has been normally recognized, and discharges it to the stacker. Further, the business AP 17 displays the recognition result and the image data to be recognized sent from the standard recognition control unit 15 or the non-standard recognition control unit 16 according to the type of the form, and stores the file of the centralized center described with reference to FIG. The transmission to the server 9 is performed.

As described above, in the OCR system according to the second embodiment of the present invention, if the OCR 12 incorporating the function of recognizing a fixed form cannot normally recognize the form, the read form is a non-standard form. OCR
Since the image data is requested to the OCR 12 and the atypical recognition control unit 16 performs the recognition process,
Even if a function for recognizing a fixed form is incorporated in the system, the mixed reading of the fixed form and the non-standard form can be performed.

[0029]

As described above, the OCR system of the present invention comprises a reading means for optically reading a form and acquiring image data of the form, and a form read by the reading means of a fixed form or a non-standard form. A fixed form / non-fixed form judging means for judging whether it is a fixed form, a fixed form recognition means for recognizing image data of a fixed form, and an atypical recognition means for recognizing image data of a non-fixed form are provided. Even if standard forms are mixed, recognition processing suitable for each form can be performed, so standard forms and non-standard forms can be mixedly read, eliminating the need for the operator to sort forms before the reading operation. And work efficiency can be improved.

Further, since errors due to a mistake in sorting by the operator or a mistake in selecting a program to be executed in accordance with a form are eliminated, the stop of the reading operation is reduced, and the operation efficiency can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the OCR system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of an OCR system.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the OCR system of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of a process according to the second embodiment;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 OCR 2 OCR client 3 Standard form 4 Non-standard form 5 Standard / non-standard distribution control means 6 Standard recognition control means 7 Non-standard recognition control means

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A reading means for optically reading a form and acquiring image data of the form, and a fixed / non-fixed form determining means for determining whether the form read by the reading means is a fixed form or an irregular form. An OCR system comprising: fixed form recognition means for recognizing image data of a fixed form; and non-fixed form recognition means for recognizing image data of a non-fixed form. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fixed form / non-fixed form determining means searches form identification information from the image data sent from the reading means to determine whether the form is a fixed form or an irregular form. When the sent image data is of a fixed form, the fixed form recognition means performs the recognition processing, and when the sent image data is of a non-fixed form, the non-fixed form recognition means performs the recognition processing. OCR characterized by performing
system. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the reading means includes the fixed form recognition means, and the obtained fixed form recognition means recognizes the acquired image data. In addition to notifying the fixed form judging means, and not being able to recognize the normal, an error is notified to the fixed form / non-fixed form judging means. An OCR system, wherein the OCR system determines that the image data is an irregular type, requests the reading unit for the acquired image data, and the irregular type recognizing unit recognizes the transmitted image data.