DE4307577A1 - Document information processing system for FAX transmissions - has information stored and used with databank of stored information to provide correct code data for generating transmission - Google Patents

Abstract

The processing system for document handled by a FAX system has FAX information (217) generated and received by a format identification unit (219) coupled to a knowledge base. The formatted information can be entered into memory (224), as can handwritten information (221). A display screen formatting unit (222) also provides input. The memory connects with a character identification unit (206) that also receives incoming data via a FAX interface (203) that is connected to a memory storing the images. Outgoing information is transmitted via a unit with a waiting loop (215). Information is displayed on a screen unit (208). USE/ADVANTAGE - Provides data processing for FAX system without special format.

Description

The present invention relates to a method in which by means of a computer information data such as a Document or voucher sent over a telecommunication line be transmitted, processed, and facsimile a system for performing this procedure.

In a conventional method for entering on a blank form of data written into a computer the data is entered by either an operator operator enter this data via an operating console there and the In written on the blank form hold reads or by an optical device Character recognition (OCR) is used. Data from one remote location are entered so that this data containing document by mail or the like or sent by a courier and the data to can then be entered via a control panel, by reading them from the received document. Alternatively, data is transferred from a remote location  gene by using the document as a facsimile (facsimile) will wear, whereupon they escape on the receiving side the entered via a control console and thereby from the printout made by a facsimile terminal be read or by entering a OCR facility is used after the data is before on a blank form for exclusive use have been transferred to the OCR.

With a large amount of data are in the conventional Procedure in which the data through an operator console a lot of manpower and a big job number of steps required because the data from Men must be entered manually. Especially in the case where data is collected from distant locations to be able to carry out central processing nen, this data from the remote locations on the By mail or the like or sent by courier there it is not possible to access the data via an operating con Enter sole if the data is not available at the location where they should be entered. Therefore arise the problems of high transportation costs and the impossibility an information processing in real time.

Although, as mentioned above, a method is known in the information from a remote location from a facsi mile terminal can be received and then by reading out from this facsimile terminal printed information via a control panel errors can easily occur because the Quality of the printout of the facsimile terminal in many Cases is low. There are also a large number of Steps required, as such a procedure the one hand control required.  

Furthermore, although a method is known which uses OCR Used facility is a lot of work and / or Time required as the data is on for the out eventual use of the OCR suitable blank form transferred and then the OCR processing under have to be thrown. There has been a Sy for some time stem, in which data on a exclusively for the OCR usable blank form are written by one Facsimile terminal are transmitted, with the Emp catches the received data from a computer be working. In this system, however, instead of previously used documents or blank forms finally, empty forms that can be used for the OCR such. Therefore, there is a problem that business transaction Forms have to be changed and therefore for the Her provision of only usable for the OCR Blank forms require a high cost. Since the data is also handwritten in a frame or Area of the OCR blank form a great burden is placed on the user.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a Method and system for document processing too create in which no special blank form, but a previously used general blank form or a empty generated by a word processor or the like form can be used, such a blank form (or document) on which data was written which are transmitted as facsimile and then by a computer is being processed to a the cried out to generate the relevant data database.

It is another object of the present invention a method and a system for document information To create processing that allows data from remote  Locations at low cost and in real time that can, such that a blank form on the one Format has been printed or written as a document can be used on the handwritten entry conditions are to be undertaken, whereby data hand shouted in writing on the blank form or document and then that with the handwritten Data provided document as a facsimile to a computer is transmitted, which emp the facsimile image directly captures and the handwritten data for a code data processing recognizes.

It is another object of the present invention a method and system for document information to create processing in addition to that mentioned Facsimile recognition functions are provided with a Function of sending a confirmation or a send Repeat request in the event of incorrect data and the like to the sending facsimile terminal, one Image adjustment function, a function for correcting egg an opposite orientation of the image and one Function that de. The key figures of the facsimile terminals finishes, of which reception is allowed, so that it is possible to process an input from a remote location easily and with minimal er er identification and to be carried out with minimal faulty reception ren.

These objects are accomplished in accordance with an aspect of the invention solved by a system for document processing, with which a document transmitted as a facsimile in a Com computer is processed. To do this, first the content or the format of a blank form or document, which contains no handwritten data, read, about the information of boundary lines and format time  terms or terms and information regarding the Entry areas from handwritten characters to he hold and save the information received. For this is the format of a Do to be received in advance document related knowledge base. When running document processing is supported by a facsimile Terminal entered document image on the basis the boundary lines stored in the knowledge base formation searched for reference limit lines to a spatial and / or direction adjustment (correct position accuracy / alignment) of the document image, where the images of the boundary lines of the areas for the entry of handwritten characters from the fit document image based on the in the Da information stored on the database areas for handwritten characters are deleted to recognize handwritten characters so that a the database relating to document data is generated.

The above tasks are carried out according to another aspect of the invention solved by the system described above for document processing, which is also a facility for the reception of a system key figure in the form of data upon receipt of the document image from the facsimile terminal and to save the received system code and means for sending the computer back generated processing results to the sending Faksi has mile terminal. The system according to the invention can contain a facility with which a previously entered gene code of a facsimile terminal with an as to location code received code of a facsimile end device is compared. The system can also be an on direction included with the on the basis of in front from stored information regarding the limitation lines can be recognized that the document image is a  wrong (opposite) orientation, and with which can rotate the picture 180 °. Furthermore, that System a buffer such as a record player to contain the one entered by the facsimile terminal Store information temporarily.

In the device according to the invention, it is by Absu chen one received from a facsimile terminal given document image according to reference boundary lines based on those stored in a knowledge base Boundary line information with the aim of a spatial Chen adjustment of the document image possible, deviations of the image, for example, due to differences regarding the type or manufacturer of the facsimile Terminal caused to compensate, so that Correct entry areas for handwritten characters can be set or created. In addition, the Detection efficiency can be improved by the Er recognition of handwritten characters is carried out, after the images of the boundary lines of entry areas for handwritten characters have been deleted are so that only the handwritten characters are recognized too will need.

By receiving an image from a facsimile endge advises receiving a plant code or in the form of da is entered, it is possible to send image data to the send facsimile terminal and send it back Request a new transmission if there is a read error or an unrecognizable sign has occurred. Further can by creating a function with which the he result of processing carried out by a computer of received image data to each facsimile terminal is transmitted, a transmission / reception system is created processing data from a remote location.  

In addition, sent data can be sent without authorization be checked by a previously entered key figure ei nes facsimile terminal with a system key figure received key figure of a facsimile terminal compared becomes. By misorienting a received one Image based on the in advance in the form of a wis Sensbank stored boundary line information knows and the picture for correct recognition by 180 ° is rotated, it is possible to put the effort into it to reduce the individual facsimile terminals. By doing the information received is temporarily in a period storage such as a disk storage and then retrieved sequentially, it is possible Lich, the useful life of a telecommunication line for the Reduce facsimile transmission and hence the fees to lower.

The above tasks are also in a process for document processing according to the invention solved by the features specified in claim 10.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention are in the subclaims and subclaims that are before preferred embodiments of the present invention are specified.

The invention is based on preferred Aus leadership forms with reference to the drawings tert; show it:

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of the structure of a system for document processing according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an overview of the processing performed by the system shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a flowchart of the format recognition according to the invention;

FIG. 4 shows the format of the margin line information;

Fig. 5 is a diagram for explaining the establishment of reference lines;

Fig. 6 is a diagram for explaining the contents of Be zugslinieninformation;

Fig. 7 is a diagram for explaining the generation of information for testing the opposite orientation of the form;

Fig. 8 is a diagram for explaining the generation of the information relating to the entry areas of handwritten characters;

Fig. 9 is a flowchart of processing for recognizing handwritten characters from the image input from a facsimile terminal and converting the recognized characters into codes;

FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the contents of an input queue;

Fig. 11 is a diagram for explaining the input image For mats;

Fig. 12 is a flowchart of image adjustment processing;

FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the determination of the deviation of an input image;

Fig. 14 is a diagram for explaining processing of the reversal of an image after its opposite orientation has been determined;

15 is a diagram for explaining the determination of regions of handwritten characters from an image content.

FIG. 16 is a format of the recognition result;

17 shows the display of the recognition result on a display screen.

Fig. 18 is a diagram for explaining processing for returning an image and the recognition result to a sending facsimile terminal;

Fig. 19 is a diagram of an exemplary functional configuration of the present invention;

FIG. 20 is a diagram for explaining an execution form in which the present invention is applied to an inventory management; and

FIG. 21 is a flowchart for explaining a method for inventory management according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 20.

Fig. 1 shows a block diagram of the overall structure of a facsimile data image processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. With a processor 1 for the overall control are a control console 2 which is used for the input of commands by an operator and for the display or printing of the result of the detection of an image received from a facsimile end, and a facsimile Mileanpassungseinrichtung 3 for receiving a data image such as a document or a receipt from a facsimile terminal connected. Furthermore, a hard disk storage device 5 and a disk storage device 6 are connected to the processor 1 via a control device 4 , with which code data representing the detection result are stored.

Under the control or management of an overall control section 7 , the processor 1 first performs an operation of the data receiving section 8 so that a data image from a facsimile terminal is received by the facsimile matching device 3 and the received data image is stored in an image storage area 16 . A data analysis section (or program) 9 uses an image adjustment storage area 17 to adjust the inaccuracy / orientation of the image. A character analysis section (or program) 10 uses a character recognition storage area 18 to recognize data from the adjusted image and stores the recognition result in a recognition result storage area 19 . A result display section 11 displays the received image and the code data of the recognition result in accordance with a screen display format stored in a format input information storage area 21 , so that the recognition result is confirmed or corrected by a user.

The code data of the recognition result is then stored in a database area 22 . An application processing section 12 uses the data stored in the database area 22 to perform application processing such as business transaction processing. A data transmission section 13 sends erroneous data or the result of the user processing from a transmission data storage area 20 back to the sending facsimile terminal. To perform the above processing, it is necessary to generate defining information. On the basis of a blank form entered by the facsimile matching device 3 , on which no data is written, or on the basis of a format image input from the floppy disk 6 , such as the floppy disk (FD) of a word processor, a format recognition section 14 generates boundary line information, reference line information and one Information on the registration area by hand-written characters using a knowledge base 23 and a work area 24 . A screen layout generation section 15 generates a format to be displayed on the display screen and stores it in the format input information storage area 21 .

FIG. 2 shows an overview of the processing carried out by the system shown in FIG. 1. The definition of processing is accomplished by entering a document 218 containing no written information from a FAX 217 or a format described in a word processor diskette (FD) 218 to include boundary lines and terms therein by means of a format recognition section (or program) 219 on the basis of a knowledge base (or file) 220 and to generate information 221 relating to registration areas of handwritten characters (or information of registration areas of handwritten characters which are to be recognized during execution).

A screen display format generating section (or program) 222 generates a screen display for confirmation or correction for the recognition result. The format recognition, the term recognition and the generation of the confirmation and correction screen are in US 07 / 550,521-A, the Japanese patent applications 01-202794-A and 01-175469-A and the European patent application 90113076.5-A, filed on 9 July 1990, speaks accordingly, and in US 07 / 689,071-A, of Japanese Patent Application 02-67149-A and German Patent Application P4091841.6-A, filed on October 19, 1990, of fenbart. The boundary line information, the reference line information and the information regarding the check of the opposite orientation are stored in the boundary line / reference line information storage area 223 as recognized, while the information regarding the entry area of handwritten characters is stored in the recognition area information storage area 224 and on Screen display format is stored in a memory area 225 . A document or a blank form 201 containing handwritten characters is input from a facsimile terminal 202 . The document image is received by a facsimile adjuster 203 and stored in an input queue 205 by a controller 204 .

In this way, images from several facsimile terminals are stored in the input queue 205 , which is formed, for example, by an input buffer. Handwriting recognition processing means 206 fetches an image from the input queue 205 and performs processing for adjusting a positional deviation of the blank form and for correcting an opposite orientation of the blank form based on the boundary line / reference line information stored in the storage area 223 and based on the recognition area information stored in the storage area 224 to recognize handwritten characters. When an unrecognizable character is detected, the recognition result is set in an output queue 215 (which is formed by an output buffer) and sent back to the sending facsimile terminal. As such, the code data of the recognition result is displayed on a display screen 208 . The received image and the characters are displayed as the recognition result in the upper area 209 and in the lower area 210 of the display screen 208 in accordance with the screen display format stored in the memory area 225 , so that the operator can confirm or correct the characters forming the recognition result. The document information representing the recognition result after the confirmation or correction is stored in the form of code data in a database 211 . Similar processing is repeated for the next image from the input queue 205 . In user applications or business affairs 214 , a job or business transaction is performed using database 211 , and the processing result of the user application or business transaction is queued 215 in the output queue and returned to the corresponding sending facsimile terminal. Optionally, between the character recognition processing means 206 and the display means 208, means for storing uncertain or unrecognizable data in the recognition result can be provided so that the output of the processing means 206 is stored directly in the database 211 by changing from a semi-automatic to an automatic mode is switched.

A flow chart of Fig. 3 shows a format detection according to the invention. In step 301, boundary lines and expressions are recognized using the techniques disclosed in the above-mentioned applications US 07 / 550,521-A and US 07 / 689,071-A to generate boundary line information. Afterwards or in a step 302, reference line information is generated on the basis of the boundary line information. In step 303, information regarding the check of the opposite orientation is generated from the boundary line information. Since after or in a step 304, information regarding the registration area of the handwritten characters is generated from the boundary line information using the techniques disclosed in the above-mentioned applications US 07 / 550,521-A and US 07 / 689,071-A. In step 305, a screen display format for displaying the recognition result on a display screen is generated.

In FIG. 4, a format of the margin line information is shown. In an area 401 , start and end positions of a boundary line are set, while the width of the boundary line is set in an area 402 and the length of the boundary line in an area 403 .

In Fig. 5 is a diagram for explaining the definition of the reference lines is shown. From the boundary lines of a document 501 , boundary lines are selected which form reference lines. As reference lines, those boundary lines are selected which are present in the document and are located in the outermost regions and have a length which is equal to or greater than a predetermined value 505 or α, and a width which are equal to or greater than is a predetermined value 506 or β. Taking into account the distortion of an image, the reference line is selected from one of four types ( 1 ) through ( 4 ) shown at 504 . The choice is made according to the format of the document.

Fig. 6 shows the contents of the reference line information. The reference line information 601 includes a position information 602 , a width information 603 and a length information 604 . The size of the blank form with the horizontal length 605 and the vertical length 606 is stored as blank form size information 607 .

Fig. 7 is a diagram for explaining the generation of the information regarding the check of the opposite orientation. As a boundary line for checking the opposite orientation, a vertical or a horizontal boundary line 701 is set, which is the furthest outside of the boundary lines of the document format and does not intersect the other boundary lines. The information regarding the check of the opposite orientation is contained in the boundary line information as check information 702 and marked or marked as shown by the reference sign 703 .

Fig. 8 is a diagram for explaining the generation of the information regarding the entry area of handwritten characters. On the basis of terms of an empty form 801 , the areas designated by the reference symbol 802 are generated. The generated information regarding the entry area of handwritten characters includes an area name 803 , an area position 804 , the number 805 of the digits and a property 806 . This information can be generated by the techniques disclosed in the above-mentioned applications US 07 / 550,521-A and US 07 / 689,071-A.

Fig. 9 shows a flowchart of processing for recognizing input images of handwritten characters from a facsimile terminal to convert these handwritten characters into encoded data.

In step 901, one of the facsimile adaptations received and received in the input control queued saved image from the input queue accessed. In a step 902 is based the stored reference line information and the saved information regarding the examination of the remote image adjustment processing executed. In a step 903, the images of registered or handwritten characters on the Basis of the stored information regarding the Entry area of handwritten characters from the adapted image taken from a character recognition respectively. At this point there are boundary lines pictures such as a separation of positions in the entry areas of handwritten characters eliminated by the information regarding the registration area of handwritten characters with the boundary line information mation is brought into line. In a bay result storage processing of one step 904 the recognized code data in a workbench rich temporarily saved. In the case where a there is no recognizable character (step 905), processing is generated in step 908 response information (or transmission information  on) generated to display the image and the recognition result the sending facsimile terminal together with an up request sent back for retransmission. A user can make a correction and he can Enter again (or restore the data len), observing the retransmitted content tet. In this case, a design can be used in which the number of re-inputs counts to the return process despite the presence to stop an unrecognizable sign if the An number of re-inputs a certain value enough. In step 906, the recognition result is displayed on the display screen so that a confirmation or a correction can be made if that Image is viewed. In a step 907, the be confirmed or corrected code data in a database saved.

In FIG. 10, the contents of an input queue are shown. A queue 101 includes, in a header, a field 1002 that indicates the queue element number of the last queue element currently being entered and a field that indicates the number of the remaining queue elements that are portable. The image data is stored in a field 1004 .

Fig. 11 shows an input image format. The format has a control area 1101 and an image section 1103 . The control section 1101 contains, for example, a system identification number 1102 . If the code of the facsimile terminal belonging to the operator concerned is entered as the system code of a sending facsimile terminal, a system code contained in the control section 1101 or a code of a facsimile terminal can be recognized. An incorrect entry can be checked, for example, by providing a table 1104 of facsimile terminals approved for transmission or of system identification numbers, as shown in FIG. 11.

In Fig. 12, a flowchart of the image adjustment processing is shown. In a step 1201, in a similar manner as above, the boundary lines are recognized by the method disclosed in the above-mentioned applications US 07 / 550,521- A and US 07 / 698,071-A. In a step 1202, reference lines are acquired from the detected boundary lines on the basis of the stored reference line information. When reference lines are detected (step 1203), in step 1204, the adjustment of the deviation of the image is made based on the stored reference line position information and the position information of the reference lines of a given image. After the adjustment, it is examined whether there is a boundary line for checking the opposite orientation at a corresponding position (step 1205). If the boundary line for inspection is not present, the image is rotated 180 ° in step 1206, whereupon the flow returns to step 1201 to repeat the format detection processing and the subsequent processing. If no reference lines are detected in step 1203, the image is rotated 180 °, whereupon the flow returns to step 1201 to repeat the format detection processing and the subsequent processing. If the reference lines are not captured, the image is stored as non-customizable in a user-defined queue; alternatively, the image or a reply to the facsimile terminal regarding the image's inappropriateness to be sent back.

FIG. 13 shows a diagram for explaining the determination of the deviation of the input image. The margin line information 1302 is detected from a Dokumen ten picture 1301 whereupon the information detected is searched in 1302 after the one boundary line talking the stored reference line information 1303 ent. The search is carried out by shifting the position information of a reference line 1305 upward or downward by a value 1311 or α and by a value 1306 or β to the right or left to determine whether the shifted reference line has a boundary line 1304 of the Document image can be brought into agreement. 'The reference line information 1303 matches the boundary line information 1302 , while' the information 1303 matches the information 1302 . A difference between and 'and a difference between and' represent the horizontal and vertical deviations 1307 and 1308 , respectively. Based on these deviations, the input image as a whole is adjusted with respect to the position information of the boundary line information, as by 1309 and 1310 is shown. After the adjustment, it is determined whether there is a boundary line for checking the opposite orientation.

In Fig. 14, processing for reversing the image after performing a check of the opposite orientation is shown. An image 1401 that has been entered with opposite orientation contains, like each image, black dots 1403 and white dots 1402 which form a bitmap representing image information. If the opposite orientation has been recognized, the bitmap is rotated by 180 ° 1404 so that the last bit of the bitmap 1404 is moved to the first bit of the bit maps 1405 as shown by reference numeral 1406 and the first bit of the bitmap 1404 is moved to the last bit of bitmap 1405 , as shown by reference numeral 1407 . The image thus rotated is subjected to recognition processing again.

FIG. 15 is a diagram for explaining processing by which an entry area for handwritten characters is determined from an aligned or adjusted image based on the information regarding the entry area of handwritten characters. An entry area for handwritten characters in a bitmap information of the image becomes one according to the expressions 1505 and 1506 for the calculation of start and end positions 1501 of the information regarding the entry area of handwritten characters and the vertical and horizontal dimensions 1504 and 1503, respectively Image contributing point determined. The characters are recognized from the bitmap information in the specific area and converted into code data.

In Fig. 16 is a format of the recognition result is shown ge. A header includes a state indication field 1602 that indicates the presence / absence of an undetectable character. The field 1602 is followed by a field 1601 in which an identification number of a transmitting facsimile terminal is set, while in fields 1603 , 1604 and 1605 an article name, the number of digits and code data which are obtained by a conversion following the recognition , are included. In the case where there is an unrecognizable character, a character or symbol 1606 such as "?" set.

FIG. 17 shows a diagram for explaining the display of the recognition result on a display screen. In an upper half of a display screen 1702 , a received image 1703 is shown, while in the lower half of the display screen 1702, the recognition result or a representation 1704 is shown, in which one of the screen display format generating means (or by a display format generating step) 222 generated screen display format is filled with code data of the recognition result. An operator carries out processing 1705 for confirmation or correction while viewing the displayed result, and carries out processing 1706 for storing the data in a database 1707 . At this time, an identification number of a sending facsimile terminal is set in a data record 1708 of the database together with the recognition result data. In user business transactions (applications) it is possible to carry out the data transmission using this code of a facsimile terminal.

Fig. 18 schematically shows processing for sending back an image and the recognition result to a sending facsimile terminal in the case where there is an unrecognizable character. A transmission format (or reply format) 1802 is generated from the recognition result 1801 . The unrecognizable character is printed or by a character "?" Shown in 1803 . Numeral 1804 indicates the contents of an output queue for transmission to transmitting facsimile terminals. The reference numeral 1805 represents a queue number of the last queue element entered. A code 1806 of a send the facsimile terminal and output data 1808 are set in the output queue. After entry in the output queue, the output data is transmitted to a sending facsimile terminal 1808 or sent back.

An example of the functional structure of the present invention is shown in FIG . Documents 1901 and 1902 that have been input from facsimile terminals 1903 and 1904, for example from branch offices, are received and stored as images 1 and 2 in an input queue 1905 . First, the handwritten characters in image 1 are recognized by the input data recognition section 1906 , whereupon a correction and / or a confirmation is carried out on the display screen of a display device 1907 . The code data of the detection He earnings are chert vomit by a recognition resulting nis memory section or a recognition result storage processing 1908 in a database 1909th Then, the flow proceeds through a loop 1910 to processing the second image 2 , where processing similar to the above processing is repeated. Thereafter, in processing 1912 of a user business transaction, a document such as a purchase order receipt 1913 generated using the database 1909 is output as a facsimile through an output queue 1914 in a form indicated by reference numeral 1915 . If there is an unrecognizable character, the input data detection section 1906 returns error data 1901 for specifying the sending facsimile terminal.

An embodiment in which the invention is applied to inventory management will now be described with reference to FIGS . 20 and 21. The explanation is given using the example of an inventory for the case in which a head office such as a head office transmits a work instruction as a facsimile to several branches and confirms the work result.

As shown in FIG. 20, a control center 2001 is provided with a file 2002 in which the inventory books and the result of the combination of all branches are stored; This head office 2001 periodically or, depending on the occasion, transmits a form with a list of items written thereon to facsimile terminals 2010 , 2020, via a subscriber communication line. . . of the branches. In each branch, the current values, such as the quantity of the individual articles in the warehouse, are written on the form sent as a facsimile, in order to generate an inventory document 2060 . The branch sends this document 2060 back to the 2002 file at headquarters 2001 through the facsimile line.

FIG. 21 shows a flowchart of the processing performed by the inventory management center. This processing can be carried out using the document processing which follows the functional aspect explained in connection with FIG. 19.

The head office 2001 transmits a inventory document or an empty form to a main file 2110 of a warehouse management branch via a facsimile line (step 2100). The central office waits for the replies from the individual branches or for the return of the receipt (step 2200).

In each branch, the document or the blank form which has been transmitted from the central office is printed out from the file 2110 or received directly from the facsimile line in the form of a paper issued by a facsimile terminal. The result of the inventory is written on the blank form, which creates a reply document. The reply slip is sent to the head office as a facsimile reply.

When the central office receives the reply document, it stores the document data as an image in an input buffer, so that the document data from the branches 2010 and 2020 are stored as images 1 and 2 (step 2300). Then, each of the images 1 and 2 is input to a computer of the center so that processing for recognizing the format of the response document data and the letter / number data is carried out using the document knowledge base (step 2400). In a step 2500, it is judged whether the recognition result is good or bad (OK / NG). If the result is good, it is cached for business transaction processing. The recognition result is normally stored in a database 2600 . If the result is bad, either an operator-executed correction processing or a correction processing by requesting the sender to retransmit is performed (step 2510), and the corrected data for preparing the business transaction processing is stored in a buffer.

In the business transaction processing, the computer of the center processes a business transaction processing program in which the temporarily stored data or the data read out from the database 2600 are subjected to a predetermined processing, for example a predetermined total inventory processing (step 2610), the desired result the total inventory of inventory data is obtained. The result of the total inventory is subjected to output processing which includes a printout process (step 2700), storage in a central management master file 2800 and display on a display screen 2900 , after which the transaction processing is completed. The printing techniques disclosed in US 07 / 775,026-A, filed October 11, 1991, are applicable to the printing process of the receipt or form, the disclosure of which is contained in the present specification. In the above document processing method, it is not necessary to send inventory documents or blank forms from the head office to each branch in advance. Since a command for the examination or examination can be issued directly from the central office to each branch via a facsimile line and the examination result can be stored directly in a file of the central office via a facsimile line and by means of automatic and ordinary (or immediate) processing , the transfer or entry of the file in the head office becomes unnecessary, which saves labor.

Since according to the above-described embodiments of the above lying invention the data in documents (or blank forms) from remote locations using a computer can be processed in real time and the processing result to every facsimile terminal ordinary processing of Ge business transactions possible, so that an immediate execution a series or cycle of business transactions is made possible. In addition, since the transport costs of Do. documents and input through a manual process Personnel costs can be necessary on a large scale be reduced.  

Since blank forms to be processed are also not special Forms have to be, but general blank forms can be created for special blank forms Cost, in addition, a format change of the empty form lars can be made easily. Because special empty form lare are not required, the present inven tion can be applied without the previously used Formu lare need to be changed for business transactions. The Characters can be entered in any format be made. Because a deviation correction function and a correction function for the opposite Ori can be created, the transfer of a Document easily executed from a facsimile terminal without entering the facsimile template special attention would be needed. Since a coil or caching function when storing Information can be realized from a facsimile Neither will there be a large reduction in usage duration of the telecommunications line as well as a reception at night (i.e. 24-hour reception) is possible so that the operator facilitated by a user to a large extent becomes.

Claims (18)

1. A document processing system which is connected via a communication line and processes document data transmitted as facsimile using a computer,
marked by
facsimile interface means ( 203-205 , 215 ) for performing reception processing of facsimile document data written on a general blank form;
means ( 206 ) for recognizing the document data from the facsimile interface means by means of a knowledge base ( 223 to 225 ) for the document and for converting the recognized data into code data; and
an output interface device ( 211 ) for the temporary storage of the encoded data. 2. System for document processing according to claim 1, characterized by
means ( 214 ) for performing user application processing based on the received data and
means ( 215 ) for returning the result of the user application processing to a transmitter via the facsimile interface means. 3. System for document processing according to claim 1, characterized by
means for correcting a deviation of an image generated from a facsimile input based on the knowledge base and with respect to the positions of the boundary lines in the document. 4. System for document processing according to claim 1, characterized by a device for determining the entry of a form in the opposite orientation based on the contents of an image entered as a facsimile of the document form and for rotating the image of the document form by 180 ° and for the output of the ge rotated image, wherein the recognition and conversion device ( 206 ) recognizes an image output from the image rotation and output device. 5. Document processing system according to claim 1, characterized by a facility for the registration of a pre given phone number to connect to this Allow phone number corresponding line. 6. A document processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that the facsimile interface means an input buffer ( 205 ) for storing the information input from a facsimile terminal and an output buffer ( 215 ) for storing the information to be transmitted to the facsimile terminal having. 7. System for document processing according to claim 1, characterized in that the output interface device has a database ( 211 ) for storing the code data. 8. System for document processing according to claim 1, characterized in that
the document data transmitted as facsimile contains an identification number of a sending facsimile terminal and
the system for document processing is provided with

• - means ( 908 ) which, in the case where the recognition and conversion means ( 206 ) detects data not recognizable in the document data, generates error data return information relating to the identification number of the transmitting facsimile terminal, and
• - A device ( 909 ) which responds to the generation device ( 909 ) and automatically generate a request to the transmitter to retransmit the document data marked by the error data return information.

9. System for document processing according to claim 1, characterized in that those written on the general blank form Document data contain handwritten data. 10. A document processing method which processes a facsimile document image using a computer,
characterized by the following steps:
prior creation of a document relate to information as a knowledge base ( 223 to 225 );
Caching an input image of document data written on a general blank form transmitted as a facsimile;
Processing the cached image to recognize the document data using the pre-created knowledge base ( 223 to 225 ) and to convert the known document data into code data; and
Caching the code data for user applications that use this code data. 11. Process for document processing according to An saying 10, characterized in that the code data caching step one Step of automatically storing the code data in contains a database. 12. Process for document processing according to An Proverb 10, marked by the step by which in the case in which he Documentation and conversion step unrecognizable document ment data are determined to a sending facsimile mile terminal requests for retransmission of the rele for the undetectable document data vanten source document data is output. 13. Process for document processing according to An Proverb 10, marked by the step of executing a user application processing on the basis of the data in the code data stored code data and for Return the result of the user application processing processing to a sending facsimile terminal. 14. Process for document processing according to An saying 10, characterized in that the input image caching step parallel reception and parallel storage of fak simile images of multiple facsimile lines and that Reading the stored images in a given row order includes.   15. A method for document processing according to claim 10, characterized by the following steps:
Preparing a table in which an identification number of a sending facsimile terminal is entered in order to enable a restricted reception permit; and
Carrying out a comparison with a key figure added to the input image in order to rule out an impermissible facsimile transmission. 16. Process for document processing according to An saying 10, characterized in that the code data caching step the on show the received document image and the documents data based on the information of the knowledge bank and the code data on a display screen ent holds so that the document data can be corrected in the dialog that can. 17. System for document processing, which is connected via a telecommunication line and processes document data transmitted as a document image using a computer,
marked by
facsimile interface means ( 203 to 205 , 215 ) for performing reception processing of document data transmitted as facsimile and written on a general blank form having an image shape;
means ( 206 ) for recognizing the document data from the facsimile interface means based on a knowledge base ( 223 to 225 ) relating to the documents and for converting the recognized data into code data; and
an output interface device ( 211 ) for temporarily storing the code data. 18. A document processing method for processing a document image transmitted as a facsimile using a computer, characterized by the following steps:
Buffering an input image of document data written on a general, as a facsimile transmitted blank form;
Processing the cached image to recognize document data using a pre-created knowledge-related knowledge base and to convert the recognized document data into code data; and
Caching the code data for user applications that use this code data.