JPS6225220B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a mark reading method for reading marks written on a mark sheet.

Conventional mark reading methods include a method using an optical character reader and a method using a dedicated device for reading marks.

In the method using an optical character reading device, as shown in Figure 1, a "1" or "-" (minus) signifying a mark is written in the character reading areas 2 and 2' on the form 1, and these characters are recognized. It was reading. (Form 1 is an example in which a line mark 3 is provided, and in addition to the above-mentioned "1" and "-", "0", "1", etc., which mean the original characters, are written in the character reading area 2''.) These character reading areas 2, 2', 2''
The area is large so that the original characters can be read. The marks and timing marks on a form designed for original marks (for example, form 4 in FIG. 2) were written close together and could not be read by an optical character reading device. Therefore, in order to enter marks, forms had to be designed in the same way as those for handwritten letters or printed letters. Furthermore, since only one character, such as "1" or "-" which means a mark, is recognized, there is a drawback that the reading speed is reduced.

As shown in FIGS. 3a and 3b, a method using a dedicated device for reading marks involves sending the form 4 in the direction of the arrow, and reading light emitting diodes 7, which are provided corresponding to each row of timing marks 5 and marks 6. Timing mark 5 and mark 6 were read by phototransistor 8. However, since the light emitting diode 7 and phototransistor 8 are fixed, each row of timing marks 5 and marks 6 on the form 4 is also fixed.
The drawback was that it did not allow for free form design.

An object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks by detecting the presence or absence of an image of a mark within a section defined by a timing mark of a line buffer for inputting a form image and a preset position. Marks can be read even on forms where marks are written close to each other,
It also provides a mark reading method in which the mark position is not fixed and the form design is free.

According to the present invention, there is provided a line buffer for inputting an image of a document, a timing mark detecting means for detecting an image of a timing mark recorded on the document inputted to the line buffer, and a timing mark detecting means for detecting an image of a timing mark recorded on the document, and a line buffer for inputting an image of the timing mark recorded on the document. mark detection means for detecting the presence or absence of an image of the mark written on the form within a section defined by a position in one direction and a preset position in a second direction. A reading method is obtained.

Next, the present invention will be explained with reference to drawings of embodiments.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the present invention, which has both mark reading and character reading functions. In the figure, block A is a start position determining circuit that positions a form in order to input form image data into the line buffer 10 (see FIG. 5). Block B is an input section for inputting form image data into the line buffer 10. Block C is a line mark detection circuit when reading characters, and block D is a timing mark detection circuit when reading marks.
Block E is a character cutting circuit when reading characters.
Block F is a mark detection circuit when reading marks. Block G is a recognition circuit for the characters cut out by block E during character reading, and the output from this block becomes the character recognition result. Block H is used when reading marks, and if the number of timing marks detected by the timing mark number check circuit detected in block D is less than the specified number, the process returns to start position determining circuit A to perform mark detection again. If the number of detected timing marks is the same as the specified timing marks, the mark reading result is output.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing details of input section B, and lamp 1
The light irradiated from the form 1 hits the form 4, and the light reflected from the form 4 changes its direction by the mirror 12, and is reflected by the lens 1.
The light is collected at 3 and input to a CCD sensor 14 which is a line sensor. One input of the CCD sensor 14 is image data of 0.14×286 mm as shown in FIG. 6a. The CCD sensor 14 sends the inputted image of the form 4 to the line buffer 10 while feeding the form 4 in the direction of the arrow. Line buffer 10 is
When the data from the CCD sensor 14 is repeated N times, the line buffer 10 becomes full, and image data of a dot pattern of "1" and "0" having the size shown in FIG. 5B is input to the line buffer 10.

Mark reading will be explained using an example of reading the form 4 shown in FIG. 2. First, store the following input conditions for mark reading in memory (not shown).
Enter it in.

SA...Distance from the right edge of form 4 to the start position of the left mark group SB...Distance from the right edge of form 4 to the start position of the right mark group SC......From the right edge of form 4 to the left end timing mark
Distance SD from LM1 to LM6...From the right edge of form 4 to the right timing mark
Distance from RM1 to RM8 LA... Distance from the top side of form 4 to the first timing mark LM1, RM1 LE... Distance from the top side of form 4 to last timing mark LM6, RM8 PA...... Mark of left mark group Position pitch PB... Mark position pitch of the right mark group M1... Number of mark positions per one timing mark of the left mark (for example, 10) M2... Mark position per one timing mark of the right mark Number (e.g. 10) LM...Number of left timing marks (e.g. 6)
RM...Number of timing marks on the right side (e.g. 8
) The start position determining circuit A sets the timing marks LM1, LM1 and
The form 4 is positioned so that the image of RM1 is located above the line buffer 10, and the image of the form 4 is input into the line buffer 10. Next, the timing mark detection circuit D searches the area 15 determined based on the input conditions SC and SD of the line buffer 10 to determine whether there is an image that satisfies the timing mark mask condition corresponding to the size of the timing mark 5. Check. In the case of Fig. 7, the timing marks LM1, LM2, RM1,
It can be seen that RM2 and RM3 satisfy the mask condition, and there are other fragments of timing mark RM4. Also, at the same time as the timing mark is detected, the line buffer 10 of the detected timing mark is
Remember the V address above. However, if the number of timing marks detected by searching area 15 is counted by the number check circuit H, and the number of timing marks on the left side exceeds the input condition LM, or if the number of timing marks on the right side exceeds the input condition RM, the input condition is
Data beyond LM and RM will be invalidated.

V address of each timing mark LM1, LM2, RM1 to RM3 detected by mark detection circuit F and input conditions SA and SB during line buffering
Starting from the H address of the line buffer 10 corresponding to the mark position, each range 16 delimited by the input condition PA or PB, which is the mark position pitch, is searched to determine whether or not the mark 6 has been written, that is, "1", Mark reading is performed by checking whether there are more than a certain number of "1" dots among "0". This process is executed for all detected timing marks.

Line buffer 1 of the first form 4 image
If the processing by inputting to 0, that is, all the above-mentioned processing is completed, and the number of detected left and right timing marks does not reach the input conditions LM and RM, it is necessary to input the form image to the line buffer 10 again. There is. At the first line buffer input, the timing mark RM is set as shown in Figure 7.
If there are any fragments in image 4, move form 4 so that the first position where the image is input to line buffer 10 for the second time is in the center of timing marks RM1 and RM4, and then move line buffer 10.
Input the image into . Also, if there is no timing mark fragment at the rear end position of the line buffer 10 in the first line buffer input, the rear end of the range where the image is input to the line buffer 10 the first time is the range where the image is input to the line buffer 10 the second time. After moving the form 4 so that it is at the top, input processing is executed. When the second input to the line buffer 10 is completed, the timing mark 5 is detected and the presence/absence of the mark 6 is checked for each timing mark 5, that is, the mark is read, in the same way as the process after the first line buffer input. do. 2 unless the number of detected left and right timing marks 5 exceeds both input conditions LM and RM.
Processing continues in the same way as the line buffer input for the second time. It is assumed that the mark reading of one form is completed when the number of detected left and right timing marks 5 exceeds both input conditions LM and RM.

Incidentally, the timing mark detection circuit D and the mark detection circuit F do not need to be provided with anything dedicated for reading marks, and can be used as the line mark detection circuits C and F used when recognizing a form for character reading with an optical character reading device. The character cutting circuit E can also be used as is. That is, the timing mark 5 can be detected by the line mark detection circuit C, and the presence/absence of the mark 6 can be checked by the character cutting circuit E.

As described above, the present invention detects the presence or absence of an image of a mark in a section defined by a timing mark of a line buffer into which an image of a form is input and a preset position, so that timing marks and marks Marks on a form can be read even if they are written close to each other, and the mark position is not fixed, making it possible to design the form freely.

In addition, line buffer, timing mark detection, and mark detection can be performed by using the line buffer, line mark detection circuit, and character cutting circuit of the optical character reading device, and it is not necessary to add an expensive dedicated mechanism for reading marks to the optical character reading device. It can be carried out without any problems. In this case, both characters and marks can be read at low cost, and furthermore, it is possible to write characters and marks close to each other on a single form, allowing effective form design.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a diagram of a form 1 in a mark reading method using a conventional optical character reader, Figure 2 is a diagram of a mark entry form 4, and Figures 3a and b are each a conventional dedicated device for reading marks. 4 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing details of the input section B shown in FIG. 4, and FIGS. CCD shown in the figure
A diagram showing the range in which the sensor 14 inputs an image and a diagram showing the range in which the image is input into the line buffer 10 shown in FIG. 5, and FIG. 7 shows the image input into the line buffer 10 of the form 4 shown in FIG. FIG. 1, 4...Form, 2,2',2''...Character reading area, 3...Line mark, 5,LM1~LM
6, RM1~RM8...timing mark, 6...
...Mark, 7...Light emitting diode, 8...Phototransistor, 10...Line buffer, 11...
Light source lamp, 14... CCD sensor, A... Start position determining circuit, B... Input section, C... Line mark detection circuit, D... Timing mark detection circuit,
E...Character cutting circuit, F...Mark detection circuit, G
...Recognition circuit, H...Number check circuit.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A line buffer for inputting an image of a part of a form on which a plurality of timing marks are recorded; and a timing mark detection means for detecting an image input into the line buffer of a timing mark recorded on the form. and mark detection means for detecting the presence or absence of an image of a mark written on the form based on the image of each of the timing marks in the line buffer, and the number of timing marks detected by the timing mark detection means is a predetermined value. If the image of the last timing mark in the line buffer is normal, input the image of the next part of the form into the line buffer. and image input control means for inputting the next part of the image of the document including the last timing mark to the line buffer when the last timing mark is abnormal.