Image processing device, image processing method, and program

Abstract

To enable users to understand whether the property information of automatically generated files is what they intended. [Solution] The image processing device is an image processing device that generates property information of a scanned image obtained by scanning a document, and comprises: acquisition means for acquiring a string obtained by character recognition processing on the scanned image; generation means for generating property information using a string that matches the generation rules for property information of the scanned image from among the strings acquired by the acquisition means; and display control means for displaying the property information on a display means. If the string acquired by the acquisition means does not contain a string that matches the generation rules, the generation means generates property information to which information indicating that a string matching the generation rules was not acquired is added.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a technology for filing scanned images.

Background Art

[0002] When filing a scanned image obtained by scanning a document such as an order form, among the character strings extracted from the scanned image by character recognition processing (OCR processing), the character strings specified based on the file name generation rule are used for the file name and the like.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for generating a file name by extracting a character string that matches an extraction rule from a scanned image of a document. When the extraction of the character string fails, a character string indicating the document type determined from the size of the document is used instead of the extraction string for the file name.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, when a document is filed using the technology of Patent Document 1, a character string that matches the extraction rule may not be obtained, and there is a possibility that the user may be set without noticing that the file name intended by the user is not generated. It is a problem that when such an unintended file name by the user is generated, it is set as the file name without the user recognizing it. And such a problem is not limited to the generation of the file name, and can occur similarly in a scene where file property information is generated using a character string extracted from a scanned image, such as a scene where a folder path is generated.

[0006] This disclosure aims to enable users to understand whether the property information of automatically generated files is what they intended. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] An image processing apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure is an image processing apparatus that generates property information of a scanned image obtained by scanning a document, comprising: an acquisition means for acquiring a string obtained by character recognition processing on the scanned image; a generation means for generating property information using a string that matches a property information generation rule for the scanned image from among the strings acquired by the acquisition means; and a display control means for displaying the property information on a display means, wherein if the string acquired by the acquisition means does not include a string that matches the generation rule, the generation means generates property information to which information indicating that a string matching the generation rule was not acquired is added. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The technology disclosed herein allows users to determine whether the property information of automatically generated files is what they intended. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an image processing system. [Figure 2] This figure shows an example of an MFP hardware configuration. [Figure 3] This figure shows an example of an external storage hardware configuration. [Figure 4] This diagram shows an example of the software configuration for an MFP (Multi-Function File Processor). [Figure 5] This chart shows the processing flow performed by the MFP. [Figure 6] This is a diagram showing an example of a document image. [Figure 7]This flowchart shows the detailed flow of the process for receiving user confirmation and correction requests. [Figure 8] This is a diagram showing an example of the editing screen. [Figure 9] This figure shows an example of the file name modification screen. [Figure 10] This flowchart shows the detailed flow of the process for receiving and verifying file names. [Figure 11] This flowchart shows the detailed flow of the file name generation process. [Figure 12] This figure shows an example of the file name modification screen. [Figure 13] This flowchart shows the detailed flow of the file name generation process. [Figure 14] This chart shows the processing flow performed by the MFP. [Figure 15] This flowchart shows the detailed flow of the file name generation process. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The embodiments for carrying out the technology of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. The following embodiments are not intended to limit the technology of this disclosure as defined in the claims. Not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential as solutions to the technology of this disclosure, and multiple features may be combined arbitrarily. The same components will be denoted by the same reference numerals. Furthermore, each step in the flowchart will be indicated by the letter "S" at the beginning.

[0011] <<Embodiment 1>> <Overall Structure> FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration example of an image processing system according to the present embodiment. The image processing system of the present embodiment includes an MFP (Multifunction Peripheral) 110 and an external storage 120. The MFP 110 is communicably connected to a server that provides various services on the Internet via a LAN (Local Area Network).

[0012] The MFP 110 is a multifunctional device having a plurality of functions such as a scanner and a printer, and is an example of an information processing device. The MFP 110 also has a function of transferring a file of a scanned image obtained by scanning a document to an external storage service or the like capable of file storage. Note that the information processing device of the present embodiment is not limited to a multifunctional device having a scanner and a printer, and may be a PC (Personal Computer) or the like.

[0013] The external storage (service) 120 executes a service that can store various data such as a file of a scanned image received via the Internet, and can also acquire a file from an external device via a web browser. The external storage 120 is, for example, a cloud service. The external storage 120 is not limited to one unit, and a plurality of units may exist.

[0014] The image processing system of the present embodiment has a configuration including the MFP 110 and the external storage 120, but is not limited thereto. For example, a part of the functions and processes of the MFP 110 may be implemented on another server arranged on the Internet or the LAN. Also, the external storage 120 may be arranged on the LAN instead of on the Internet. Further, the external storage 120 may be replaced with a mail server or the like, and a file of a scanned image obtained by scanning a document may be attached to and transmitted by mail. The MFP 110 may also have the storage function of the external storage 120.

[0015] <Hardware Configuration of MFP> Figure 2 shows an example of the hardware configuration of the MFP110. The MFP110 includes a control unit 210, an operation unit 220, a printer 221, a scanner 222, and a modem 223. The control unit 210 includes a CPU 211, ROM 212, RAM 213, HDD 214, operation unit I / F 215, printer I / F 216, scanner I / F 217, modem I / F 218, and network I / F 219.

[0016] The CPU 211 controls the overall operation of the MFP 110 by reading control programs stored in the ROM 212 and HDD 214 into the RAM 213 and executing them, thereby performing various functions of the MFP 110 such as reading, printing, and communication. The ROM 212 stores programs such as the OS that the CPU 211 executes to control the operation of the MFP 110, as well as parameters necessary for program execution. The RAM 213 is used as the main memory and temporary storage area for the work area of ​​the CPU 211. In this embodiment, one CPU 211 executes each process shown in the flowchart below using one storage means (RAM 213 or HDD 214), but this is not limited to this. For example, multiple CPUs or multiple RAMs or HDDs may work together to execute each process. The HDD 214 is a large-capacity storage unit that stores image data and various programs.

[0017] The control unit I / F 215 is an interface that connects the control unit 220 and the control unit 210. The control unit 220 has a display device such as a liquid crystal monitor with a touch panel, a keyboard, etc., and accepts user input and notifies the CPU 211 of instructions corresponding to the user input.

[0018] The printer interface 216 connects the printer 221 and the control unit 210. Image data for printing is transferred from the control unit 210 to the printer 221 via the printer interface 216, and printed on a recording medium such as paper of a predetermined size by the printer 221. The scanner interface 217 connects the scanner 222 and the control unit 210. The scanner 222 scans a document set on a document feeder (not shown) or an automatic document feeder (ADF) to generate scanned image data, which is then input to the control unit 210 via the scanner interface 217. The MFP 110 can make copies of the scanned image data generated by the scanner 222 and output them as printed materials from the printer 221, and can also send files externally or send them via email. The modem interface 218 connects the modem 223 and the control unit 210. Modem 223 transmits and receives image data via facsimile communication with a facsimile device (not shown) on the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network). Network I / F 219 is an interface that connects control unit 210 (MFP 110) to the LAN. MFP 110 can transmit image data and information to various services on the Internet using Network I / F 219, and can also receive various types of information.

[0019] <External storage hardware configuration> FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the external storage 120. The external storage 120 has a control unit 310. The control unit 310 has a CPU 311, a ROM 312, a RAM 313, a HDD 314, and a network I / F 315. The CPU 311 controls the overall operation of the external storage 120 by reading out the control program stored in the ROM 312 into the RAM 313 and executing it. The ROM 312 stores programs executable by the CPU 311, parameters necessary for program execution, and the like. The RAM 313 is used as a temporary storage area such as the main memory and work area of the CPU 311. The HDD 314 is a large-capacity storage unit that stores image data and various programs. The network I / F 315 is an interface for connecting the external storage 120 to the Internet. The external storage 120 performs processes such as transmission, reception, and storage of various information in response to requests notified from an external device such as the MFP 110 via the network I / F 315.

[0020] <Software Configuration of MFP> FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the software configuration of the MFP. The functional blocks of the MFP 110 are roughly classified into two types: a native function unit 410 and an additional function unit 420. Each functional unit of the MFP 110 is realized by the CPU 211 reading out the program stored in the ROM 212 or the HDD 214 into the RAM 213 and executing it.

[0021] The scan execution unit 411, the internal data storage unit 412, the print execution unit 413, and the UI (user interface) display unit 414 included in the native function unit 410 are standardly provided in the MFP 110. The additional function unit 420 is an application additionally installed in the MFP 110. The additional function unit 420 is an application based on Java (registered trademark) and can easily realize the addition of functions to the MFP 110. Note that other applications not shown may be additionally installed in the MFP 110.

[0022] As described above, the native function unit 410 includes a scan execution unit 411, an internal data storage unit 412, a print execution unit 413, and a UI display unit 414. The additional function unit 420 includes a main processing unit 421, an image processing unit 422, a document type determination unit 423, a keyword extraction unit 424, an internet access unit 425, a scan instruction unit 426, a display control unit 427, and a file storage unit 428.

[0023] The scan execution unit 411 generates scanned image data by scanning the document placed on the platen via the scanner interface 217 using the scanner 222, in accordance with the scan request. The internal data storage unit 412 saves data to the HDD 214 and retrieves data from the HDD 214.

[0024] The print execution unit 413 executes the process of printing the image onto the recording medium via the printer interface 216 using the printer 221, according to the generated print image data. The UI display unit 414 displays the UI screen on the touch panel of the operation unit 220 via the operation unit interface 215.

[0025] The main processing unit 421 has the overall processing functions for the additional function unit 420. Specifically, the main processing unit 421 controls the entire processing of the additional function unit 420 and requests processing from each part included in the additional function unit 420.

[0026] The image processing unit 422 performs analysis processing on the image data. The image processing unit 422 performs image processing such as BS (block selection), OCR (optical character recognition), and image rotation and tilt correction on the image data. BS stands for Block Selection, and it is a process that extracts rectangular regions indicating the location of text from an image. OCR stands for Optical Character Recognition, and it is a process that extracts text from an image.

[0027] The document type determination unit 423 determines the document type of the image data. The document type refers to the type (category) of the document, such as an invoice, receipt, delivery note, contract, etc. It may also include any other type.

[0028] The method for determining the document type involves performing inference using a machine learning model. The machine learning model is generated using string information and correct labels. For example, BS and OCR processing are performed on multiple document image samples, such as invoices, quotations, and purchase orders, to obtain string information from the BS / OCR results that make up the document samples. A document type label indicating the document type and keyword labels indicating company name, document number, person's name, phone number, address, amount, date, etc. are assigned to the document image samples composed of the obtained string information. Then, a machine learning model is trained and generated using the string information, document type labels, and keyword labels.

[0029] The strings used to generate the machine learning model can be generated by splitting the string into words using morphological analysis and then using those words. Alternatively, the model can be generated by fine-tuning a pre-trained model such as BERT or GPT. BERT stands for Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers, and GPT stands for Generative Pre-trained Transformers.

[0030] Furthermore, for determining the document type, a pre-trained model may be generated by learning terms that are likely to appear in each document type as patterns, and this generated pre-trained model may be used. Alternatively, a classifier that has learned layouts that are likely to appear in each document type as patterns may be used. These may also be used in combination. Any other means may be used. In addition, a confidence score may be calculated for the determined document type. The confidence score indicates the degree to which the recognized result is certain. For example, it may be expressed as a percentage such as 99%, or as a scale such as high, medium, or low. Any other expression is also acceptable. For example, if a classifier that probabilistically determines the document type is used, the probability value used for the determination may be calculated as the confidence score, or the degree to which the results determined by multiple different classifiers agree may be calculated as the confidence score. Any other means may be used to calculate the confidence score. The confidence score and the method of calculating the confidence score are the same concepts and calculation methods as for applications other than document type determination.

[0031] The keyword extraction unit 424 extracts keywords from a string. A keyword is a word that frequently appears in a document and has a specific concept, such as a company name, document number, person's name, telephone number, address, amount, or date. Any other word may also be included. In addition, a word that indicates the type of keyword, such as company name, document number, person's name, telephone number, address, amount, or date, is called a keyword label.

[0032] The method for extracting these keywords is the same as for document types, using machine learning models to perform inference. The method for generating the machine learning models is also the same as for document types.

[0033] Furthermore, extraction may be performed using an extractor that has learned the positions in which keywords appear in context as patterns. Alternatively, extraction may be performed using an extractor that has learned the positions in which keywords appear in layout as patterns. A combination of these methods may also be used. The system may use different extraction methods for each document type, or it may use the same extractor for some or all of them. Extraction may also be performed by any other means. The keywords that can be extracted may differ for each document type. A confidence level may also be calculated for the extracted keywords.

[0034] The internet access unit 425 sends processing requests to cloud services that provide storage functions (storage services). Cloud services generally expose various interfaces using protocols such as REST and SOAP for saving files to cloud storage and retrieving saved files from external devices. The internet access unit 425 operates the cloud service using the exposed interfaces of the cloud service. The internet access unit 425 transmits image data to the external storage 120 via the network interface 219.

[0035] The scan instruction unit 426 requests the scan execution unit 411 to perform a scan according to the scan settings entered via the UI screen.

[0036] The display control unit 427 displays a UI screen for accepting user operations on a display device such as a liquid crystal monitor with touch panel functionality on the operation unit 220 of the MFP110. For example, it displays an operation screen that accepts operations such as scan settings and scan start, preview of scanned images obtained by scanning documents and confirmation of file names (described later), and output settings and output start. The display control unit 427 displays the components to be displayed on the screen at the coordinate positions of the screen. The components to be displayed, their coordinate positions, and the display method may be specified directly in the program code. Alternatively, they may be specified using tag languages ​​such as HTML (HyperText Markup Language) or CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) or style sheets.

[0037] The file storage unit 428 saves the image as a file using the file storage information. The file storage information is the information necessary to save the file, and includes, for example, the folder path and file name. It may also include any other information. The file storage unit 428 may save the file to the HDD 214 via the internal data storage unit 412, or to the external storage 120 via the internet access unit 425. It may also save the file by any other means.

[0038] <Overall processing flow> The processes described below are achieved when the CPU 211 of the MFP110 reads the control programs stored in the ROM 212 and HDD 214 into the RAM 213 and comprehensively controls the operation of each part of the MFP110.

[0039] In this embodiment, the administrator or user can pre-set the corresponding save location information and file name generation rules (generation rules) for each document type, and store them on the HDD 214 or external storage 120. The save location information indicates where the file is saved and may include a folder path or the URL of the external storage. It may also include any other information.

[0040] The file name generation rules are rules for setting file names using keywords. For example, the rules are for setting file names that consist of "{Company Name}-{Document Number}-Yamada". {Company Name} and {Document Number} are placeholders and will be replaced with keywords extracted by the keyword extraction process described below. For example, if the keyword extracted as the keyword label "Company Name" is "Iroha Co., Ltd." and the keyword extracted as the keyword label "Document Number" is "001", the file name will be "Iroha Co., Ltd.-001-Yamada". Only keyword labels that can be extracted for the document type can be specified as placeholders, and any characters can be set other than the placeholders.

[0041] The main processing unit 421 may acquire and store storage location information and file name generation rules via the internal data storage unit 412. Alternatively, the main processing unit 421 may acquire and store storage location information and file name generation rules via the internet access unit 425. It may also acquire and store the information by any other means.

[0042] (Processing performed by the MFP) Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the processing flow executed by the MFP110. In Figure 5, the MFP110 automatically generates a file name from the scanned image obtained by scanning a document, and saves the scanned image with the generated file name. In this embodiment, an example is described in which the display control unit 427 displays a UI screen on the touch panel of the operation unit 220, but it is not limited to this. The display control unit 427 may be configured to provide each of the UI screens of this embodiment to another device, and the operation unit of the other device may be configured to display each of the UI screens.

[0043] In S501, the main processing unit 421 requests a scan from the scan instruction unit 426, causing the scan execution unit 411 to perform the scan process on the document set in the automatic document reader. The main processing unit 421 then acquires the image data (scanned image data) resulting from the scan process performed by the scan execution unit 411 and stores it in the RAM 213. The scanned images acquired here are page-by-page images. For example, the main processing unit 421 acquires scanned image data obtained by scanning the document 600 shown in Figure 6.

[0044] In S502, the main processing unit 421 requests the image processing unit 422 to perform character recognition processing. The image processing unit 422 retrieves the image data saved in S501 from the RAM 213, performs skew rotation correction on the image data, and generates corrected image data. Next, the image processing unit 422 performs block selection (BS) processing on the corrected image data to detect character regions (character blocks) corresponding to characters, and performs optical character recognition (OCR) processing on the character regions. The generated corrected image data, the character regions resulting from the BS processing, and the characters resulting from the OCR processing are all saved in the RAM 213.

[0045] In S503, the main processing unit 421 requests the document type determination unit 423 to determine the document type. The document type determination unit 423 determines the document type using the corrected image data, the string area, and the string obtained in S502.

[0046] In S504, the main processing unit 421 requests keyword extraction from the keyword extraction unit 424. The keyword extraction unit 424 extracts keywords using the string area and string obtained in S502 through detection, etc., and the document type determined in S503. The extracted keywords are stored in RAM 213. The keyword extraction unit 424 may extract keywords that can be extracted from all document types. If only keywords that can be extracted from the document type determined in S503 are extracted, and the document type is modified in the modification screen described later, the keyword extraction unit 424 may re-extract keywords that can be extracted from the modified document type. The keywords may also be extracted in any other order.

[0047] In S505, the main processing unit 421 requests the display control unit 427 to display a UI screen for user confirmation and modification. The display control unit 427 generates a UI screen using the document type determined in S503 and the keywords extracted in S504, and displays it on the touch panel of the operation unit 220. When the display control unit 427 receives a user operation on the UI screen for the next button (save button) described later, it confirms the property information displayed on the UI screen. The property information includes save location information indicating where the scanned image is saved, the file name of the scanned image, and the document type, but it is sufficient to include at least the save location information and the file name of the scanned image.

[0048] (Processing of user confirmation and correction requests) Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the detailed flow of the user confirmation and correction acceptance process (S505).

[0049] In S701, the display control unit 427 generates and displays a document type modification screen in which the document type can be specified. The display control unit 427 then accepts modifications from the user via the displayed document type modification screen.

[0050] (Document type modification screen) Figure 8(a) shows an example of a document type modification screen. The document type modification screen 800 is a UI screen that allows the user to modify the document type. The document type modification screen 800 displays a document type list 801 and a Next (Transition) button 802. The document type modification screen 800 only needs to display information that the user needs to confirm before saving the file. Any other configuration may be displayed on the document type modification screen 800.

[0051] The document type list 801 displays a list of candidate document types that can be specified by the user. In Figure 8(b), the document type list 801 allows the user to specify one of the following: invoice, delivery note, or contract. By default, "invoice," which is the document type determined in S503, is specified. The display control unit 427 will then select the document type that the user has pressed from the list of document types. The document type list 801 may also be displayed sorted by document type in descending order of confidence.

[0052] The Next button 802 is a button that transitions to the next screen. When the user presses the Next button 802, the display control unit 427 reflects the changes and updates the save location information and file name corresponding to the document type specified on the document type modification screen 800. The updated save location information and file name are stored in RAM 213. Specifically, when the document type is modified on the document type modification screen 800, the save location information is identified and the file name is generated again based on the specified modified document type. Then, in S702, described later, the save location modification screen with the newly identified save location information entered is displayed. Then, in S703, described later, the file name modification screen with the generated new file name entered is displayed. That is, the new file name, generated according to a file name generation rule associated with the modified document type, which is different from the file name generation rule associated with the document type before modification, is displayed on the file name modification screen. It may also be configured to display an alert message asking whether to save or not before saving, and save if the user presses the button, and not save if they do not. When the user presses the Next button 802, the process moves to S702.

[0053] Returning to the explanation of Figure 7, in S702, the display control unit 427 generates and displays a save location modification screen in which the save location information can be specified. The display control unit 427 then accepts modifications from the user via the displayed save location modification screen.

[0054] (Save destination correction screen) Figure 8(b) shows an example of a save location modification screen. The save location modification screen 810 is a UI screen that allows the user to modify the string used for the save location information. The save location modification screen 810 displays a folder path field 811, a parent folder button 812, a folder list 813, and a next (transition) button 814. The save location modification screen 810 may also include information about other external storage in its configuration, or it may have any other configuration.

[0055] The folder path item 811 displays the folder path of the save location information. By default, the display control unit 427 refers to the save location information held by the main processing unit 421 and displays the save location information corresponding to the document type specified on the document type modification screen 800.

[0056] The parent folder button 812 is a button that changes the folder path to the folder hierarchy one level up. When the user presses the button, the display control unit 427 changes the folder path of the save destination information to the folder hierarchy one level up. For example, if the current save destination information folder path is " / ○○ Headquarters / △△ Department", it will be changed to " / ○○ Headquarters".

[0057] The folder list 813 displays a list of candidate folders in the folder path of the save destination information that can be specified by the user. When the user presses a button, the display control unit 427 changes the folder path of the save destination information to the specified folder. For example, if the folder path of the save destination information before the user made a specification was " / ○○ Headquarters / △△ Department" and the user specified "General Affairs Section", it will be changed to " / ○○ Headquarters / △△ Department / General Affairs Section". The folder list 813 displays the folder corresponding to the folder path shown in the folder path item 811. When the parent folder button 812 is pressed by the user, the folder list 813 displays the folder corresponding to the level above.

[0058] The Next button 814 is a button that transitions to the next screen. When the user presses the Next button 814, the display control unit 427 reflects the changes and updates the save destination information specified on the save destination modification screen 810. When the Next button 814 is pressed by the user, the process moves to S703.

[0059] Returning to the explanation of Figure 7, in S703, the display control unit 427 generates and displays a file name modification screen in which the user can specify a file name, according to the processing result of the keyword extraction process in S504 described above. The display control unit 427 then accepts the user's modification via the displayed file name modification screen. However, if the keyword extraction process is successful, the display control unit 427 generates and displays a file name modification screen corresponding to the success of the keyword extraction process. On the other hand, if the keyword extraction process fails, the display control unit 427 generates and displays a file name modification screen corresponding to the failure of the keyword extraction process.

[0060] (Screen for modifying the file name after successful keyword extraction) Figure 8(c) shows an example of a file name modification screen when keyword extraction is successful. The file name modification screen 820 is a UI screen that appears when keyword extraction is successful and allows the user to modify the string used for the file name of the scanned image. The file name modification screen 820 displays the file name field 821, the keyword list 822, and the Next (Transition) button 823. Note that the file name modification screen 820 may display any other configuration.

[0061] The file name field 821 is an item that displays the string that makes up the file name. By default, the display control unit 427 refers to the file name generation rules held by the main processing unit 421 and generates and displays the file name according to the file name generation rules corresponding to the document type specified on the document type modification screen 800. Specifically, the display control unit 427 generates and displays the file name by replacing the placeholders of the file name generation rules with the corresponding keywords from the keywords extracted in S504. In Figure 8(c), "Iroha Co., Ltd.-001" is displayed. When the user presses a button, the display control unit 427 will modify the file name. The display control unit 427 may modify the file name to consist of free words entered using, for example, a software keyboard (not shown). When a keyword is deleted during file name modification, the corresponding keyword will be deleted from the keyword list described later. A new keyword placeholder may also be added. When a keyword placeholder is added during file name modification, the keyword added to the corresponding placeholder will be added to the keyword list described later. The file name field 821 may be modified by any other means.

[0062] The keyword list 822 is a list showing a list of multiple keywords used in file names. In Figure 8(c), "Iroha Co., Ltd." is displayed as the company name and "001" is displayed as the document number. When the user presses a button, the display control unit 427 modifies the corresponding keyword. For example, it may display keyword candidates and modify the keyword specified by the user, or it may modify the keyword to consist of free words entered by the user. The keywords shown in the keyword list 822 may be modified by any other means. When a keyword is modified, the display control unit 427 reflects the modification and updates the corresponding keyword in the file name field 821.

[0063] The Next button 823 is a button that executes saving with the displayed file name. When the Next button 823 is pressed by the user, the display control unit 427 reflects the changes and confirms the file name with the content displayed on the file name modification screen 820. When the Next button 823 is pressed by the user, the flow shown in Figure 7 is completed and the process moves to S506.

[0064] (Screen for correcting the file name if keyword extraction fails) Figure 9 illustrates an example of a file name modification screen when keyword extraction fails. Figure 9(a) shows an example of a file name modification screen when keyword extraction fails. Figures 9(b) to (d) show example patterns for the file name field. The explanation will focus on the differences from the file name modification screen 820. The file name modification screen 900 is a UI screen that appears when keyword extraction fails, and it is a UI screen that allows the user to modify the string used for the file name of the scanned image. The file name modification screen 900 displays the file name field 901, the keyword list 903, and the next (transition) button 823. The file name modification screen 820 may display any other configuration.

[0065] Keyword list 903 is a list showing a list of multiple keywords used in file names. In Figure 9(c), keyword extraction related to the company name failed, and a blank space is displayed for the company name, while keyword extraction related to the document image was successful, and "001" is displayed for the document number.

[0066] The file name field 901, like the file name field 821, is an item that displays the strings that make up the file name. However, the file name field 901 fails to extract keywords related to the company, and displays the part 902, which corresponds to the company name field and is shaded in Figure 9(a), with a colored background. The display of the file name field 901 is not limited to the configuration shown in Figure 9(a). For example, if the file name consists of three types of strings and the extraction of keywords corresponding to the three types of strings fails, the file name field 910 shown in Figure 9(b), the file name field 920 shown in Figure 9(c), and the file name field 930 shown in Figure 9(d) may be displayed.

[0067] The file name field 910 is an example where parts 911, 912, and 913, which indicate the string corresponding to the item for which keyword extraction failed, are left blank, the width of the background color is made the same, and the separator characters 914 and 915 are inserted based on parts 911, 912, and 913. By making the width the same, the number of missing keywords can be checked even on a small display screen.

[0068] The file name field 920 is an example where sections 921, 922, and 923, which indicate the string corresponding to the item for which keyword extraction failed, are left blank, and the width of the background color is changed according to the number of characters in the keyword that failed to be extracted. In addition, separator characters 924 and 925 are inserted and displayed based on sections 921, 922, and 923. By changing the width according to the number of characters in the keyword, it is possible to check which keyword extraction failed based on the width.

[0069] The file name field 930 is an example of displaying the inserted delimiters 931 and 932 with a background color. By adding a background color to the delimiters, it is possible to confirm that there are missing keywords in the string that makes up the file name before and after the delimiters. In this embodiment, an example of adding a background color to the delimiters is shown, but it is not limited to this. The delimiters may be highlighted by changing the color of the delimiters or changing the thickness of the delimiters, or they may be displayed by other means.

[0070] The display method for filename entries 901, 910, 920, and 930 may be changeable through settings, or it may be set to a specific state where it cannot be changed through settings.

[0071] (Processing for confirming and correcting file names) Figure 10 is a flowchart showing the detailed flow of the file name confirmation / correction acceptance process (S703).

[0072] In S1001, the display control unit 427 retrieves the keywords extracted in S504 and the file name generation rules from the RAM 213.

[0073] In S1002, the display control unit 427 generates a file name using the keyword obtained in S1001, in accordance with the file name generation rules obtained in S1001.

[0074] (File name generation process) Figure 11 is a flowchart showing the detailed flow of the file name generation process (S1002).

[0075] In S1101, the display control unit 427 determines whether a keyword is missing based on the keyword and file name generation rule acquired in S1001. For example, suppose the file name generation rule is "{Company Name}-{Document Number}" and the keyword is "Document Number:001". In this case, since the acquired keyword does not contain a string that matches the file name generation rule, it will be determined that the keyword corresponding to {Company Name} in the file name generation rule is missing. If it is determined that a keyword is missing (YES in S1101), the process moves to S1102. If it is determined that a keyword is not missing (NO in S1101), S1102 is skipped and the process moves to S1103.

[0076] In S1102, the display control unit 427 modifies the keyword string. The modification of the keyword string is done using a tagged string that distinguishes whether or not to display the string with a background color when the display control unit 427 displays the string on the file name modification screen. For example, <span style=""background-color:" #ffa500”>□□□ The string to be displayed is enclosed in a span tag, as shown above, and the background color of the text enclosed in the span tag is specified in the style element. When the tag in this example is executed, an orange background color will be displayed around the three full-width spaces (the □□□ part). #ffa500 indicates the RGB values ​​that represent the components of the color. In this embodiment, tags were used as an example of modifying the text of a keyword, but other methods may also be used.

[0077] In S1103, the display control unit 427 generates a file name using a keyword according to the file name generation rule acquired in S1001. The generated file name is stored in RAM 213. In this embodiment, the file name generation rule is "{Company Name}-{Document Number}", the keyword is "Document Number:001", and the character modification of the keyword is " <span style=""background-color:" #ffa500”>□□□ Therefore, the filenames generated using keywords are: <span style=""background-color:" #ffa500”>□□□ It becomes "-001".

[0078] Return to the explanation of Figure 10. In S1003, the display control unit 427 retrieves the file name generated in S1002 from RAM 213 and displays it. The display control unit 427 interprets the tags included in the file name and displays the background color and string in the file name field 821.

[0079] In S1004, the display control unit 427 displays the keywords in the keyword list 722.

[0080] In S1005, the display control unit 427 determines whether the received user press event is a keyword edit. If it determines that a keyword edit has been received (keyword edit in S1005), the process moves to S1006. In S1006, the display control unit 427 edits the keyword. Keyword editing may be done by, for example, by allowing the user to enter a free word. Any other method is also acceptable. After completing the process in S1006, the process moves to S1001.

[0081] On the other hand, if it is determined that the "Next" button has been received (the "Next" button in S1005), the process proceeds to S1007. In S1007, the display control unit 427 saves the file name displayed in the file name field to the RAM 213 and terminates the flow shown in Figure 10.

[0082] When saving a file, you can either save it as is, using the file name displayed in the file name field, or remove the spaces and save it. For example, if the string displayed in the file name field is "-001", you can save it as is, "-001", or remove the spaces and save it as "-001". Since it may not always be clear that the first character is a delimiter, you can leave just one space and save it as "-001", or remove the space and the delimiter and save it as "001".

[0083] Returning to the explanation of Figure 5, in S506, the main processing unit 421 requests the file saving unit 428 to save the file. The file saving unit 428 obtains the file saving information (the destination folder path saved in S702 and the file name saved in S1007) confirmed in S505 from the RAM 213. The file saving unit 428 obtains the corrected image data generated in S502 from the RAM 213. Then, using the file saving information confirmed in S505, the file saving unit 428 saves the file to the specified folder path with the specified file name. If the destination information points to the external storage 120, the file saving unit 428 saves the file to the external storage via the internet access unit 425.

[0084] As explained above, in this embodiment, keyword extraction failures are detected based on the file name generation rules and extracted keywords. Then, a file name correction screen is displayed showing the file name with the file name added for each keyword that failed to be extracted, indicating the detected keyword extraction failure. This allows the user to understand whether the file name of the scanned image, which is the property information of the automatically generated file, is what the user intended. This understanding of the user increases the likelihood that the file name will be generated using the extracted string intended by the user, thereby improving convenience for the user. In addition, since a section prompting the user to confirm is shown, the effort required for confirmation is reduced, and the usability of the string extraction results is improved.

[0085] <<Embodiment 2>> This embodiment describes how to display an alternative string when keyword extraction fails. This embodiment assumes that a default string has been set in advance. For example, if all keywords are missing, "NoKeyword" may be applied, or a default string setting may be maintained for each type of missing keyword. For example, "COMPANY" for company names, "DOCUMENTID" for document numbers, etc. This embodiment assumes that the keyword for company names is missing and that "COMPANY" has been saved in RAM213 as the default string for company names. This embodiment will mainly describe the differences from Embodiment 1.

[0086] (Screen for correcting the file name if keyword extraction fails) Figure 12 shows an example of a file name modification screen when the keyword extraction process fails. The file name modification screen 1200 is a UI screen that appears when the keyword extraction process fails, and allows the user to modify the string used for the file name of the scanned image. The file name modification screen 1200 displays the file name field 1201, the keyword list 1203, and the Next (Transition) button 823.

[0087] Keyword list 1203 is a list showing a list of multiple keywords used in the file name. In Figure 12, keyword extraction related to the company name failed, and the alternative string 1204, COMPANYbe6e, is displayed. Keyword extraction related to the document image was successful, and "001" is displayed as the document number.

[0088] The file name field 1201, like the file name field 821, is an item that displays the string that makes up the file name. However, the file name field 1201 displays the part 1202, which is shaded in Figure 12 and corresponds to the company name field from which keywords could not be extracted, with a colored background and also displays an alternative string.

[0089] (File name generation process) Figure 13 is a flowchart showing the detailed flow of the file name generation process (S1002) in this embodiment.

[0090] In S1301, the display control unit 427 determines whether there are missing keywords based on the keywords and file name generation rules obtained in S1001. For example, suppose the file name generation rule is "{Company Name}-{Document Number}" and the keyword is "Document Number:001". In this case, since the obtained keyword does not contain a string that matches the file name generation rule, it will be determined that there are missing keywords corresponding to {Company Name} in the file name generation rule. If it is determined that there are missing keywords (YES in S1301), the process moves to S1302. If it is determined that there are no missing keywords (NO in S1301), the process moves from S1302 to S1304, skipping S1304, and moves to S1305.

[0091] In S1302, the display control unit 427 retrieves the corrected image data created in S502 from the RAM 213 and executes a hash function on the retrieved corrected image data to generate a hash value. In this embodiment, the hash value is a unique string generated by executing the hash function. In this embodiment, the first four characters of the generated hash value, "be6e", are used, but the entire hash value may be used, or the string used may be increased or decreased by dragging the hash value on the UI screen. The method for creating a unique string is not limited to this, and other methods may be used.

[0092] In S1303, the display control unit 427 retrieves the default string "COMPANY", which is a predetermined string, from the RAM 213.

[0093] In S1304, the display control unit 427 modifies the keyword characters. The display control unit 427 combines the hash value "be6e" obtained in S1302 and the default string "COMPANY" obtained in S1303, and modifies the keyword characters. The modification of the keyword characters is a tagged string that distinguishes whether or not to display the string with a background color when the display control unit 427 displays the string on the screen. For example, " <span style=""background-color:" #ffff00”> COMPANYbe6eThe string to be displayed is enclosed in a span tag, as shown above, and the background color of the text enclosed in the span tag is specified in the style element. When the tag in this example is executed, a yellow background color will be displayed for "COMPANYbe6e". #ffff00 indicates the RGB values ​​that represent the components of the color. In this embodiment, the tag was used as an example of correcting the characters of a keyword, but other methods may also be used.

[0094] In S1305, the display control unit 427 generates a file name using a keyword according to the file name generation rule acquired in S1001. The generated file name is stored in RAM 213. In this embodiment, the file name generation rule is "{Company Name}-{Document Number}". The keyword is "Document Number:001". The character correction of the keyword is " <span style=""background-color:" #ffff00”> COMPANYbe6e Therefore, the filenames generated using keywords are: <span style=""background-color:" #ffff00”> COMPANYbe6e It becomes "-001".

[0095] As explained above, in this embodiment, if keyword extraction fails, a file name modification screen showing an alternative string is displayed. This allows the user to save the file without editing the keyword, thereby improving convenience. Furthermore, by assigning a unique string to the alternative string, the file name will not overlap with the file name of an existing file, preventing overwriting of existing files, thus further improving convenience.

[0096] <<Embodiment 3>> In this embodiment, if keyword extraction is successful and the position information of the extracted string is stored, and if keyword extraction fails in the next scanned image, a string at the same position as the previous (past) string's position information is obtained and a substitute string is displayed. This embodiment will mainly be described in terms of the differences from Embodiment 1.

[0097] (Processing performed by the MFP) Figure 14 is a flowchart showing the processing flow performed by the MFP110. In Figure 14, the MFP110 automatically generates a file name from the scanned image obtained by scanning a document, and saves the scanned image with the generated file name.

[0098] In S1401, the main processing unit 421 requests a scan from the scan instruction unit 426, causing the scan execution unit 411 to perform a scan on the document set in the automatic document reader. The main processing unit 421 then acquires the image data (scanned image data) resulting from the scan execution unit 411 and stores it in the RAM 213.

[0099] In S1402, the main processing unit 421 requests the image processing unit 422 to perform string recognition processing. The image processing unit 422 retrieves the image data saved in S1401 from the RAM 213, performs oblique rotation correction on the image data, and generates corrected image data. Subsequently, the image processing unit 422 performs block selection (BS) processing on the corrected image data to detect string regions (string blocks) corresponding to strings, and performs optical character recognition (OCR) processing on the string regions. The generated corrected image data, the string regions which are the result of the BS processing, and the strings which are the result of the OCR processing are saved in the RAM 213. An example of string regions and string extraction results in this embodiment is shown in the string region and string result information list when history information is saved. In the string region and string result information list, the string regions are "(1079,436), (282,45)", "(584,670), (276,30)", and "(1873,916), (108,23)". The strings corresponding to the string area are "Invoice", "Iroha Co., Ltd.", and "001".

[0100] [Table 1]

[0101] In S1403, the main processing unit 421 requests the document type determination unit 423 to perform a document type determination. The document type determination unit 423 retrieves the corrected image data and string area obtained in S1402 from the RAM 213 and determines the document type using the string area and string. The determined document type is stored in the RAM 213.

[0102] In S1404, the main processing unit 421 requests keyword extraction from the keyword extraction unit 424. The keyword extraction unit 424 obtains the string area and string obtained in S1402 and the document type determined in S503 from the RAM 213. Then, it extracts keywords based on the string area, string and document type. The extracted keywords are stored in the RAM 213. An example of the keyword extraction results in this embodiment is shown in the keyword extraction result information list when the history is saved. In the keyword extraction result information list, the keywords are "Company Name" and "Document Number". The strings corresponding to the keywords are "Iroha Co., Ltd." and "001". The string "Invoice" indicates that no keyword was extracted because the keyword is blank.

[0103] [Table 2]

[0104] In this embodiment, keywords that can be extracted from all document types are extracted, but this is not limited to this. Alternatively, only keywords that can be extracted from the document type determined in S1403 may be extracted, and if the document type is modified in the editing screen described later, keywords that can be extracted from that document type may be extracted again. The keywords may also be extracted in any other order.

[0105] In S1405, the main processing unit 421 requests the display control unit 427 to display a UI screen for user confirmation and modification. The display control unit 427 generates a UI screen using the document type determined in S1403 and the keywords extracted in S1404, and displays it on the touch panel of the operation unit 220. When the display control unit 427 receives a user operation on the UI screen (next button / save button), it confirms the property information displayed on the UI screen.

[0106] In S1406, the main processing unit 421 requests the file saving unit 428 to save the file. The file saving unit 428 retrieves the file saving information (the folder path to the save location saved in S702 and the file name saved in S1007) confirmed in S1405 from the RAM 213. The file saving unit 428 retrieves the corrected image data generated in S1402 from the RAM 213. Then, using the file saving destination confirmed in S1405, the file saving unit 428 saves the file to the specified folder path with the specified file name. If the save destination information points to external storage 120, the file saving unit 428 saves the file to the external storage via the internet access unit 425.

[0107] In S1407, the main processing unit 421 requests the keyword extraction unit 424 to save the document type and keyword location. The keyword extraction unit 424 retrieves the document type determined in S1403, the keywords extracted in S1404, and the string area extracted in S1402 corresponding to the keywords from the RAM 213, associates them, and saves them in the RAM 213 as history information. An example of the document type, keyword extraction results, and string area results in this embodiment is shown in the keyword extraction result history information list. In the keyword extraction result history information list, the document type is "Invoice", the keywords are "Company Name" and "Document Number", and the string areas are "(584,670), (276,30)" and "(1873,916), (108,23)".

[0108] [Table 3]

[0109] (File name generation process) Figure 15 is a flowchart showing the process flow for generating filenames in this embodiment. Examples of string regions and string extraction results in this flowchart example are shown in the string region and string result information list. In the string region and string result information list, the string regions are "(1079,436), (282,45)", "(584,670), (276,30)", and "(1873,916), (108,23)". The strings corresponding to the string regions are "Invoice", "Iroha Co., Ltd.", and "002".

[0110] [Table 4]

[0111] The keyword extraction results in this flowchart example are shown in the Keyword Extraction Results Information List. In the Keyword Extraction Results Information List, the keyword is the "Document Number," and the string corresponding to the keyword is "002."

[0112] [Table 5]

[0113] In S1501, the display control unit 427 determines which keywords are missing based on the keywords and file name generation rules obtained in S1001. For example, suppose the file name generation rule is "{Company Name}-{Document Number}" and the keyword is "Document Number:002". In this case, since the obtained keyword does not contain a string that matches the file name generation rule, it will be determined that the keyword corresponding to {Company Name} in the file name generation rule is missing. If it is determined that a keyword is missing (YES in S1501), the process moves to S1502. If it is determined that a keyword is not missing (NO in S1501), the process moves from S1502 to S1508, skipping S1507.

[0114] In S1502, the display control unit 427 retrieves the document type, keyword extraction results, and string area results saved in S1407 from the RAM 213 and determines whether or not results exist. If it is determined that there are no keyword extraction results or string area results (NO in S1502), the process moves to S1505. If it is determined that there are document type, keyword extraction results, and string area results (YES in S1502), the process moves to S1503.

[0115] In S1503, the display control unit 427 retrieves the document type saved in S702 from RAM 213 and determines whether the document type is included in the document type obtained in S1502, the keyword extraction result, and the string area result. If it is determined that the document type is not included (NO in S1503), the process moves to S1505. If it is determined that the document type is included in the document type, the keyword extraction result, and the string area result (YES in S1503), the process moves to S1504.

[0116] In S1504, the display control unit 427 obtains the string area corresponding to the missing keyword and obtains the string corresponding to the same string area. In this embodiment, since the company name is missing, the string area "(584,670), (276,30)" corresponding to the document type being "invoice" and the keyword being "company name" is obtained from the document type, keyword extraction result, and string area result. The string corresponding to the obtained string area "(584,670), (276,30)" is obtained as the string "Iroha Co., Ltd." from the string area and string result information list. In this embodiment, an example is shown in which the string area in the keyword extraction result history information list and the string area in the string result information list are the same and the string is obtained, but it is also possible to obtain strings that are close even if they are not the same. For example, it is possible to check the overlap between string areas and obtain the string of the area with the most overlap, or other methods may be used.

[0117] In S1505, the display control unit 427 retrieves the corrected image data created in S502 from the RAM 213 and generates a hash value by executing a hash function on the retrieved corrected image data. In this embodiment, the hash value is a unique string generated by executing the hash function. In this embodiment, the first four characters of the generated hash value, "be6e", are used, but the entire hash value may be used, or the string used may be increased or decreased by dragging the hash value on the UI screen. The method for creating a unique string is not limited to this, and other methods may be used.

[0118] In S1506, the display control unit 427 retrieves the default string "COMPANY", which is a predetermined string, from the RAM 213.

[0119] In S1507, the display control unit 427 modifies the characters of the keyword. The display control unit 427 modifies the characters of the keyword from the string "Iroha Corporation" obtained in S1504, or the string obtained by combining the hash value "be6e" obtained in S1505 and the default string "COMPANY" obtained in S1506. The modification of the keyword characters is a tagged string that distinguishes whether or not to display the string with a background color when the display control unit 427 displays the string on the screen. For example, <span style=""background-color:" #ffff00”> Iroha Co., Ltd. The string to be displayed is enclosed in a span tag, as shown above, and the background color of the text enclosed in the span tag is specified with the style element. When the tag in this example is executed, a yellow background color will be displayed for "Iroha Co., Ltd.". #ffff00 indicates the RGB values ​​that represent the components of the color. In this embodiment, the tag was used as an example of correcting the characters of a keyword, but other methods may also be used.

[0120] In S1508, the display control unit 427 generates a file name using a keyword according to the file name generation rule acquired in S1001. The generated file name is stored in RAM 213. In this embodiment, the file name generation rule is "{Company Name}-{Document Number}". The keyword is "Document Number:002", and the character correction of the keyword is " <span style=""background-color:" #ffff00”> Iroha Co., Ltd. Therefore, the filenames generated using keywords are: <span style=""background-color:" #ffff00”> Iroha Co., Ltd. This will be "-002".

[0121] As explained above, in this embodiment, the position information of the extracted string is stored when keyword extraction is successful. If keyword extraction fails in the next scanned image, the string at the same position as the previous (past) string is retrieved and a replacement string is displayed. This makes it possible for the user to save the file without editing the keywords, thereby improving convenience.

[0122] (Other embodiments) The above describes the case where the property information is a file name and the file name generation rule is a rule that specifies one or more strings used in the file name, but it is not limited to this case. It can also be applied when the property information is a folder path and the folder name generation rule is a rule that specifies one or more strings used in the folder path and the folder hierarchy structure.

[0123] This disclosure can also be implemented by supplying a program that implements one or more of the functions of the above embodiments to a system or device via a network or storage medium, and by having one or more processors in the computer of that system or device read and execute the program. It can also be implemented by a circuit (e.g., an ASIC) that implements one or more functions. Furthermore, the program may be recorded on a recording medium readable by a computer and provided.

[0124] This embodiment includes the following configuration examples. (Composition 1) An image processing device that generates property information of a scanned image obtained by scanning a document, An acquisition means for acquiring a string obtained by character recognition processing on the scanned image, A generation means that generates property information using a string from among the strings acquired by the acquisition means that matches the rules for generating property information of the scanned image, A display control means for displaying the aforementioned property information on a display means, It has, If the string obtained by the acquisition means does not contain a string that matches the generation rule, the generation means generates the property information to which information indicating that no string matching the generation rule was obtained is added. An image processing apparatus characterized by the following: (Configuration 2) The generation means generates the property information to which a colored background has been added as the information. The image processing apparatus according to configuration 1, characterized in that... (Composition 3) If no strings matching the generation rules are obtained, the generation means generates property information for the colored background that corresponds to the multiple unobtained strings, with each string having the same width. The image processing apparatus according to configuration 2, characterized in that... (Composition 4) If no strings matching the generation rules are obtained, the generation means generates property information for the colored background that corresponds to the multiple strings that were not obtained, with each string's width adjusted to match the number of strings. The image processing apparatus according to configuration 2, characterized in that... (Composition 5) The generation means generates the property information with a delimiter added based on the string that was not obtained. An image processing apparatus according to any one of configurations 1 to 4, characterized by the above. (Composition 6) The generation means generates the property information with the delimiter highlighted. The image processing apparatus according to configuration 5, characterized by the features described herein. (Composition 7) The generation means generates the property information to which a substitute string has been added that replaces the string that was not obtained. An image processing apparatus according to any one of configurations 2 to 6, characterized by the above. (Composition 8) The aforementioned replacement string consists of a hash value obtained by executing a hash function on the scanned image and a predetermined string associated with the string that was not obtained. The image processing apparatus according to configuration 7, characterized by the features described above. (Composition 9) The system further includes storage means for storing history information, which includes the position information of a string used in the property information of a past scanned image and the document type of the past scanned image. If the document type of the scanned image for which the generation means generates the property information is the same as the document type of the past scanned image, the generation means generates the property information of the scanned image using a string from among the strings acquired by the acquisition means that corresponds to the position information of the string included in the history information. The image processing apparatus according to configuration 1, characterized in that... (Composition 10) The aforementioned property information is a file name. The generation rule is a rule that specifies one or more strings to be used in the file name. An image processing apparatus according to any one of configurations 1 to 9, characterized by the above. (Composition 11) The aforementioned property information is a folder path, The generation rule is a rule that specifies one or more strings used in the folder path and the folder hierarchy structure. An image processing apparatus according to any one of configurations 1 to 9, characterized by the above. (Composition 12) An image processing method for generating property information of a scanned image obtained by scanning a document, An acquisition step of acquiring a string obtained by character recognition processing on the scanned image, A generation step in which property information is generated using the strings obtained in the acquisition step that match the rules for generating property information of the scanned image, A display control step for displaying the property information on a display means, Includes, If the string obtained in the acquisition step does not contain a string that matches the generation rule, the property information is generated in the generation step with added information indicating that no string matching the generation rule was obtained. An image processing method characterized by the following: (Composition 13) A program to cause a computer to function as one of the means of an image processing apparatus described in any one of configurations 1 to 11.

Claims

1. An image processing device that generates property information of a scanned image obtained by scanning a document, An acquisition means for acquiring a string obtained by character recognition processing on the scanned image, A generation means that generates property information using a string from among the strings acquired by the acquisition means that matches the rules for generating property information of the scanned image, A display control means for displaying the aforementioned property information on a display means, It has, If the string obtained by the acquisition means does not contain a string that matches the generation rule, the generation means generates the property information to which information indicating that no string matching the generation rule was obtained is added. An image processing apparatus characterized by the following:

2. The generation means generates the property information to which a colored background has been added as the information. The image processing apparatus according to feature 1.

3. If no strings matching the generation rules are obtained, the generation means generates property information for the colored background that corresponds to the multiple unobtained strings, with each string having the same width. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2.

4. If no strings matching the generation rules are obtained, the generation means generates property information for the colored background that corresponds to the multiple strings that were not obtained, with each string's width adjusted to match the number of strings. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2.

5. The generation means generates the property information with a delimiter added based on the string that was not obtained. The image processing apparatus according to feature 1.

6. The generation means generates the property information with the delimiter highlighted. The image processing apparatus according to feature 5.

7. The generation means generates the property information to which a substitute string has been added that replaces the string that was not obtained. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2.

8. The aforementioned replacement string consists of a hash value obtained by executing a hash function on the scanned image and a predetermined string associated with the string that was not obtained. The image processing apparatus according to feature 7.

9. The system further includes storage means for storing history information, which includes the position information of a string used in the property information of a past scanned image and the document type of the past scanned image. If the document type of the scanned image for which the generation means generates the property information is the same as the document type of the past scanned image, the generation means generates the property information of the scanned image using a string from among the strings acquired by the acquisition means that corresponds to the position information of the string included in the history information. The image processing apparatus according to feature 1.

10. The aforementioned property information is a file name. The generation rule is a rule that specifies one or more strings to be used in the file name. The image processing apparatus according to feature 1.

11. The aforementioned property information is a folder path, The generation rule is a rule that specifies one or more strings used in the folder path and the folder hierarchy structure. The image processing apparatus according to feature 1.

12. An image processing method for generating property information of a scanned image obtained by scanning a document, An acquisition step of acquiring a string obtained by character recognition processing on the scanned image, A generation step in which property information is generated using the strings obtained in the acquisition step that match the rules for generating property information of the scanned image, A display control step for displaying the property information on a display means, Includes, If the string obtained in the acquisition step does not contain a string that matches the generation rule, the property information is generated in the generation step with added information indicating that no string matching the generation rule was obtained. An image processing method characterized by the following:

13. A program for causing a computer to function as each means of the image processing apparatus described in claim 1.

Images