Electronic Document Generation Using Auxiliary Data

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electronic document generation systems face challenges in creating accurate electronic documents from scanned images due to missing information such as line-end positions and font sizes, which can result in poorly formatted text when using general-purpose OCR processing services.

Innovation Solution

An electronic document generation system that includes an image forming apparatus generating auxiliary data like line-end identifying character strings and font size information, which is then transmitted to an external terminal to complement the OCR processing results from a cloud server, ensuring accurate line positioning and formatting in the generated electronic document.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If general-purpose OCR processing service is used, then processing load on external terminal is reduced, but line-end position information and font size information are missing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing loadVSAvoidline-end position information

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the OCR processing into two segments: general-purpose OCR processing performed by the cloud server (reducing terminal load) and auxiliary data generation (line-end position and font size information) performed by the image forming apparatus (compensating for information loss). The auxiliary data is then transmitted to the external terminal to complement the OCR results.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The image forming apparatus acts as an intermediary between the cloud server and the external terminal. It generates auxiliary data that bridges the gap between the general-purpose OCR service and the requirements for complete document formatting, providing the missing line-end position and font size information without requiring the terminal to perform all processing itself.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If general-purpose OCR processing service is used, then processing load on external terminal is reduced, but document formatting quality deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing loadVSAvoiddocument formatting quality

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the processing tasks: the cloud server handles general OCR processing (reducing terminal load), while the image forming apparatus handles auxiliary data generation for precise formatting (ensuring document quality). This division allows each component to specialize, maintaining both low terminal load and high formatting quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameters of the OCR processing by adding auxiliary data fields (line-end position and font size) to the OCR result structure. This enhancement allows the external terminal to achieve precise document formatting while still utilizing the cloud server's general-purpose OCR service, thus maintaining both low processing load and high formatting quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If auxiliary data is transmitted from image forming apparatus, then document generation accuracy is improved, but communication data volume increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedocument generation accuracyVSAvoidcommunication data volume

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts only the essential auxiliary data needed for accurate document generation (line-end position information and font size information) from the scanned image processing. By taking out only these critical parameters rather than transmitting the entire scanned image or all processing data, the system minimizes communication data volume while maintaining document generation accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The image forming apparatus performs partial processing (generating only auxiliary data for line-end positions and font sizes) rather than complete processing (transmitting the entire scanned image). This partial action approach reduces the quantity of data transmitted over the network while still providing the necessary information for accurate document generation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS9614984B2Electronic document generation system and recording medium

Publication Date: 2017.04.04 KONICA MINOLTA INC

AI summary

An electronic document generation system includes an image forming apparatus that generates a scanned image of an original document, and an external terminal that generates an electronic document based on image data regarding the scanned image received from the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes an auxiliary data generation unit that generates auxiliary data to be used in processing for generating the electronic document, and a communication unit that transmits the auxiliary data to the external terminal. The external terminal includes a document generation unit that uses the auxiliary data received from the image forming apparatus to generate the electronic document based on the image data regarding the scanned image in cooperation with an external cooperative device different from the external terminal. The document generation unit generates the electronic document by complementing the result of processing performed on the image data with the auxiliary data.