Document Digitization with Segmented Display and Edit Sheets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for digitizing paper documents fail to simultaneously reproduce the layout of documents with tables faithfully and enable convenient editing of tables without affecting other tables on the same page, as they often lose table structure or line layout during conversion.
Innovation Solution
An electronic document system that includes both a display sheet for faithful layout reproduction and an edit sheet for editable table operations, using a scanner, CPU, and memory to process image data into XML format, with region extraction, table structure analysis, and character recognition units to generate separate sheets for display and editing, ensuring independent editing of tables without affecting others.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a table in the document image is converted into a table object to enable editing operations, then the editing convenience is improved, but the table structure or table line layout may not be reproduced as it is
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the document into multiple independent sheets, where each sheet contains either the original layout representation or the editable table structure. This segmentation allows the system to separate the concerns of layout fidelity and editing convenience, enabling users to edit tables without compromising the overall document structure reproduction.
2Manufacturing precision
If the table is rendered as a vector object to reproduce visual information on table line layout, then the layout fidelity is improved, but the editing operation involving insertion/deletion of rows/columns is disabled
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates separate sheets for layout representation and editable table structures. The vector object maintains layout fidelity on its sheet, while editable table structures reside on separate sheets, allowing editing operations without affecting the layout representation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a copy of the table structure as an editable representation separate from the original vector-based layout. This copy can be edited independently while the original vector object preserves the visual fidelity of the document layout.
3Ease of operation
If the table is reproduced in a spreadsheet application format with cell matrix structure, then the editing capability is improved, but when multiple tables exist on the same page, editing one table may unintentionally affect another table
Solution Approach 1:
The patent assigns each table to its own independent sheet or editing unit. This segmentation ensures that editing operations on one table are isolated to that specific table's sheet, preventing unintended effects on other tables while maintaining full spreadsheet editing capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces sheets as intermediary containers that manage the relationship between the document image and editable table structures. Each sheet acts as an isolated editing environment, mediating between the user's editing actions and the final document output, thereby preventing cross-table interference.
4Device complexity
If a single sheet format is used to represent multiple tables, then the device complexity is reduced, but the editing operation on one table may unintentionally affect another table
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the document representation into multiple sheets, with each sheet dedicated to a specific table or region. This increases the number of sheets but ensures that editing operations are isolated to individual sheets, maintaining reliability while managing complexity through clear organizational structure.
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a region extraction means (211) configured to extract region data for each object from document image data including tables; a table structure analysis means (212) configured to analyze the region data relating to table objects out of the extracted region data and extract table structure information on each of the table objects; a sheet generation means (214) configured to generate a display sheet for reproducing a layout of the object in the document image data and an edit sheet for each table for editing the table, by using the region data and the table structure information on each object; and an electronic-document generation means (215) configured to generate an electronic document which associated the display sheet with the edit sheet.