Mark placing and canceling method and mark recognizing device

A mark placing and canceling method, operating with a mark sheet provided with mark columns formed of closed areas demarcated with boundary lines, for entering a mark indicating a set-up of a control job in one of the mark columns, reading the mark sheet with a two-dimensional image reading device, and canceling the mark entered in the mark column on the mark sheet as recognized by means of a mark recognizing device. The mark placing and canceling method includes the steps of (a) entering a line forming a crossing point with the boundary line, as a mark for setting up a control job; and (b) entering a line forming new crossing points with the already entered line and with the boundary line, as a mark for canceling the set-up of the control job, in case the already entered mark is to be canceled.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a method of placing a mark for setting up 
a control job for controlling the operation of a copying machine or the 
like in a mark column on a job control sheet and canceling such a mark 
thus placed, and the present invention relates also to a mark recognizing 
device which recognizes the set-up and cancellation of a mark for a 
control job. 
It has hitherto been known to those persons skilled in the art that there 
is an available technique which reflects a consideration for enabling the 
operator to finish a series of copying operations, without constantly 
attending on the copying machine or the like, by placing marks on mark 
columns on a mark sheet to indicate such control job items as the required 
number of copies, the desired image density, and the desired magnification 
or reduction of the images which the operator wants to have an image 
processing system like as a copying machine or a facsimile machine to 
perform, having a mark recognizing device recognize the marks placed on 
the mark sheet to identify the required control operations as indicated 
thereon, and then causing a copying machine or the like to perform the 
copying operations as required. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,248,528, which is cited here as an example for this type of 
equipment discloses a technique which is applied by the steps of an 
operator placing marks with a pencil as appropriate in the selected ones 
of a plural number of mark columns set in correspondence with various 
control jobs as printed on a mark sheet, thus preparing a job control 
sheet for the job to be executed, and setting such a job control sheet, 
together with a bundle of original documents, on an automatic document 
feeding device, and causing an optical scanner to read the particulars of 
the marks indicated on the job control sheet as it comes transported by 
the automatic document feeding device, and thus causing the copying 
machine to perform the control operations corresponding to the control 
jobs respectively indicated in the mark columns on the job control sheet. 
A similar technique is disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication 
No. Hei. 2-8171, which discloses a method comprising the steps of forming 
many square-shaped mark columns on a programming sheet and setting up 
control jobs by placing marks with a pencil in the selected mark columns 
on the sheet. 
In the meantime, a method of canceling a control job once set up with a 
mark entered in a mark column on a job control sheet is disclosed in 
Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Sho. 51-144127, which discloses 
a technique consisting in pasting a white color piece of paper in a 
lozenge shape or a rectangle shape over a mark column on a job control 
sheet with a mark once entered. 
Also, Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Hei. 2-178678, discloses a 
technique for preparing a job control sheet, with bar codes printed by 
means of a printer in accordance with the result of a selection made of a 
control program out of control programs which are put on display on a 
screen of a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) unit and indicate the operations which 
the operator desires to have a copying machine or the like perform. 
Additionally, the color of the marking positions or the like on a mark 
sheet to be used as a job control sheet should be differentiated from the 
color of the writing tool, such as a pencil in a black color, and a mark 
sheet printed in a special ink or the like is used. 
According to mark placing methods like those which are respectively 
described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,248,528 and Japanese Patent Unexamined 
Publication No. Hei. 2-8171, the method to be employed for canceling any 
control job for which a mark has been placed by mistake by the operator is 
to erase the trace of a mark entered with a pencil in a mark column by 
canceling it with a rubber eraser or the like. Thus, a trace of such a 
correction tends to remain on the mark column on the job control sheet, 
and, to make the matters worse, the rubber eraser tends to leave rubber 
dust on the paper, which causes the problem that the mark recognizing 
device gains a mistaken recognition that the control job has not been 
canceled. 
The mark placing and canceling method according to the invention described 
in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Sho. 51-144127, which 
overcomes this disadvantage, still leaves the problem that the correcting 
job is troublesome because the method consists in pasting a piece of paper 
on a mark column in which a mistaken entry has been made. 
On the other hand, the mark placing and canceling method according to 
Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Hei. 2-178678 permits an easy 
and ready correction of a control program in the course of the preparation 
of a control program in conversation with the CRT display unit, but still 
presents the problem that it does not permit any simple and easy 
correction of an error in case an error is found in a control program 
after it is thus prepared and printed in the form of a job control sheet 
because a correction in such a case requires that the control program 
should be made once again in conversation with the CRT display unit. 
Moreover, a job control sheet is provided with mark entry columns printed 
in a color different from the color of a pencil or the like which the user 
employs in placing such a mark, the job control sheet presents a problem 
in that the sheet cannot be produced by printing it readily with a usual 
monochromatic printer and further that a job control sheet prepared in 
this manner will usually cause difficulty in an optical reaction of this 
part when such a job control sheet is read with an image scanner in a 
copying machine or the like. It follows from this that it is necessary to 
print the job control sheet separately, which causes the problem that such 
a procedure results in an increase in the cost. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention has been made in view of the problems described 
above, and an object of the present invention is, therefore, to offer a 
mark placing and canceling method which is capable of ensuring ease and 
simplicity in placing a mark for setting a control job in a mark column on 
a job control sheet and also in canceling a mark entered by mistake. 
Another object of the present invention is to offer a mark recognizing 
device which is capable of recognizing the marks entered in the mark 
columns on the job control sheet mentioned above. 
Still another object of the present invention is to offer a mark 
recognizing device which is capable of restraining a decline in its 
recognizing accuracy by subjecting the job control sheet to a corrosive 
treatment for eliminating the noises which will otherwise occur because of 
particulate stains or the like which are caused at the time when the job 
control sheet is printed. 
In order to attain the above objects, the present invention provides a mark 
placing and canceling method, operating with a mark sheet provided with 
mark columns formed of closed areas demarcated with boundary lines, for 
entering a mark indicating a set-up of a control job in one of the mark 
columns, reading the mark sheet with a two-dimensional image reading 
device, and canceling the mark entered in the mark column on the mark 
sheet as recognized by means of a mark recognizing device, the method 
including the steps of (a) entering a line forming a crossing point with 
the boundary line, as a mark for setting up a control job; and (b) 
entering a line forming new crossing points with the already entered line 
and with the boundary line, as a mark for canceling the set-up of the 
control job, in case the already entered mark is to be canceled.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Now, reference will be made in detail to the present invention on the basis 
of preferred embodiments as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in 
which like reference marks designate like or corresponding parts 
throughout the several drawings. 
In the description to follow, some embodiments of the present invention 
will be used as examples. It should be understood, however, that the 
present invention is not limited to these examples of its embodiment, but 
may be applied effectively to other forms of its embodiment to such an 
extent as will not deviate from the technical scope defined herein for the 
present invention. 
Now, the details of the present invention will be described with reference 
to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram 
illustrating an image processing equipment for processing an ordinary 
original document together with a job control sheet. FIG. 2 is a front 
view illustrating a job control sheet. FIG. 3 (A) is a model chart 
illustrating a check circle containing a mark entered therein for setting 
up a control job, FIG. 3 (B) is a model chart illustrating a check circle 
containing a canceling mark entered therein, and FIG. 3 (C) is a model 
chart illustrating a check circle in which no mark is yet set up. FIG. 4 
is an explanatory chart illustrating an example of a job control sheet in 
use for a description of the state in which an ordinary original document 
and a job control sheet placed thereon are fed into an automatic document 
feeding device. FIG. 5 is an approximate flow chart illustrating the 
algorithm used for the recognition of the job control sheet. FIG. 6 is a 
block diagram illustrating the job recognizing block. FIG. 7 is a flow 
chart for the algorithm used for the recognition of the particulars of a 
job. FIG. 8 is a model chart showing the relationship between a check 
circle and a check circle region. FIG. 9 is a flow chart for the algorithm 
used for a discrimination of a check mark. 
The following description of the preferred embodiments will be presented in 
the order of: (1) outline description of a mark recognizing device, (2) 
job control sheet, (3) overall operations of the mark recognizing device, 
(4) details of recognition of the particulars of a job, (5) details of the 
operation for distinguishing check marks, and (6) description of other 
embodiments. 
(1) Outline Description of Mark Recognizing Device 
FIG. 1 presents a functional block diagram for an image processing 
equipment which executes the operations for the processing of an ordinary 
original document together with a job control sheet placed thereon, and 
the solid lines in FIG. 1 represent the flow of an image signal while the 
broken lines in FIG. 1 represent the flows of control signals. First, an 
ordinary original document, or a job control sheet 10 placed on the 
ordinary original document (refer to FIGS. 2 and 4), which was fed by an 
automatic document feeding device 2, is transported to a two-dimensional 
image reading device, namely, an image reading block 3, which is provided 
with an image scanner capable of reading two-dimensional images, and the 
image read of the original document here is then transmitted to a sheet 
distinguishing block 5, and the image signal which has thus come 
transmitted is distinguished by the sheet distinguishing block 5 to 
determine whether the transmitted signal represents an ordinary original 
document or a job control sheet 10. In case the sheet distinguishing block 
5 determines that the transmitted signal represents an ordinary original 
document, the sheet distinguishing block 5 communicates to a system 
control block 1 that the sheet thus distinguished is an ordinary original 
document. Upon reception of such a message, the system control block 1 
transmits the read image signal to an image forming block 8, controlling a 
selector 6, and causes a copying machine or the like, which is not shown 
in the drawing, to perform image processing operations in accordance with 
a control job corresponding to instructions issued by a user interface 4 
as operated by the operator. 
Yet, in case it is determined by the sheet distinguishing block 5 that the 
sheet detected in the manner described above is a job control sheet 10, 
then the system control block 1 transmits the read image signal to a job 
recognizing block 7, controlling the selector 6, and then performs a 
recognition of the particulars of a job by discerning the particulars 
entered in the job designating column on the job control sheet 10, as it 
will be understood from a description made thereof later. 
(2) Job Control Sheet 
The job control sheet 10, which is shown in FIG. 2, is one which has been 
prepared with an ordinary monochromatic printer or the like, and the job 
control sheet 10 is provided with original document distinguishing marks 
100, ..., which are indicated with bar codes at its four corners, a 
coordinate origin point 101 and an opposite angle point 104, which are 
indicated with a + mark in the proximity of the original document 
distinguishing marks 100 and 100 respectively positioned at its upper left 
side and at its lower right side, and a plurality of job designating 
columns (check mark columns) 102, each indicating circle-shaped check 
circles 103, ..., which indicate such control instruction signals to a 
copying machine or the like (which is not shown in FIG. 2) as the number 
of copies, the degree of density of the image, and a reduction or 
magnification of the image. Then, the original document distinguishing 
mark 100 is accorded with attributes of the job control sheet, such as a 
code indicating the type of the job control sheet. Also, a job/coordinate 
information table 9, which is shown in FIG. 1, contains pre-recorded 
information on such items as coordinate values for the coordinate origin 
point 101 and opposite angle point 104 on the job control sheet 10, the 
coordinate information on the check circles 103, ..., and information 
codes on the particulars of the jobs to be executed when the operator puts 
marks on the check circles 103, so that such information may be retrieved 
by the use of the attributes of the job control sheet as obtained from the 
original document distinguishing marks 100, .... 
The operator selects the control jobs which he desires to cause a copying 
machine or the like to execute from the job designating columns 102, ..., 
and the method for such selections is to be put into its operation by 
selecting and marking the circular check circles 103, ..., which are 
indicated in the job designating columns 102, .... To explain this in more 
detail, the method of entering a mark is set up in such a manner, with the 
aim of reducing the burden otherwise placed on the operator, that a linear 
check mark 105 is to be entered with a pencil or the like in black color 
to cross a closed area in a circular shape in the check circle 103 as 
shown in FIG. 3 (A), in case a desired control job is to be set up, a 
linear canceling mark 106 is to be entered to cross the closed area in the 
check circle 103 and to cut across this check mark 105, in case this 
control job already set up is to be canceled as shown in FIG. 3 (B), and 
nothing is to be entered in the check circle 103 as shown in FIG. 3 (C) in 
case any control job is not yet to be set up. In other words, the method 
of setting up a job control is established in such a way that the system 
regards that the operator has selected and "set up" a control job for 
which he has entered the check mark 105 in case he has placed a mark with 
the check mark 105 in such a manner as to divide the check circle 103 into 
two parts while it regards that the operator has "canceled" the set-up of 
the control job in case he has entered the canceling mark 106 in such a 
manner as to form an X-mark by entering a line across the check mark 105. 
Then, the determining conditions applicable to the determination of a mark 
are as shown in Table 1 presented below. 
TABLE 1 
______________________________________ 
Check Mark Setting Canceling Not Yet Set 
______________________________________ 
Number of 2 4 1 
Closed Areas 
______________________________________ 
The setting method has eliminated all the troublesome restricting 
conditions, such as the direction for the entry of a mark and the angle 
for such an entry, so that the only condition is that the number of the 
closed areas formed by the check circle 103 and the check mark 105 should 
be two areas in the case of the "setting" operation but that the number of 
the closed areas formed by the entry of the check mark 105 and the 
canceling mark 106 in such a way as to cut across the check circle 103 
should be four areas in the case of the "canceling" operation. 
The job control sheet 10 with marks placed in the control job designating 
columns, as shown in FIG. 4, is to be placed over an original document 
bundle 11 on which it is desired to have control jobs executed, and these 
are to be put in the automatic document feeding device 2, which is, for 
example, an automatic dual side document feeding unit. This operating step 
attains the same effect as a reservation of control jobs to be executed on 
an image processing equipment, such as a copying machine. In addition, the 
set-up of the control jobs can be completed by simply placing the next job 
13 on the current job in case it is desired to set up the next job while 
the current job 12 is being executed. This feature saves the operator from 
the trouble of waiting by the side of the copying machine or the like 
until the current job 12 is finished. 
(3) Overall Operations of Mark Recognizing Device 
Next, a description will be made of the operations of a mark recognizing 
device which recognizes the mark entered on the job control sheet 10. In 
this regard, FIG. 5 presents a flow chart illustrating the algorithm for 
recognition of the job control sheet 10, and FIG. 6 illustrates the 
details of a job recognizing block. 
(a) Bar code detection 
When the automatic document feeding device 2 feeds the job control sheet 10 
as placed on the original document bundle 11 to the image reading block 3, 
this block 3 scans the original document in step S1 by means of an image 
reading device, such as an image scanner, and reads the image data on the 
job control sheet 10 into itself. The sheet distinguishing block 5 reads 
the bar codes in the original document distinguishing mark 100 placed on 
the job control sheet 10 in step S2 and performs an operation for 
determining whether the sheet thus read is a job control sheet 10 or an 
ordinary original document in step S3. 
(b) Distinction between job control sheet and ordinary original document 
The system control block 1 starts up the job recognizing block 7 when it 
determines in the bar code detecting step (step S2) that the read sheet is 
the job control sheet 10. 
(c) Conversion into binary values and thinning-out operation 
The system control block 1 starts up a binary value conversion/thinning-out 
block 21 in order to obtain the image information to be used for the 
recognition of the particulars of a job (in step S6) as described later. 
Then, the system control block 1 converts in step S4 the input image 
signal 20 representing a thick and thin image, thins out the image data by 
eliminating the unnecessary image data in the subsidiary scanning 
direction, and stores the processed data thereafter in a page memory 22 in 
step S5. 
(d) Storage of check circle in window memory 
A Central Processing Unit (CPU) 25 detects the original document 
distinguishing mark 100, ... placed on the job control sheet 10 and found 
by the bar code detecting step (i.e. step S2), performs a retrieving 
operation for the data, for the bar code identified in this manner, on the 
job/coordinate information table 9, using the attributes of the job 
control sheet 10, loads the coordinate information thus obtained into the 
CPU 25, determines an area which it is desired to be cut out and stored in 
a window memory 24, namely, an area for the check circles 103, ..., 
generates an address for the image thus cut out, and transmits this cut 
out address to a direct memory access controller 23. Then, this direct 
memory access controller 23 takes out the check circles 103, ..., which 
form a part of the image stored in the page memory 22, and loads them into 
the window memory 24. 
(e) Recognition of job particulars 
Now, the functions of the job recognizing block 7 will be described with 
reference to FIG. 6. 
The recognition to be made of the particulars of a job in step S6, namely, 
the determination of the meaning contained in the mark placed by the 
operator in the check circle 103, will be made clear by the description in 
Section (5) "Details of operation for distinguishing check marks", which 
will be presented later. However, it is to be mentioned here that such a 
recognition of job particulars will be realized by applying a filtering 
process to a part of the image information cut out by the method described 
above, with a square matrix, which is 3.times.3 in the maximum, being 
applied as the filtering coefficient, performing the processing of the 
image into fine lines, a corrosive treatment of the line from an end point 
of the entered mark, a process for the extraction of the branching point, 
and counting the number of the crossing points obtained from the result of 
this extraction. For the purpose of this series of operations, the job 
recognizing block 7 is provided with line buffers 26, 26, and 26 formed 
therein for three lines. Then, the CPU 25 sets a filtering coefficient for 
use in the process for the recognition of the particulars of a job in a 
filter 27, retrieves the image information stored in the window memory 24 
by putting the direct memory access controller 23 into action, and thereby 
performs the filtering process, which will be described later. Then, the 
CPU 25 counts the number of the crossing points obtained from the result 
of the filtering operation and determines the meaning contained in the 
mark entered in the mark column, based on the counts of the crossing 
points. 
(f) Job set-up 
In step S7, the CPU 25 sets a control job to be executed by a copying 
machine or the like, with reference to the determined result obtained on 
each check circle 103 in step S6 for the recognition of the particulars of 
the job and the information code stored on the particulars of the job on 
the job/coordinate information table 9, and informs the control job thus 
set up to the system control block 1. Upon reception of the information, 
the system control block 1 shifts to the recognized control job in step S8 
and executes the job on the original document bundle 11 which follows the 
job control sheet 10. Then, the system control block 1 repeats this 
processing operation until it is determined in step S9 that the job has 
been carried through to the end of the original document. 
The description given above explains the overall flow of the operations 
performed by the mark recognizing device in case a control job is set up 
by the use of the job control sheet 10. 
(4) Details of Recognition of Particulars of a Job 
Now, the job recognizing block 7 determines the meaning of the mark entered 
by the operator in the check circles 103, ..., performing arithmetic 
operations on the filtering operation, and a description will be made in 
the following part with respect to more details of the algorithm for the 
specific manner how the check mark 105 shown in FIGS. 3 (A) through 3 (C) 
is recognized, namely, the algorithm for the execution of step S6 (for the 
recognition of the particulars of a job) shown in FIG. 7 and described 
above. In this regard, the steps from S11 through S16 represent the 
detailed steps for step S6 for the recognition of the particulars of a 
job. 
In step S11 shown in FIG. 7, the CPU 25 finds a coordinate correcting 
factor through arithmetic operations conducted by comparison of the 
coordinate origin point 101 and opposite angle point 104 marked on the job 
control sheet 10, the coordinate information of the check circle 103 
stored in the job/coordinate information table 9, and the actual values of 
the coordinates stored for the origin point/the opposite angle points in 
the page memory. The CPU 25 then makes a correction of the coordinate 
information of the check circles stored in the job/coordinate information 
table 9. 
Next, the CPU 25 retrieves the coordinates for each check circle 103 stored 
in the job/coordinate information table 9 and makes a correction of the 
coordinate values on the basis of the coordinate correcting factor 
obtained in step S11, and determines a check circle area 33 shown in FIG. 
8 on the basis of the coordinate values thus corrected. FIG. 8 shows the 
relationship between the central coordinate 32 of the check circle and the 
determined check circle area 33, and the CPU 25 determines the check 
circle area 33 and its size in consideration of the diameter of the check 
circle 103 and the distance between the adjacent check circles. Then, the 
CPU 25 stores the image present within this area into the window memory 24 
by means of the direct access controller 23. 
In step S13, the system performs operations for distinguishing the marks 
for the purpose of determining the status of "set up," "canceled," and 
"not yet set up" on the basis of the definition described for such a 
determination in the description given above with reference to the FIGS. 3 
(A) through 3 (C) in respect of the image stored in the window memory 24. 
For this distinction, the distinguishing conditions given in the 
description with regard to FIGS. 3 (A) through 3 (C) are employed. That is 
to say, it is determined which of the conditions shown in FIG. 1 agrees 
with the number of the closed areas, which are composed of the check 
circle 103, the check mark 105, and the canceling mark 106, and it is also 
determined whether a control job has been set up or has been canceled. 
Then, the results obtained from such determinations are stored in step S14 
into a memory connected with the CPU 25 but not shown in the drawings. 
Then, the retrievals of the subsequent check circles in step S16, as well 
as the processing operations in steps S11 through S14, will be repeated 
until it is determined in step S15 that there is no longer any check 
circle to be subjected to the mark distinguishing operation. 
Incidentally, the mark distinguishing operation (in step S13) is performed 
for the purpose of determining the number of the closed areas as shown in 
Table 1 given above. In this regard, it is noted that the presence of a 
closed area as demarcated within the check circle 103 with the check mark 
105 and the canceling mark 106 means that there are inevitably crossing 
points between the check mark 105 placed by the operator and the check 
circle 103 and that there are crossing points formed of the check mark 
105, the canceling mark 106, and the check circle 103 in the images other 
than those in the check circle 103 in which such a mark has not yet been 
set up. Therefore, the number of the crossing points will be different, 
depending on the distinction among the states, "set up", "canceled", and 
"not yet set up". Hence, the relationship between the check marks and the 
number of crossing points is as shown in Table 2 given below. 
TABLE 2 
______________________________________ 
Check Mark Setting Canceling Not Yet Set 
______________________________________ 
Number of 2 3 or more 1 or less 
Crossing (5 in ideal 
(Zero in 
Points case) ideal case) 
______________________________________ 
With attention paid to this point, this embodiment of the present invention 
is constructed so as to perform the determination of the check marks (in 
step S13) by using a determining method based on the number of crossing 
points on the occasion of a determination of the number of closed areas. 
Moreover, the number of the crossing points will be three in the state of 
"canceling" shown in Table 2 in a case in which the check mark 105 is 
entered in such a way as to cross only once with the boundary line in the 
check circle 103 and also the canceling mark 106 is entered in such a way 
as to cross this check mark 105 and also to cross only once with the 
boundary line in the check circle 103, and the number of the crossing 
points will be five in total in the same state of "canceling" in a case in 
which the check mark 105 and the canceling mark 106 entered in such a 
manner as to cross each other are entered in such a way that they cross 
two times each with the boundary line in the check circle 103. 
(5) Details of Operation for Distinguishing Check Marks 
FIG. 9 illustrates a flow chart for an algorithm for performing the 
determination of the check marks (step S13) shown in FIG. 7 by the number 
of crossing points. Moreover, FIG. 10 (A) shows the image prior to the 
processing of the image for its conversion into fine lines, with the part 
of the crossing of the check mark and the check circle being shown on an 
enlarged scale, FIG. 10 (A.sub.M) is a magnified portion of FIG. 10 (A), 
FIG. 10 (B) shows the image after its conversion into fine lines, and FIG. 
10 (C) shows the image after it is treated for its corrosion starting with 
an end point thereof, these figures being given as model charts 
illustrating specific examples in the process in which the image undergoes 
changes by the effect of this algorithm. As regards the filtering process, 
moreover, FIG. 11 (A) shows a filtering coefficient for the execution of a 
processing operation for converting the image into fine lines while FIG. 
11 (B) shows a filtering coefficient for the execution of a corrosive 
treatment starting with an end point of the line and FIG. 11 (C) shows a 
filtering coefficient for executing the extraction of a branching point. 
First, the processing operation for converting the image into fine lines 
will be performed after the image stored in the window memory 24 is fed 
into the line buffers 26, 26, and 26 in step S20, but this operation for a 
conversion of the image into fine lines can be realized with a filtering 
coefficient shown, for example, in FIG. 11 (A). The CPU 25 sets the 
filtering coefficient F1 shown in FIG. 11 (A) on the filter 27 and then 
performs a scanning operation on the image taken out from the line buffers 
26, 26, and 26 while observing the pixels in the proximity of 3.times.3, 
using as reference the noted pixel for the filtering coefficient F1. On 
the occasion of this scanning operation, the CPU 25 employs the method for 
applying a pattern matching process in which the noted pixel is converted 
into a white pixel in case the CPU 25 judges that the pattern composed of 
black pixels and the white pixels within the pixels in the proximity of 
this factor 3.times.3 has come into agreement with the pattern determined 
by the filter coefficient F1. This pattern matching process is performed 
in the order of the filtering coefficients F1, F2, F3, and F4. Then, after 
the image is subjected to the process for its conversion into fine lines 
in step S21, the CPU 25 compares the images respectively preceding and 
following the process for conversion into fine lines and continues to 
perform this process until it is found in step S22 that there is no longer 
any change occurring in the image, thus executing a process for conversion 
of the image into fine lines having a concatenativity factor of one to 
four in width. The image shown in FIG. 10 (A) undergoes a change in this 
manner into the image shown in FIG. 10 (B) as processed for its conversion 
into fine lines by the process for conversion into fine lines (in steps 
S20 through S22). Moreover, the image after the conversion into fine 
lines, which is shown in FIG. 10 (B), has two branching points in it. 
Next, also the processing for "a corrosion starting with the end point" of 
the line in the check mark 103 of the image shown in FIG. 10 (B) in its 
state after its conversion into fine lines is attained by a filtering 
process by the factor of 3.times.3 in the same way as in the conversion 
into fine lines. In specific terms, the CPU 25 sets the filtering 
coefficients F5, F6, F7, and F8 one by one in the stated order on the 
filter 27 as shown in FIG. 11 (B), and, while it compares the images 
observed before and after its processing for corrosion starting with the 
end part of the line in step S24, the CPU 25 executes the corrosive 
treatment for a conversion of the noted pixels into white pixels, carrying 
out the pattern matching operations, until it is determined in step S25 
that there is no longer any change occurring in the pixel, and then the 
image thus processed is transformed into the image shown in FIG. 10 (C), 
with a "corrosion starting from the end point of a line and getting into 
the image". 
Then, the CPU 25 sets the filtering coefficients marked F9 through F12, 
which are shown in FIG. 11 (C), one by one in the stated order on the 
filter 27 and executes the process for extracting a branching point while 
carrying out the pattern matching process in step S26, and the single 
branching point shown by the reference numeral 110 in FIG. 10 (C) is 
extracted. 
Each of the processing operations mentioned above is performed on the 
entire circumference of the check circle 103. Now that the pixel 110 which 
has been extracted by the branching point extracting operation will be in 
agreement with the number of the crossing points, the number is counted up 
by one each time the extraction of a branching point is completed. The CPU 
25 distinguishes the results of the counting operation on the basis of the 
determining conditions stored in advance on the job/coordinate information 
table 9 and shown in Table 2. If it is found in step S28 that the number 
of the branching points is two, the CPU 25 regards in step S30 that the 
state is "set up", and, if it is found in step S29 that the number of the 
branching points is in excess of two, then the CPU regards in step S31 
that the state is "canceled", and, if it is found "NO", then the CPU 25 
regards in step S32 that the state is "not yet set up". Then, the CPU 25 
performs the process for conversion into fine lines, the corrosive 
treatment, and the branching point extracting process mentioned above on 
the other check circles 103 in the manner described above and performs the 
counting of the number of the crossing points. Furthermore, the corrosive 
treatment also attains a corrosion of such noises as those caused by the 
particulate stains which occur in the course of a printing operation with 
a printer or a copying machine in the course of the corroding operation 
starting with the end part of the line, and the process is therefore 
capable of preventing a decline which will otherwise occur in the accuracy 
of recognition because of the noises just mentioned. 
The equipment operating with the algorithm described above in accordance 
with the mark placing and deleting method and the mark recognizing method 
according to the present invention recognizes a mark specified on the job 
control sheet 10, retrieves a control job corresponding to the marked 
check circle 103 from the job/coordinate information table 9, and 
recognizes and sets a control job. 
Next, the overall effect of the mark recognizing device mentioned above 
will be described in the following part. 
The system sets a control job by entering the check mark 105 which divides 
the closed area in the check circle 103 into two parts, as shown in FIG. 3 
(A), in the check circle 103 for the job designating columns 102, ..., on 
the job control sheet 10 shown in FIG. 2, and, in case any mistaken entry 
has been made of a control job, the system enters the canceling mark 106, 
which crosses the previously entered check mark 105 and also cuts across 
the closed area in the closed area in the check circle 103, as shown in 
FIG. 3 (B). Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the job control sheet 10 will be 
transported to an image reading block 3 when the job control sheet 10 is 
placed on an original document bundle 11, these being then placed in the 
automatic document feeding device 2 shown in FIG. 1. Here, the original 
document is scanned (in step S1), and the image signal 20 read of the 
original document is transmitted to the sheet distinguishing block 5, 
which reads the original document distinguishing mark 100 indicated in a 
bar code on the job control sheet 10 (in step S2), and it is determined 
here in step S3 that the image signal thus transmitted is an image signal 
from the job control sheet 10. With this, the system control block 1 puts 
the selector 6 into operation and transmits the image signal to the job 
recognizing block 7. Here, the operation for converting the image signal 
into binary values and thinning-out operation are performed on the 
resulting data (in step S4), and the image data produced in this manner 
are stored in the page memory 22 (in step S5). 
Then, the mark recognizing device finds a coordinate correcting factor (in 
step S11) by making comparison of the coordinate origin point 101 and the 
opposite angle point 104 on the job control sheet 10 with the coordinate 
information in the check circle 103 as stored on the job/coordinate 
information table 9. Then, the mark recognizing device performs an 
operation for retrieval of the coordinates for the check circle 103 as 
stored on the job/coordinate information table 9 and corrects the 
coordinate values on the basis of the coordinate correcting factor, and 
then determines the check circle area 33 for the check circle 103, as 
shown in FIG. 8. The CPU 25 controls the direct memory access controller 
23 and stores the check circle 103 in the window memory 24 (in step S12). 
Next, the CPU 25 puts the image signals collected for three lines from the 
check circle 103 and stored in the window memory 24 into the line buffers 
26, 26, and 26, then sets the filtering coefficients F1, F2, F3, and F4, 
which are shown in FIG. 11 (A), in the filter 27 one by one in the stated 
order, and performs a processing operation for a conversion of the image 
shown in FIG. 10 (A) into fine lines (in step S20) while performing a 
pattern matching operation. Then, until the time when no change occurs in 
the images after the conversion into fine lines as compared with the 
images before such a conversion, the CPU 25 compares the images (in step 
S21) and continues performing the operation for converting the images into 
fine lines having concatenativity in the ratio of four to 1 in width. When 
no change occurs any longer in the images (in step S22), the CPU 25 sets 
the filtering coefficients F5, F6, F7, and F8 one by one in the stated 
order on the filter 27 in the same way and then makes a comparison of the 
images between their state before the performance of the corrosive 
treatment starting from the end point of the line and their state prior to 
such a treatment (in step S24), and continues to perform the corrosive 
treatment until no change occurs any longer in the images (the step S25). 
Next, the CPU 25 sets the filtering coefficients F9, F10, F11, and F12 
shown in FIG. 11 (C) one by one in the stated order on the occasion of an 
operation for extracting the branching points, performing the extraction 
of branching points while performing the pattern matching operation in the 
same manner (in step S26), and counts the number of the branching points 
(in step S27) at each time when the extraction of a branching point is 
finished. The operations described above are performed on the entire 
circumference of a check circle. Next, the CPU 25 sets a control job (in 
step S30) if it finds (in step S28) that the number of the branching 
points is two, but, if it finds in step S29 that the number of the 
branching points is in excess of two, the CPU 25 determines in step S31 
that the control job has been canceled. The CPU determines in step S32 
that no control job has been set yet if it finds that the number of the 
branching point is zero. 
(6) Description of Other Embodiments 
In the embodiment given above, the method of entering a check mark by the 
operator is set in such a manner that the system regards a mark entered so 
as to divide the check circle into halves as "a set-up of a control job" 
while it regards a mark entered so as to form an X-form in the check 
circle as "a cancellation of a control job set up previously", as 
illustrated in FIGS. 3 (A) thorough 3 (C). Also, the conditions for 
determining a marking method are such that the number of the crossing 
points which should be present between the check circle and the mark is 
"two" for the case of "the set-up" of a control job, but that the number 
of the crossing points which should be present is "three or more" for the 
case of "the cancellation" of a control job set up previously, and thus 
the check mark entering method according to the present invention does not 
impose any restriction concerning the direction or angle of entry to be 
observed at the time for marking. For this reason, it is not necessarily 
required of a check circle to be in a circular shape, and the recognition 
algorithm described in the embodiment given above can be applied to a case 
in which the check circle is formed in a rectangular shape instead of a 
circle. Furthermore, as a check circle may be in any graphic form so long 
as a closed area is secured in it, it will also be possible to prompt the 
operator to recall different information from each of various shapes of a 
check circle. For example, it is possible to develop a specification which 
works with check circles formed in icon-like patterns with a closed area 
formed therein and set in correspondence with the screen interface used on 
the ordinary CRT screen. 
Also, it is possible to modify the definition for the determination of the 
check mark shown in FIG. 3 (A) through FIG. 3 (C) by some modification of 
the algorithm shown in FIG. 9 for the determination of the check marks. 
The mark entering method is defined, for example, in such a manner that a 
mark 107 for setting up a control job is entered to cross the check circle 
103 only once as shown in FIG. 12 (A), that a canceling mark 108 for 
canceling a control job set up in the manner shown in FIG. 12 (B) is 
entered to cross the check circle 103 only once and to cross the mark 107 
entered previously, and that a canceling mark 109 is entered to cross only 
with the mark 107. In this case, the number of times of the looping 
operations is stored for the steps of the processing operation for a 
conversion into fine lines in steps S20 through S22 in the algorithm shown 
in FIG. 9, and the number of times of the looping operations for steps S23 
through S25 for the corrosive treatment performed from the end point of 
the line is set for execution in the stored number of times of the looping 
operations for the operation for a conversion into fine lines. This 
approach will ensure the execution of the corrosive treatment starting 
with the end point to the extent of the thickness of the lines for the 
check mark and the check circle, so that it is thereby made possible to 
prevent the corrosion of all of the check mark 107 or the canceling marks 
108 and 109 for the set-up or cancellation of the control jobs shown in 
FIG. 12 (A) and FIG. 12 (B). 
This mark entering method does not permit the elimination of any of the 
crossing points formed of the control job setting mark 107 and the 
canceling marks 108 and 109 even by the corrosion performed from the end 
point of the line. An extraction of branching points performed at this 
stage will make it possible to distinguish the "set-up" state, the 
"canceled" state, and the "not yet set up" state. In this case, the 
determining conditions are such that the number of the crossing points 
(branching points) is one for the "set-up" state, three or more for the 
"canceled" state, and zero for the "not yet set up" state. 
Thus, it will be made possible to define a variety of methods for entering 
marks by slight modification of the check mark distinguishing algorithm in 
accordance with variations in the definition of the check marks. 
It should be noted in this regard that the method defined in accordance 
with the present invention is not limited only to the mark entering method 
in which a control job setting mark crosses the check circle 103, but it 
goes without saying that the mark entering method may be set up in such a 
manner that a control job setting mark is rendered in the form of a 
tangential line 107A which forms a point of contact with the check circle 
103, as shown in FIG. 13 (A). Even in this case, it is of course possible 
to perform the counting process on the crossing points formed by such 
points of contact. For a cancellation of any control job already set up, a 
canceling mark 108A may be entered to cross the setting mark entering line 
107A and the check circle 103 as shown in FIG. 13 (B), or a line 109A 
crossing the control job setting mark 107A may be entered, at the same 
time as this canceling mark 108A is entered, for their use as a canceling 
mark. Also in this case, it is possible to judge the cancellation of a 
control job on the basis of the result obtained by counting the number of 
the crossing points. 
Also, the input images used in this embodiment are those images which are 
read by means of an image reading block, such as a commonly used image 
scanner, but the method according to the present invention is not limited 
to any such means of reading images, but may evidently be operated 
effectively with input images obtained by their input into a sheet 
distinguishing block after the images are transmitted, for example, by a 
facsimile system and decoded. 
As described hereinabove, the present invention offers a mark placing and 
deleting method and a mark recognizing device, whereby a mark entering 
operation and a canceling mark entering operation can be executed in an 
extremely simple way, without any troublesome restricting conditions at 
all with regard to the direction or angle for the entry of lines since the 
methods operate with a line forming a crossing point or a point of contact 
with a boundary line in a mark column, which is entered as a mark for 
setting up a control job, and with a line forming a new crossing point 
with this line and the boundary line or with a line forming a new crossing 
point with this line or a line forming a new crossing point with this line 
and the boundary line, which is entered as a canceling mark, in case this 
entered mark is to be canceled. Moreover, the mark column itself can be 
sufficiently effective so long as the mark column forms a closed area and 
does not impose any other restriction at all, and it is therefore possible 
for the operator to obtain a variety of information by varying the shape 
of the mark column itself. On the contrary, information on the control 
jobs may be given to the shape itself of the mark column, so that the 
information may be communicated to the operator who will set the marks 
through his observation of the information thus indicated on the mark 
column, and this feature will improve the affinity of the mark placing and 
mark deleting methods to the operator to that extent. 
Furthermore, the mark placing method according to the present invention 
operates with a two-dimensional image reading device which reads a mark 
sheet containing a line crossing a boundary line in this mark column or 
forms a point of contact with the boundary line entered in it or 
containing a line forming a new crossing line with this line and the 
boundary line or a line forming a new crossing point with this line and 
with the boundary line entered in it, and it is therefore possible to 
duplicate the job control sheet with an ordinary copying machine or the 
like. For this reason, the job control sheet can be printed and put out 
quite readily with an ordinary printer or the like without using any 
special ink or special toner for the printing of a job control sheet, 
unlike the case with the conventional mark sheet, and the present 
invention can, therefore, achieve a reduction of the cost needed for the 
printing of the job control sheet and can also serve as an user interface 
capable of handling this sheet in a convenient manner. 
In addition, the present invention offers a mark placing and deleting 
apparatus in a construction provided with a crossing point counting means, 
which counts the number of the crossing points formed by an entry in the 
mark column on the mark sheet mentioned above, and a mark recognizing 
means, which recognizes the set-up and cancellation of a control job in 
accordance with the number of the crossing points thus counted, so that it 
is possible for the present invention to offer a mark recognizing 
apparatus capable of counting the number of the crossing points formed by 
the lines entered in the mark column mentioned above and determining the 
set-up of a control job and the cancellation of a control job on the basis 
of the number of the crossing points thus counted. 
Furthermore, the present invention offers a mark placing and deleting 
apparatus in a construction which is provided further with a corrosive 
treatment means for performing a corrosive treatment starting with an end 
point of a line formed by the entry of a mark in the mark column, the 
corrosive treatment means working as a preliminary treatment means for the 
counting of the number of the crossing points mentioned above, so that the 
end point is corroded to attain a clean state and thus to eliminate, by 
the effect of corrosion, the noises generated by particulate stains formed 
at the time of printing with a printer or a copying machine or the like, 
thereby restraining a decline which the noises cause in the recognizing 
accuracy of the mark recognizing device.