Abstract:
An electronic reprographic system and method are provided that extend the functionality of reprographic systems. The system includes an input system for converting contents of a multi-page document to a plurality of digital representations in a storage system, a processing system that generates processed digital representations in the storage system, a user interface for posting document integrity messages to a user and inputting user responses to the messages, and an output system for outputting the processed digital representations. The processing system includes a character recognition module, a reference number locator module, a page sequence integrity determinator module, a page insertion module, a page deletion module and a page reordering module. The aforementioned reference number can be a page number, column number or line number, each of which can be in any common format such as Roman numeral and alphanumeric. The reprographic system includes functionality to automatically reorder pages, insert pages and delete pages.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention is directed to electronic reprographic systems (copiers). Presently, users typically place a stack of originals (a document) in a document feeder (input system) and expect copies to come out perfectly reproduced on the output tray of the system. Several conditions can contribute to copier equipment failing to meet this expectation. Misfeeds, multifeeds, missing pages, incorrectly ordered pages and improper orientation all potentially contribute to an imperfect copy of the original document. Typically, the only way to determine integrity of the copy is to verify the original job integrity and to proof a sample of the output copies. For large sets, users often do not take the time to pre-proof the job, but are often frustrated by having to determine the cause once a problem has arisen. The marriage of digital copiers with fax, network and repository storage systems has only exacerbated the aforementioned problems.  
           [0002]    It would be desirable, therefore, to provide enhanced intelligence and functionality for electronic reprographic systems to automatically detect page integrity of an input document. It would also be desirable to provide functionality to correct integrity problems, where possible, without rescanning the entire input document.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    The present invention comprises an electronic reprographic system and method that extend the functionality of reprographic systems. The system includes an input system for converting contents of a multi-page document to a plurality of digital representations in a storage system, a processing system, operatively connected to the storage system and the input system, that generates processed digital representations in the storage system, a user interface operatively connected to the processing system for posting document integrity messages to a user and inputting user responses to the messages, and an output system operatively connected to the storage system for outputting the processed digital representations. The processing system includes a character recognition module, a reference number locator module, a page sequence integrity determinator module, a page insertion module, a page deletion module and a page reordering module. The aforementioned reference number is typically a page number, column number or line number which can be in any common format such as Roman numeral and alphanumeric. The reprographic system includes functionality to automatically reorder pages, insert pages and delete pages. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0004]    The present invention exists in the construction, arrangement, in combination of the various parts of the device, and steps of the method, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, specifically pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0005]    [0005]FIG. 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0006]    [0006]FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of an option of an alternate embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of a second option of an alternate embodiment of the present invention; and,  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of a third option of an alternate embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of an electronic reprographic system  10  incorporating a preferred embodiment of the present invention. A page of document  12  is scanned and converted to a digital representation by input system  14  which is operatively connected to a storage system  16  and a processing system  18 . Input system  14  stores the digital representation of each page of document  12  in storage system  16 , and processing system  18  performs integrity analysis of document  12  by processing the digital representation of each page of document  12  in storage system  16 .  
         [0011]    Processing system  18  includes a recognition module  20 , a locator module  22  and an integrity module  24 . Recognition module  20 , in operative connection with storage system  16 , performs character recognition analysis of the digital representation of each page of document  12  using well known optical character recognition (OCR) and/or intelligent character recognition (ICR) techniques, and stores recognized characters in storage system  16  in ASCII character form or other readable format. Locator module  22 , also in operative connection with storage system  16 , performs heuristic analysis of the recognized characters in order to locate a reference number, typically a page number, scanned from each page of document  12 . Integrity module  24 , likewise in operative connection with storage system  16 , performs a page sequence integrity determination and performs corrective processing on the digital representation of document  12 , producing a processed digital representation, and, through an operative connection with a user interface  26 , displays integrity messages to a user and is responsive to input from a user at user interface  26 .  
         [0012]    After integrity module  24  determines that document  12  has good page integrity, or receives approval from a user at user interface  26 , processing system  18  sends the processed digital representation to output system  28 . Output system  28  is typically configured as a printing system. While recognition module  20 , locator module  22  and integrity module  24  were described as being in operative connection with storage system  16 , they can alternately, and/or additionally, be in operative communication with each other as shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0013]    While locator module  22  would typically scan the margins of document  12  for page number information, in another embodiment of the invention, locator module  22  would optionally scan user designated areas of each page for sequence numbers. A further embodiment would also scan for alternate sequence number types such as column numbers and line numbers and would also have the capacity to interpret a plurality of alternate numbering formats, in addition to numeric formats, such as Roman numeral and alphanumeric formats. It is to be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to the aforementioned sequence number types. Integrity module  24  could determine the integrity of section numbers, chapter numbers, tables of content, indexes and any rule-based document numbering scheme.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2, with continuing reference to FIG. 1, presents a flow chart of an embodiment of the present invention as might be utilized on an electronic reprographic system. Step  30  utilizes input system  14  to scan and store a digital representation of a page of document  12  in storage system  16 . Step  32  subsequently performs OCR analysis of predefined areas of the stored digital representation, and step  34  then performs a heuristic analysis of the recognized characters generated by step  32  to locate a reference number.  
         [0015]    After step  34  has successfully located a reference number, step  36  analyzes the reference number to determine page sequence integrity, and decision step  38  takes alternate paths dependent on the analysis by step  36 . If page sequence integrity is determined not to be compromised, processing continues at step  40 , where output system  28  is used to output the digital representation to a preferred medium, typically a printed page. If, however, page sequence integrity has been determined to be compromised, step  42  displays a user message on user interface  26  and waits for a response from a user at user interface  26 . A user may wish to ignore the message in which case processing continues with step  40  to output the digital representation. A user might also wish to correct the sequence of document  12  in which case processing continues at step  30  to rescan a page of document  12 .  
         [0016]    The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 has the capability to detect missing, duplicated and out-of-order pages of a document, however, it does not have the capability to automatically reorder a document or other corrective actions after a document has been scanned. The embodiment therefore has described a simple one page in, one page out system. A further embodiment of the present invention scans an entire document before printing the digital representations of the document&#39;s pages and therefore is able to perform a variety of corrective actions before releasing the stored digital representations to the output system. For example, an electronic reprographic system could have user selected page number checking options such as “off”, “check order—cancel”, “check order—hold” and “check order—automatically reorder.” The “off” option allows for turning off page number checking. The remaining options are discussed with respect to FIGS.  3 - 5 .  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating the “check order—cancel” option. With continuing reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, step  50  utilizes input system  14  to scan and store a digital representation of a page of document  12  in storage system  16 . Step  52 , check page order, comprises steps  32 ,  34  and  36  of FIG. 2, performing OCR analysis, locating a reference number, and determining page order integrity. Decision step  54  causes processing to continue at decision step  56  if page order integrity is not compromised. Decision step  56  subsequently causes processing to continue iteratively at step  50  if there are remaining pages to be scanned in input system  14 . If the last page has been scanned, processing continues at step  58  wherein all stored digital representations of the pages of document  12  are submitted to output system  28  where they typically are printed.  
         [0018]    If, however, decision step  54  determined that page order integrity was compromised, processing continues at step  60 , wherein an error message is displayed to a user at user interface  26 . Step  62  deletes all stored digital representations from storage, and no digital representations is submitted to output system  28 , effectively canceling the reprographic job.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating the “check order—hold” option. Step  70  clears storage system  16  of all messages in a message list and any prior digital representations. Step  72  utilizes input system  14  to scan and store a digital representation of a page of document  12  in storage system  16 . Step  74  checks page order in a manner comparable to step  52  of FIG. 3. Decision step  76  then invokes step  78  if page order integrity has been compromised, and step  78  adds a message, describing the page order integrity compromise, to a message list. Processing continues to step  80 , which iteratively causes processing to continue at step  72  if there are pages of document  12  remaining in input system  14 , and causes processing to continue at decision step  82  if there are no pages remaining.  
         [0020]    Decision step  82  allows processing to continue at step  84  if there are no messages in the aforementioned message list, and step  84  submits all stored digital representations to output system  28 . If, however, decision step  82  determined that the message list was not empty, processing is directed to continue at step  86 , wherein the message list is displayed to a user at user interface  26 . Step  86  pauses, waiting for a user response from user interface  26 , and take one of four possible actions depending on whether the response was “release”, “insert”, “delete” or “reorder.” If the response was “release”, processing continues at step  84  as if no page order integrity problems existed. The remaining responses all require processing activity.  
         [0021]    A user response of “insert” invokes step  88  wherein additional pages are scanned and stored in storage system  16 , inserted after a user specified page N. Integrity determination is performed during this scanning process in a manner similar to steps  72 - 80 . Additional messages are added to the message list if integrity violations are encountered. Processing then iteratively returns to step  86  to await further responses from user interface  26 . A “delete” response provides, at step  90 , for the deletion of user specified pages from storage system  16 . Again, processing iteratively returns to step  86  to await further responses from user interface  26 . A “reorder” response invokes step  92  wherein user specified pages would be sorted within storage system  16 , and once again, processing iteratively returns to step  86  to await further responses from user interface  26 . It is to be appreciated that the four discussed responses are exemplary responses only, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to these responses. For example, additional functionality can be provided to sort pages in descending page number sequence, to rearrange chapters, to perform another page integrity check by scanning all digital representations stored in storage system  16 , and so forth.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating the “check order—automatically reorder ” option. Step  100  clears storage system  16  of a reorder flag and any prior digital representations. Step  102  utilizes input system  14  to scan and store a digital representation of a page of document  12  in storage system  16 . Step  104  checks page order in a manner comparable to step  52 . Decision step  106  then invokes step  108  if page order integrity has been compromised, and step  108  sets a reorder flag in storage system  16 . Processing continues at step  110 . Decision step  110  iteratively causes processing to continue at step  102  if there are pages of document  12  remaining in input system  14 , and causes processing to continue at decision step  112  if there are no pages remaining. Decision step  112  invokes step  114  to reorder all digital representations in storage system  16  by sorting the representations in ascending sequence within storage system  16 . Step  116  then submits stored digital representations to output system  28  for final processing, typically a printing process.  
         [0023]    It is to be appreciated that the four processing options described above, namely “off”, “check order—cancel”, “check order—hold” and “check order-automatically reorder”, are software based and, therefore, not limited in scope. Other useful options with respect to electronic reprographic systems could easily be programmed into processing system  18 .  
         [0024]    The invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments. Obviously, modifications and alterations will occur to others upon a reading and understanding of this specification. It is intended to include all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.