Image forming apparatus and image processing system capable of saving log of text data portion included in image data

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9253361-B2
Application number	US-201414546379-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 18, 2014
Priority date	Nov 22, 2013
Publication date	Feb 2, 2016
Grant date	Feb 2, 2016

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a saving type storing section, an image data saving section, and a text data saving section. The saving type storing section is configured to store a saving type for image data of a read original document. The image data saving section is configured to save the image data. The text data saving section is configured to save a text data portion included in the image data. When a saving type indicative of processing to save the text data portion is set as the saving type, the text data portion is converted in the text format and saved to the text data saving section. When a saving type indicative of processing to save the entire image data is set as the saving type, the entire image data is saved to the image data saving section.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
a saving type storing section configured to store a saving type of an image log for image data of a read original document;
an image data saving section configured to save the image data; and
a text data saving section configured to save a text data portion included in the image data, wherein
character information that corresponds to the text data portion is extracted from the image data by an optical character reader,
when a first saving type indicative of processing to save a log of the text data portion included in the image data is set as the saving type, only the text data portion that is converted in a text format is saved in the text data saving section, a size of the text data portion being smaller than that of the entire image data,
when a second saving type indicative of processing to save an image log of the entire image data is set as the saving type, only the entire image data is saved in the image data saving section,
when a third saving type indicative of processing to save both of the log of the text data portion and the image log of the entire image data is set as the saving type, the text data portion converted in the text format and the entire image data are respectively saved in the text data saving section and the image data saving section,
the saving type is automatically set according to a size of a vacant area in the image data saving section and the text data saving section,
the image forming apparatus further comprises:
a user ID input section configured to input a user ID;
a file generating section configured to generate a file that includes at least one of the text data portion and the entire image data and has a name including the user ID and current date and time;
a character registering section configured to register a character or a character string relevant to confidential information; and
a character retrieval section configured to retrieve the character or the character string from the text data portion by a text editor,
when the text data portion and the entire image data are respectively saved in the text data saving section and the image data saving section, the text editor retrieves the character or the character string relevant to the confidential information in the text data portion and then the entire image data corresponding to the text data portion in which the character or the character string relevant to the confidential information has been retrieved is displayed,
the displayed entire image data is identified according to the user ID and the current date and time, and
the current data and time indicates time when the image data is generated.

2. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the character or the character string relevant to the confidential information in the text data portion is converted to a decorated one in a style of at least one of half-tone dot meshing, bold, italic, inversion, and underline, and the text portion including the decorated one is saved to the text data saving section.

3. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the user ID input section inputs the user ID and a password.

4. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the image data saving section and the text data saving section use a common region of a memory included in the image forming apparatus.

5. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a storage section; and
a panel controller, wherein
the image data saving section and the text data saving section are formed in the storage section,
when a vacant area for saving both the log of the text data portion in the text format and the image log of the entire image data is reserved in the storage section, the panel controller automatically sets the third saving type,
when a vacant area for saving the image log of the entire image data is reserved in the storage section rather than for saving both the log of the text data portion in the text format and the image log of the entire image data, the panel controller automatically sets the second saving type, and
when a vacant area for saving the image log of the entire image data is not reserved in the storage section, the panel controller automatically sets the first saving type.

6. A document processing system comprising:
an image forming apparatus and an external server connected together through a network, wherein
the image forming apparatus includes:
an image data generating section configured to read an original document to generate image data; and
a saving type storing section configured to store a saving type of an image log for the image data,

the external server includes:
an image data saving section configured to save the image data; and
a text data saving section configured to save a text data portion included in the image data,

character information that corresponds to the text data portion is extracted from the image data by an optical character reader,
when a first saving type indicative of processing to save a log of the text data portion included in the image data is set as the saving type, only the text data portion that is converted in a text format is saved to the text data saving section, a size of the text data portion being smaller than that of the entire image data,
when a second saving type indicative of processing to save an image log of the entire image data is set as the saving type, only the entire image data is saved to the image data saving section,
when a third saving type indicative of processing to save both of the log of the text data portion converted in the text format and the image log of the entire image data is set as the saving type, the text data portion and the entire image data are respectively saved in the text data saving section and the image data saving section,
the saving type is automatically set according to a size of a vacant area in the image data saving section and the text data saving section,
the image forming apparatus further comprises:
a user ID input section configured to input a user ID;
a file generating section configured to generate a file that includes at least one of the text data portion and the entire image data and has a name including the user ID and current date and time;
a character registering section configured to register a character or a character string relevant to confidential information; and
a character retrieval section configured to retrieve the character or the character string from the text data portion by a text editor,
when the text data portion and the entire image data are respectively saved in the text data saving section and the image data saving section, the text editor retrieves the character or the character string relevant to the confidential information in the text data portion and then the entire image data corresponding to the text data portion in which the character or the character string relevant to the confidential information has been retrieved is displayed,
the displayed entire image data is identified according to the user ID and the current date and time, and
the current date and time indicates time when the image data is generated.

7. A document processing system according to claim 6 , wherein
the external server further includes a storage section in which the image data saving section and the text data saving section are formed,
the image forming apparatus further includes a panel controller,
when a vacant area for saving both the log of the text data portion in the text format and the image log of the entire image data is reserved in the storage section, the panel controller automatically sets the third saving type,
when a vacant area for saving

Assignees

• Kyocera Document Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Enomoto Kyozo

Classifications

• H04N1/00244

  with a server, e.g. an internet server (fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324) · CPC title

• H04N1/32112 Primary

  in a separate computer file, document page or paper sheet, e.g. a fax cover sheet (H04N1/32122 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04N1/32358

  using picture signal storage, e.g. at transmitter (H04N1/17 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04N1/2183

  the stored images being distributed among a plurality of different locations, e.g. among a plurality of users · CPC title

• H04N2201/0094

  Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception · CPC title