Filing storage and retrieval equipment and apparatus

A filing system for storing and allowing access to information derived from original documents, the filing system comprising:

• reading means for converting information on an original document into picture information in a format for storage;
• compression means, coupled to the reading means, for compressing the picture information;
• a file storage block, coupled to the compression means, for storing compressed picture information into files;
• indicating device means for specifying respective index files for preselected files stored in the file storage block;
• file image memory means, coupled to the file storage block and having a plurality of assigned memory areas, for storing the picture information in respective assigned memory areas to which said respective index files are specified by said indicating device means;
• recording means, coupled to one of the file storage block and the file image memory means, for recording on and printing out a hard copy the picture information from the files in the file storage block and the picture information stored in the file image memory means;
• coordinate input means for receiving the hard copy and for generating coordinates of a selected area of the hard copy enclosing desired information on the original document;
• and
• storage means having tables indicating correspondence between the area on said coordinate input means and the assigned memory area in the file image memory means and correspondence between said fixed memory means and the files stored in the file storage block.