Facsimile apparatus for optically recognizing characters and transmitting the recognized characters and communication system for transmitting the recognized characters between a terminal and a center

A facsimile apparatus comprising:

• program storing means for storing an OCR document sheet recognizing program used to recognize contents written in an OCR document sheet;
• format information storing means for storing a piece of print format information used to print the contents of the OCR document sheet recognized according to the OCR document sheet recognizing program;
• reading means for reading contents written in the OCR document sheet and obtaining one or more pieces of image data from the contents;
• character recognizing means for recognizing the image data obtained in the reading means according to the OCR document sheet recognizing program stored in the program storing means to convert the image data into pieces of character recognized data;
• character pattern generating means for generating a character pattern which supports the realization of the character recognized data obtained in the character recognizing means;
• printing means for printing out the character recognized data recognized by the character recognizing means and the character pattern generated by the character pattern generating means according to the print format information stored in the format information storing means to check whether or not the contents written in the OCR document sheet are correct while referring the character pattern;
• and data transmitting means for transmitting the character recognized data recognized by the character recognizing means to an order-receiving center in cases where it is checked in the printing means that the contents are correct.

A communication system comprising:

• an OCR center apparatus;
• a plurality of facsimile apparatuses for respectively communicating with the OCR center apparatus;
• and
• a plurality of communication lines for respectively connecting the OCR center apparatus and one of the facsimile apparatuses,
• each of the facsimile apparatuses comprising
• program storing means for storing an OCR document sheet recognizing program and a piece of OCR sheet specifying information, the OCR document sheet recognizing program being utilized to recognize a piece of image data as a character, and the OCR sheet specifying information being utilized to specify a type of the OCR document sheet,
• reading means for reading contents of an order written in an OCR document sheet and obtaining pieces of image data from the contents of the order,
• character recognizing means for recognizing the image data obtained in the reading means according to the OCR document sheet recognizing program and the OCR sheet specifying information stored in the program storing means to convert the image data into pieces of character recognized data,
• character pattern generating means for generating a character pattern which supports the realization of the character recognized data obtained in the character recognizing means, and
• data transmitting means for transmitting the character recognized data obtained in the character recognizing means to the OCR center apparatus to inform the OCR center apparatus of the contents of the order, and the OCR center apparatus comprising information generating and transmitting means for generating a piece of modified OCR sheet specifying information utilized to specify a type of the OCR document sheet and transmitting the modified OCR sheet specifying information to each of the facsimile apparatuses to replace the OCR sheet specifying information stored in the program storing means with the modified OCR sheet specifying information.

A communication system comprising:

• an OCR center apparatus for modifying or newly producing a piece of display format information;
• a plurality of facsimile apparatuses for respectively communicating with the OCR center apparatus;
• and
• a plurality of communication lines for respectively connecting the OCR center apparatus and one of the facsimile apparatuses,
• each of the facsimile apparatuses comprising
• format information storing means for storing the display format information transmitted from the OCR center apparatus through one of the communication lines,
• program storing means for storing an OCR document sheet recognizing program, the OCR document sheet recognizing program being utilized to recognize a piece of image data as a character,
• reading means for reading contents of an order written in the OCR document sheet and an identification mark of a transmitter written in the OCR document sheet, obtaining pieces of image data from the contents of the order, and obtaining a piece of identification data from the identification mark,
• character recognizing means for recognizing the image data and the identification data obtained in the reading means according to the OCR document sheet recognizing program stored in the program storing means to convert the image data into pieces of character recognized data and to convert the identification data into a piece of bit data,
• character pattern generating means for generating a character pattern which supports the realization of the character recognized data obtained in the character recognizing means,
• displaying means for displaying the character recognized data and the bit data obtained in the character recognizing means and the character pattern generated by the character pattern generating means according to the display format information stored in the format information storing means to check whether or not the contents of the order written in the OCR document sheet are correct while referring the character pattern;
• and
• data transmitting and receiving means for transmitting a piece of combined data obtained by combining the character recognized data and the bit data obtained in the character recognizing means to the OCR center apparatus in cases where it is checked in the displaying means that the contents are correct and receiving the combined data sent back from the OCR center apparatus, the combined data sent back being displayed by the displaying means to check whether or not the combined data is correctly transmitted to the OCR center apparatus.

A facsimile apparatus comprising:

• reading means for reading ordering characters written in an OCR document sheet;
• character recognizing means for recognizing the ordering characters read by the reading means to produce one or more pieces of character recognized data;
• character supplying means for supplying one or more strains of fixed character predetermined and one or more strains of converted characters indicating meanings of the character recognized data produced by the character recognizing means;
• displaying means for displaying the character recognized data produced by the character recognizing means and displaying the strains of fixed characters combined with the character recognized data and the strains of converted characters combined with the character recognized data to support the realization of the character recognized data and to check whether or not the character recognized data are correct;
• and
• transmitting means for transmitting the character recognized data produced by the character recognizing means to a center apparatus in cases where it is checked by the displacing means that the character recognized data are correct.

A facsimile apparatus comprising:

• reading means for reading ordering characters written in an OCR document sheet;
• character recognizing means for recognizing the ordering characters read by the reading means to produce one or more pieces of character recognized data;
• character supplying means for supplying one or more strains of fixed characters predetermined and one or more strains of converted characters indicating meanings of the character recognized data produced by the character recognizing means;
• printing means for printing out the character recognized data produced by the character means and printing out the strains of fixed characters combined with the character recognized data and the strains of converted characters combined with the character recognized data to support the realization of the character recognized data and to check whether or not the character recognized data are correct;
• and
• transmitting means for transmitting the character recognized data produced by the character recognizing means to a center apparatus in cases where it is checked by the printing means that the character recognized data are correct.