Electronic document viewing system and method therefor

Abstract

A document is divided into a plurality of regions so that each page has a meaning and, for each of the regions, there is generated a similarity table indicating a similarity degree and a data amount corresponding to the multiplexed resolution level data. By referencing this similarity table, each page of the electronic document in the region specified by the user is represented by a predetermined similarity (resolution) and at the reading speed specified by the user. Moreover, by referencing the similarity table, each page of the electronic document is represented at the maximum speed while guaranteeing the predetermined similarity.

1 . An electronic-document viewing system that allows viewing of an electronic document stored in a file in response to a viewing request from a user through a communication network, the system comprising:
 document analyzing means for digitizing a document to be viewed and for analyzing the structure of a layout of the electronic document for each page thereof;   table generating means for generating a table including, at least, different resolution levels and amounts of data corresponding to the respective resolution levels, so as to correspond to images of each area included in the layout for each page and;   calculating means for calculating, in response to the viewing request including a specified speed-priority mode in which a viewing speed is specified, an amount of data and transmission time per page based on a transmission speed of the communication network and the viewing speed; and   controlling means for determining resolution levels corresponding to the determined amount of data by referring to the table and for presenting an image page to the user during the transmission time, the image page corresponding to the determined resolution levels.   
   
   
       2 . The electronic-document viewing system according to  claim 1 , wherein, in response to ending of display per page, the controlling means gives a next page to the user in the same controlling manner as the previous page. 
   
   
       3 . The electronic-document viewing system according to  claim 1 , wherein, in response to a stopping instruction, with respect to a current page, the controlling means sequentially gives image data with a current resolution level to image data with a maximum resolution level to the user. 
   
   
       4 . The electronic-document viewing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the viewing request specifies an area of interest in which the user has an interest, the table includes similarities relative to the original image of the images with the resolution levels, and the controlling means refers to the table to give an image page to the user, the image page corresponding to a resolution level that satisfies a pre-set specific similarity with respect to the area of interest. 
   
   
       5 . The electronic-document viewing system according to  claim 4 , wherein, with respect to areas other than the area of interest, the controlling means distributes an amount of data to the areas, the amount of data being obtained by subtracting an amount of data of the area of interest from the determined amount of data. 
   
   
       6 . An electronic-document viewing system that allows viewing of an electronic document stored in a file in response to a viewing request from a user through a communication network, the system comprising:
 document analyzing means for digitizing a document to be viewed and for analyzing the structure of a layout of the electronic document for each page thereof   table generating means for generating a table including different resolution levels, similarities relative to the original image of images with the resolution levels, and amounts of data, so as to correspond to the images of each area included in the layout for each page; and   controlling means for determining, in response to the viewing request including a specified similarity-priority mode in which a specific similarity for a page to be viewed is ensured, each area's resolution level corresponding to a resolution that is equal to or larger than the specific similarity and that is closest to the specific similarly by referring to the table and for giving an image page corresponding to the determined resolution level to the user during the transmission time.   
   
   
       7 . The electronic-document viewing system according to  claim 6 , wherein, in response to ending of display per page, the controlling means gives a next page to the user in the same controlling manner as the previous page. 
   
   
       8 . The electronic-document viewing system according to  claim 6 , wherein, in response to a stopping instruction, with respect to a current page, the controlling means sequentially gives image data with a current resolution level to image data with a maximum resolution level to the user. 
   
   
       9 . An electronic-document viewing method that allows viewing of an electronic document stored in a file in response to a viewing request from a user through a communication network, the method comprising:
 a step of digitizing a document to be viewed and of analyzing the structure of a layout of the electronic document for each page thereof;   a step of generating a table including, at least, different resolution levels and amounts of data corresponding to the respective resolution levels, so as to correspond to images of each area included in the layout for each page;   a step of calculating, in response to the viewing request including a specified speed-priority mode in which a viewing speed is specified, an amount of data and transmission time per page based on a transmission speed of the communication network and the viewing speed; and   a controlling step of determining a resolution level corresponding to the determined amount of data by referring to the table and of giving an image page corresponding to the determined resolution level to the user during the transmission time.   
   
   
       10 . The electronic-document viewing method according to  claim 9 , wherein, in the controlling step, a next page is given to the user in the same controlling manner as the previous page, in response to ending of display per page. 
   
   
       11 . The electronic-document viewing method according to  claim 9 , wherein, in the controlling step, in response to a stopping instruction, with respect to a current page, image data with a current resolution level to image data with a maximum resolution level are sequentially given to the user. 
   
   
       12 . The electronic-document viewing method according to  claim 9 , wherein the viewing request specifies an area of interest in which the user has an interest, and the table includes similarities relative to the original image of the images with the resolution levels, and
 wherein, in the controlling step, with respect to the area of interest, the table is referred to so that an image page corresponding to a resolution level that satisfies a pre-set specific similarity is given to the user.   
   
   
       13 . The electronic-document viewing method according to  claim 12 , wherein, in the controlling steps, with respect to areas other than the area of interest, an amount of data, obtained by subtracting an amount of data of the area of interest from the determined amount of data, is distributed to the areas. 
   
   
       14 . An electronic-document viewing method that allows viewing of an electronic document stored in a file in response to a viewing request from a user through a communication network, the method comprising:
 a step of digitizing a document to be viewed and of analyzing the structure of a layout of the electronic document for each page thereof;   a step of generating a table including different resolution levels, similarities relative to the original image of images with the resolution levels, and amounts of data, so as to correspond to the images of each area included in the layout for each page; and   a controlling step of determining, in response to the viewing request including a specified similarity-priority mode in which a specific similarity for a page to be viewed is ensured, each area's resolution level corresponding to a resolution that is equal to or larger than the specific similarity and that is closest to the specific similarly by referring to the table and of giving an image page corresponding to the determined resolution level to the user during the transmission time.   
   
   
       15 . The electronic-document viewing method according to  claim 14 , wherein, in the controlling step, in response to ending of display per page, a next page is given to the user in the same controlling manner as the previous page. 
   
   
       16 . The electronic-document viewing method according to  claim 14 , wherein, in the controlling step, in response to a stopping instruction, with respect to a current page, image data with a current resolution level to image data with a maximum resolution level are sequentially given to the user.