Abstract: A question document is divided into predetermined areas, and it is judged whether each divided area is important, to thereby extract an important area. A reply example candidate likelihood value is calculated for each important area, the likelihood value indicating the degree representative of whether each reply example candidate corresponds to a question content. By using the reply example candidate likelihood value, important areas having similar meanings are combined to extract final important parts. A reply example candidate is selected for each important part from reply example candidates prepared beforehand. A reply example candidate reliability degree representative of certainty of each reply example candidate and a reply composition degree indicating whether it is necessary to compose a new reply are calculated, and by using these values, question documents are distributed to different operator terminals.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for secure data transmission via network. Transmission side transmits processed data (DB), second signed data (SB, 740) obtained by applying one-way function to merged data of the processed data (DB) and first signed data of an original image and ciphering the output of the one-way function with transmission side secret key, and ciphered signed data (SAE) obtained by ciphering the first signed data with reception side public key. Data reception side enciphers received ciphered signed data (SAE?) with reception side secret key to obtain third signed data (SA?), applies one-way function to merged data (DC?) of received processed data (DB?) and the third signed data (SA?), enciphers received second signed data (SB?) with transmission side public key (KDB), compares result obtained by applying the one-way function to the merged data with result obtained by enciphering the second signed data for data valification.

Abstract: A question document is divided into predetermined areas, and it is judged whether each divided area is important, to thereby extract an important area. A reply example candidate likelihood value is calculated for each important area, the likelihood value indicating the degree representative of whether each reply example candidate corresponds to a question content. By using the reply example candidate likelihood value, important areas having similar meanings are combined to extract final important parts. A reply example candidate is selected for each important part from reply example candidates prepared beforehand. A reply example candidate reliability degree representative of certainty of each reply example candidate and a reply composition degree indicating whether it is necessary to compose a new reply are calculated, and by using these values, question documents are distributed to different operator terminals.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for secure data transmission via network. Transmission side transmits processed data, second signed data obtained by applying one-way function to merged data of the processed data and first signed data of an original image and ciphering the output of the one-way function with transmission side secret key, and ciphered signed data obtained by ciphering the first signed data with reception side private key. Data reception side enciphers received ciphered signed data with reception side secret key to obtain third signed data, applies one-way function to merged data of received processed data and the third signed data, enciphers received second signed data with transmission side private key, compares result obtained by applying the one-way function to the merged data with result obtained by enciphering the second signed data for data valification.

Abstract: In an apparatus for and a method of processing document information, according to a requirement of a writer of document information, the document information is generated, referenced, and re-constructed. Further, according to a requirement of a reader of the document information, the information is referenced and re-constructed. The apparatus includes a reader terminal including means for inputting a requirement of a reader of document information and means for outputting document information referenced and re-constructed according to the requirement, and a writer terminal for inputting therefrom a requirement of a writer of document information and creating document information. The apparatus further includes a document processing unit connected to the reader terminal and the writer terminal.

Abstract: A character recognition method is arranged to supplement an erroneously recognized character with a linguistic knowledge. In this method, the extraction of a candidate based on the search of a word dictionary occupies a large part of the operation. To speed up the extraction of a candidate word, therefore, the method is provided to search the dictionary by using a group of candidate characters or a dictionary header for processing an inflected form of a verb. Further, the present method is provided for calculating a word matching cost for improving an efficiency of modifying an erroneous recognition. The word search is done by using a "hybrid method" arranged of "candidate-character-driven word extraction" and "dictionary-driven word extraction". Moreover, the word-dictionary is arranged to have a header word composed of an inflectional ending of a verb and an auxiliary verb or a particle added to the tail of the inflectional ending.

Abstract: A document recognition system includes various recognitive steps for document recognition, and various correctional steps corresponding to the recognitive steps. The operation modes of the system are a "sequential mode" (sequential recognition operation) in which the respective recognitive steps are executed in "step by step" fashion, an "auto mode" (batch recognition operation) in which all the recognitive steps are collectively executed, and a "retry mode" (re-recognition operation) in which the execution of any of the correctional steps is automatically followed by the execution of a necessary one of the recognitive steps. In the "sequential mode", any of the recognitive steps having been executed can be shifted, not only to the correctional step corresponding to the executed recognitive step, but also to the correctional step preceding the execution.