Importance

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Abstract

Unique identifying symbols, such as bar codes, are preprinted on, or affixed to, each of a plurality of source documents. A scanning and recording device simultaneously reads the identifying symbol appearing on a given source document and records the image thereof on an image storage medium, such as photographic film. Also stored on the image storage medium, adjacent to each image stored thereon, is an address symbol to indicate the relative location at which a desired image is stored. Synchronization means coupled to the scanning and recording device generate an electrical data address word corresponding to this address symbol. This data address word is then combined with a similar data identifying word, generated as the scanning device reads the identifying symbol appearing on each source document, to form a data index word. The data index word is stored in a suitable data storage medium, such as magnetic tape, flexible diskettes, or the like, and is thus available for subsequent retrieval by a data processing system. Retrieval of the information thus stored is accomplished by programming a data processing system to search through the stored data index words to locate and display the address symbol of a desired source document. Once identified, the image of the desired source document is viewed by placing the image storage media, since processed and preserved, on a suitable viewing device that permits selective viewing of the image corresponding to the identified address symbol.

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First Claim