JP3017833B2 - Image forming device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having removable storage means such as a magneto-optical disk.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an electronic file system for filing various images, desired processing and editing can be performed on a document image read by a scanner. And so on. Further, an image once stored on a magneto-optical disk or the like is read out, processed or edited, and stored again on the magneto-optical disk or the like.

[0003]

However, in the conventional electronic file system, usually, when an image processed or edited is stored, it is stored by overwriting the image before processing or editing. However, if the original image is required after storing this image, it cannot be easily reproduced.

If it is desired to save both the processed and edited image and the image before the processing and editing, it is necessary to change the file name and store them separately, which greatly consumes memory capacity. There is an inconvenience.

According to the present invention, the original image can be easily reproduced even after the processed or edited image is stored by overwriting, the use efficiency of the image file memory can be improved, and the loss of information can be prevented. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus capable of performing the above.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided a reading means for reading a document image, a processing / editing means for processing / editing the read document image, a document image data processed / edited, Removable storage means for storing reproduction data for reproducing an original image before processing / editing, and processing / editing stored in the storage means in accordance with an output instruction of the original image before processing / editing Output control means for generating and outputting a reproduced image based on the later original image data and the reproduction data.

[0007]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

This image forming apparatus is provided with a scanner 1 and a printer 2 in an apparatus main body 5, and normally outputs image data read from the scanner 1 from the printer 2. When filing the image data read from the scanner 1, the data is transferred to the magneto-optical disk drive 4 via the communication line 3. The image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment can process the read image data by a digital signal, and can handle various types of image processing.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration for controlling the filing operation in such an image forming apparatus.

The apparatus main body 5 has a CP for controlling the entire apparatus.
A U12, an image processing unit 21 for performing various image processes on the image data, a scanner controller 16 for controlling the scanner 1, and an operation panel 10 for performing various inputs and displays are provided.

On the other hand, on the magneto-optical disk drive 4 side,
A filing unit 11 as shown is provided. The filing unit 11 includes a CPU 15 that controls the magneto-optical disk drive 4, a disk controller 19 that controls the operation of the magneto-optical disk drive 4, and a magneto-optical disk. Disk drive unit 20 on which a disk is set detachably and which reads and writes data
And a memory 18 for developing image data.

The filing interface 13 is connected between the apparatus main body 5 and the filing unit 11.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the structure of the operation panel 10. As shown in FIG.

The operation panel 10 includes a file operation key 40 for instructing filing of image data, an LCD display section 41 for displaying various operation screens, etc., an enlargement / reduction key 43, and cursor / set keys 43 to 46. , A numeric keypad 47, a reset key 48, a start key 49, and the like. Further, the display section 41 normally displays an operation screen as an image forming apparatus.

In the above configuration, when a normal operation is performed, the CPU 1 operates based on an input from the operation panel 10.
The scanner controller 16 receiving the instruction from the scanner 2 controls the scanner 1 to perform a reading operation of a document set in advance, and sends the read multi-valued image data to the image processing unit 21.

The image processing unit 21 converts each pixel of the multi-valued image data into binary image data by comparing it with a predetermined threshold value, or analyzes the spatial frequency of the image to convert the original into a character data portion. It is possible to separate the image into halftones and halftone dots, or to separately extract only a specified area from the read image, or not to output it.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation when filing image data.

When filing image data,
First, the file operation key 40 is pressed (S1), and the display unit 4
1 calls the menu selection screen shown in FIG. 3 (S
2). If the image input is selected here (S3), the mode becomes the image input mode. After the image number is input on the image number input screen (not shown) (S4), the mode is set on the reading mode setting screen (not shown) (S5), "#" key 4
Pressing 3 (S6) starts the image input operation.

First, the scanner 1 reads an image (S
7), the image data is stored in the image processing unit 21 (S8). When the user wants to perform a process such as trimming on the image data, he or she selects a desired process on an edit screen (not shown) (S9).
Is displayed (S10). Here, after desired editing is performed by, for example, an operation such as area designation (S11), the "#" key 43 is pressed (S12), and an operation for filing image data is started.

That is, the CPU 12 sends the processed / edited image data to the filing unit 11 via the filing interface 13 and processes / edits the image data.
The reproduction data for reproducing the state before editing is transmitted (S13). Then, C of filing unit 11
The PU 15 stores the image data and the reproduction data together with the header information on the magneto-optical disk set in the disk drive unit 20 via the disk controller 19 (S14).

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the trimming processing by area designation in S11.

In the figure, it is assumed that an instruction has been issued to mask an area 51 given by the coordinates (x1, y2) (x2, y2) of the diagonal line for the original image 50. Such designation is made by a pointing device (not shown) on a tablet or the like. Then, usually, an image which does not output the designated area can be obtained by such trimming processing.

In the filing operation, the processed / edited image data includes the area 51
Is removed together with the processing / editing contents, and the reproduction data includes the image data of the area 51 and the coordinate data (x1, y2) (in which the area 51 is located in the original image) ( x2, y2) are filed. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a file state of each data in the magneto-optical disk.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an image output operation.

To output image data on the magneto-optical disk, the file operation key 40 is pressed (S2).
1) The screen shown in FIG. 3 is displayed (S22), and an image output is selected (S23). Next, an image number to be output is selected on an image selection screen (not shown), and an instruction to output an image from a file is given (S24).

When the "#" key 43 is pressed (S2
5) The CPU 12 transmits the instruction to the CPU 15, calls the image data stored in the magneto-optical disk, develops the image data in the memory 18, and transmits the image data to the image processing unit 21 via the filing interface 13 (S2).
6). Thus, the CPU 12 outputs the image data from the image processing unit 21 to the printer 2 (S2
7).

When an instruction to reproduce an image before processing / editing is given in S24, the CPU 15 first
The edited contents, image data, and reproduction data are called from the magneto-optical disk together with the header information of the file corresponding to the image. Then, the image data is expanded in the memory 18, the reproduction data and the edited contents are stored in another area of the memory 18, and the image data is restored and reproduced based on the edited contents. That is, an image for reproduction is added to a position according to the coordinate data.

In this way, an image before processing / editing can be reproduced and output.

In the above embodiment, the processed and edited image data and reproduction data are filed on a common magneto-optical disk, but they may be stored on another magneto-optical disk. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a file state in this case.

That is, in most cases, it is usual to use only the processed / edited image data.
The data for reproduction is stored on another auxiliary disk.

When the image data and the reproduction data after processing / editing are stored separately by dividing the magneto-optical disk in this way, the processing may be performed while exchanging the magneto-optical disk manually, or two processes may be performed. It is also possible to adopt a configuration provided with a disk drive.

In the above embodiment, the case where the trimming processing is performed as the processing / editing of the image data has been described. However, other processing / editing can be similarly performed.

[0033]

According to the present invention, image data after processing / editing and reproduction data for reproducing the image data before processing / editing are stored in a storage means such as a magneto-optical disk. Accordingly, it is possible to reproduce an image before processing / editing, it is possible to prevent loss of information due to processing / editing, and to improve memory use efficiency.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration for performing a filing operation in the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a configuration of an operation panel in the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of filing image data in the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a trimming process in the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a file state of each data in the magneto-optical disk in the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an image output operation in the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a file state of each data in a magneto-optical disk according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Scanner, 2 ... Printer, 3 ... Communication line, 4 ... Magneto-optical disk drive, 5 ... Device body, 10 ... Operation panel, 11 ... Filing unit, 13 ... Filing interface, 12, 15 ... CPU, 16 ... Scanner controller , 18 memory, 19 disk controller, 20 disk drive unit, 21 image processing unit, 40 file operation keys, 41 display unit,
43: Enlargement / reduction key, 43 to 46: Cursor / set key, 47: Numeric keypad, 48: Reset key, 49: Start key

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-2-301873 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04N 1/21 G06T 1/00

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] Reading means for reading an original image; processing / editing means for processing / editing the read original image; and processing / edited original image data;
Detachable storage means for storing reproduction data for reproducing the original image before editing; and after processing / editing stored in the storage means in accordance with the output instruction of the original image before processing / editing. Output control means for generating and outputting a reproduced image based on the original image data and the reproduction data.