JP3981167B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus using a large-capacity storage device as an image storage device, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus in which the data transfer speed of the large-capacity storage device is slower than that of a scanner or a printer.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As this type of image forming apparatus, an apparatus using a mass storage device such as an HDD (hard disk drive) or a magneto-optical disk is known. Further, as conventional examples for realizing an electronic sort function using a mass storage device, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 62-247670, 62-249562, 62-45268, This is shown in Japanese Patent Publication No. 63-23472.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, in order to realize an electronic sort function using a large-capacity storage device, image data of a plurality of originals read by a scanner is stored in the large-capacity storage device, and in an order different from the input order (reading order). Print out. Further, by using the storage device, image data of a plurality of originals can be collected and printed on a single sheet. A medium for storing such a large amount of image data is generally a disk, and this disk medium is accessed by a drive device that moves (seeks) the head in the radial direction. Therefore, in addition to the data input / output time, a time (seek time) for starting access to the designated area is required, so the data transfer speed is slower than that of the scanner or printer.
[0004]
Therefore, in an image forming apparatus using a large-capacity storage device whose data transfer speed is slower than that of a scanner or printer, the time required for storage is shorter than the time required for inputting an image signal. This is desirable for improving the property.
[0005]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of improving productivity when a mass storage device having a data transfer rate slower than that of a scanner or a printer is used.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a document reading unit that reads a document including first and second pages for each page, and image data of a plurality of document pages read by the document reading unit. A large-capacity secondary storage means for storing data at a slower data transfer rate than the original reading means, and a plurality of original page image data read continuously by the original reading means in the plurality of secondary storage means of the large capacity When storing in the unit storage area, by making a configuration request for a file composed of a plurality of unit recording areas to the secondary storage control means for controlling the secondary storage means during reading of the first page of the document, A continuous unit storage area is secured as an area for storing image data of the second page document, and the image data of the second page document is sent from the secondary control means. By receiving the configuration completion notification of the file is a storage area before reading the completion of the document of the first page, is stored in the first and second of the file are sequentially ensuring the image data for each document page When a continuous storage area cannot be secured as a storage area for storing the image data of the document of the second page, a discontinuous unit storage area is secured and the access direction of the discontinuous unit storage area is 1. The image data of the document of the second page is stored so that it is in the direction. And a control means.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 is a block diagram showing a digital copying machine showing an embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing an operation unit of the digital copying machine, and FIG. 3 is a display screen of the operation unit in FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the entire digital copying machine, FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the image processing unit of FIG. 4 in detail, FIG. 6 is a timing chart showing main signals at the time of document reading, and FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing in detail the memory controller and image memory in FIG. 5, FIGS. 8 and 9 are explanatory diagrams showing the concept when the memory controller in FIG. 7 accesses the storage area of the secondary storage device, and FIG. 10 is the image forming apparatus. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing an area when a plurality of document images are stored in the secondary storage device.
[0009]
The digital copying machine shown in FIG. 1 is roughly constituted by an automatic document feeder (ADF) 1, an image forming system including a reading unit 50 and a writing unit 57, and a finisher 100. The original set on the original table 2 of the ADF 1 is fed from the lowermost original when the start key (print key) 34 of the operation unit 30 shown in FIG. 2 is pressed. The sheet is conveyed to a predetermined position of the contact glass 6 of the reading unit 50 by the roller 3 and the paper feeding belt 4 and is read by the reading unit 50.
[0010]
The document that has been read is discharged by the paper feed belt 4 and the paper discharge roller 5, and when the document set detection sensor 7 detects that the next document is on the document table 2, the document is replaced with the previous document. Similarly, paper is fed. The paper feed roller 3, the paper feed belt 4, and the paper discharge roller 5 are driven by a transport motor 26 described later (FIG. 4). Further, the front end or the left end of the ADF 1 is configured to be openable and closable with respect to the contact glass 6. When the ADF 1 is opened, an operator can set a document on the contact glass 6 (pressure plate mode).
[0011]
The reading unit 50 includes a contact glass 6 and a scanning optical system. The scanning optical system includes an exposure lamp 51, a first mirror 52, a second mirror 55, a third mirror 56, an imaging lens 53, a CCD image sensor 54, and the like. Has been. The exposure lamp 51 and the first mirror 52 are fixed on a first carriage (not shown), and the second mirror 55 and the third mirror 56 are fixed on a second carriage (not shown).
[0012]
The first carriage and the second carriage are moved in the sub-scanning direction at a relative speed of 2: 1 by a scanner drive motor (not shown) so that the optical path length does not change when the document is read, and the imaging lens 53 and the CCD image sensor. The reading magnification can be changed by moving 54 along the optical path and changing its position. The original image is read by being converted into an electrical signal by the CCD image sensor 54 and processed by an image processing unit 49 described later (FIGS. 4 and 5).
[0013]
The writing unit 57 includes a laser output unit 58, an imaging lens 59, a mirror 60, and the like. The laser output unit 58 includes a polygon mirror (polygon mirror) that is rotated at a constant high speed by a laser diode that is a laser light source and a motor. ) Is provided. Laser light modulated in accordance with the image signal is emitted from the writing unit 57, and an electrostatic latent image is formed on the photoconductor 15 of the image forming system by the laser light. Further, a beam sensor (not shown) for obtaining a main scanning synchronization signal is provided in the vicinity of one end of the photoconductor 15.
[0014]
The image forming system includes a photoconductor 15 and an electrophotographic process mechanism (not shown). The electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor 15 is developed with toner by a developing unit 27, and the toner image is transferred onto transfer paper. The transfer sheets stacked on the first tray 8, the second tray 9, and the third tray 10 are selectively fed by the first sheet feeder 11, the second sheet feeder 12, and the third sheet feeder 13, respectively. Then, it is conveyed upward by the vertical conveying device 14 and conveyed to a transfer position with the photoconductor 15. Similarly, the transfer sheets stacked on the duplex feeding unit 111 are also selectively fed. The transfer paper is conveyed by the conveyance belt 16 at the same speed as the rotation speed of the photoconductor 15 to transfer the toner image, and then the toner image is fixed by the fixing unit 17, and then the finisher 100 or the double-sided paper feeding unit is discharged by the paper discharge unit 18. It is conveyed to 111.
[0015]
The finisher 100 can selectively guide the transfer paper to the upper stacker transport roller 102 or the lower staple processing unit by the branch deflection plate 101. The transfer paper guided in the direction of the stacker transport roller 102 is discharged onto the stacker tray 104 via the stacker discharge roller 103. The stacker tray is movable in the width direction of the transfer paper (in the direction orthogonal to the drawing), and can be sorted by shifting the transfer paper in the width direction for each document or for each group sorted by electronic sorting.
[0016]
Further, the transfer paper guided in the direction of the staple processing unit is conveyed onto the staple table 108 via the conveyance rollers 105 and 107. The transfer sheet conveyed onto the staple table 108 is aligned in the width direction by the sheet aligning jogger 109 each time the sheet is discharged, and is bound by the stapler 106 for each copy. The transfer sheet bound by the stapler 106 is stored on the staple completion discharge tray 110 by its own weight.
[0017]
As shown in FIG. 2, the operation unit 30 is provided with a liquid crystal touch panel 31, a numeric key 32, a clear / stop key 33, a print key 34, a mode clear key 35, an initial setting key 38, and the like. A sort function key 36, a staple function key 37, a message 39 indicating the number of copies and the status of the copying machine, and the like are displayed.
[0018]
The photoreceptor 15, the conveyor belt 16, the fixing unit 17, the paper discharge unit 18, the developing unit 27, and the like are driven by the main motor 25 based on the control of the main controller 20 as shown in FIG. Further, the driving of the main motor 25 is transmitted to the first to third paper feeding devices 11 to 13 through the first to third paper feeding clutches 22 to 24 based on the control of the main controller 20, respectively. Further, it is transmitted to the vertical conveying device 14 via the intermediate clutch 21.
[0019]
An image processing unit (IPU) 49 is similarly controlled by the main controller 20. FIG. 5 shows the IPU 49 in detail, and the reflected light of the original illuminated by the exposure lamp 51 is photoelectrically converted by the CCD image sensor 54 and converted into a digital image signal by the A / D converter 61. This digital image signal is subjected to shading correction by the shading correction unit 62 and then subjected to MTF correction, γ correction, and the like by the MTF γ correction unit 63. Next, this data is combined with image data from a print image data generator (print unit) 74 by a print combining unit (1) 72 and applied to a selector 64.
[0020]
The selector 64 selectively outputs the destination of the image signal to the print composition unit 73 or the image memory controller 65, and outputs the image signal from the image memory controller 65 to the print composition unit (2) 73. That is, the image memory controller 65 and the selector 64 are configured to be able to input and output image signals in both directions. The print composition unit 73 synthesizes the image data from the selector 64 and the print image data generator 74, and the scaling unit 71 enlarges or reduces the image signal based on the set magnification, and sends it to the writing unit 57.
[0021]
That is, when the image data from the print image data generator 74 is synthesized, the print composition unit 72 can compose the original image read by the scanner 50, and the print composition unit 73 reads it from the image memory 66. The synthesized image can be synthesized. The print image data generator 74 not only generates print image data for composition, but also has a print position control function for setting at which position of the original image or the image from the memory 66 is generated.
[0022]
The IPU 49 also includes a CPU 68 for making settings in the image memory controller 65 and the like and settings in the reading unit 50 and the writing unit 57, a ROM 69 in which programs for the CPU 68 are stored in advance, and a RAM 70 having a work area for the CPU 68 and the like. An I / O port 67 is provided. The CPU 68 writes and reads data in and from the image memory 66 via the image memory controller 65 so that the order of the original images recorded on the transfer paper is the original page order during electronic sorting.
[0023]
Next, image data for one page in the selector 64 will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 6, a frame gate signal / FGATE (“/” is used as an inverted signal) represents an effective period in the sub-scanning direction of one page of image data, and a main scanning synchronization signal / LSYNC is synchronized for each line. The image signal becomes valid at a predetermined clock after the main scanning synchronization signal / LSYNC rises. These signals / FGATE and / LSYNC are synchronized with the pixel clock VCLK, and an image signal of 8 bits per pixel (256 gradations) is sent for one period of the pixel clock VCLK.
[0024]
Next, the memory controller 65 and the image memory 66 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. The memory controller 65 includes an input data selector 201, an image composition unit 202, a primary compression / decompression unit 203, an output data selector 204, and a secondary compression / decompression unit 205. The control data for the blocks 201 to 205 is shown in FIG. The CPU 68 shown in FIG. Note that the address bus and data bus shown in FIG. 5 are for image data, and the data bus and address bus connected to the CPU 68 are not shown.
[0025]
The image memory 66 has a primary storage device 206 and a secondary storage device 207. The primary storage device 206 can perform data writing to the designated area and data reading from the designated area at the time of image output substantially in synchronization with the data transfer speed required at the time of image data input / output. For example, a high-speed accessible memory such as a DRAM is used. The primary storage device 206 also has an interface with the memory controller 65 in order to divide into a plurality of areas according to the size of the image data to be processed and execute image data input / output simultaneously.
[0026]
On the other hand, the secondary storage device 207 is a large-capacity memory that stores image data in order to combine and sort input images. Note that the secondary storage device 207 is not used when the primary storage device 206 has a sufficient capacity for processing image data. In addition, when data writing / reading of the secondary storage device 207 is possible substantially in synchronization with the data transfer speed required at the time of image input / output, writing / reading to the secondary storage device 207 can be directly performed.
[0027]
Further, when data writing / reading of the secondary storage device 207 is not possible substantially in synchronization with the data transfer rate required at the time of image input / output, for example, the secondary storage device 207 has an access time such as a hard disk or a magneto-optical disk. When a long medium is used, processing according to the data transfer capability of the secondary storage device 207 can be performed by interposing the data storage / reading of the secondary storage device 207 via the primary storage device 206.
[0028]
Therefore, with such a configuration, a storage medium can be selected according to the image data transfer speed of the image forming apparatus, and a method in which the compression rate and the expansion rate differ depending on the image data (data to the memory depending on the type of data). It is possible to cope with adopting a method with different access speeds. Further, when the compression rate and the expansion rate are variable, the capacity of the primary storage device 206 and the secondary storage device 207 may be saved.
[0029]
An operation example of the memory controller 65 will be described. Here, a case will be described in which data writing / reading of the secondary storage device 207 cannot be substantially synchronized with the data transfer rate required at the time of image input / output.
[0030]
<1> Image input (stored in image memory 66)
The input data selector 201 selects image data to be written to the image memory 66 (primary storage device 206) from a plurality of input data. The image data selected by the input data selector 201 is combined with the image data already stored in the image memory 66 by the image combining unit 202. The image data synthesized by the image synthesis unit 202 is compressed by the primary compression / decompression unit 203, and the compressed data is written to the primary storage device 206. The data written to the primary storage device 206 is further compressed by the secondary compression / decompression unit 205 as necessary, and then written to the secondary storage device 207.
[0031]
<2> Image output (reading from image memory 66)
At the time of image output, image data stored in the primary storage device 206 is read. If the image data to be output is stored in the primary storage device 206, the image data read from the primary storage device 206 is decompressed by the primary compression / decompression unit 203, and decompressed. The later data or the synthesized data of the decompressed data and the input data (output of the image composition unit 202) is selected by the output data selector 204 and output.
[0032]
The image composition unit 202 also performs composition (and phase adjustment) of the data in the primary storage device 206 and input data, and selects an output destination of the data after composition, that is, image output and write to the primary storage device 206. Processing such as back and simultaneous output to both output destinations is performed. When the image data to be output is not stored in the primary storage device 206, the image data to be output stored in the secondary storage device 207 is expanded by the secondary compression / decompression unit 205, After the data is written in the primary storage device 206, the image output process is performed.
[0033]
Next, the operation will be described by taking as an example the case where an HDD is used as the secondary storage device 207. FIG. 8 shows a conceptual diagram when the memory controller 65 accesses the storage area of the secondary storage device 207. Usually, a large-capacity storage device is composed of a collection of logical blocks (LB) 210, which is the minimum unit of data input / output, and therefore a plurality of logical block groups 210 are managed as one management unit cluster (C) 211. As a result, the amount of data for managing a large-capacity storage area can be reduced.
[0034]
For example, if it is attempted to manage a storage device including 10,000 logical blocks 210 without providing the management unit cluster 211, a storage element (memory) for storing state data of 10,000 logical blocks 210. However, by configuring the 100 logical blocks 210 as one cluster 211, the state data may be managed in units of the cluster 211, so the storage amount of the state data becomes 1/100.
[0035]
When image data is input, that is, when image signals are stored in a storage device, a plurality of cluster groups 211 are further secured in units of one file (F) 212 to perform data input and data output. That is, when an input request for image data is issued, the memory controller 65 acquires a cluster 211 having a capacity necessary for image input, forms one file 212, and stores data necessary for file management (for example, the start cluster 211). Address, number of acquired clusters). In response to an output request for an input image signal, the input image signal is output based on the stored file management data.
[0036]
FIG. 9 shows a case where the cluster C between the clusters C1 and C2 is in use and the other clusters C1, C2 and C3 are not used. In such a case, if the head flies from the end of the cluster C1 and seeks to the top of the cluster C2, the data input time becomes longer by the amount of the seek time than when a continuous cluster is acquired. Therefore, in the present invention, continuous clusters are always acquired at the time of file configuration, and access is performed only in one direction. Also, as shown in FIG. 9, when the unused clusters C1, C2, and C3 sandwiching the in-use cluster C are acquired, access is made only in one direction, such as C1 → C2 → C3, C3 → C2 → C1, There is no access in two directions as in C2->C3-> C1. By reducing the distance that the head seeks the cluster in this way, even when the image input speed of the secondary storage device 207 is slower than the image forming apparatus, it is possible to prevent occurrence of redundant time as much as possible. As a result, the productivity of the image forming apparatus can be improved.
[0037]
FIG. 10 shows a sequence of “command” and “status notification” between the image forming apparatus control unit-memory controller 65 (including the control unit of the primary storage device 206) -control unit of the secondary storage device 207. . In FIG. 10, as an example, when the number of input images is 3 (images “1” to “3”), the images are input in order from the image “1” and input to the secondary storage device 207. 3 shows a case where the image is output (read) from the secondary storage device 207 in order from the image “1” after the process ends. FIG. 11 shows the file configuration and the cluster acquisition state of the secondary storage device 207 in “state 1” to “state 3” in FIG. “State 0” indicates a state in which there are no images “1” to “3” in the secondary storage device 207, and there are defective clusters (C5, C11) in addition to the in-use clusters.
[0038]
In FIG. 10, first, when the image forming apparatus control unit issues “(command 1) first image input request”, the memory controller 65 and the like prepare for input to the primary storage device 206 and also send it to the secondary storage device control unit. On the other hand, “(command 51) first image file configuration request” is issued. When receiving the (command 51), the secondary storage device control unit secures continuous areas (clusters C1, C2, and C3) for inputting image signals as shown in “state 1” in FIG. The image file F1 is configured, and then “(notification 51) first image file configuration end notification” of “state 1” is issued to the memory controller 65 and the like.
[0039]
Upon receiving (Notification 51), the memory controller 65 and the like issue “(Notification 1) First image input preparation completion notification” to the image forming apparatus control unit and “(( Command 52) Start first image input ”. When receiving the (command 52), the secondary storage device control unit waits for an image to be input to the primary storage device 206.
[0040]
Upon receiving (Notification 1), the image forming apparatus control unit issues “(command 2) first image input request” and issues a “reading start command” to the image reading unit. Then, the first image “1” from the image reading unit is input to and stored in the primary storage device 206, and then the secondary storage device control unit reads this first image “1” and clusters C1, C2, C3. To remember.
[0041]
When the image reading operation starts, the image forming apparatus control unit issues “(command 3) second image input request”, and so on.
“(Command 53) Second image file configuration request”
"(Notification 52) Second image file configuration end notification"
“(Notification 2) Second image input preparation completion notification”
By executing the sequence, the input of the second image “2” is started. In this case, when receiving the (command 53), the secondary storage device controller avoids the defective cluster C5 as shown in “state 2” in FIG. 11 and also uses the unused cluster C4 to secure a continuous area. Is avoided, the clusters C6 to C8 are secured, and the second image file F2 is configured.
[0042]
At this time, if the input of the first image “1” is completed, the secondary storage device control unit issues “(notification 53) first image input end notification” and the second image “2” from the reading unit. Is input to and stored in the primary storage device 206, and the memory controller 65 or the like issues “(command 54) start second image input” to the secondary storage device control unit, and inputs to the secondary storage device 207. Is started. On the other hand, when the input of the first image “1” to the secondary storage device control unit has not been completed, the memory controller 65 or the like waits for (notification 53) and issues (command 54) to issue the secondary storage device. Input to 207 is started.
[0043]
The same applies to the third image “3”.
“(Command 5) Third image input request”
“(Command 55) Third image file configuration request”
"(Notification 54) Third image file configuration end notification"
"(Notification 3) Third image input preparation completion notification"
This sequence is executed. Similarly, in this case, when receiving the (command 55), the secondary storage device control unit avoids the defective cluster C11 as shown in “state 3” in FIG. 11 and secures a continuous area. The unused clusters C9 and C10 are avoided to secure the clusters C12 to C14, and the third image file F3 is configured.
[0044]
Therefore, by forming the files F1 to F3 in which clusters are continuous for each document as in “state 1” to “state 3” in FIG. 11, it is possible to prevent redundant time from being generated. Input to the secondary storage device 207 can be performed at almost the same speed as the image input speed (time) from the reading unit, and therefore, it can be stored so as not to affect the operation speed of the image forming apparatus.
[0045]
When the input of the images “1” to “3” is completed, the image forming apparatus control unit issues “(command 7) first image output request”. When (command 7) is received, the memory controller 65 or the like does not read from the secondary storage device 207 if the first image “1” exists in the primary storage device 206, and sends it to the image forming apparatus control unit. When “(Notification 4) First image output preparation completion notification” is issued, but the first image “1” does not exist in the primary storage device 206, “(command 57) is issued to the secondary storage device control unit. “First image output start” is issued.
[0046]
When receiving the (command 57), the secondary storage device control unit reads the first image “1” from the configured image file group based on the data of the designated first image file F1. Transfer to the storage device 206. When the output of the first image “1” is completed, the secondary storage device controller issues “(notification 57) first image output end notification”, and when the memory controller 65 or the like receives (notification 57), image formation is performed. A “(notification 4) first image output preparation completion notification” is issued to the apparatus control unit. Upon receiving (Notification 4), the image forming apparatus control unit issues “(command 8) first image output start”, and upon receiving (command 8), the memory controller 65 and the like receive the first image “from the primary storage device 206. "1" is read and output is started.
[0047]
When the output of the first image “1” is started, the image forming apparatus control unit issues “(command 9) second image output request”, and thereafter, similarly to the case of the first image “1”.
“(Command 58) Start of second image output”
“(Notification 58) Second image output end notification”
“(Notification 5) Second image output preparation completion notification”
“(Command 10) Start second image output”
The second image “2” is output by the sequence of Next, for the third image “3”
“(Command 11) Third image output request”
“(Command 59) Start third image output”
"(Notification 59) Third image output end notification"
“(Notification 6) Third image output preparation completion notification”
“(Command 12) Start of third image output”
The third image “3” is output by the sequence of
[0048]
Here, at the time of image output, the read time of the first image “1” from the secondary storage device 207 is added to the operation time. Further, during the image output, if the reading from the secondary storage device 207 to the primary storage device 206 is completed in response to the next image output request, the image output operation time of the image forming apparatus is not affected. If not completed, the difference time from the end of image output to the completion of reading from the secondary storage device 207 to the primary storage device 206 is added to the operating time. Therefore, since the image data is stored in the files F1 to F3 in which the clusters are continuous for each document, the seek time at the time of reading can be shortened. As a result, the data from the storage device can be reduced as in the case of the image input. Since the output time can be shortened, the operation time of the image forming apparatus can be shortened, and the productivity can be improved.
[0049]
In the above description, the case where the number of images is 3 and a continuous area is secured for all of the images “1” to “3” has been described. For example, the number of images is 4 and the fourth image is displayed. On the other hand, a continuous area may not be secured. Therefore, in such a case, a continuous area is secured as much as possible, and when a continuous area cannot be secured for the fourth image, for example, in the state “3” in FIG. When a file configuration requirement for four images is issued, a discontinuous area such as an empty cluster C4, C9, C10 or C9, C10, C16 is secured. According to this method, the utilization efficiency of the secondary storage device 207 is improved, but the productivity may be reduced. However, since the resources of the image forming apparatus can be utilized to the maximum, the performance of the entire image forming apparatus can be improved.
[0050]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, when the image data of a plurality of documents is stored in the large-capacity storage unit at a data transfer rate slower than that of the document reading unit, a continuous storage area is secured for each document. Since the data is stored for each document, the productivity is improved when the data transfer speed of the mass storage device is slower than that of the scanner or printer because the head seeks the disk, such as a hard disk or a magneto-optical disk. be able to.
[0051]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, when a continuous storage area cannot be secured, a discontinuous area is secured and stored, so that resources of the image forming apparatus can be utilized to the maximum extent.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a digital copying machine showing an embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation unit of the digital copying machine.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a display screen of the operation unit in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the entire digital copying machine.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating in detail the image processing unit of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a timing chart showing main signals during document reading.
7 is a block diagram showing in detail a memory controller and an image memory in FIG. 5;
FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a concept when the memory controller of FIG. 7 accesses a storage area of the secondary storage device;
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a concept when the memory controller of FIG. 7 accesses a storage area of a secondary storage device;
10 is an explanatory diagram showing a communication sequence between the image forming apparatus control unit and the memory controller-secondary storage device in FIG. 7; FIG.
FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing an area when a plurality of document images are stored in the secondary storage device.
[Explanation of symbols]
65 Memory controller
66 Image memory
206 Primary storage device
207 Secondary storage device

Claims (1)

Document reading means for reading a document composed of first and second pages page by page;
A large-capacity secondary storage unit for storing image data of a plurality of document pages read by the document reading unit at a data transfer rate slower than that of the document reading unit;
In the case where image data of a plurality of document pages read continuously by the document reading unit is stored in a plurality of unit storage areas of the large-capacity secondary storage unit, the secondary data is read during document reading of the first page. A unit storage area that is continuous as an area for storing image data of a document of the second page by making a file configuration request including a plurality of unit recording areas to the secondary storage control means that controls the storage means And the second control means receives the notification of the end of the configuration of the file, which is the storage area of the image data of the second page of the document, before the reading of the first page of the document is completed. and sequentially stored in the file to ensure the second image data for each document page, the continuous storage area as a storage area for storing the image data of the original of the second page When it can not guarantee is to ensure a discrete unit storage area, and as the access direction of said discrete unit storage area is in one direction, the second page of the control means Ru stores the image data of the document When,
An image forming apparatus comprising:

Images