JPH0410778B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and particularly to an image forming apparatus having a copying function and an image information receiving function.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as devices for processing images, there have been copiers that copy original images, facsimile machines that transmit images between remote locations, and the like. In recent years, with the development of technology for handling image information as electrical signals, image processing terminals that combine the functions of a copying machine and a facsimile machine have been proposed.

In such a terminal having two functions, the information to be processed is usually ranked in order, and one of the functions is given priority in operation. However, the ranking of information naturally differs depending on conditions such as each user or the installation location, and a fixed ranking may be inconvenient.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and the present invention determines whether or not to permit interruption of image formation based on an image signal received from an external device during image formation based on an image signal generated by reading a document image. The purpose is to provide an image forming apparatus that can be arbitrarily set according to the usage situation of the apparatus.
A reading means for reading a document image and generating an image signal, a receiving means for receiving an image signal from an external device, and forming an image based on the image signal generated by the reading means and the image signal received by the receiving means. a forming means; and a selection means for selecting either a permission mode in which a request to receive an image signal from the external device is permitted or a refusal mode in which a request to receive an image signal from the external device is rejected during image formation based on the image signal generated by the reading means; , a control means comprising a flag that is set when the permission mode is selected by the selection means and reset when the refusal mode is selected, and that controls the image forming operation based on the state of the flag. When the flag is set, the control means permits a request to receive an image signal from the external device, interrupts image formation based on the image signal generated by the reading means, and The image forming means is caused to perform image formation based on the image signal received by the receiving means, while when the flag is reset, a request to receive an image signal from the external device is rejected, and the image signal is formed by the reading means. The present invention provides an image forming apparatus that allows the forming means to continue forming an image based on a generated image signal.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in more detail using the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of an image transmission system according to the present invention.

In Figure 1, 4 is a private branch exchange (hereinafter referred to as
PABX). Reference numerals 2-1 and 2-2 are reader devices that photoelectrically capture original images and form electrical signals. 3-1 and 3-2 are printer devices that form images on recording materials such as paper based on image information converted into electrical signals (hereinafter referred to as image signals). Note that the reader device 2-1 and the printer device 3-1 are placed in close proximity to each other, and the pair of these two devices forms an image with the printer device 3-1 based on the image signal read by the reader device 2-1. It also operates as a copying machine. (Note that this operation is called local copy.) L1, L2, and L3 are input/output lines made of, for example, optical fibers that connect the PABX1 and the reader device or printer device and are used for signal transmission including image signals. . The image transmission system shown in FIG. 1 uses a wiring system called a star network centered on PABX1.

The PABX 1 is provided with a switching network for selectively outputting signals input from each input/output line to a predetermined input/output line, as will be described later. Also,
PABX1 stores one page of image signals.
For example, semiconductor random access memory (RAM)
A page memory consisting of a plurality of pages of image signals and an auxiliary memory consisting of a disk memory, for example, which stores a plurality of pages of image signals are connected or are built-in.

The image signal read by the reader device 2-1 is formed into an image in the printer device 3-1, or
At least one of three types of transmission is performed: the data is transmitted to the PABX1 via the input/output line L1 and stored in the page memory, or further transmitted to the printer device 3-2 via the input/output line L3 to form an image. It will be done.

Furthermore, the image signal read by the reader device 2-2 is transmitted to the PABX1 via the input/output line L2,
From there, the input/output line L1 connects the printer device 3.
At least one of three types of transmission is performed: transmission to the printer device 3-1, transmission to the printer device 3-2, or storage in the page memory.

That is, the image signal read by the reader device is transmitted to at least one of the printer devices constituting the image transmission system to form an image, or is stored in a page memory. Furthermore, it is possible to simultaneously store the information in the page memory while transmitting it to the printer device.

The image signal stored in the page memory is transmitted to the printer device based on a request from the printer device or a judgment made by the control section of the PABX1.
Furthermore, it is stored in an auxiliary memory.

Although the system shown in FIG. 1 has three input/output routes from the PABX 1, the number is not limited to this number.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of one embodiment of the reader device shown in FIG. 1.

In the figure, 201 is a document table glass, 202 is a bar-shaped light source such as a halogen lamp or a fluorescent lamp, 203 is a first mirror, 204 is a second mirror, 205 is a third mirror, 206 is a lens, and 207 is a primary light source such as a CCD. It is originally a solid-state image sensor. In addition, lens 206 and CCD
Two sets of numerals 207 are provided, and each half of the document area is read.

To explain the operation of the device, the document platen glass 201
The original placed on the first mirror 20 scans (sub-scans) the original illuminated by a bar-shaped light source 202.
3. An image is formed on the CCD 207 by the lens 206 via the second mirror 204 and the third mirror 205. The main scanning direction of the CCD 207 is perpendicular to the drawing. The rod-shaped light source 202 and the first mirror 203 are integrated by a support (not shown), and scan the document surface while moving in the direction F in the figure by a guide rail (not shown) (sub-scanning). Second
The mirror 204 and the third mirror 205 are integrated by a support (not shown) and move on a guide rail (not shown) in the same direction as the first mirror 203 at half the speed of movement of the first mirror 203. Moving.
The rod-shaped light source 202, the first mirror 203, the second mirror 204, and the third mirror 205 move to positions 202', 203', 204', and 205' indicated by dotted lines in the figure, respectively.
The optical path length through lenses 3, 204, and 205 to lens 206 is always kept constant.

This reader device sub-scans A3 size documents in the longitudinal direction and A4 size documents in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and the linear density of the reading is
16 lines/mm. Also, the main scanning direction is 16Pe1/
The resolution is mm. Therefore, the number of output bits per main scanning line is 4752 bits, and for A3 size, this main scanning is performed for 6720 lines, and for A4 size, this main scanning is performed for 3360 lines.

As mentioned above, for photoelectric conversion of original images,
Two sets of CCD 207 and lenses 206 are provided, each of which handles approximately 1/2 of reading the 4752-bit image output by main scanning. and two
The two series of image signals output from the CCD 207 are formed into one series of image signals corresponding to one main scanning line by the circuit shown in FIG. 3-1.

In Figure 3-1, 207-1 and 207-2
are the two CCDs mentioned above. 301-1,3
01-2 is a video amplifier and CCD207-1,2
DC amplification of each output voltage of 07-2 to a required level. A/D converters 302-1 and 302-2 convert analog image signals into digital signals using clock pulses (not shown). 303 is a parallel serial converter and A/D converter 302-
The output of the two systems output from 1 and 302-2 is connected to the 3rd-
2. It is converted into one system of serial signals as shown in Figure 2 and output from the output terminal OUT.

As is clear from FIG. 3-2, a clock signal b synchronized with the image signal a is formed. The data of image signal a changes at the rising edge of clock signal b,
The clock signal b falls at a stable point in the middle of the data. Incidentally, the image signals of the entire document area obtained by main scanning of 3360 lines for A4 size and 6720 lines of main scanning for A3 size are collectively referred to as an image packet. A dummy clock DCK, which is an identification signal, is attached to the tip of this image packet, so that the PABX 1 and the terminal can determine whether the subsequently transmitted signal is an image signal or a command signal related to the transmission of an image signal. Discern.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the configuration of one embodiment of the printer device shown as an example of the output section in FIG. 1.

This printer device uses an electrophotographic method using laser light, and 501 is a housing Ha.
A photosensitive drum is rotatably supported within the photosensitive drum. 50
2 is a semiconductor laser that emits laser light La;
The emitted laser beam La passes through the beam expander 5
03, and becomes a laser beam with a predetermined beam diameter. Further, the laser beam is incident on a polyhedral mirror 504 having a plurality of mirror surfaces. The polyhedral mirror 504 is rotated at a predetermined speed by a constant speed rotation motor 505. The laser beam emitted from the beam expander 503 is scanned substantially horizontally by the polyhedral mirror 504. The photosensitive drum 50 is electrically charged to a predetermined polarity by a charger 513 using an imaging lens 506 having f-θ characteristics.
1 as a spot light.

A beam detector 507 detects the laser beam reflected by the reflecting mirror 508, and uses this detection signal to determine the timing of the modulation operation of the semiconductor laser 502 in order to provide desired optical information onto the photosensitive drum 501.

An electrostatic latent image is formed on the photosensitive drum 501 by the laser light that is imaged and scanned on the photosensitive drum 501 . After this latent image is developed by a developing device 509, it is transferred to a recording material stored in either a cassette 501 or 511, and then the image is fixed on the recording material by passing through a fixing device 512. The hard copy is ejected to an ejecting unit (not shown).

FIG. 5 shows an example of a circuit for modulating the semiconductor laser shown in FIG. 4 with a predetermined image signal.

The image signal input from the input terminal IN is transferred to a first shift register or the like having a number of bits equal to the number of pixels for one scan for each group of image signals for one scan.
Line buffer 601 and second line buffer 6
02 are alternately input under the control of the buffer switch control circuit 603.

Further, the image signals inputted to the first line buffer 601 and the second line buffer 602 are read out alternately every scan using the beam detection signal from the beam detector 604 as a trigger signal, and are applied to the laser driver 605.

The laser driver 605 controls the semiconductor laser 6 based on the input image signal to control the emission of laser light.
06 is modulated and controlled.

By having two line buffers, while inputting image signals one after another to one of the line buffers, the image signals already stored in the other line buffer are output to the laser driver 605, so high-speed image signals can be generated. It is possible to respond to input.

FIG. 6 is a circuit block diagram of an embodiment of a terminal equipped with both the reader device and printer device shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. 401 is an interface for receiving data input from PABX1 provided in the input section of the terminal, and is an input line IL.
If it is an optical fiber, an optical-to-electrical converter (hereinafter referred to as O/
It converts information input as an optical signal from an optical fiber signal transmission line into an electrical signal. 402 is a command/image discrimination circuit which determines whether the input packet is an image packet or a command packet by ANDing the electrical signal input from the interface 401 with the identification signal added before the packet and the clock as described above. If it is an image packet, a "1" signal is output to the driver 403, and if it is a command packet, a "1" signal is output to the line 404. Also, a packet from which the identification signal has been removed is output on line 405. Reference numeral 406 denotes an image recording unit and a reader device and printer device which read an original and form an image packet as an electrical signal based on an input image packet.

407 and 408 are AND circuits, and the AND circuit 408 is connected to a command/image discrimination circuit 402.
If the "1" signal on line 403 from 1 is input, the image packet input on line 405 is output on line 409.

Further, when the "1" signal on line 404 from command/image discrimination circuit 402 is input to AND circuit 407, the command packet input on line 405 is output on line 410.

If the input packet is an image packet, the image packet output on line 409 is input to printer device 406.

On the other hand, if the input packet is a command packet, the command packet output on line 410 is input to input command register 411. The input command register 411 stores all 32-bit command packets. 415 is a command analysis and generation circuit.

When it determines that all 32-bit command packets have been input to the input command register 411, it takes in all of these 32-bit command packets,
The contents are analyzed, response bits and designated bits are formed as necessary, and output command register 4 is output.
Set all 32 bits to 12 at the same time.

413 is an OR circuit, output command register 4
12 output lines 419 and an output line 418 of an image signal to be sent to PABX1 formed by the reader device are input.

414 is an interface for outputting the terminal signal to PABX1, and if the output line OL is an optical fiber, an electrical-to-optical converter (hereinafter referred to as an E/O converter) is used to output the electrical signal input via line 417. It is converted into an optical signal and transmitted to the next terminal using optical fiber as a medium.

Reference numeral 416 denotes an operation control unit provided in the terminal, into which instructions related to the transmission and reception of image information and driving instructions for the device, such as destination, number of sheets to be sent, size, etc., are input by the user, and the operation of the device is controlled in accordance with these instructions. .

Although FIG. 6 describes an embodiment of a terminal equipped with both a printer device and a reader device, the terminal of either the reader device or the printer device has approximately the same configuration.

Figure 7 shows the private branch exchange PABX1 shown in Figure 1.
FIG. 2 is a circuit block diagram showing the configuration of the circuit.

In the figure, CPU is a control unit that controls the operation of the private branch exchange PABX1 and the entire image transmission system, R1 to R4 are reader devices, and P1 to P4
is a printer device, and reader device R1 and printer device P1 and reader device R2 and printer device P
2 each have a copying function with only two devices as described above. 701 is a switching network to which multiple input lines and multiple output lines are connected, and image signals and command signals input from the input lines are sent to the control unit CPU.
It is selectively output to the output line by the input/output switching signal SL from the input/output switching signal SL. 702 is a page memory consisting of a semiconductor random access memory capable of storing one page of image signals, and 704 is an auxiliary memory consisting of a disk memory capable of storing a plurality of pages of image signals, and its capacity is 70 MBite. A compression circuit 703 compresses the image signal stored in the page memory 702 using a predetermined compression logic and sends it to the auxiliary memory 704.

705 is a parallel-in serial-out output command register for serially transmitting a command signal related to the transmission of image signals output in parallel from the control unit CPU to a reader device or printer device connected to a switching network; 706 is a reader The control unit CPU sends command signals related to the transmission of image signals serially input from the device or printer device.
This is a serial-in-parallel-out input command register for parallel transmission.

707 is DMA of image information in PABX1
A DMA controller 708 that controls transfer is a font ROM used to convert encoded information into image information. By having this font ROM 708, character information can be handled as a code signal in internal processing, saving memory. It is possible. A data memory 709 stores command signals related to image transmission or records the history of image transmission.

Explain the operation. The image signals output from the reader devices R1 to R4 are sent to the control unit via the switching network 701.
The data is selectively input to page memory 702 by the CPU.

The information once entered in the page memory 702 is output from this page memory 702 to the destination as it is if it is in a receivable state, such as when the specified destination is not busy or there is no transmission/reception request from another terminal device. The structure is such that it can be used. At other times, the data is stored in the auxiliary memory 7 through the compression circuit 703.
04. When stored in the auxiliary memory 704, the image signal is filed with an index attached to the beginning, and the file number, source address, destination address, etc. are written in this index. The exchange network 701 also has a function that can bypass the page memory 702 and directly send data in real time to the destination printer, so that if the destination is ready to receive data, it can be sent through this route. It's summery.

FIG. 8 shows a conceptual diagram of the switching network 701 shown in FIG. 7. Six terminals 801 to 806 are provided for connecting a reader device or printer device.
An input line and an output line are connected to each terminal. Further, terminals 808 and 807 are provided for connecting the page memory 702, output command register 705, and input command register 706 provided in the PABX1.
As described above, the operation of this switching network 701 is controlled by the input/output switching signal SL from the control unit CPU.

Rotary terminals for each of terminals 801 to 806.
Six switches SW1 to SW6 are provided, and are connected to the output lines of terminals 801 to 806, respectively.
Also, for terminals 807 and 808, rotary switches SW7 and SW8 are connected to their output lines.
are provided for each.

Input lines of terminals other than the corresponding terminals are connected to input terminals a to g of these rotary switches SW1 to SW8. In addition, rotary switch SW
7. No line is connected to the input terminal g of SW8. This is because it is not necessary to input the command signal from the output command register 705 to the page memory 702 and input the image signal from the page memory 702 to the input command register 706.

Input/output switching signal SL input from the control unit CPU
Accordingly, the contacts of the rotary switches SW1 to SW8 are selectively switched.

As an example of the operation of the switching network 701, a reader device is connected to a terminal 801, a printer device is connected to terminals 803 and 804, and if you want to transmit image information from the reader device to two printer devices, but the connection is not made to the terminal 804. If the printer at terminal 803 is busy, the information can be sent to the printer at terminal 803 in real time, stored once in the page memory 702 to the printer at terminal 804, and then transmitted from page memory 702 after the printer is released from the busy state. In such a case, first select the B contact of rotary switch SW3 and the A contact of rotary switch SW7, and output the image signal from the reader device at terminal 801 to the printer device at terminal 803 and to the page memory 702. Store it. Thereafter, as soon as the printer device connected to the terminal 804 becomes capable of receiving data, the a contact of the rotary switch SW4 is selected, and the image signal output from the page memory 702 is transmitted to the printer device connected to the terminal 804.

Prior to transmitting and receiving image signals, protocols related to image transmission must be exchanged between the PABX 1 and the reader device or printer device by transmitting and receiving command packets. For this purpose, an output command register 705 and an input command register 706 are used. Input command register 70
6 is selectively input from rotary switch SW8 in FIG.
are input to rotary switches SW1-SW6, respectively, and selectively sent out from respective terminals 801-806.

This command information packet is a 32-bit signal as shown in FIG. 9a, and is transmitted in synchronization with the clock shown in FIG. 9b. The contents of this command packet are given meanings as shown in FIG. 10, for example.

Note that in this system, the reader device and the printer device cannot directly issue any requests to the PABX 1, but requests can be issued in response to command packets input from the PABX 1. Therefore, normally, PABX1 sets rotary switch SW1 to the G contact, sends out a command packet from the output command register 705 indicating whether there is a transmission or reception request, and then sets rotary switch SW8 to the F contact and outputs a command packet from the output command register 705. It will receive a response from the 801 terminal.
Furthermore, the rotary switches SW2, SW3,...
They are issued in the order of SW6 and are repeated periodically.

Figure 10 shows the format of the command packet. There are four types of command packets as shown in the figure.
The first four bits of the command packet are used to indicate the type. In Figure 10, 1 is type 1, type 2
is a type 2 command packet, 3 is a type 3 command packet, and 4 is a type 4 command packet.

11a to 11b and FIG. 12 are flowcharts showing the command analysis task and idle task of the control unit CPU of the PABX1. The command analysis operation will be explained using FIG. 10, FIGS. 11a to 11c, and FIG. 12. The command analysis tasks shown in FIGS. 11a to 11c are entered by the monitor in response to an interrupt caused by the input of a command packet to the input command register 706 of PABX1. The posting also returns control to the monitor, which then executes the idle task.

Assume that no image information is currently stored in the auxiliary memory 704. When the power is turned on, the control unit CPU of PABX 1 executes the idle task shown in FIG. 12. That is, in step 12-1, the auxiliary memory 70
Since there is no file in 4, the process advances to step 12-9 and command type 1 is sent. The type 1 command packet is a command for each terminal to determine whether there is a request for transmission or reception by polling as described above.

When the type 1 command returns to PABX1, it is determined in step 1 that it is a type 1 command, and the process proceeds to step 2. At this time, if there is a transmission request from any terminal in the 31st bit, the process proceeds from step 2 to step 3 in Figure 11a.
Issue a type 2 command. In the type 2 command, the sender writes the destination name, number of sheets to be sent, image size, and designation as to whether the information is confidential and returns it to PABX1. The 31st and 32nd bits of the continuation packet are provided to indicate that when it is desired to transmit to the complement terminal, it is necessary to retransmit another destination name, etc. using a type 2 command. When the 15th and 16th bits indicating confidential handling are set, the PABX 1 only stores the image information input to the PABX 1 in the auxiliary memory 704, and never sends it until there is a reception request from the destination with a file number.

When the PABX 1 determines the input of a type 2 command packet in step 4, it proceeds to step 5 and first sets an index in the data memory 709, and records the source, destination, number of packets, size, whether they are confidential or not.
The reception date and time are registered (step 5), and the image information from the sender is temporarily loaded into the page memory 702.
(Step 7) Then, if the PABX 1 determines that it is classified in Step 8, it generates a file number in Step 8, and then in Step 10, it creates an index on the data memory 709 and the page memory 70.
2 is stored in the auxiliary memory 704. If it is not classified, PABX1 looks at the destination of the index and issues a type 3 command.
The bit is used to determine whether or not the other party can receive the data (step 11).

If it is determined in step 15 that a type 3 command packet has been input to PABX1, the process proceeds to step 16, and since the 29th bit, the receivable bit, is set, it is determined in step 17 whether or not the 32nd bit, the response bit, is set. I'll see. If the response bit is not set, that is, there is even one destination that cannot receive data, the index and the contents of the page memory 702 related to the destination that cannot receive data are generated as a new file and stored in the auxiliary memory 704 (step 18). At this time, the busy destination will reply by writing the waiting time in the 15th to 18th bits, so add this time to the index and write it.
Proceed to step 20.

On the other hand, if the response bit is set, the ready flag corresponding to the destination is set in step 19, and the process proceeds to step 20.

In step 20, it is determined whether there are any more terminals to which the type 3 command should be sent. If there are, the process returns to step 11 and sets and outputs the type 3 command to the remaining terminals. If there is already no terminal to which to send, the process advances to step 21 and it is determined whether ready flags corresponding to all of the specified destinations have been set. If there is a terminal whose ready flag is not set, in step 22 the data memory 709 regarding the destination is
The above index is added to the image information in the page memory 702 and stored in the auxiliary memory 704, and the process proceeds to step 23. Furthermore, if ready flags corresponding to all destinations are set, the process advances to step 23.

In step 23, a type 3 command packet with the 30th bit set, which inquires whether the terminal is ready for reception, is output to the terminal whose ready flag is set, that is, the destination capable of receiving image information.

When the command packet with the bit set inquiring whether reception is ready is returned to PABX1, the process advances from step 24 to step 25. When responses of preparation completion are received from all terminals that are not busy in step 25, the page memory 702 transmits image information for each number of images at once to all destinations whose ready flags are set (step 26).

After transmitting the image information, in step 27, the PABX 1 transmits a type 3 command packet with the 31st bit set, inquiring whether the reception is complete.

When the command packet with the bit set to inquire about reception completion returns to PABX1, the process advances from step 28 to step 29. When a response of completion is received from all the destinations to which the image information has been sent, the index stored in the data memory 709 is erased in step 30, and then a type 1 command packet is output to each terminal by the idle task shown in Fig. 12. do. At the same time, the auxiliary memory 704 is
If it is determined in step 12-4 that among the files stored in the file the waiting time has elapsed, the index of that file (including the destination address and number of sheets to be sent) is stored in the data memory 709 in step 12-5. Then, proceed to step 12-6 to transfer the image information from the auxiliary memory 704 to the page memory 704.
2, and then type 3 in step 12-8.
The command is sent to the destination of the index input into the data memory 709, and after the protocol is executed as described above, image information is sent from the image memory 702.

In this case, the information loaded from the auxiliary memory 704 to the data memory 709 and page memory 702 is erased from the auxiliary memory to effectively use the capacity of the auxiliary memory 704 (step 12-
7) For files that are designated as confidential, the auxiliary memory 704 is used only when a receive request from the destination is received in the form of a type 1 command packet, as described above, regardless of the destination's available time.
(Step 12-2).

Furthermore, if there is a non-classified file in the auxiliary memory 704 that has passed a predetermined period of time, steps 12-3 to 12-3 are executed.
8, the file is deleted from the auxiliary memory 704. This allows effective use of the auxiliary memory 704.

In this way, confidential image information is not directly output to the terminal, but is stored in the auxiliary memory and sent to the PABX only when a reception request is received from the destination.
Since output is possible from 1, confidential information is not transmitted to terminals other than the destination, and information is not transmitted to unattended terminals.

Also, when transmitting image information to multiple terminals at the same time, if there is a terminal that cannot receive it, the address and image information of that terminal can be stored and the image can be transmitted to other terminals that can receive it. does not need to be in a receivable state.

Therefore, images can be transmitted in real time to terminals that can receive images, and images can be transmitted to terminals that cannot receive images after the unreceivable state is released without bothering the sender.

In addition, terminals that are unable to receive data are
Since the PABX 1 is notified, image transmission can be performed without the receiving side notifying the PABX 1 again that reception is possible.

Next, as a result of issuing a type 1 command, the step
When a reception request is received from any terminal in step 12, the PABX 1 sends a type 4 command packet to the destination of the reception request in step 13.

There are two types of receive requests: auxiliary memory 7
04, and a request to send a list of reception history related to transmission and reception of image information. The receiving request source indicates the requested content of the request using the 5th and 6th bits of the type 4 command packet shown in FIG.

When the type 4 command packet returns to PABX 1, the process advances to step 31 and the 5th,
It is determined whether the request is a history reception request or an image reception request based on the set state of the 6 bits.
If PABX1 is a history reception request,
In step 32, only the files related to the receiving destination are sorted from the auxiliary memory 704, the index therein is developed in the data memory 709, and the contents are further paged using the font memory 708.
It is developed in the memory 702 and transmitted as an image.

FIG. 15 shows the form of a resume sent from the PABX 1 and recorded by the printer device. As shown in the figure, the file number assigned when the file is stored in the auxiliary memory 704 is entered at the left end, followed by the source, whether it is classified or not, date and time of publication (input), and image size. Furthermore, it is also possible to output a transmission history that is a list of indexes related to the transmission of image information from the terminal.

PABX 1, which has sent the image information including the reception history to the receiving request destination, again executes an idle task of outputting a type 1 command packet.

Here, if there is a file of image information that requires reception at the terminal that received the reception history, it sends a reception request to PABX 1 again using a type 1 command packet.

Upon receiving this command packet, PABX 1 again sends a type 4 command packet to the terminal that made the reception request. The terminal that receives the type 4 command packet specifies the image information in the auxiliary memory 704 from the operation unit 416 using the file number of the history table corresponding to the image information that needs to be received, and causes it to be transmitted to the PABX 1. Type 4
The file number is set in the 7th to 10th bits of the command packet, and the number of files desired to be received is set in the 11th to 14th bits.

In step 33, the PABX 1 loads the image information corresponding to the specified file number from the auxiliary memory 704 to the page memory 702, and
A desired number of pages are transmitted from the page memory 702 to the terminal that made the reception request.

In this way, the source terminal can transmit image information regardless of whether the destination terminal is in a receivable state, and even if the destination is unable to receive it, it is stored in the memory of PABX1. Time is stored. Since each terminal can obtain the storage status of image information addressed to it in the form of a list, it is possible to easily receive the necessary information at the desired time by accessing PABX1 from the receiving terminal according to this storage status. I can do it.

As described above, the two combinations of reader R1 and printer P1 and reader R2 and printer P2 in FIG. 7 are capable of independent copying operations for PABX1. Hereinafter, this independent copy operation will be referred to as local copy. 13 and 14 show flowcharts of terminal operation control.

Here, while creating a local copy,
When a type 3 command packet is sent from PABX1, either interrupt the local copy in progress and interrupt image reception from PABX1, or
A selection button is provided on the operation unit 416 to select between two modes: rejecting the request and replying by writing the waiting time in a type 3 command packet.
At power-on, the reader/printer uses a key sense routine independent of PABX1 to read this interrupt deny key and set a flag indicating interrupt permission.
Reset it (Step 13-1 in Figure 13).

Then, when a command packet is sent from PABX 1, the command analysis routine shown in FIG. 14 is executed. If the input command packet is type 3, steps 14-1 to 14-2 are executed.
If the question is whether the 31st bit can be received, the process advances to step 14-3. Step 14-3
Then, it is determined whether the interrupt permission flag is set by the key sense routine described above.
If it is set, the response bit of the 32nd bit of the command packet is set and output to PABX1 (step 14-4). Then, in step 14-5, an interruption flag is set.

On the other hand, if the interrupt permission flag is not set, in step 14-6 the time required to complete the copy operation being executed is calculated, a waiting time is set in the 15th to 18th bits of the type 3 command packet, and The 32nd bit response bit is not set.
Output to PABX1.

After this, the control operation of the PABX1 described above is performed, so a description thereof will be omitted.

Furthermore, if the interrupt permission flag is set and the interrupt flag is set in step 14-5, the interrupt flag is determined in step 13-2 every time the copy cycle of local copy ends in FIG. Therefore, in this case, step 13-3
The process proceeds to , interrupts the subsequent copy cycle, and waits for the interrupt flag to be reset. Then, after being reset, execution of local copy starts again.
The interruption flag is reset when image reception ends due to an interruption.

On the other hand, if the interrupt flag is not set, the end flag is determined in step 13-4. The end flag is set at the end of local copying, and the copy cycle is repeated until it is set. If the end flag is set, the copy cycle out routine is passed and the device is returned to its initial state.

In this way, local copying is performed on each terminal.
Since it can be set for each terminal as to whether or not to permit interrupts from the PABX 1, functions are provided depending on the usage status of the terminal. Furthermore, even if interrupts are not permitted, the image information to be sent to the auxiliary memory 704 in the PABX 1 will be stored, so no inconvenience will occur.

As explained above, according to the present invention, if the permission mode is selected, interruption of image formation based on an image signal received from an external device is permitted during image formation based on an image signal generated by reading a document image. Moreover, if the rejection mode is selected, the interruption can be prohibited, so that the image forming apparatus can be used in any mode depending on the usage status of the apparatus.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of an image transmission system according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a sectional view of an embodiment of the reader device, and Fig. 3-1 is a block diagram showing the schematic configuration of the circuit of the reader device in Fig. 2. 3-2 is a diagram showing an image signal output from the reader device in FIG. 2, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the printer device, and FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram of the printer device in FIG. 4. 6 is a block diagram showing the circuit configuration of one embodiment of the terminal, FIG. 7 is a circuit block diagram showing the configuration of one embodiment of PABX1 in FIG. 1, and FIG. Fig. 7 is a conceptual diagram of the switching network, Fig. 9 is a diagram showing command signals, Fig. 10 is a diagram showing the contents of a command packet, and Figs. Control flow chart, Fig. 13 and Fig. 1
Figure 4 is a control flowchart of terminal operation, Part 1.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a reception history form, in which 1 is a PABX, 2-1 and 2-2 are reader devices, 3-1 and 3-2 are printer devices, and 207
-1 and 207-2 are CCDs, 501 is a photosensitive drum, 502 is a semiconductor laser, 415 is a command analysis/command generation circuit, 701 is a switching network, 702
704 is a page memory, 704 is an auxiliary memory, 709 is a data memory, and SW1 to SW8 are rotary switches.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. Reading means for reading an original image and generating an image signal; Receiving means for receiving an image signal from an external device; Image signals generated by the reading means and images received by the receiving means. a forming means for forming an image based on a signal; and during image formation based on the image signal generated by the reading means, either a permission mode in which a request to receive an image signal from the external device is permitted or a refusal mode in which the request is refused. and a flag that is set when the permission mode is selected by the selection means and reset when the denial mode is selected,
and control means for controlling an image forming operation based on the state of the flag, and when the flag is set, the control means permits a request to receive an image signal from the external device and controls the reading operation. interrupting image formation based on the image signal generated by the means, and causing the forming means to execute image formation based on the image signal received by the receiving means; on the other hand, when the flag is reset, the external device An image forming apparatus characterized in that the image forming apparatus rejects a request to receive an image signal from the image forming apparatus, and causes the forming means to continue forming an image based on the image signal generated by the reading means.