JPH0993373A - Image processing unit and its system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To send image data to which time information preventing missing of information processing included in the received image data, time information required to command transmission of the image data generated by an information processing terminal and time information required to send the image data to an opposite device by a data communication equipment are added in the case of adding additional information. SOLUTION: In the case of sending image data generated by terminal equipments 202, 203 or a FAX server 118 to a facsimile equipment 201 by a transmission command from each equipment through a communication line 116, the facsimile equipment 201 controls the system so that no header information is added in an image regardless of setting of the addition method of header information of the facsimile equipment 201. Furthermore, in this case, a time of transmission command by the terminal equipments 202, 203 or the FAX server 118 and a time when the facsimile equipment 201 makes transmission actually are added to the image data.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and an image processing system capable of adding additional information to image data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in this type of apparatus, for example, a facsimile apparatus, when transmitting image data obtained by reading an original image, name information of a sender,
It is well known that additional information such as transmission time and page is added as image data to original image data read as image data, and then transmitted to a facsimile apparatus on the other side via a line.
In this case, the additional information is generally added to the beginning of each page, but it is set in advance whether it is added outside the read image data or inside the read image data. Additional information is added according to the setting and transmitted.

Further, with the spread of information processing terminals such as personal computers in recent years, there has been widespread use in which the information processing terminal and a facsimile device can be connected and the operation of the facsimile device can be controlled by an instruction from the information processing terminal. Then, in such a system, in accordance with an instruction from the information processing terminal, the document data created by the information processing terminal is transferred to the connected facsimile machine and is facsimile-transmitted to the partner facsimile machine.

[0004]

However, when the document data created by the information processing terminal is transmitted through the facsimile apparatus as described above, it is conceivable that the information processing terminal adds additional information. If the device is set to add the additional information to the image data, the information added by the information processing terminal is hidden by the information added by the facsimile device.

Generally, the time information contained in the additional information is the time when the image data is transmitted through the line, but the operator of the information processing terminal only knows the time when the transmission is instructed, and Often, the time of transmission is not recognized. Therefore, a trouble may occur between an operator on the transmission side that recognizes only the transmission instruction time and an operator on the reception side that recognizes only the actually transmitted time.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus capable of preventing loss of information included in input image data when additional information is added. .

Further, the time information when instructing the transmission of the image data created by the information processing terminal and the time information when the data communication device transmits the image data to the partner device are added to the image data and transmitted. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing system capable of performing the image processing.

[0008]

The image processing apparatus of the present invention for achieving the above object has the following configuration.

That is, a plurality of input means for inputting image data, and an addition means for adding additional information to an end portion or outside of the image data input from one of the plurality of input means,
And a control means for controlling the addition method of the additional information by the addition means in accordance with the type of the input means.

The image processing system of the present invention is an image processing system comprising an information processing terminal and a data communication device connected to the information processing terminal, and the information processing terminal is created by the information processing terminal. Instructing means for instructing transmission of image data, first adding means for adding time information when the instructing means gives the image data, and image data to which time information is added by the first adding means In accordance with an instruction from the instructing means, the transferring means transferring the data to the data communication apparatus, wherein the data communication apparatus receives the image data transferred by the transferring means, and the receiving means receives the image data. A transmitting means for transmitting the image data to the partner device, and a second means for adding time information at the time of transmitting by the transmitting means to the image data received by the receiving means. And a pressure means.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining the schematic arrangement of a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, a CPU 101 is a system control unit and controls the entire facsimile apparatus via a system bus 117. The CPU 101 also monitors time information.

The ROM 102 stores a control program for the CPU 101, an operating system (OS) program, a character generator for creating a header, and the like. The RAM 103 is configured by an SRAM or the like, and stores program control variables and the like. The set values registered by the operator, management data of the apparatus, and various work buffers are also stored in the RAM 103. The image memory 104 is composed of a DRAM or the like, and stores image data. In the present embodiment, each control program stored in the ROM 102 is controlled by software such as scheduling and task switch under the control of the OS stored in the ROM 102.

An operation unit 105 includes various keys, LEDs, and LCs.
D, etc., for performing various input operations by the operator and displaying the operation status of the facsimile machine. On the operation unit 105, various settings can be performed in addition to a call operation using a ten-key pad, an abbreviated button, and a one-touch button. This setting includes the setting of the method of adding the header information added to the upper part of the image data, and it is possible to set whether to add the header information outside the image data or inside the image data. . The header information mentioned here is additional information added on the transmission side, and additional information such as the name of the sender, time information at the time of transmission, and page number is added to the upper end of each page of the image data received by the receiving side. It is to be added.

The reading control unit 107 is composed of a CS image sensor, a document feeding mechanism, and the like. The reading control unit 107 optically reads a document on the platen using a CS image sensor, converts it into electrical image data, and the image processing control unit 108 various images such as binarization processing and halftone processing. The processing is performed to output high-definition image data. The converted image data is coded according to a predetermined coding method via the reading / recording code decoding control unit 112 and is stored in the image memory 104.

The recording control unit 114 is composed of a page printer, a recording image processing control unit and the like. In the recording control unit 114, the image data to be recorded and output is decoded by the reading and recording code decoding control unit 112, and the recording image processing control unit performs smoothing processing and recording density correction processing to convert it into high-definition image data, It is to be output to a page printer.

The communication control unit 109 is composed of a MODEM (modulation / demodulation device) or the like, and controls modulation / demodulation of a transmission / reception signal of a facsimile. NCU (Network Controller)
Reference numeral 110 sends a selection signal (dial pulse or tone dialer) to an analog communication line (PSTN) 116, detects a calling signal, and performs line control of automatic incoming call control. The image data stored in the image memory 104 is decoded by the communication coding / decoding control unit 111, and the resolution conversion processing unit 106 performs milli-inch resolution conversion, enlargement / reduction processing, and the like. The resolution-converted image is subjected to coding processing by the communication coding / decoding control unit 111 in accordance with the capability of the transmission destination, and transmission is controlled.

The I / F control unit 115 controls the interface with an information processing terminal (FAX server) 118 connected to the outside. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the parallel interface such as the bidirectional Centronics interface is supported.

The FAX server 118 can create document / graphic data, image data, etc. by various application software, transfers the created image data to a facsimile machine together with a transmission instruction, and the facsimile machine sends a facsimile to a partner facsimile machine. Can be sent. In addition to this, the FAX server 118 can also control various operations of the facsimile apparatus.

The FAX server 118 is a LAN 119.
It receives a remote operation request of a facsimile machine such as transmission and printing from an information processing terminal (client) on the LAN 119, and controls the operation of the facsimile machine.

Remote operations such as transmission from the FAX server 118 to a facsimile machine, printing, and data registration are performed by transmitting predetermined command, parameter, data, etc. to the facsimile machine via the I / F control unit 115. It is done. In this example of the embodiment, it is assumed that the FAX server 118 is installed with application software and driver software for controlling the remote operation and the remote operation request.

FIG. 2 shows the facsimile apparatus shown in FIG.
It is a figure which shows the network structure at the time of connecting to LAN119 via AX server 118.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 201 denotes the facsimile machine shown in FIG.
It is connected to N119. The facsimile device 201 includes an image data read by the read control unit 107 and the terminal device 2.
02, 203, the image data created by the FAX server 118 is transmitted through the communication line 116, or the communication line 11 is transmitted.
The image data received via 6 is recorded and output by the recording control unit 114, and the FAX server 1 is controlled by the I / F control unit 115.
18 or the terminal device 202 or 203.

Reference numerals 202 and 203 denote client machines (terminal devices) connected to the LAN 119, which are FAX machines.
Similar to the server 118, various image data can be created by application software, and by sending a predetermined command or the like to the FAX server 118, the created image data can be sent or printed using the facsimile apparatus 201. It is an information processing terminal capable of

Reference numeral 204 is a file server for controlling the management of the LAN 119 protocol and the management of files on the LAN 119.

Next, the processing for transmitting image data via the communication line 116 will be described.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the flow of processing by the terminal device 202 or 203 on the LAN 119.

First, in step S301, image data (document, graphic data, etc.) desired by the operator is created using application software, and an operator's instruction is awaited.

Next, in S302, it is determined whether the operator of the terminal device 202 or 203 has instructed to transmit this image data. This transmission instruction also includes an instruction of the destination of the partner device. Further, in some cases, information such as a sub address is included.

Then, if there is a transmission instruction, the process proceeds to S303, and header information including the time when the transmission instruction is accepted is added to the upper end portion of the image data. In the header information added here, the recipient's name of the other party or the like is input according to the setting of the terminal device 202 or 203, the operation of the operator, or the like.

Next, in S34, the image data in which the header information expanded in the bitmap image is added to the upper end portion (also expanded in the bitmap image) is transferred to the FAX server 118 together with the transmission instruction information. However, it is also possible to transfer a bitmap image compressed by a method such as MH or MR.

On the other hand, if it is determined in S302 that it is not a transmission instruction, the process proceeds to S305, and other processing is executed.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the flow of processing by the FAX server 118.

First, in step S401, it is determined whether a facsimile transmission instruction is issued from the terminal device 202 or 203 via the LAN 119. If it is determined that the transmission instruction is given here, the terminal device 20
The image data transferred from 2 or 203 is received.
However, the header information added by the terminal device 202 or 203 is included in the upper end portion of this image data.

On the other hand, in S401, the terminal device 202 or 2
If it is determined that there is no transmission instruction from 03, S40
In step 3, the application software installed in the FAX server 118 determines whether to create image data. If it is determined that the image data is created, the process proceeds to S404, and the image data is created by the operation of the operator.

Next, in S405, the FAX server 1
It is determined whether or not 18 operators have instructed to transmit this image data. As in the case of the above-mentioned terminal device, this transmission instruction includes the subaddress and the like in the destination information as needed.

If there is a transmission instruction, the process proceeds to S406, and header information including the time when this transmission instruction is accepted is added to the upper end of the image data. Various information is input to the header information added here, as in the case of the terminal device described above. If there is no transmission instruction, the process proceeds to S409 to perform other processing.

In S407, the transmission instruction information sent from the terminal devices 202 and 203 or the FAX server 11
A transmission cover page is created based on the information regarding the transmission instruction made in 8. Information such as the time when the transmission is instructed in S302 or S405, the names of the sender and the recipient, the telephone numbers of the originating station and the receiving station, and the title are input to the cover page by setting the FAX server. However, if it is set not to add a cover page, the cover page is not created.

Next, in S408, the cover page created in S407 is set as the first page, and S303 or S40 is set.
The image data is transferred to the facsimile apparatus 201 together with the header information added in step 6. Image data transferred here (image data with cover page and header information added)
Is image data expanded into a bitmap image.
However, it is also possible to transfer a bitmap image compressed by a method such as MH or MR. If the cover page is not set, the created image data is transferred from the first page.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are flowcharts showing the flow of processing for transmitting image data by the facsimile apparatus 201. This flowchart shows the control flow of the CPU 101 based on the program stored in the ROM 102.

First, in S501, the terminal devices 202, 20
3 or an external device such as the FAX server 118 determines whether a facsimile transmission instruction has been given. However, since the terminal devices 202 and 203 send a transmission request command to the FAX server 118, the facsimile device 201
The CPU 101 waits for an instruction from the FAX server 118.

If it is determined that there is a transmission instruction from the outside, the process advances to step S502 to receive the image data to which the cover page (in case of setting) and header information is added from the FAX server 118.

If it is determined in S501 that the transmission instruction is not from the outside, the process proceeds to S503, in which a transmission instruction is issued by the operation unit 105 in order to transmit the image data obtained by reading the document on the document table by the reading control unit 107. Determine whether If the reading instruction is from the operation unit 105, the process advances to step S504 to sequentially read the document images on the document table.

Next, in step S505, it is determined whether the facsimile apparatus 201 is set to add header information.

Here, if the header information is set to be added, the process proceeds to S506, a call is made in accordance with the transmission instruction of S503, and in S507, the data registered as the content of the header information (source name, The telephone number, the name of the receiving station, etc.) are read out, and the transmission time and page number are added as bitmap information to the image data read in S504 as header information and transmitted to the partner device. At this time, the header information is added inside the image or outside the image according to the setting of the corresponding facsimile apparatus 201 and transmitted. Then, in step S508, the transmission time and page number of the header information are updated and transmitted for each page until it is determined that the transmission image data ends.

On the other hand, if it is set not to add the header information, the process proceeds to S509, the call is issued according to the transmission instruction of S503, and the transmission of the read image data is performed in S510 until it is determined in S511 that the transmission is completed.

If the image data based on the transmission instruction from the outside is received in S502, the process proceeds to S601, and it is determined whether the facsimile apparatus 201 is set to add the header information.

Here, if the header information is set to be added, the process proceeds to S602, and the transmission instruction information sent from the FAX server 118 (based on the transmission instruction from the terminal device 202, 203 or the FAX server 118). Then, in S603, the header information including the transmission time and the page number is added to the outside of the image data received in S502 and transmitted in S603. Here, even when the facsimile apparatus 201 is set to add the header information inside the image, the header information is added outside the image. Then, in step S604, the transmission time and page number of the header information are updated and transmitted for each page until it is determined that the transmission image data ends.

On the other hand, if the header information is set not to be added, the process proceeds to S605, a call is made according to the transmission instruction information sent from the FAX server 118, and the transmission of the received image data is ended in S607 in S606. Until you decide.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of image data recorded and output by the facsimile apparatus on the receiving side.

In FIG. 7, a portion a is header information added by the facsimile apparatus 201 on the transmitting side to the outside of the image data. The part b is the terminal device 202, 2 on the transmission side.
03 or FAX server 118 is the facsimile device 2
This is the image data transferred to 01. If the facsimile apparatus 201 is set not to add the header information, only the area of b is sent, and the receiving side receives b from the upper end of the recording paper.
Area is recorded. If the facsimile apparatus 201 is set to add the header information to the outside of the image when transmitting the image data (the area of b) obtained by reading the original on the platen, the header of the portion a is set. By adding and transmitting information, the receiving side records and outputs as shown in FIG. 7, and if the header information is set to be added to the image, the header information added by the facsimile apparatus 201 (portion a) Are overlapped so as to mask an area of the same size as a at the upper end of the portion b. That is, if the header information is set to be added to the image, the information on the area a is missing from the upper end of the area b on the receiving side (however, the original is read and transmitted). In this case, the top edge of the document often has no information, so masking the top edge is not a problem).

In FIG. 7, reference numeral 701 is a transmission date, and 702.
Is the time when the image data is actually sent over the line, 7
03 is the telephone number of the transmitting station, 704 is the name of the sender, and 70
5 is the name of the receiving station, and 706 is the page number. These pieces of information are information added by the facsimile apparatus 201. The transmission time 702 has a plurality of pages of image data to be transmitted, and if the time changes between pages, different times are naturally added to each page.

Further, 707 is the time when the transmission is instructed (the time when the transmission instruction by the operator is received by the terminal device 202, 203 or the FAX server 118), 708 is detailed information (sender name etc.) about the sender, and 709 is the sender. , 710 is the name of the recipient. These pieces of information are information added by the terminal devices 202 and 203 or the FAX server 118. Since the transmission instruction time 707 is the time when the operator has instructed to transmit a series of image data, the same time is added to all pages even if there are a plurality of pages.

The header information shown in FIG. 7 is an example, and the present invention is not limited to this.

According to the above-described embodiment, the external device (terminal device, FAX server) is set regardless of whether the facsimile device 201 is set to add the header information to the outside or inside of the image. When there is a transmission instruction from the terminal device, the image data is added to the outside of the image.
Since the header information added in 8 and the header information added in the facsimile apparatus 201 are both sent to the receiving side, more information can be transmitted. Further, at this time, since the operator of the terminal device 202, 203 or the FAX server 118 does not need to be aware of the setting of the method of adding the header information of the facsimile device 201, the operability is improved.

Further, on the receiving side, both the time when the operator on the transmitting side instructs the transmission and the time when the transmission is actually performed are recorded in the received document, so that the occurrence of trouble can be prevented. Further, since what each time indicates is also described, the receiving side will not be confused.

When there is a transmission instruction from an external device, the facsimile device 201 does not add the header information regardless of the setting of the method of adding the header information, and the external device adds the detailed header information. May be. Further, the external device may grasp the position where the facsimile device adds the header information in the image, and may add the header information to the position where they do not overlap.

In the above-described embodiment, the terminal device or the FAX server transfers the time information when the transmission instruction is accepted to the facsimile device while adding the time information to the image data. However, the time information is transmitted separately from the image data. The facsimile device may add the time information as an image to the image data. Also, when the terminal device instructs the transmission, the time information is notified to the FAX server,
The FAX server may add the time information as an image to the image data.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the cover page with the transmission acceptance time is created by the FAX server 118, but it may be created by the terminal device.

When a transmission request is made to a facsimile machine connected to a computer network, the time from the transmission request to the actual transmission is stored in a memory or the like and managed. By doing so, it is possible to understand the traffic condition of the network. If both the transmission request time and the actual transmission time are stored, it is easy to identify the image when viewing the communication history.

Further, although the transmission support time is added as the header information in the above-mentioned embodiment, it may be added only to the cover page.

[0063]

As described above, according to the present invention, the method of adding the additional information is made different according to the type of the input means, so that it is included in the input image data when the additional information is added. It is possible to prevent loss of information that is stored

Further, it is possible to make the receiving side grasp the time when the transmission of the image data created by the information processing terminal is instructed and the time when the image data is actually transmitted.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a facsimile apparatus that is an example of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a connection form when the facsimile apparatus of FIG. 1 is connected to a LAN via a FAX server.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing by a terminal device on a LAN.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing flow by a FAX server.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a flow of a transmission process by the facsimile device.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a flow of transmission processing by the facsimile device.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an output example of image data to which header information is added.

[Explanation of symbols]

 101 CPU 102 ROM 103 RAM 104 Image Memory 105 Operation Unit 106 Resolution Conversion Processing Unit 107 Reading Control Unit 108 Image Processing Control Unit 109 Communication Control Unit 110 NCU 111 Communication Code Decoding Processing Unit 112 Read / Record Code Decoding Processing Unit 113 I / F code decoding processing unit 114 Recording control unit 115 I / F control unit 116 Communication line 117 System bus 118 FAX server 119 LAN

Front page continued (72) Inventor Kazuomi Oishi 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Soichi Yamamuro 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Takeshi Tsukamoto 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Masaki Toyama 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Seiji Ejiri, Canon Inc., 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of input means for inputting image data, an addition means for adding additional information to an end portion or outside of the image data input from one of the plurality of input means, and a type of the input means. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising control means for controlling the addition method of the additional information by the addition means to be different. 2. The plurality of input means includes first input means for inputting image data obtained by reading an original image and second input means for inputting image data received from an external device. The image processing device according to claim 1. 3. The control unit controls to add additional information to the outside of the image data by the adding unit when the image data is input by the second input unit. Image processing device. 4. The control means further comprises a setting means for setting whether the additional information is to be added to an end portion or outside of the image data input from one of the plurality of input means by the adding means, The means controls the addition of additional information to the image data by the addition means according to the setting contents of the setting means when the image data is inputted by the first input means. The image processing device described. 5. The apparatus further comprises a transmitting means for transmitting the additional information by the adding means to the image data input from one of the plurality of input means via a line, and the adding means transmits by the transmitting means. 6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein additional information is added to the image data as sender information. 6. An image processing system comprising an information processing terminal and a data communication device connected to the information processing terminal, wherein the information processing terminal includes an instruction means for instructing transmission of image data created by the information processing terminal. A first adding unit for adding time information to the image data when the instruction unit gives an instruction, and the image data added with the time information by the first adding unit according to the instruction by the instruction unit. A transfer unit for transferring to the data communication device, wherein the data communication device receives the image data transferred by the transfer unit, and a transmission for transmitting the image data received by the receiving unit to a partner device. Means and second adding means for adding time information when transmitting by the transmitting means to the image data received by the receiving means, The stage transmits the image data to which the respective time information has been added by the first adding means and the second adding means. 7. The image processing system according to claim 6, wherein the first adding unit and the second adding unit further add information indicating what the time information to be added represents. . 8. The second adding means is the receiving means,
The image processing system according to claim 6, wherein time information is added to the outside of the image data received from the information processing terminal.