JPH11191820A - Image input output method, image input output device and image processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To execute efficiently pluralities of functions in the device provided with pluralities of functions. SOLUTION: One unit of image processing to be executed is divided into an image input job to receive image data from an image input section and an image output job to output image data to an image output section and the execution of the divided image input and output jobs is independently controlled, and after the end of a preceding image input job, a new image input job is started before the end of the image output job relating to the preceding image input job.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an image input / output device for inputting / outputting various image data via a storage medium, an image input / output method, and an image processing system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the digitalization of copiers in recent years, facsimile transmission / reception using scanners and printers of copiers, and PDL (Pag
A multifunction machine having a plurality of functions, such as developing and printing out eDescription Language data, has been put to practical use. Such a multifunction peripheral is configured to be operable not only between a single function such as a copier function, a facsimile function, and a PDL print function, but also between a plurality of functions such as facsimile transmission of a PDL developed image. Furthermore, by connecting the multifunction peripheral to various devices such as a computer device via a LAN, the computer device or the like is configured to be able to use the functions of the multifunction peripheral.

In such a multifunction peripheral, a control program for a printer part is shared between the copier function, the PDL print function, the facsimile print function, and the like, and the copier function, the facsimile read function, the scanner function, and the like are used. By sharing the control program of the reader portion, the capacity of the control program for realizing various functions can be reduced, and desired functions can be realized economically and simply.

[0004]

However, after the image input / output operation constituting one unit of function is completed, the processing of the next image input / output operation constituting another unit of function is started. For example, during a copy operation, an operation of inputting image data obtained by expanding the PDL sent from another computer device to the hard disk is performed,
Wait until the copy operation is completed or PDL
While reading out the expanded image data from the hard disk and printing it out, the reading operation of the original for the copy operation is waited until the completion of the PDL printout. As a result, the user who desires the copy operation is There was a problem that the user had to wait in front of the machine.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to simultaneously process a plurality of functions in the above-described composite configuration. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an image input / output device, an image input / output method, and an image processing system that have a short waiting time from the start of each process requested by a plurality of users to the acquisition of a desired result.

That is, the present invention relates to an image input / output method for inputting image data from at least one image input unit and outputting the input image data to at least one image output unit. Dividing the processing into an image input job for inputting image data from the image input unit and an image output job for outputting image data to the image output unit, and independently controlling execution of the divided image input job and image output job An image input / output method comprising the steps of: starting a new image input job after completion of a preceding image input job and before ending an image output job related to the preceding image input job. .

Further, the present invention represents input means for inputting image data from at least one image input section, output means for outputting image data to at least one image output section, and one unit of image processing to be executed. Capturing means for capturing image processing parameters; and control means for controlling input of image data and output of image data in accordance with the image processing parameters captured by the capturing means, wherein the control means includes: The image processing of one unit represented by the image processing parameter captured by is divided into an image input job for inputting image data by the input means and an image output job for outputting image data by the output means. It controls the execution of the input job and the image output job independently, and furthermore, after the preceding image input job is completed, the preceding image The present invention provides an image input / output device for starting a new image input job before the end of an image output job related to a power job, and the present invention also provides image data input from at least one image input means. To
An image processing system for outputting to at least one image output means, comprising: capture means for capturing image processing parameters representing one unit of image processing to be performed; and image data according to the image processing parameters captured by the capture means. Control means for controlling the input of image data and the output of image data, wherein the control means performs one unit of image processing represented by the image processing parameter captured by the capturing means, and executes image processing by the image input means. An image input job for inputting data and an image output job for outputting image data by the image output means are separately controlled, and execution of the divided image input job and image output job is independently controlled. Start a new image input job after the end and before the end of the image output job related to the preceding image input job There is provided an image processing system according to claim and.

The above and other objects and effects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description.

[0009]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an image input / output control device to which the present invention is applied.

In FIG. 1, a reader unit 1 photoelectrically reads an image of a document by a CCD image sensor or the like, and outputs image data corresponding to the document image to an image input / output control unit 3. The printer unit 2 is, for example, a laser beam printer, and records an image corresponding to image data from the image input / output control unit 3 on recording paper. The image input / output control unit 3 is connected to the reader unit 1 and the printer unit 2, and includes a facsimile unit 4, a storage unit 5, a computer interface unit 7, a RIP (Raster Image Process).
Ssor) unit 8, operation unit 9, core unit 10, and the like.

The facsimile unit 4 expands the compressed image data received via the telephone line, transfers the expanded image data to the core unit 10, and compresses the image data transferred from the core unit 10. The compressed image data is transmitted via a telephone line. Image data to be transmitted and received can be temporarily stored in a hard disk 6 connected to the storage unit 5.

A hard disk 6 is connected to the storage unit 5, and the storage unit 5 compresses the image data transferred from the core unit 10 and stores the compressed image data together with an ID number for searching the image data.
The storage unit 5 searches compressed image data stored in the hard disk 6 based on the code data transferred via the core unit 10, reads out the searched compressed image data, decompresses the image data, and decompresses the decompressed image data. Core data 1
Transfer to 0.

The computer interface unit 7 includes a personal computer or a workstation (PC / PC).
This is an interface between the WS / WS 11 and the core unit 10, and may be connected to the PC / WS 11 via a one-to-one local interface or via a network.

The RIP unit 8 develops code data (PDL) representing an image transferred from the PC / WS 11 into image data that can be recorded by the printer unit 2.

The operation unit 9 has a touch panel display and hard keys, and performs operation instructions and operation settings to the image input / output control device through a user interface.

The details of the core 10 will be described later.
The core unit 10 controls the flow of data among the reader unit 1, printer unit 2, facsimile unit 4, storage unit 5, computer interface unit 7, RIP unit 8, and operation unit 9.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the reader unit 1 and the printer unit 2. The document feeding device 101 of the reader unit 1 feeds a plurality of documents set at a predetermined mounting position by the user onto the platen glass 102 one by one in order from the first page.
After the reading operation of the document is completed, the document on the platen glass 102 is discharged to a predetermined discharge place. When the document is conveyed onto the platen glass 102, the lamp 103 is turned on, the movement of the scanner unit 104 is started, and the document is exposed and scanned. The reflected light from the original at this time is reflected by mirrors 105, 106, 107 and lens 108.
CCD image sensor (hereinafter referred to as CCD) 1
09. Thus, the scanned image of the document is photoelectrically converted by the CCD 109 and read. C
The image data output from the CD 109 is A / D converted,
After predetermined processing such as shading correction and desired editing processing is performed, the processing is transferred to the core unit 10 of the image input / output control unit 3.

The laser driver 221 of the printer unit 2 drives the laser emitting unit 201 and emits a laser beam to the laser emitting unit 201 in accordance with the image data output from the core unit 10 of the image input / output control unit 3. Let it. The laser beam is applied to the photosensitive drum 202, and a latent image corresponding to the laser beam is formed on the photosensitive drum 202. A developer is attached to the latent image portion of the photosensitive drum 202 by a developing device 203.

Further, at a timing synchronized with the start of laser beam irradiation, a recording sheet is fed from one of the cassettes 204 and 205, is conveyed to the transfer unit 206, and records the developer attached to the photosensitive drum 202. Transfer to paper. The recording paper on which the developer is loaded is conveyed to the fixing unit 207, and the developer is fixed on the recording paper by the heat and pressure of the fixing unit 207.
The recording paper that has passed through the fixing unit 207 is discharged by discharge rollers 208, and the sorter 220 stores the discharged recording paper in each bin and sorts the recording paper, or staples the sorted recording paper. The sorter 220
If no sorting is set, the recording paper is stored in the uppermost bin. When double-sided printing is set, the recording sheet on which single-sided printing is performed is conveyed to the discharge roller 208, the rotation direction of the discharge roller 208 is reversed, and the recording paper is guided to the re-feeding conveyance path 210 by the flapper 209. . The recording paper guided to the re-feeding conveyance path 210 is supplied to the transfer unit 206 at the above-described timing, and an image is recorded on the other surface.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the core unit 10.

The image data from the reader unit 1 is transferred to the data processing unit 121 via the interface 122. The data processing unit 121 performs image processing such as image rotation processing and scaling processing, and compresses and decompresses image data, and has a page memory 125 for two pages of image data inside.
Having. The image data transferred from the reader unit 1 to the data processing unit 121 is temporarily stored in the page memory 125, compressed, and transferred to the storage unit 5 via the interface 120.

The computer interface unit 7
Data (PDL) representing an image input through
Is the data processing unit 12 via the interface 120
1 is transferred to the RIP unit 8 and expanded into image data. The image data is transferred to the data processing unit 121, temporarily stored in the page memory 125, and then compressed and stored in the storage unit. 5 is transferred.

The image data from the facsimile unit 4 is transferred to the data processing unit 121, and then transferred to the page memory 125.
After that, it is compressed and transferred to the storage unit 5.

The image data from the storage unit 5 is transferred to the data processing unit 121, decompressed and temporarily stored in the page memory 125, and then transferred to the printer unit 2, facsimile unit 4, computer interface unit. 7 is transferred.

After inputting various image data to the data processing unit 121 and temporarily storing the image data in the page memory 125, before transferring the image data to the storage unit 5,
The transfer to the printer unit 2, facsimile unit 4, and computer interface unit 7 can also be executed by switching the internal selector.

The CPU 123 controls the above various operations in accordance with the control program stored in the memory 124 and the control commands transferred from the operation unit 9. The memory 124 is also used as a work area of the CPU 123.

As described above, the reading of the original image, the printing of the image, the transmission and reception of the image, the storage of the image, and the input and output of data from the computer are performed through the data processing unit 121 and the storage unit 5 centering on the core unit 10. It is possible to perform processing combining functions such as the above.

Next, the job control executed by the CPU 123 of the core unit 10 in the image input / output control device according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 logically shows a unit of job control.

The unit of job control is a series of input and output processing for a set of image data including a plurality of pages. Jobs controlled by this are roughly classified into image input jobs and image output jobs.

An image input job 411 for sequentially recording image data read by the reader unit 1 in the storage unit 5, an image input job 412 for sequentially recording image data developed by the RIP unit 8 in the storage unit 5, An image input job 413 for sequentially recording image data received by the facsimile unit 4-1 in the storage unit 5, and an image input job 414 for sequentially recording image data input from the computer interface unit 7-1 in the storage unit 5.
It is further classified into

The image output job is sent to the storage unit 5.
An image output job 401 for sequentially outputting the image data read from the printer unit 2 to the printer unit 2, an image output job 403 for sequentially outputting the image data read from the storage unit 5 to the facsimile unit 4-2, and an image data read from the storage unit 5 Sequential computer interface unit 7-2
Image output job 404 to be output to

FIG. 5 shows an example of a unit (hereinafter referred to as a session) obtained by combining a plurality of jobs.

Reference numeral 501 denotes a PDL print session, which controls the combination of the image input job 412 and the image output job 401 as a session. 50
Reference numeral 2 denotes a copy session, which controls the combination of the image input job 411 and the image output job 401 as a session. A facsimile transmission session 503 includes an image input job 411 and an image output job 4
03 is controlled as a session. A facsimile reception session 504 controls the combination of the image input job 413 and the image output job 401 as a session. Reference numeral 505 denotes a scan session, which controls the combination of the image input job 411 and the image output job 404 as a session.

A session is a control unit including one or more jobs. In addition to the one shown in FIG. 5, for example, the image input job 412 is treated as one session, and the image output job 401 is treated as one session. Alternatively, the three jobs of the image input job 412, the image output job 401, and the image output job 403 may be combined and treated as one session.

FIG. 6 shows a session control task and a job control task executed by the CPU 123 of the core unit 10 of the image input / output control apparatus according to the present embodiment. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a session control procedure including an image output job for sequentially printing out image data recorded in a storage unit to a printer unit. Note that (S601) to (S630) in the figure indicate each step, and the session control task (a), the image input job control task (b), and the image output job control task (c) each perform a multitask operation. It is.

Referring to FIG. 6, as a first example of session control and job control of the image input / output control apparatus according to the present embodiment, the PDL print session 501 shown in FIG. Output job 40
The first control procedure will be described.

First, in the step (S601) of the session control master (a), the user sets print settings on the PC / WS11. The print setting contents include the number of copies, document size, paper size, enlargement / reduction ratio, single-sided / double-sided, layout, page output order, sort mode, and whether or not stapling is performed. Here, it is assumed that the following print settings are made as an example.

Number of copies: 10 copies (P1) Single-sided printing (P2) Document size: A4 (P3) Paper size: A4 (P4) Enlargement / reduction ratio: 100% (P5) Layout: No ( P6) Page output order: ascending order (P7) Sort mode: Yes ... (P8) Staple stop: Yes ... (P9)

After the print settings described above, the user enters the PC /
A print instruction is given on WS11. PC / WS with it
11 converts the document data to be printed into so-called PDL data by the driver software installed on the printer 11 and sets the print setting parameters (P1) to
Along with (P9), the image data is transferred to the computer interface unit 7 of the image input / output control device via the computer interface connected to the PC / WS11.

The PDL data representing the image input via the computer interface unit 7 is transmitted to the data processing unit 1
After the transfer, the transferred PDL data is sequentially developed (rasterized) into image data in the RIP unit 8. When the RIP unit 8 starts receiving PDL data, a processing request is issued from the RIP unit 8 to the core unit 10. In the core unit 10, the issued processing request is
PU123 accepts. Here, the print setting parameters (P1) to (P9) set by the user are
3 is transferred.

In step (S602), the core unit 10 divides one unit of image processing function according to the processing request issued from the RIP unit 8 into at least one image input job or image output job, and internally A session constituted by the image input job or the image output job is generated and managed. FIG. 7 shows the session management table 7
00 is shown. In the session generation, a session management table 700 shown in FIG. 7 is created on the memory 124, and various information is held until the session ends.

The session ID field 701 is for generating and holding a unique session ID in the image input / output control device. The session type field 702 specifies the type of the generated session (PDL print session, copy session, facsimile transmission session, facsimile reception session, scan session, etc.).
The fact that this is an L print session is recorded. The session priority field 703 holds the priority regarding the processing order of the session. The session status field 704 holds the execution state (executable state, execution state, interruption state, end state, error state, etc.) of the session according to the execution state. The link job number field 705 holds the number of image input jobs and image output jobs that make up the session. In this embodiment, the number of link job fields 705 and the number of image input jobs 412 that make up the PDL print session 501 are as shown in FIG. Since the image output job 401 includes two jobs, “2” is set as the number of components. First
The job pointer field 706 is a pointer to the job management table 710 of the image input job 412. Also, the second job pointer field 707 is
This is a pointer to the job management table 730 of the image output job 401. This job pointer field is prepared for the number of jobs constituting the session. Job management tables are also created for the number of jobs constituting a session.

In step (S603), a job management table 710 for the image input job 412 shown in FIG. 7 is created in the memory 124, and various information is held until the job is completed.

The job ID field 711 generates and holds a unique job ID in the image input / output control device. The job type field 712 specifies the type of the generated job (the above-described image input job and image output job). In the present embodiment, the image data developed by the RIP unit 8 is sequentially recorded in the storage unit 5. The image input job 412 is recorded. The job priority field 713 holds the priority regarding the processing order of the job. The job status field 714 holds the execution status of the job (executable status, execution status, interrupt status, end status, error status, etc.) according to the execution status. The page number field 715 holds the number of pages of the job. The page pointer field 716 is a pointer to a page management table 720 that describes detailed information of each page managed by the job. The page management table 720 is recorded on the hard disk 6.

The job parameter field 717 holds various setting parameters of the job. In this embodiment, the setting contents of the print setting parameters (P1) to (P9) set in step (S601) are held. You.

The session control task (a) activates the image input job control task (b) after creating the job management table 710 for the image input job described above.

In step (S604), a job management table 730 for the image output job 401 shown in FIG. 7 is created in the memory 124, and various information is held until the job is completed.

The job ID field 731 is for generating and holding a unique job ID in the image input / output control device. The job type field 732 specifies the type of the generated job (the above-described image input job and image output job). In the present embodiment, the image data recorded in the storage unit 5 is sequentially printed on the printer unit 2. It is recorded that the image output job 401 is out. Job priority field 7
Reference numeral 33 holds a priority order regarding the processing order of the job. Job status field 734
Indicates the execution status of the job (executable status, execution status,
Interrupted state, end state, error state, etc.) according to the execution state. The number of pages field 735 is
This holds the number of pages of the job. The page pointer field 736 is a pointer to a page management table 740 that describes detailed information of each page managed by the job. The substance of the page management table 740 is the same as the page management table 720 recorded on the hard disk 6 for the image input job 412.

The job parameter field 737 holds various setting parameters of the job. In this embodiment, the number of copies,
The parameters (P1) to (P9) relating to the paper size, enlargement / reduction ratio, single side / double side, page output order, sort output, and the presence / absence of stapling are stored.

The session control task (a) activates the image output job control task (c) after creating the job management table 730 for the above image output job.

In step (S605), processing of the generated image input job 412 is started. That is, from the session control task (a) to the image input job control task (b)
To start the job.

In step (S606), processing of the generated image output job 401 is started. That is, from the session control task (a) to the image output job control task (c)
To start the job.

In step (S607), a job end notification is received from the image input job control task (b), and the image input job end processing is performed. That is, the job status 714 of the job management table 710 of the image input job is set to the end state.

In step (S608), a job end notification is received from the image output job control task (c), and the image output job end processing is performed. That is, the job status 734 of the job management table 730 of the image output job is set to the end state.

In step (S609), session termination processing is performed. That is, the job management tables 710 and 730 of the image input job and the image output job and the image data for each page of the page management tables 720 and 740 are discarded to release the resources, and the session management table 700 is also discarded to release the resources. Release and end a series of processing.

The image input job control task (b) in the PDL print session 501 will be described.

In step (S611), the image input job control task (b) receives a job start instruction from the session control task (a), and no other image input job is being executed. If the input job can be accepted, the designated job is started.

In step (S612), one page of image data expanded by the RIP unit 8 is received. That is,
Image transfer from the RIP unit 8 to the data processing unit 121 via the interface 120 is performed.

In step (S613), the image data transferred to the data processing unit 121 is temporarily stored in the page memory 125.

In step (S614), a page output request is transmitted to the image output job control task (c). When reading of the image data of the page from the page memory 125 is completed in the image output job management task (c) described later, the process proceeds to step (S615).

In step (S615), the image data temporarily stored in the page memory 125 is recorded on the hard disk 6 of the storage unit 5. At this time, various image attribute information (resolution, number of pixels, etc.) is recorded in the page 1 field 721 of the page management table 720.

In step (S616), it is determined whether or not all the pages to be processed developed by the RIP unit 8 have been recorded on the hard disk 6 as image data.
If the result of this determination is that there are pages that have not been processed, the process returns to step (S612), and if all pages have been processed, the process proceeds to step (S617).

In step (S617), an image input job end notification is transmitted to the session control task (a).
The image input job control task (b) ends. As a result, the job status 714 of the job management table 710 of the image input job becomes an end state.

Next, the image output job control task (c) in the PDL print session will be described.

In step (S 621), the image output job control task (c) receives an instruction to start this job from the session control task (a), and the printer unit 2 is not used by another job. If the print operation is possible, the designated job is started.

In step (S622), a request to output image data temporarily stored in page memory 125 is received from image input job control task (b).

In step (S623), reading of image data from page memory 125 is started.

In step (S624), the printer unit 2
After acquiring the right to use the image data of the read page,
The image is transferred to the printer unit 2 via the interface 122, and the printer unit 2 forms an image as described above and prints out.

In step (S625), it is determined whether the page output request from the image input job control task (b) is the last page. As a result of the individual determination, if there is a page that has not been processed, the process returns to step (S622). If all pages have been processed, the process proceeds to step (S626). By the processing so far, the first one copy out of the ten copies set in (P1) is completed. At this stage, a stapling process may be performed on the print output as needed.

In step (S626), image data for each page recorded in the hard disk 6 of the storage unit 5 in step (S615) of the image input job control task (b) is sequentially read out, and data processing is performed via the interface 120. The image is transferred to the unit 121. The data processing unit 121 stores the transferred image data for one page in the page memory 125.

In step (S627), the printer unit 2
, The image data transferred to the data processing unit 121 and held in the page memory 125 is transferred to the printer unit 2 via the interface 122, and the printer unit 2 forms an image and prints out.

In step (S628), it is determined whether all the image data for each page recorded on the hard disk 6 has been printed out. If the result of this determination is that there are pages that have not been processed, the process returns to step (S626). If all pages have been processed, a stapling instruction has been given, and The set 2 staples one sheet of paper, and the process proceeds to step (S629).

In step (S629), step (S
It is determined whether all of the print copies set in 601) have been printed out. If the result of this determination is that there are unprocessed copies remaining, the process returns to step (S626), image data is read from the hard disk 6, stored in the page memory 125, and printed out by the printer unit 2. Execute If all copies have been processed, the process proceeds to step (S63).
Proceed to 0).

In step (S630), an end notification of the image output job is transmitted to the session control task (a).
The image output job control task (c) ends. As a result, the job status 734 of the job management table 730 of the image output job becomes an end state.

In the above example, an example has been described in which the processing time from the start of processing by directly reading the first copy from the page memory to the obtaining of the printout result of the first copy can be shortened. If the printer unit 2 is occupied by an image output job of another session at the time of the second printout, a new image output job (printout) is put on standby until the end of the printing operation being executed. Of the control task (c) (S622)
Steps (S625) are omitted, and after the printing operation being executed is completed, in step (S629), the setting is switched so as to form a loop of 10 copies, and the printout of 10 copies is executed using the image data from the hard disk 76. Configuration.

Further, in the above example, the PC / WS 11 switches the P / P in accordance with the print settings set on the PC / WS 11.
The PDL print session 501 shown in FIG. 5 in which image information is transferred as DL data and the image input / output device develops PDL data into image data and prints out the image data has been described. The same can be applied to the case of the copy session 502 in FIG. 5 for printing and outputting.

Referring now to FIG. 6, as a second example of session control and job control of the image input / output apparatus according to the present embodiment, the copy session 502 of FIG. Control procedures of an image input job 411 for sequentially recording read image data in the storage unit 5 and an image output job 401 for sequentially printing out image data recorded in the storage unit 5 to the printer unit 2 will be described.

First, in step (S601), the user performs various settings for a copy operation on the operation unit 9 of the image input / output control unit 3.

FIG. 8 shows an overview of the operation unit 9. Where 80
1 is a power key, 802 is a preheating key, 803 is a copy function selection key, 804 is a facsimile function selection key, 805
Is a personal box function selection key, 806 is a start key, 807 is a stop key, 808 is a reset key,
809 is an operation guide key, 810 is a user mode setting key, 811 is an interrupt copy key, 812 is a ten key,
Reference numeral 813 denotes a clear key, 814 denotes a facsimile one-touch key, 815 denotes a one-touch key switching lid, and 816 denotes a touch panel. The various setting contents for the copy operation include the number of copies, paper size, enlargement / reduction ratio, one-sided / two-sided, sort output, and whether or not stapling is performed.
2 and the user inputs according to the setting items displayed on the touch panel 816. Here, it is assumed that the following copy settings are made as an example.

Number of copies: 10 (C1) One-sided copy (C2) Paper size: A4 (C3) Enlargement / reduction ratio: 100% (C4) Layout: No (C5) Sort mode: Yes ( C6) Staple stop: Yes ... (C7)

After the above copy settings, the user places the original on the reader unit 1 and presses the start key 806 to give a copy instruction. The operation unit 9 transmits the set copy setting parameters (C1) to (C7) to the CPU 12 of the core unit 10.
3 and issues a processing request.

In step (S602), the core unit 10 divides one unit of image processing function according to the processing request issued from the operation unit 9 into at least one image input job or image output job, and internally A session constituted by an image input job or an image output job is generated, managed by the above-described session management table 700 in FIG. 7, and various information is held until the session ends.

The session ID field 701 generates and holds a unique session ID in the image input / output control device. The session type field 702 specifies the type of the generated session (PDL print session, copy session, facsimile transmission session, facsimile reception session, scan session, etc.), and in this embodiment, records that it is a copy session. Keep it. The session priority field 703 holds the priority regarding the processing order of the session. The session status field 704 holds the execution state (executable state, execution state, interruption state, end state, error state, etc.) of the session according to the execution state. The link job number field 705 holds the number of image input jobs and image output jobs constituting the session. In the present embodiment, the number of link jobs is the image input job 411 and the image output job 401 as the copy session 502 shown in FIG. Therefore, “2” is set as the number of components.
The first job pointer field 706 is a pointer to the job management table 710 of the image input job 411. Also, a second job pointer field 707
Is the job management table 730 of the image output job 401
Is a pointer to

In step (S603), a job management table 710 for the image input job 411 is created on the memory 124, and various information is retained until the job is completed.

The job ID field 711 generates and holds a unique job ID in the image input / output control device. The job type field 712 specifies the type of the generated job (the image input job and the image output job described above). In this embodiment, the image data read by the reader unit 1 is sequentially recorded in the storage unit 5. The image input job 411 is recorded. The job priority field 713 is
The priority order regarding the processing order of the job is held. The job status field 714 indicates the execution status (executable status, execution status, suspended status,
End state, error state, etc.) according to the execution state. The page number field 715 holds the number of pages of the job. The page pointer field 716 is a pointer to a page management table 720 that describes detailed information of each page managed by the job. The page management table 720 is the hard disk 6
Recorded above.

The job parameter field 717 holds various setting parameters of the job. In this embodiment, the setting contents of the copy setting parameters (C1) to (C7) set in step (S601) are held. You.

The session control task (a) starts the image input job control task (b) after creating the job management table 710 for the image input job.

In step (S604), a job management table 730 for the image output job 401 is created on the memory 124, and various information is held until the job is completed.

The job ID field 731 is used to generate and hold a unique job ID in the image input / output control device. The job type field 732 specifies the type of the generated job (the above-described image input job and image output job). In the present embodiment, the image data recorded in the storage unit 5 is sequentially printed on the printer unit 2. It is recorded that the image output job 401 is out. Job priority field 7
Reference numeral 33 holds a priority order regarding the processing order of the job. Job status field 734
Indicates the execution status of the job (executable status, execution status,
Interrupted state, end state, error state, etc.) according to the execution state. The number of pages field 735 is
This holds the number of pages of the job. The page pointer field 736 is a pointer to a page management table 740 that describes detailed information of each page managed by the job. The actual state of the page management table 740 is the same as the page management table 720 recorded on the hard disk 6 for the image input job 411.

The job parameter field 737 holds various setting parameters of the job. In this embodiment, the number of copies, paper size, enlargement / reduction ratio, one-sided / two-sided, and sort output set in step (S601). , Parameters related to the presence or absence of stapling (C
1) to (C7) are held.

The session control task (a) starts the image output job control task (c) after creating the job management table 730 for the image output job.

In step (S605), processing of the generated image input job 411 is started. That is, from the session control task (a) to the image input job control task (b)
To start the job.

In step (S606), processing of the generated image output job 401 is started. That is, from the session control task (a) to the image output job control task (c)
To start the job.

In step (S607), a job end notification is received from the image input job control task (b), and the image input job end processing is performed. That is, the job status 714 of the job management table 710 of the image input job is set to the end state.

In step (S608), a job end notification is received from the image output job control task (c), and the image output job end processing is performed. That is, the job status 734 of the job management table 730 of the image output job is set to the end state.

In step (S609), a session end process is performed. That is, the job management tables 710 and 730 for the image input job and the image output job and the image data for each page in the page management tables 720 and 740 are discarded to release resources, and the session management table 700 is also discarded to release resources. Release and end a series of processing.

The image input job control task (b) in the copy session 502 will be described.

In step (S611), the image input job control task (b) receives the job start instruction from the session control task (a), and the leader unit 1 is not used by another image input job. If the new image input job can be accepted, the designated job is started.

In step (S612), the leader unit 1
1 page of the image data read in step (1). That is, image transfer from the reader unit 1 to the data processing unit 121 via the interface 120 is performed.

In step (S613), the image data transferred to the data processing section 121 is temporarily stored in the page memory 125.

In the step (S614), a page output request is transmitted to the image output job control task (c). When reading of the image data of the page from the page memory 125 is completed in the image output job control task (c), the process proceeds to step (S615).

In step (S615), the image data temporarily stored in the page memory 125 is recorded on the hard disk 6 of the storage unit 5. At this time, various image attribute information (resolution, number of pixels, etc.) is recorded in the page 1 field 721 of the page management table 720.

In step (S616), it is determined whether or not all the pages to be processed read by the reader unit 1 have been recorded on the hard disk 6 as image data.
If the result of this determination is that there are pages that have not been processed, the process returns to step (S612), and if all pages have been processed, the process proceeds to step (S617).

In step (S617), an end notification of the image input job is transmitted to the session control task (a).
The image input job control task (b) ends. As a result, the job status 714 of the job management table 710 of the image input job becomes an end state.

The processing after the step (S621) of the image output job control task (c) in the copy session 502 is completely the same as that in the case of the PDL print session 501 described above, and will not be described.

In the above example, the embodiment relating to the PDL print session 501 and the copy session 502 has been described. However, as shown in the extended example of the session in FIG. Even if arbitrary sessions are configured in combination, the control procedure shown in the present embodiment can be similarly applied to those sessions.

Next, an example of simultaneous operation of a plurality of sessions in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. here,
Reference numeral 901 denotes a session queue, which holds sessions composed of one or more image input jobs or image output jobs such as a copy session and a PDL session as described above in the order of generation. 904 is a copy session, 905 is a PDL print session, 906 is a PD
This is an L print session. In the present embodiment, the copy session 904, the PDL print session 905, and the P
A case where the DL print sessions 906 are generated in order is shown.

An image input job queue 902 holds various image input jobs constituting each session in the order of generation. 907, an image input job generated by the copy session 904; 908, an image input job generated by the PDL print session 905;
Reference numeral 909 denotes an image input job generated by the PDL print session 906.

An image output job queue 903 holds various image output jobs constituting each session in the order of generation. 910, an image output job generated by the copy session 904; 911, an image output job generated by the PDL print session 905;
Reference numeral 912 denotes an image output job generated by the PDL print session 906.

FIG. 9 merely shows the processing order of a session or a job, and does not represent the time required to start or end the processing or the time required for the processing.

FIG. 10 is a timing chart showing the operation timing of each session and the image input job and the image output job shown in FIG.

For the sake of explanation, the copy session 904 has five copies and the PDL print session 905
Is one copy, and the PDL print session 906 is two copies. That is, each of the image input jobs 907, 908, and 909 inputs one copy of image data to the hard disk 6 of the storage unit 5, the image output job 910 prints out five copies, the image output job 911 prints one copy, Image output job 91
Reference numeral 2 denotes a printout of two copies.

In FIG. 10, the processing of the session 905 is started after the processing of the session 904 is completed, and the processing of the session 906 is started after the processing of the session 905 is completed. Are not overlapped. In this case, the processing time of each session is defined by the later of the processing times of the image input job and the image output job for each session.

For example, in the copy session 904, an image input job 907 for reading one copy of an original by the reader unit 1 and recording it on the page memory or the hard disk 6 of the storage unit 5, and sequentially reading each page of the read image data in the page memory 125 or image output job 9 to read out from hard disk 6 and print out 5 copies
However, if the processing speeds of the reader unit 1 and the printer unit 2 are the same, the processing time of the image output job 910 will be approximately five times as long as the processing time of the image input job 907. The processing time of the copy session 904 is defined by the processing time of.

On the other hand, the PDL print session 905 includes an image input job 908 for recording each page of the image data expanded by the RIP unit 8 on the page memory 125 or the hard disk 6 of the storage unit 5 and a page of the expanded image data. Are sequentially read from the page memory 125 or the hard disk 6 and printed out as one copy.
The processing speed of the P unit 8 is the P speed sent from the PC / WS11.
Since the processing speed is very dependent on the content of the DL data, the processing speed is often slower than the processing speed of the printer unit 2. In such a case, the processing time of the image output job 911 is synchronized with the processing time of the image input job 908, and the processing time of the PDL print session 905 is defined by the processing time of the image input job 908.

Therefore, the total processing time T10 of all the queued sessions is equal to the sum of these three sessions.

On the other hand, FIG. 11 is a timing chart showing a case where a plurality of sessions are overlapped for each session shown in FIG.

That is, in FIG. 11, the processing of the session 905 is started before the processing of the session 904 is completed, and the processing of the session 906 is started before the processing of the session 905 is completed. In this case, the processing time of the session is defined by the time from the start of the image input job to the completion of the image output job.

As is clear from FIG. 11, when the overlap processing of a plurality of sessions is performed, if there is an image output job for which print output of a plurality of copies is set in the queued session, the image input job is executed. If the job has been completed, the image output job (for example,
Before the completion of the image output job 910), the image input job (for example, the image input job 908) of the succeeding session is started in advance, and is processed in parallel with the active image output job, so that the timing chart of FIG. Indicates that the processing completion time of the subsequent session is earlier than the processing shown in FIG.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, one image processing function (session) is divided into a plurality of image input / output jobs, and a plurality of jobs relating to different image processing functions are executed in parallel. . Thereby, a plurality of image processing functions can be simultaneously processed, and it is possible to provide an image input / output apparatus with a short waiting time from the start of each processing requested by a plurality of users to obtaining a desired result. is there.

Although the present invention has been described using the preferred embodiment, it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications and changes can be made.

[0122]

As described above, the copy function, PD
In a multifunction device that has multiple functions, such as the L print function, facsimile print function, and image data print function from a computer device, multiple functions can be processed simultaneously, and the start of each processing requested by multiple users It is possible to provide an image input / output device with a short waiting time until a desired result is obtained.

In particular, when a processing request including the output of a plurality of copies is received, the subsequent processing request can be promptly processed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image input / output control device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a reader unit and a printer unit.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a core unit.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an image input job and an image output job.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a session.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of image input / output control.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a structure of a session management, job management, and page management table according to the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an operation unit.

FIG. 9 illustrates a session and a job queue.

FIG. 10 is a timing chart showing operation timings of a session and a job.

FIG. 11 is a timing chart showing operation timings of a session and a job.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Reader part 2 Printer part 3 Image input / output control part 4 Facsimile part 5 Storage part 7 Computer interface part 8 RIP part 9 Operation part 10 Core part

Claims (18)

[Claims] 1. An image input / output method for inputting image data from at least one image input unit and outputting the input image data to at least one image output unit, comprising: Dividing an image input job for inputting image data from the image input unit and an image output job for outputting image data to the image output unit; independently controlling execution of the divided image input job and image output job; Starting a new image input job after finishing the preceding image input job and before finishing the image output job related to the preceding image input job. 2. An image input job inputs image data,
2. The image input / output method according to claim 1, wherein the job is a job to be stored in the image storage unit, and the image output job is a job to read and output image data from the image storage unit. 3. The image input job is a job for inputting at least one of image data obtained by reading a document image, image data obtained by expanding code data representing an image, and image data received from an external device. The image input / output method according to claim 1, wherein 4. The image input / output method according to claim 1, wherein the image output job is a job for outputting image data to at least one of a printer unit for printing an image and a transmitting unit for transmitting an image. . 5. The image input apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a step of creating a plurality of management tables holding information for managing the divided image input job and the image output job, respectively. output method. 6. The execution of each of the divided image input job and image output job in the control step according to the information held in the created plurality of management tables. 6. The image input / output method according to 5. 7. An input unit for inputting image data from at least one image input unit, an output unit for outputting image data to at least one image output unit, and an image processing parameter representing one unit of image processing to be executed Capturing means for capturing image data, and control means for controlling input of image data and output of image data according to the image processing parameters captured by the capturing means, wherein the control means captures the image data by the capturing means. One unit of image processing represented by an image processing parameter is divided into an image input job for inputting image data by the input unit and an image output job for outputting image data by the output unit. The execution of the image output job is controlled independently, and after the preceding image input job is completed, the preceding image input job An image input / output apparatus for starting a new image input job before the end of an image output job related to (1). 8. An image input job is a job for storing image data input by the input unit in the image storage unit, and an image output job is stored in the image storage unit. The image input / output apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the job is a job for outputting the read image data by the output unit. 9. The image input job is a job for inputting at least one of image data obtained by reading a document image, image data obtained by expanding code data representing an image, and image data received from an external device by the input unit. The image input / output device according to claim 7, wherein 10. The image output job according to claim 7, wherein the output unit outputs the image data to at least one of a printer unit that prints the image and a transmission unit that transmits the image. Image input / output device. 11. The image input / output device according to claim 7, wherein the control unit has a plurality of management tables that hold information for managing the divided image input job and the image output job, respectively. apparatus. 12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said control means independently controls execution of each of the divided image input job and image output job according to information held in said plurality of management tables. The image input / output device according to the above. 13. An image processing system for outputting image data input from at least one image input means to at least one image output means, wherein an image processing parameter representing one unit of image processing to be executed is captured. Capturing means, and control means for controlling the input of image data and the output of image data according to the image processing parameters captured by the capturing means, the control means comprising: One unit of image processing represented by the parameter is divided into an image input job for inputting image data by the image input unit and an image output job for outputting image data by the image output unit. The execution of the image output job is controlled independently, and after the preceding image input job is completed, An image processing system, characterized in that before the end of the image output job associated with the job, to start a new image input job. 14. An image input job is a job for storing image data input from the input unit in the image storage unit, and an image output job is stored in the image storage unit. 14. The image processing system according to claim 13, wherein the job is a job for outputting the image data read from the image output unit to the image output unit. 15. The image input means inputs at least one of image data obtained by reading a document image, image data obtained by expanding code data representing an image, and image data received from an external device. 14. The image input / output device according to claim 13, wherein: 16. The image processing system according to claim 13, wherein said image output means executes at least one of image printing and image data transmission in accordance with image data. 17. The image processing system according to claim 13, wherein the control unit has a plurality of management tables that hold information for managing the divided image input job and the divided image output job, respectively. . 18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said control means independently controls execution of each of the divided image input job and image output job in accordance with information held in said plurality of management tables. The image processing system described in the above.