JP2001169123A - Color facsimile machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a color facsimile machine which uses existing general communication protocols to designate a color of formation of a reception image, in color facsimile machine on the reception side from facsimile machine on the transmission side. SOLUTION: This facsimile machine is provided with a read part 16, which reads a document image to convert it into image signal, a communication control part 12 which converts the image signal to a communication signal to transmit it to facsimile machine in the destination and converts a communication signal received from facsimile machine in the destination into image signal, an image-forming part 17 which uses image forming media of plural colors to form an image on a print medium from the received image signal, a main control part 19 which controls transmission and reception of the communication signal performed by a communication control part 12 and image formation on the print medium performed by an image forming part 14, and a color designation code detection part 13, which detects whether a color designation code 43 to designate an image formation color exists in the received image signal, and the main control part 19 makes the image-forming part 14 form an image with the image formation color designated by the color designation code 43, when the color designation code is detected by the color designation code detection part 13.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a color facsimile apparatus having a color scanner function, a color printer function, and a facsimile communication function. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for transmitting received image data using a color designated in a transmission original. The present invention relates to a color facsimile apparatus that can be formed.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image signal read from a document image can be transmitted to a facsimile machine of the other party via a public communication line, and an image signal from the facsimile machine of the other party is received to receive a received image. Facsimile machines that can be formed and output are known. Generally, a facsimile apparatus reads a document image and converts the image signal into an image signal, and converts the image signal into a communication signal and transmits the communication signal to a destination facsimile apparatus, and also receives a communication signal received from the destination facsimile apparatus. A communication control unit that converts the received image signal into an image signal, an image forming unit that forms an image on a print medium using a plurality of color image forming media, a facsimile communication using the communication control unit, and the image forming unit. A main control unit for controlling image formation and the like. In recent years, colorization of facsimile machines has also been progressing,
For example, it has become known that color facsimile machines of the same maker / same model can transmit and receive a color original image. When the image forming unit in the color facsimile machine forms an image, as a medium for forming an image,
Four color toners of black (K), cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) are used. The image forming unit forms a color image by sequentially superimposing and transferring a single color image formed using one color toner selected from four color toners onto a transfer paper as a recording medium for each color. I do. The color of the color image formed on the transfer paper is adjusted by a mixing ratio of four color toners (image forming media). For example, the size of the pixel dot for each color formed by the color toner or each color is adjusted. The size of the area occupied by each pixel dot on the transfer paper is adjusted and implemented. That is, for example, when forming a color image in which red is strong, the size of the magenta pixel dots should be increased,
To increase the area occupied by magenta pixel dots on the transfer paper and form a strong blue color image, increase the size of the cyan pixel dots or increase the area occupied by the cyan pixel dots on the transfer paper. . Further, as such a color facsimile apparatus, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No.
Japanese Patent No. 65500 discloses that when only one color toner among four color toners is used up, the other three
A method for forming an image of a received image in a color different from a normal color using colors is disclosed.

[0003]

When an operator of a color facsimile apparatus performs facsimile transmission of a transmission document having important contents or a transmission document having urgent contents, the "important" of the transmission document is transmitted to a communication partner. It is necessary to convey the "gender" or "urgency", but conventionally, a telephone call is made separately from the communication content (usually formed in black) transmitted by the normal facsimile transmission method to the communication destination. There was no other way but to call attention. For example, even if an original with important contents is transmitted by facsimile as usual without making a telephone call, on the receiving side, the received image output of important contents and the received image output of other ordinary contents have the same image forming color (black). Therefore, the received image output of important contents may be buried in other received image outputs, and the fact that the contents are important may not be sufficiently transmitted to the communication partner. Also, even if you send a fax with urgent contents as usual without calling,
On the receiving side, the received image output of urgent contents and the received image output of other contents that are not particularly urgent have the same image forming color (black), so that the received image output of urgent contents is buried in other received image outputs. As a result, urgent contents may be transmitted to the communication partner with a delay. Also, in the case of facsimile communication aiming at an advertising effect to a communication partner like direct mail, the same image forming color (black) as other received image output received and stacked on the tray is used. It was buried in the output of the received image and could not be effectively advertised. As described above, when it is desired to draw special attention to the communication partner with respect to the transmission original, for example, the transmission original formed in red is transmitted by the color facsimile apparatus, and the reception side color facsimile apparatus transmits the transmission original. The received image may be formed using the image forming color (red) of the document. However, a communication protocol between color facsimile apparatuses that receives a color (full color) document image as a color image having the same color scheme is not widely used at present. Therefore, even if the transmission original is imaged in red and color facsimile transmission is performed as described above, the color facsimile of the destination does not always form an image in red, and for example, a black reception image is simply formed. Could have been done.

Further, for example, a color image of a received image formed by a receiving-side color facsimile apparatus is designated by a communication command or the like from a transmitting-side color facsimile apparatus to be red, and an original image is transmitted. In this case, the received image may be formed by using the red color specified by analyzing the communication command, but the communication protocol including the communication command for specifying the image forming color of the receiving side color facsimile apparatus from the transmitting side may be used. Is not widely used at present, and therefore cannot be applied to color facsimile machines. Further, in the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-265500,
When the built-in one color toner runs out, the receiving color facsimile machine switches the color for forming the received image by its own judgment, and the color for forming the received image from the transmitting facsimile device to the receiving color facsimile device. Was not specified. Therefore, conventionally, in the transmission color facsimile apparatus, the designation of the color forming the reception image of the reception side color facsimile apparatus is performed by:
It was considered impossible until a standard communication protocol between color facsimile machines used for transmission and reception was established (or a de facto standard was determined). SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-described conventional problems, and has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems. It is an object of the present invention to provide a color facsimile apparatus capable of designating a color facsimile.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, a color facsimile apparatus according to the present invention has a reading section for reading an original image and converting it into an image signal, and a communication signal for converting the image signal into a communication signal. And a communication control unit for transmitting a communication signal received from the destination facsimile machine to an image signal and transmitting the communication signal to the destination facsimile apparatus, and using a multi-color image forming medium on a print medium from the received image signal. Facsimile apparatus having an image forming unit for forming an image by using the communication control unit, and a main control unit for controlling transmission and reception of a communication signal performed by using the communication control unit and image formation on a print medium using the image forming unit. A color designation code detection unit that detects whether a color designation code designating an image forming color is present in the received image signal, and the main control unit includes: If the color specified code is detected by the specified code detection section, and characterized in that an image formed using the image forming color designated by said color designation code to the image forming unit. According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the color facsimile apparatus according to the first aspect, an image is formed by an image forming unit using one kind of image forming color by one kind of the color designation code. According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the color facsimile apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the color designation code includes mixing ratio information of image forming media of a plurality of colors. The invention of claim 4 is
The color facsimile apparatus according to claim 1,
The image forming unit includes a color designation code deletion unit that deletes the color designation code in an image formed in the image formation unit when a color designation code is detected by the color designation code detection unit, The main control unit allows a facsimile receiver to select whether or not to delete the color designation code when forming an image. According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the color facsimile apparatus according to the first aspect, when the color designation code detection unit detects a color designation code, the main control unit sets the color designation code at the time of image formation. The facsimile receiver selects whether or not to follow the color specified in (1).

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on illustrated embodiments. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing components on the transmitting and receiving sides when a document image is received using the color facsimile apparatus of one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, a color facsimile apparatus 1 of the present embodiment is connected to a transmission-side facsimile apparatus 2 by a public communication line 3. When a document image is received using the color facsimile apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, a color designation code area 42 is provided at a predetermined position on the transmission document sheet 4 on which the document image 41 to be transmitted is described. The color designation code 43 is entered in the color designation code area 42. In the present embodiment, the color designation code area 42 is provided at the corner of the front end of the transmission original paper 4. The color designation code 43 will be described later in detail with reference to FIG. The color facsimile apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment includes a communication control unit 12 connected to the public communication line 3 and capable of transmitting and receiving an image signal and a control signal with at least the other party's facsimile apparatus using a general-purpose communication protocol. A color designation code detection unit 13 for detecting whether or not a color designation code for designating an image forming color exists therein; an image forming unit 14 capable of outputting a received image in color on a transfer medium such as a printing medium; An operation unit 15 including display means for notifying an operator of a message or a current situation and input means such as a keyboard for inputting an instruction by the operator, and reading a color original image from a transmission original sheet. Image reading section 16 capable of reading, reading processing by image reading section 16, facsimile communication processing by communication control section 12, image forming 14 image forming process by, and a main control unit for controlling a display process or the input process from the operation unit 15 1
9 is provided. The color designation code detection unit 13 performs, for example, bitmap development of the image signal received on a memory such as a RAM, and extracts the storage content of the memory area corresponding to the color designation code area 42 (52) from the developed storage content. The extracted storage contents are analyzed by the main control unit 19 and the like to detect the color designation code 43 (53). Also, when forming a received image from an image signal, the image forming unit 14 includes:
It has a color designation deleting unit 17 for deleting the color designation code 53 in the color designation code area 52. The facsimile machine 2 on the transmitting side does not need to be a color facsimile machine because it transmits using the existing general-purpose communication protocol. The facsimile apparatus 2 includes an image reading unit 22 that can read a document image 41 and a color designation code 43 from the transmission document sheet 4 as images, and a facsimile apparatus connected to the public communication line 3 and using a general-purpose communication protocol. A communication control unit 23 capable of transmitting and receiving image signals and control signals to and from an image forming unit 24 capable of outputting a received image on a transfer paper or the like at least in black and white, and an image reading unit 22
, A facsimile communication process by the communication control unit 23, a main control unit 29 for controlling an image forming process by the image forming unit 24, and the like.

FIG. 2 shows a transmission original sheet 4 or a transmission original sheet 4 when the color facsimile apparatus 1 of the present embodiment outputs a received image using a color designated on the transmission side.
7 is an example of a received image output sheet 5 having the same content as that of FIG. Since the transmission manuscript paper 4 and the reception image output paper 5 have the same contents, the following description will be made only for the transmission manuscript paper 4, and the symbols of the reception image output paper 5 are changed from “4x” to “5x”.
x ", and the repeated description is omitted. A document image 41 of an arbitrary content is written (formed) in order from the top to the bottom on the transmission document paper 4 and a bar code is placed in a color designation code area 42 defined in the lower right (tip corner). The color designation code 43 is described (formed).
The color designation code area 42 is provided for facilitating discrimination between the document image 41, which is information to be transmitted to the other party, and the color designation code 43.
It is set as far as possible from a certain area of the document image 41 on the transmission document. Further, in the present embodiment, the color designation code area 42 is provided at the lower right, but the original image 4
It may be set at another position where it is easy to distinguish 1 from the color designation code 43. The color designation code 43 is a code indicating a numerical value of a mixture ratio of each color in the order of black (K), cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) by a general-purpose bar code. For example, if the barcode contains “0, 100, 0, 10
If the numerical value is described as "0", K = 0% and C = 100
%, M = 0%, Y = 100%, and cyan (blue) 10
0% and yellow 100% are mixed, so "dark green"
Is specified. Further, for example, if a numerical value such as “0, 0, 50, 0” is described in the barcode, K =
Since 0%, C = 0%, M = 50%, and Y = 0%, and only 50% of magenta is not mixed with other colors, it means that "light magenta color" is designated. The method of generating the color designation code 43 in the color designation code area 42 is, for example, as follows.
Any method such as stamping, decaling, and sticking of printer output can be used.

The operation of the color facsimile apparatus 1 of the present embodiment for receiving a document image whose color is specified on the transmission side is as follows. (1) The transmission original sheet 4 in which the color designation code 43 is described in the color designation code area 42 is the image reading unit 2 of the facsimile apparatus 2.
2 is read. (2) The document image 41 and the color designation code 43 read by the image reading unit 22 become image signals and are sent to the communication control unit 23. (3) The communication control unit 23 converts the received image signal into a facsimile communication signal and, together with the control signal,
To send to. (4) The communication control unit 12 in the color facsimile apparatus 1 that has received the facsimile communication signal together with the control signal returns the facsimile communication signal to an image signal and sends it to the color designation code detection unit 13. (5) The color designation code detection unit 13 performs bitmap expansion of the image signal to detect the color designation code 43 (53), notifies the main control unit 19 of the detection result, and sends the image signal to the image forming unit 14. I do. (6) The image forming unit 14 that receives the color designation instruction and the image formation instruction generated from the detection result of the color designation code 43 (53) from the main control unit 19 and receives the image signal has the color designation code 43 (53). ), The received image 51 and the color designation code 53 are formed on the received image output paper 5 from the image signal by using the color toner of the color designated by the above (1), and the received image output paper 5 is discharged from the color facsimile machine 1. In this manner, the color facsimile apparatus 1 of the present embodiment can easily use the existing general-purpose communication protocol to easily change the color that forms the reception image of the color facsimile apparatus 1 on the receiving side from the facsimile apparatus 2 on the transmitting side. In addition, any color can be designated. In the present embodiment, a color designation code 53 is also formed on the received image output paper 5 together with the received image 51. However, the color designation code 53 is for designating the image forming color of the color facsimile apparatus 1 and has no meaning after the image formation is completed. May get in the way. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the operation unit 15 can specify the color designation code 53 so that the color designation code 53 is not formed on the received image output paper 5. An operator inputs an instruction to the main control unit 19 using input means such as a keyboard of the operation unit 15. The instruction content is, for example, when the received image 51 is formed on the received image output sheet 5 from the image signal received by the image forming unit 14, the color designation code in the color designation code area 52 by the color designation deletion unit 17 is used. This is an instruction to delete 53.

FIG. 3 shows that the color facsimile apparatus 1 of the present embodiment does not perform image formation in the color designation code area 52 when outputting the received image 51 in the color designated on the transmission side. 6 is an example of a received image output sheet 5 obtained. In this manner, in the present embodiment, whether or not to form the color designation code 53 on the received image output paper 5 can be selected from the operation unit 15 of the color facsimile machine 1 on the receiving side. , The partial image of the color designation code 53 unnecessary for the recipient of the facsimile message is deleted so as not to be output, and the received image 51 can be easily read. In addition, the color designation code 43
Is transmitted (not formed), the color designation code detecting unit 13 in the color facsimile machine 1 on the receiving side transmits the color designation code 43 in the color designation code area 42 (52). The main control unit 19 detects that (53) is not described and notifies the main control unit.
An instruction to output nothing to the color designation code area 52 is output. Accordingly, the output in this case is as shown in FIG.
Further, for example, the function of the present embodiment may be applied to a facsimile that is not always important on the receiving side, such as direct mail. In that case, in this embodiment,
The instruction of the color designation code 43 can be canceled. At this time, for example, the operator inputs an instruction to the main control unit 19 using a transmission-side designated output color rejection key provided on input means such as a keyboard of the operation unit 15. The instruction content is, for example, when forming the reception image 51 on the reception image output sheet 5 from the image signal received by the image forming unit 14,
For example, the color designation code detector 43 (5
Even when 3) is detected, the detected color designation code 43 (5
This is an instruction to perform image formation using a default color (for example, black) without using the color based on 3).

As described above, in the present embodiment, the received image 51 formed on the received image output paper 5 from the operation unit 15 of the color facsimile machine 1 on the receiving side is converted into the color designation code 5.
Since it is possible to select whether or not to form a facsimile message in accordance with the instruction of the third instruction, a facsimile message that is not important to the recipient of the facsimile message is output in the same color as a normal output image, and only a facsimile message that is truly important Can be output in red or the like, and only facsimile messages that are truly important or urgent can be confirmed first. In the present embodiment, a bar code is used as the color designation code 43. For example, when the above-mentioned "light magenta color" is designated, "PINK" is simply described in characters and the color designation code detection is performed. Part 13
"PINK" using character recognition software
Are K = 0%, C = 0%, M = 50%, Y = 0%
May be recognized. Further, in the present embodiment, the color designated by the color designation code 43 has been described as red, but for example, orange or the like can be used. Alternatively, an original color unique to the company may be designated so that the recipient can determine at a glance that the message is a facsimile message related to the company. In the case where original color unique to the company is used for facsimile transmission of direct mail, etc., the advertisement effect can be expected because it can be recognized at a glance.

[0011]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, when the color designation code detection unit detects the color designation code, the image forming unit uses the image forming color designated by the color designation code. Since an image can be formed, it is possible to use an existing general-purpose communication protocol to specify a color for forming a reception image from a transmission-side facsimile apparatus to a reception-side color facsimile apparatus. According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the image forming unit can form an image using one type of image forming color by using one type of color designation code, the facsimile apparatus on the transmission side can change the color facsimile apparatus on the receiving side. A color for forming a received image can be easily specified. According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the color designating code includes the mixing ratio information of the image forming media of a plurality of colors, the color forming the received image of the color facsimile apparatus on the receiving side from the facsimile apparatus on the transmitting side to an arbitrary color. Can be specified. . Claim 4
In the present invention, the image forming unit includes a color designation code deletion unit that deletes the color designation code in an image formed in the image formation unit when the color designation code detection unit detects the color designation code. With this arrangement, the recipient of the facsimile message can select whether or not to delete the color designation code at the time of image formation using the operation unit, thereby making the facsimile message easier to read. According to the fifth aspect of the present invention,
When the color designation code detection unit detects the color designation code,
The main control unit allows the recipient of the facsimile message to select whether or not to perform image formation using the color designated by the color designation code at the time of image formation. An image of a facsimile message with a low priority can be formed with a default color, and only a facsimile message of high importance or urgency can be confirmed first.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating components on a transmission / reception side when a document image is received using a color facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a color facsimile apparatus of the present embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a transmission original sheet or a reception image output sheet when a reception image is output in a color designated by a transmission side.

FIG. 3 shows a color facsimile apparatus of the present embodiment.
FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a received image output sheet in which image formation is not performed in a color designation code area when a received image is output in a color designated on the transmission side.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Color facsimile apparatus, 2 ... Facsimile apparatus, 3 ... Public communication line, 4 ... Transmission original paper, 5 ... Reception image output paper, 12, 23 ... Communication control unit 13 ... color designation code detection unit, 14, 24 ...
Image forming unit, 15 operating unit, 16, 22 image reading unit, 17 color designation deleting unit, 19, 29
..Main control section, 41 ... original image, 42, 52 ...
Color designation code area, 43, 53 ... color designation code, 51
..Received images

Claims (5)

[Claims] A reading unit that reads a document image and converts the image signal into an image signal; a reading unit that converts the image signal into a communication signal and transmits the communication signal to a destination facsimile device; and converts a communication signal received from the destination facsimile device into an image signal. A communication control unit for converting, an image forming unit for forming an image from a received image signal on a print medium by using an image forming medium of a plurality of colors, a transmission and reception of a communication signal performed using the communication control unit, and the image forming A color facsimile machine having a main control unit for controlling image formation on a print medium using a unit detects whether or not a color designation code for designating an image formation color exists in a received image signal. A color designation code detection unit, wherein, when the color designation code detection unit detects the color designation code, the main control unit sends an image designated by the color designation code to the image forming unit. Color facsimile apparatus for causing an image formed using a formation color. 2. The color facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming unit forms an image using one kind of image forming color by using one kind of the color designation code. 3. A color facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said color designation code includes information on a mixture ratio of image forming media of a plurality of colors. 4. The color facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming unit includes an image forming unit configured to detect a color designation code detected by the color designation code detection unit. A color designation code deletion unit for deleting the color designation code, wherein the main control unit causes a facsimile receiver to select whether or not to delete the color designation code at the time of image formation. . 5. The color facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the color designation code detection unit detects a color designation code, the main control unit designates the color designation code at the time of image formation. A color facsimile apparatus characterized by allowing a facsimile receiver to select whether or not to follow a color.