JP2001189868A - Color image communication device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a color image communication device that revises a quantization table in response to a read mode in the case of transmitting color information, takes no long communication time even when a specific color read mode is selected in the case of transmission and does not cause a receiver side unable to conduct processing. SOLUTION: The color image communication device that can transmit color information is provided with a coded data generating means that generates coded data by using a plurality of quantization tables, a re-coding means that conduct re-coding in response to the coded quantity of the color information, and a transmission means that transmits the information that is re-coded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image communication apparatus such as a facsimile apparatus, and more particularly to a color image communication apparatus capable of transmitting color information.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional facsimile apparatus is mainly a facsimile apparatus for transmitting black-and-white information.
With the spread of computers and the reduction in the price of color printers, the number of color documents has increased rapidly, and facsimile apparatuses capable of transmitting color information have been provided.

Here, when transmitting color information, a reading mode (a reading mode such as a standard mode or a fine mode) is used.
, The quantization table is changed and transmitted.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, when a specific color reading mode is selected, the quantization table corresponding to the specific color reading mode is independent of the encoding amount. It is determined.

[0005] Therefore, depending on the selected color reading mode, the encoding amount of one page may be extremely large. In this case, there is a problem that the communication time is long, and the receiver side has a problem. There is a problem that processing becomes impossible.

The above problem occurs not only in facsimile apparatuses but also in other color image communication apparatuses that transmit and receive color information.

According to the present invention, when transmitting color information,
When the quantization table is changed and transmitted according to the reading mode, even if a specific color reading mode is selected, the communication time does not become long and the color processing does not become impossible at the receiver side. It is an object to provide an image communication device.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided a color image communication apparatus capable of transmitting color information, comprising: encoded data creating means for creating encoded data by a plurality of quantization tables; The color image communication apparatus includes a re-encoding unit for re-encoding according to an amount, and a transmission unit for transmitting the re-encoded information.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a facsimile apparatus FS1 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

An NCU (network control unit) 2 connects to a terminal of the line to use the telephone network for data communication and the like.
It controls connection of the telephone exchange network, switches to a data communication path, and holds a loop. The NCU 2 connects the telephone line 2a to the telephone (CML off) or connects the telephone line 2a to the facsimile machine (CML on) under the control of the bus 26. In a normal state, the telephone line 2a is connected to the telephone 4 side.

The hybrid circuit 6 separates the transmission system signal and the reception system signal, sends the transmission signal from the addition circuit 12 to the telephone line 2a via the NCU 2, and receives the signal from the other party via the NCU 2. , To the modem 8 via the signal line 6a.

The modem 8 is based on ITU-T Recommendation V. 8,
V. 21, V.I. 27ter, V.I. 29, V.I. 17, V.I.
34, a modulator and a demodulator that performs modulation and demodulation based on C.34.
Each transmission mode is designated by the control of the bus 26.
The modulator / demodulator 8 receives a transmission signal from the bus 26, outputs modulated data to the signal line 8a, receives a received signal output to the signal line 6a, and outputs demodulated data to the bus 26.

The calling circuit 10 inputs telephone number information in response to a signal from the bus 26, and sends DTMF to the signal line 10a.
Is output.

The addition circuit 12 inputs the information of the signal line 8a and the information of the signal line 10a, and adds the result of the addition to the signal line 12a.
Output to

The read circuit 14 outputs read data to the bus 26.

The recording circuit 16 sequentially records information output to the bus 26 line by line.

The memory circuit 18 includes a work memory (R
AM), and further used to store raw information or encoded information of the read data, and to store received information or decoded information via the bus 26.

The operation unit 20 includes one-touch dial, speed dial, numeric keypad, * key, # key, start key,
There are a stop key, a set key, a color reading selection key, a color reading mode selection key, and other function keys. The pressed key information is output to the bus 26.

The operation unit has a display unit for inputting and outputting information output to the bus 26.

A CPU (central control unit) 22 controls the entire facsimile apparatus and executes a facsimile transmission control procedure, and its control program is stored in a ROM 24.

In a facsimile apparatus capable of transmitting color information, the ROM 24 includes color reading selecting means for selecting color reading for reading a document in color information, and color reading mode selecting means for selecting a color reading mode for reading a document in color. Coded data generating means for generating coded data by a plurality of quantization tables, re-encoding means for re-encoding according to the amount of encoding of the color information, and transmitting the re-encoded information And a program for realizing the transmitting means.

Here, when the color information is encoded,
If the coding amount is equal to or more than a predetermined amount, the image is re-encoded to reduce the coding amount and transmitted. Further, the value of the predetermined amount of the encoding amount when determining whether or not to perform the re-encoding is changed according to the reading mode.

FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5 are flowcharts showing the control operation of the CPU 22 in the above embodiment.

First, the display on the operation unit 20 is cleared via the bus 26 (S2).
L is turned off (S4), information is input from the operation unit 20 via the bus 26, and it is determined whether transmission is selected (S6). If transmission is not selected, other processing is performed. When the transmission is selected (S8), information is input from the operation unit 20 via the bus 26, and it is determined whether the reading of the color information is selected (S10), and the reading of the color information is performed. Is selected, the process proceeds to step S22, and if reading of color information is not selected, the CML is turned on via the bus 26 (S12).

Then, the calling circuit 10 is connected via the bus 26.
A call is made to the destination specified by (1) (S14), the pre-procedure is performed (S16), and here, color transmission is not specified.

Thereafter, the monochrome information is transmitted (S18), the post-procedure is performed (S20), and a flag CHANGEF indicating whether or not the quantization table has been changed and the color information has been transmitted has been transmitted.
G is cleared (S22), and the operation unit 2 is connected via the bus 26.
Information from 0 is input, and it is determined whether or not the color reading mode is "fast send" (S24). If the answer is affirmative, the process proceeds to step S56. If the answer is negative, that is, the page counter is normal. Is set to 1 (S2
6).

Then, using the quantization table A, the sending information corresponding to the page counter is encoded by JPEG and stored in the memory 18 (S28), and the encoded information amount is equal to or more than the predetermined amount E. Is determined (S3).
0), if the encoded information amount is equal to or more than the predetermined amount E, the quantization table is changed, and 1 is set to a flag CHANGEFG indicating whether or not color information has been transmitted (S32). Using the quantization table B larger than the quantization table A used earlier, the information of the page counter is again JPEG encoded and stored in the memory (S3).
4). Since division is performed by this re-encoding, the amount of re-encoded information is reduced.

On the other hand, when the encoded information amount is a predetermined amount E
If not (S30), it is determined whether there is a next page (S36). If there is a next page, step S38 is performed.
To increment the page counter value by one,
If there is no next page, the CM of NCU2
L (S40), and the calling circuit 1
A call is made to the destination designated by 0 (S42).

Then, a pre-procedure is performed (S44), color transmission is designated, the color information stored in the memory is transmitted (S46), and a post-procedure is executed (S48), and the CML of the NCU 2 is connected via the bus 26. Is turned off (S50), and it is determined whether a flag CHANGEFG indicating whether or not color information has been transmitted is 0 (S52), and CHANGEF is determined.
If G is 0, the process proceeds to step S4, where CHANGEF
If G is not 0, the display unit of the operation unit 20 displays, via the bus 26, "a large amount of color information and some page information has been transmitted slightly coarsely" (S54). This display is turned off by any key operation.

Then, the page counter is set to 1 (S56), the information of the page counter is JPEG-encoded using a quantization table C larger than the quantization table A, and stored in a memory (S58). It is determined whether or not the amount of JPEG encoded information is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount F that is smaller than the predetermined amount E (S60).

The information amount obtained by the JPEG encoding is JPE
If the G-encoded information amount is not equal to or more than the predetermined amount F, the process proceeds to step S66, and the JPEG-encoded information amount becomes equal to or smaller than the predetermined amount F.
If so, the flag CHANGEFG indicating whether or not color information has been transmitted is set to 1 (S62), and the information of the page counter is again JPEG encoded using the quantization table D and stored in the memory. (S64). As described above, when the coding amount when coding is performed using the quantization table that is normally used is larger than the predetermined amount value corresponding to the reading mode, recoding can be performed and transmission can be performed, so that it is easy for the user to use.

The quantization table D is larger than the quantization table C, and is larger than the quantization table B.

It is determined whether there is a next page (S66). If there is no next page, the process proceeds to step S402. If there is a next page, the value of the page counter is incremented by one (S68), and step S58. Return to

According to the above-described embodiment, if the color transmission in the predetermined specific mode is selected, and the color information is read and encoded, and the information at the time of encoding is equal to or more than the predetermined capacity, the quantization table is changed and re-encoded. Since it is possible to transmit an appropriate amount of information, it is very easy for the user to use.

Further, according to the above-described embodiment, the value of the predetermined amount to be a reference for determining whether or not to re-encode can be changed in accordance with the reading mode. You can choose "Normal" or "Fast"
On the other hand, if the coding amount when coding is performed using the quantization table that is normally used is larger than a predetermined amount value corresponding to the reading mode, recoding can be performed and transmission can be performed. I can say.

[0036]

According to the present invention, when color information is transmitted, the quantization table is changed according to the reading mode, and when transmitting, even if a specific color reading mode is selected, the communication time is reduced. This has the effect that the length is not lengthened and the processing on the receiver side does not become impossible.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a facsimile apparatus FS according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a control operation of a CPU 22 in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a control operation of a CPU 22 in the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a control operation of a CPU 22 in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a control operation of a CPU 22 in the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 FS1: facsimile machine, 14: reading circuit, 16: recording circuit, 18: memory circuit, 20: operation unit, 22: CPU, 24: ROM.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A color image communication apparatus capable of transmitting color information, a color reading selecting means for selecting color reading for reading a document with color information; and a color reading mode selecting means for selecting a color reading mode for reading a document in color. Encoding data creating means for creating encoded data using a plurality of quantization tables; re-encoding means for re-encoding according to the encoding amount of the color information; and re-encoding the re-encoded information. A color image communication device, comprising: a transmission unit for transmitting. 2. The re-encoding means according to claim 1, wherein the re-encoding means re-encodes the color information if the encoding amount is equal to or more than a predetermined amount when encoding the color information. A color image communication device, comprising: 3. The color image communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said re-encoding means is means for changing the value of said predetermined amount according to a reading mode. 4. The color image communication device according to claim 1, wherein the color image communication device is a facsimile device.