JP2002281291A - Image reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To give a user option to standardize image data in a designated size or prefer a manuscript size to the designated size. SOLUTION: Two on-off mixed modes are provided. When the mixed mode is on, an image is read in preference of a manuscript size to a designated size. When the mixed mode is off, an image portion of the designated size is read in preference of the designated size to the manuscript length. If the manuscript length is longer than the designated size, other portion of the manuscript exceeding the designated size is not read. If the manuscript length is shorter than the designated size, a white line is added.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus such as a scanner, and more particularly to a process for reading an original of an ununiform size.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In one document, the size of the document may vary depending on the page. For example, letter size and legal size are mixed, A4 size and B5 size are mixed,
And so on. The image reading device sends the read image to a client such as a personal computer, and depending on the application software of the client, there are some which cannot process the image if the size of the image is not uniform in one image file. For example, when combining an image file with another text file or the like, if the image size is not uniform, it becomes difficult to combine. Therefore, there is software that does not recognize that the image size changes in one image file. On the other hand, from the standpoint of wanting to read the original as faithfully as possible, if the original length is not uniform for each page, the image is read according to the original length, and the size of the image data in the image file is unified. Some software admits it will.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a basic object of the present invention to unify the size of image data in an image file to prevent inconvenience on the client side when the document lengths are inconsistent. 1-3). An additional object of the present invention is to allow a user to freely select a mode in which priority is given to unifying the size and a mode in which reading which is faithful to a document is prioritized. An additional object of the third aspect of the present invention is to prevent the sizes from becoming ununiform during the reading of a document.

[0004]

The present invention is an image reading apparatus provided with an image reading section, an image memory, and a connection section for connecting to an external terminal. When the document length exceeds a predetermined size, the image data of a predetermined size is transmitted. A size designation mode is provided in which the image data is transmitted from the connection portion, and when the document length is less than the predetermined size, the image data is corrected so as to match the predetermined size and transmitted from the connection portion. Item 1).

Preferably, in addition to the size designation mode, a document length priority mode is provided in which image data corresponding to the document length is read out and sent from the connection section, with the document length being given priority over the predetermined size. The user can freely select the designated mode and the original length priority mode (claim 2).

Preferably, at the time of reading a document,
After the reading of one document is started, if there is an instruction to change the predetermined size, there is provided means for detecting this and warning the user. This warning may be issued by the image reading device, or a warning may be sent from the connection unit to the external terminal. This warning is issued at least in the size specification mode.

[0007]

According to the present invention, even if the document length does not match the predetermined size, the image data of the predetermined size is transmitted from the image reading device, so that a trouble due to the size mismatch on the client side can be prevented. Item 1).

According to the second aspect of the present invention, there are provided a size designation mode for aligning image data to a predetermined size regardless of the document length, and a document length priority mode for giving priority to the document length over the predetermined size.
User can select and use. For this reason, two modes can be selected depending on the type of application software installed on the client and the convenience of the user.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, after the reading of the original document is started, for example, when the page is changed, a warning is issued that an instruction to change the predetermined size is issued.
The inconvenience of changing the predetermined size during reading can be prevented.

[0010]

1 to 7 show an image reading apparatus 2 according to an embodiment.
And its operation. In the figure, 4 is a main control unit, 6 is a network controller, 8 is a modem, and the network controller 6 establishes a connection with a public telephone network (PSTN) or the like.
To communicate for facsimile transmission and reception. An image memory 10 stores image data compressed for facsimile communication, and a RAM 12 stores uncompressed image data and other data. A ROM 14 stores a control program and the like.

Reference numeral 16 denotes a display unit having a display such as an LCD. Reference numeral 18 denotes an operation unit, which comprises, for example, a touch panel provided on the LCD display and input keys such as ten keys. A reading unit 20 scans a document image to read image data. The reading of the image data is performed by an ADF (automatic document feeder) 21 using an automatic document feeder or an FBS (flat bed scanner) 22 that reads a document on a flat platen glass or the like by a carriage. A recording unit 23 prints an image received on recording paper or an image read by the reading unit 20. Reference numeral 24 denotes an image processing unit which performs reduction and enlargement of an image, addition of a margin, and the like, and performs reduction and enlargement independently in the vertical and horizontal directions, for example.

Reference numeral 25 denotes a personal computer interface (PC interface), and reference numeral 26 denotes a LAN interface. Reference numeral 28 denotes a main body bus of the image reading device 2. 30 is a personal computer, 32
Is a main control unit, 34 is an interface, is connected to the PC interface 25 of the image reading device 2 by a parallel cable or the like, 36 is a memory, 38 is an auxiliary memory such as a hard disk, 40 is a display unit, 42 is a keyboard, and 44 is a keyboard. The auxiliary storage drive reads data and programs stored in the floppy (registered trademark) disk 46 and the CD-ROM 48.

The LAN interface 26 is a LAN 50
, 52 is a mail server, and 54 is a client personal computer. As described above, the image reading device 2 is a facsimile device for G3 and the Internet, is a copy machine, and is a scanner that is used as a printer and a facsimile when viewed from the personal computer 30 and the client personal computer 54. In the embodiment, the image reading device 2 is described as a scanner viewed from the personal computer 30.
The same applies when driven from the client personal computer 54 as a network scanner connected to the network scanner 0.

A program required for an interface between the image reading device 2 and the personal computer 30 is as follows.
For example, it is stored in a CD-ROM 48 and stored in the hard disk 38 from the external storage drive 44. But P
An interface program may be supplied from the C interface 25 to the personal computer 30 via the interface 34.

A scan box 62 and a scan box management memory 70 are provided using the image memory 10 of the image reading apparatus 2 and, for example, the RAM 12. FIG. 2 shows such a configuration. Reference numeral 60 denotes a bus interface of the image memory 10, which divides an appropriate area of the image memory 10 into, for example, 20 pieces and forms, for example, 20 scan boxes 6.
2 is provided. Each scan box 62 has a maximum of 1
The configuration is such that zero image files 64 can be recorded, and each image file 64 can store a plurality of pages of images. The scan box 62 is a memory that stores read images in each box.

A scan box management memory 70 is provided in the RAM 12, and the name of the scan box 62 (“Henry”,
"George", "Yamada", "Manual", "Catalog", etc.), scan box ID or password,
The storage status of image files in each scan box 62 and their attributes are stored. The attribute is data indicating the nature of the image file, such as the date and time when the document was scanned, the number of pages, the data size of the file, the resolution, the type of the document such as text / photo, the contrast, and the like.

FIG. 3 shows data exchange between the PC interface 25 of the image reading apparatus and the interface 34 of the personal computer. There are two modes of connection, RS mode and SB mode.
In the RS mode shown in (a), when transmission of image data is requested from a personal computer, the image reading device reads the image data and automatically sends it to the personal computer. In the SB mode of FIG. 3B, the read image data is temporarily stored in a scan box, and when a personal computer specifies a scan box name or a file number and requests transmission of image data, the image reading apparatus The corresponding image data is sent to the personal computer.

The image reading apparatus includes a mixed mode (document length priority mode) in which a specified size of image data to be transmitted is permitted to be transmitted at a different size for each page;
In one image file, there are two modes, a mode for unifying the size to the designated size (when the mixed mode is off, a size designation mode). The setting of whether or not the mixed mode is turned on can be made on the image reading apparatus side or the personal computer side. The fact that there are two mixed mode ON / OFF modes is common to the RS mode and the SB mode. .

The transmission of image data from the image reading device to the personal computer will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In the figure, the image reading device is called a facsimile. An original is set on an ADF or FBS of a facsimile (step 1). Then, in the case of the RS mode, the personal computer connected to the facsimile has a TW
The AIN driver is started, the size of the image data and the like are designated, and the reading start is instructed (step 2). In the case of the SB mode, the size and the like of the image data to be transmitted are designated on the operation panel of the facsimile, and the reading is started (step 3). Next, the facsimile checks whether or not the mixed mode is on (step 4). If the mixed mode is on, the facsimile scans and sends the original according to the length of the original, and gives priority to the original length over the designated size. Then, the original is read to the rear end regardless of the designated size (step 5). The mixed mode is turned on / off from a facsimile operation panel or a personal computer.

If the mixed mode is off, the number of read lines corresponding to the designated size is obtained and stored in order to transmit image data in the designated size (step 6). The number of read lines is the number of lines in the sub-scanning direction determined from the designated size and the resolution. Next, when the original is read until the number of lines of the read original reaches the number of read lines of the designated size (steps 7 and 8), subsequent lines are not read even if the rear end of the original has not been read.
If the number of lines read to the rear end of the document matches the number of lines read for the specified size, the document length matches the specified size, and the reading of that page is terminated (step 9). If the number of read lines is smaller than the number of read lines for the specified size, but the number of read lines is smaller than the number of read lines for the specified size,
A white line is added (step 10).

The read image data is stored in a facsimile memory (step 11). In the case of reading with the ADF, the document is automatically fed. Therefore, when documents of different sizes are mixed, the reading size is determined depending on whether the mixed mode is on or off. In reading with the FBS, since the originals are manually set one by one, the designated size set before the start of the reading may be changed on the way according to the original size. If the designated size is changed during the reading operation and the mixed mode is off, an error is displayed on a facsimile display unit or the like in both the ADF and the FBS (steps 12 to 14).
When reading and storage of image data are completed for all pages of the document (step 15), the image data is sent to the personal computer according to the RS mode or the SB mode.
(Step 16).

When the mixed mode is off and the document length exceeds the designated size, if the number of lines of the read image data reaches the number of reading lines of the designated size, the subsequent lines are not read. Conversely, if the document length is shorter than the specified size,
Add a white line. When the mixed mode is on, the image data is read, stored, and sent to the personal computer, giving priority to the original length over the designated size. When the mixed mode is turned off, the personal computer can obtain image data of a specified size, and the image file can be processed by software that cannot handle an image file of an ununiform size. on the other hand,
When the mixed mode is turned on, if the sizes of the originals are not uniform, image data of a size corresponding to the original size of each page is obtained. When the mixed mode is off, the position where a white line is added (added to the upper margin or added to the lower margin), and the range that is not read when the document size exceeds the specified size, are set as preview images on a personal computer or the like. The user may be able to specify the item while referring to the information.

FIG. 5 shows a display screen 80 of the personal computer. The display screen 80 is a setting screen for reading in the RS mode. For example, the scan size is letter, the document type (original type) is text, the mixed mode is on, and the resolution is 200 dp.
i, reduction and enlargement are set to the same size. FIG. 6 shows the configuration of the operation panel 82 of the image reading device 2. An LCD (liquid crystal display) 84 with a touch panel accepts settings,
And display the setting status. For example, in this case, the scan size is not set to letter, document type, contrast, resolution, and reduction / enlargement, default values are applied to unset data, and the mixed mode is on. The mode is the SB mode. 86 is a cursor key, 87 is a numeric keypad, 88 is a clear key, and 89 is a start key for starting image reading and the like.

FIG. 7 schematically shows image data when a letter-size or legal-size original is read by designating the size. The left side (first page) of (a) to (c) is image data when a letter-size original is read, and the right side (second page) is image data when a legal-size original is read. In FIG. 7A, since the mixed mode is on and the document is read according to the document size, image data is stored and transmitted in a letter size on the first page and a legal size on the second page. In FIG. 7B, the scan size is letter designation, the mixed mode is off, the first page is read at the same size as the original document, and the second page is read out of the legal size document. The part exceeding the letter size is cut. In FIG. 7C, the scan size is legal, the mixed mode is off, the first page has a white line added to make the letter size legal, and the second page has the same size as the original document. Is read in.

In the embodiment, the mixed mode is off,
Although it was decided not to read the part exceeding the specified size,
A portion exceeding the specified size may be read and a portion exceeding the specified size may not be transmitted.

FIG. 8 shows a modified algorithm relating to unification of output sizes. This modified example is the same as the embodiment of FIGS.
Since the hardware configuration is obvious from FIGS. 1 to 3, the description is omitted. In step 21 of FIG. 8, it is checked whether the mixed mode is on or off. If the mixed mode is on, the output size may be different for each page. Therefore, the original is read page by page (step 23), and the read image is read. The last page is stored in the image reading device (step 26). If the mixed mode is off, the document is read (step 22), and it is checked whether the size of the read document matches the designated size (step 24). If not, the output size matches the designated size. Thus, the read-out image is reduced and enlarged and stored (step 25). Then, the above procedure is repeated until all pages are read. The reduction / enlargement ratio may be the same in the vertical and horizontal directions or may be different in the vertical and horizontal directions.

For example, in North America, two types of paper sizes, legal and letter, are used, and legal-size documents and letter-size documents may be mixed to form one document. In such a case, it is convenient if the original can be read and managed by unifying the size to legal or letter. Therefore, for example, when such a manuscript is read by specifying a letter size, an image corresponding to the same size is output for the letter page, an image reduced in the vertical direction is output for the legal page, and the personal computer side outputs the entire image. The page can be treated as an image with a fixed output size. Similarly, if A4 or B5 is specified in a document in which A4 and B5 documents are mixed, an image obtained by reducing and enlarging a document having a size different from the specified size is output, and the output image can be unified to the specified size.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a connection between an image reading apparatus according to an embodiment and an external terminal device.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a scan box in the image reading apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing signal exchange between an image reading apparatus and a personal computer according to an embodiment, with respect to an RS mode in FIG. 3A and an SB mode in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating reading of a document and size processing of image data in the image reading apparatus according to the embodiment;

FIG. 5 is connected to the image reading apparatus of the embodiment;
The figure which shows the setting screen of RS mode in the personal computer

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an operation panel of the image reading apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically illustrating image data read by the image reading apparatus according to the embodiment when the mixed mode is on (a) and when the mixed mode is off (b) and (c).

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an algorithm in a case where the document size is not uniform for each page in the image reading apparatus of the modified example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Image reading device 4 Main control unit 6 Network control unit 8 Modem 10 Image memory 12 RAM 14 ROM 16 Display unit 18 Operation unit 20 Reading unit 23 Recording unit 25 PC interface 26 LAN interface 28 Main bus 30 Personal computer 32 Main control unit 34 Interface 36 Memory 38 Auxiliary Memory 40 Display 42 Keyboard 44 External Storage Drive 46 Floppy Disk 48 CD-ROM 50 LAN 52 Mail Server 54 Client Personal Computer 60 Bus Interface 62 Scan Box 64 File 66 Page 70 Image Memory Box Management Memory

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 5B057 AA11 BA19 BA26 CA12 CA16 CB12 CB16 CC03 CE08 CH14 CH18 DA08 DB02 DC30 5C062 AA02 AA14 AA29 AA30 AA35 AB02 AB11 AB20 AB25 AB33 AB38 AB40 AC02 AC24 AC34 AC67 AE02 AE15 AF10 EA07 RA04 5C076 AA21 AA22 AA37 BA01 CB02

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An image reading apparatus comprising an image reading unit, an image memory, and a connection unit for an external terminal, wherein when a document length exceeds a predetermined size, image data of a predetermined size is transmitted from the connection unit. And an image reading device provided with a size designation mode for correcting the image data so as to match the predetermined size when the document length is less than the predetermined size, and transmitting the corrected image data from the connection unit. 2. A document length priority mode for reading image data corresponding to the document length and transmitting the image data from the connection unit, prior to the document size, being provided separately from the size designation mode. 2. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user can freely select a mode and a document length priority mode. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for detecting an instruction to change the predetermined size, if there is an instruction to change the predetermined size, and issuing a warning after starting reading of one original. 1 or 2 image reading device.