JP2003046700A - Image forming device and image forming system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming device/system for confirming a scan image without permitting an operator to perform a demonstration operation and for confirming the preview of a scan result in its operation part. SOLUTION: Image information which is read by an image reading part 31 is converted into a PDF(portable document format) file format in a file format conversion part 23 and it is picture-displayed in a display part 20. Image information by the PDF file format is transmitted to a personal computer 2 designated in the operation part 14. The personal computer 2 receiving image information by the PDF file format automatically starts. Acrobat being image display software for picture-displaying image information by the PDF file format and picture-displays image information by the PDF file format.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and an image forming system whose scanner supports image display software generally used in a computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A so-called digital image forming apparatus is an image forming apparatus in which optically read image information of an original is converted into electrical image information by an image pickup device, and the electrical image information is digitized. The image data is stored in the storage means as image information data, and an image is formed and output on a predetermined recording medium based on the image information data at a predetermined time.

However, since the image information data in the digital image forming apparatus has a (digital) data format different from that of the digital image information data handled by a general personal computer, for example, It was impossible to combine these to form an image. As described above, due to the difference in the (digital) data format, the usage of the image forming apparatus in the digital format is limited.

Further, in the digital image forming apparatus, unless the operator performs an explicit operation (for example, reading the scan data and displaying the scan image on a monitor via a personal computer). It was impossible to confirm the content of the scan data read by the scanner. Therefore, if the output is performed without performing this explicit operation, there is no way to confirm it even if the scan is unsuccessful (such as when the object is misaligned or is read diagonally). , Unnecessary printing was supposed to be done.

Even if the above-mentioned explicit operation is performed, if the digital image forming apparatus is connected to the network and has a plurality of terminals (personal computer, etc.). , The problem that the amount of information communication (network traffic) in the network increases due to the explicit operation (∵
Since the image information data in the digital image forming apparatus has a huge capacity).

[0006]

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its object is to:
An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus and an image forming apparatus in which an operator can confirm a scan image without performing an explicit operation and can confirm a preview of a scan result on the operation unit.

[0007]

In order to solve the above problems, the invention according to claim 1 digitizes image information of a document optically read by a scanner and stores it as image information data in a storage means. In an image forming apparatus that forms and outputs an image on a predetermined recording medium based on the image information data according to a command from an operation unit or a computer, the image information read by the scanner is generally used in a computer. The present invention is characterized by comprising: a conversion unit for converting to a digital data format, a display unit for displaying image information in the digital data format on a screen, and a transfer unit for transferring the image information in the digital data format to a computer.

In order to solve the above problems, the invention according to claim 2 is an image forming apparatus connected to a network,
In the image forming system including one or a plurality of computers connected to the network, the image forming apparatus converts the image information read by the scanner into a digital data format generally used in the computer, Display means for displaying image information in the digital data format on a screen, and transfer means for transferring image information in the digital data format to a computer, wherein the computer is the digital data transmitted from the image forming apparatus. Receiving means for receiving image information in the digital data format, starting means for automatically receiving image information in the digital data format, and automatically activating image display software for displaying the image information in the digital data format on the screen; Image information in data format is displayed in the image display software Characterized in that it has a display means for automatically screen Te.

In order to solve the above problems, the invention according to claim 3 is the image forming apparatus or image forming system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the digital data format is a PDF file format, In addition, the image display software is Acrobat.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.

(Schematic Configuration) First, the overall configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of an image forming system according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of the control system of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming system according to the present invention mainly includes an image forming apparatus 1 described below.
It is composed of at least one personal computer 2 connected to the image forming apparatus 1 via a network N.

As shown in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus 1 in this embodiment is a so-called multifunction machine having a facsimile function, a copying machine and a printer function, and as shown in FIG. A communication unit 11 that is a communication unit that performs communication, a decoding unit 12 that is a decoding unit that decodes and expands received image information at the time of reception, and an encoding unit that compresses and encodes document image information at the time of transmission A print controller 15 that forms an image (prints) based on information from a certain encoding unit 13 and a personal computer 2 that is an external information processing device, and a large number that sets various modes and inputs a telephone number of a communication destination. A PDF file using the operation unit 14 which is an operation means for performing an operation including a key group (numeric keys), a start button, and the like, and an LCD touch panel, for example. And the display panel 20 is display means for displaying the image data according to formula, a screen display data storing means for storing the data for screen display VRAM2
2 is included.

Further, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment includes an image reading unit 31 which is a document reading unit configured to read a document image and which has a predetermined optical system, and an image writing unit which forms an electrostatic latent image. An image writing unit 32, an image forming unit 33 that is an image forming unit that forms an image on a transfer sheet as a recording material, and a transfer sheet conveying unit that conveys the transfer sheet in association with the operation of the image forming unit 33. Transfer paper transport unit 34
And a transfer paper ejection unit 35 that is a transfer paper ejection unit that ejects the transfer paper, and a file format of the image information read by the image reading unit 31 and the image information data received by the communication unit 11 as a PDF file. A file format conversion unit 23 that is a unit that converts the format, a nonvolatile RAM 43 that is an image storage unit that stores the image information read by the image reading unit 31 and the image information data received by the communication unit 11, and a display. A ROM 41 which is a first storage means for storing image data and the like in the PDF file format displayed on the panel 20;
An LCD controller 21 which is a display control means for controlling display so that the image display data stored in the VRAM 22 is displayed on the display panel 20, and a predetermined process (magnification process, image superimposition) on received or read image information. The image processing means (not shown) that performs processing and the like) and stores it in the non-volatile RAM 43, and a control unit 50 that is a control means that controls each component according to a predetermined control program.

The image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment.
Although a so-called multi-function peripheral is taken as an example, the image forming apparatus may be configured even if only the printer function of the image forming apparatus 1 in this embodiment is extracted. Further, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment exemplifies the PDF file format as the (digital) data format of the image information data handled by a general personal computer, but it may be the one generally handled. However, other file formats may be used.

The communication unit 11 is a network control device (network control device) for making a call to a public network such as NTT and for controlling connection such as incoming calls from a large number of unspecified parties, restoration, disconnection processing, and the like. Control unit), demodulates the modulated signal transmitted by the public network at the time of reception and modulates it into a digital received image, and at the time of transmission modulates the original image information so as to match the frequency band of the public network and converts it into a modulated signal. It has a communication modem that does.

As shown in FIG. 3, the operation unit 14 includes a touch panel 17s for accepting an operation and an LCD 17t for displaying a pattern and characters, which are overlapped with each other.
A display operation unit 17a adapted to be operated by pressing the touch panel 17s at the position displayed on 17t;
A key button 17c for inputting a telephone number, including a numeric keypad of "0" to "9", "*" key, "#" key, etc., a check button 17d, a help button 17e, and an application button 17
f, reset button 17h, stop / clear button 17i
An interrupt copy button 17j, a start button 17m, and mode change keys 17n-1 and 17n- for switching the copy function, the facsimile function, and the printer function.
2, 17n-3.

Returning to FIG. 2, the image reading section 31
For example, an image (a character string, a painting, etc.) described in one original from a bundle of originals is read as optical information based on irradiation light from a light source, and this is converted into electrical information. The optical information on the document surface read by the light source is repeatedly reflected by the mirror and reaches the CCD image pickup device via the image forming optical system. C
The CD imaging device has a photoelectric surface in which a plurality of pixels having a photoelectric conversion function are arranged, and the plurality of pixels receives optical information including image information of the document surface and converts the optical information into electrical information. become.

The image writing section 32 irradiates the photosensitive drum with a laser beam controlled based on the above-mentioned electrical information,
Form an electrostatic latent image. The electrical information including the image information obtained by converting the optical information on the document surface is used to control the laser beam emitted from the semiconductor laser. The laser beam controlled and transmitted based on the electric information is irradiated while being scanned on the photosensitive drum,
An electrostatic latent image is formed based on the electric information.

The image forming section 33 forms an image on a transfer sheet based on the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum. By uniformly charging the entire surface of the photosensitive drum and attaching toner particles to the electrostatic latent image, a toner image is formed on the transfer paper surface. Then, an image is formed by pressing the transferred toner image.

The transfer paper transport unit 34 is composed of a plurality of rollers for transporting the transfer paper and a mechanism for driving them, and from a tray (including a manual feed tray, a paper feed tray, an external paper feed device, etc.) to an image forming unit. In the case of carrying the sheet up to 33, carrying the sheet from the image forming section 33 to the transfer sheet discharging section 35, and forming images on both sides of the transfer sheet, a transfer sheet reversing section (not shown) for reversing the transfer sheet from the image forming section. ), The transfer sheet is guided from the transfer sheet reversing section to the image forming section 33, and the transfer sheet is guided along the predetermined transfer path under predetermined transfer conditions such as stop.

In the image processing means (not shown), a digital image signal read by the image reading section 31 or a digital image signal received by the communication section 11 is enlarged or reduced as necessary, and the density is corrected. After pre-processing by the circuit, the image is pressure-bonded by the compression / expansion circuit and stored in the nonvolatile RAM 43. Then, the stored image is read, expanded by the compression / expansion circuit, and output to the image forming unit 33.

The nonvolatile RAM 43 has a copy area and a facsimile area, stores the image information read by the image reading section 31 in the copy area, and stores the image information received or transmitted by the communication section 11 in the facsimile area. Store temporarily.

The control unit 50 has a CPU 51, a gate array 52, etc., manages the states of the respective components of the multi-function peripheral, and controls them according to a predetermined control program.
A display control unit that controls the display of the display panel 20 based on the ROM 41, an image control unit that controls the image processing unit, a printer control unit that controls the drive of the image forming unit 33, and an operation unit 14 are controlled. It has an operation control unit for performing the operation, a communication control unit for controlling the communication unit 11, and the like.
In addition, the control unit 50 controls the operation of the transfer system such as the transfer paper discharge unit 35 and the transfer paper transfer unit 34.

(Characteristic Configuration of the Present Invention) Next, a characteristic configuration of the image forming apparatus and the image forming system according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

[Description of Image Forming Apparatus According to the Present Invention] As shown in FIG. 3, the image forming apparatus according to this embodiment has a display panel 20 adjacent to the operation unit 14. The display panel 20 displays the image information read by the image reading unit 31 and the image information received by the communication unit 11 as a PD.
The image information is converted into the F file format and the image information is displayed in the PDF file format.

The image information read by the image reading unit 31 and the image information received by the communication unit 11 are once sent to the file format conversion unit 23 (see FIG. 2), and in the file format conversion unit 23. Converted to PDF file format. The image information is displayed on the display panel 20 in the PDF file format.

In this way, by displaying the image information read by the image reading unit 31 or the personal computer 2 on the screen of the display panel 20 before outputting the information, for example, when the reading fails (deviation). Even if it is read at an angle, etc.), it becomes possible to know it before output. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently perform output without performing unnecessary output. Further, the display panel 20 is provided in the image forming apparatus 1, and the display panel 20 is provided.
By displaying the image information, the contents can be confirmed without using an external means such as a personal computer. Therefore, for example, even when the image forming apparatus 1 is connected to the network N and shared by a plurality of terminals (personal computers, etc.), the amount of information communication (network traffic) in the network is performed by the above operation. Does not increase.

[Description of Image Forming System According to the Present Invention] When a so-called push type scanner is executed in the image forming apparatus 1, an image read by the image reading unit 31 of the image forming apparatus 1 is executed. The information is the desired personal computer 2 connected to it via the network.
(See FIG. 2).

First, the image reading unit 3 of the image forming apparatus 1
The image information read in 1 is the file format conversion unit 23.
To the PDF file format by the file format conversion unit 23, and then the PD is displayed on the display panel 20.
The screen is displayed in the F file format. Then, after the desired personal computer 2 to which the image information in the PDF file format is transmitted is designated in the operation unit 14 of the image forming apparatus 1, the desired personal computer is transmitted via the network N by the communication unit 11. It is transmitted to the computer 2.

The personal computer 2, which receives the image information transmitted in the PDF file format from the image forming apparatus 1, is the so-called image display software Acrob for displaying the image information in the PDF file format on the screen.
at is installed and receives the image information data in the PDF file format transmitted from the image forming apparatus 1, and the image display software Acr.
Obat is automatically started up, and image information in the PDF file format is displayed on the monitor.

As described above, the image information read by the image reading unit 31 of the image forming apparatus 1 is converted into a PDF file format and then transmitted to a desired personal computer 2, where the personal computer 2 By automatically displaying the image information on the screen, the personal computer 2 can also confirm the image information. Further, since the image information is in the PDF file format, it is possible to perform various image processing (image processing) on the personal computer 2, and further, the image processing (image processing) is performed. It is also possible to transmit the subsequent image information to the image forming apparatus 1 again and output the image information after the image processing (image processing) in the image forming apparatus 1.

An embodiment of the image forming system according to the present invention will be briefly described below with reference to the flow charts shown in FIGS. FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the flow of data processing in the image forming apparatus shown in FIGS. FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the flow of data processing in the personal computer shown in FIGS.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the image reading unit of the image forming apparatus reads image information of a desired object (step S01), the image information is converted into a PDF file format by a file format conversion unit. Is converted to (step S0
2). Then, the image information is displayed on the display unit 20 in the PDF file format (step S03).

After confirming the image information displayed on the screen of the display unit 20, the user selects whether or not to transfer the image information to a desired personal computer (step S04).

When the image information is not transferred to the desired personal computer, it is selected whether or not to output the image information as it is (step S05). When the output is selected as it is, the image information is output (step S06). If it is selected not to output as it is, that is, if it is selected to read the image information again, the process returns to step S01 shown in FIG.

When the image information is transferred to a desired personal computer, the personal computer to which the image information is transferred is designated on the operation unit (step S07). Then, the image information is transferred to the designated personal computer (step S08). Further, after confirming the response (reception completion) from the personal computer which is the transfer destination (step S09), the process returns to step S05 shown in FIG.

With these steps, the contents of the scan data (image information read by the image reading unit 31) in the image forming apparatus are confirmed, the work of transferring the image information in the PDF file format to the designated personal computer, the scan data ( The output work of the image information read by the image reading unit 31 is completed.

As shown in FIG. 5, the personal computer to which the image information in the PDF file format has been transferred from the image forming apparatus first receives the image information. (Step 10). And at the same time, the PD
Acrobat, which is image display software for displaying the image information in the F file format on the screen, is started (step 11). Further, the image information in the PDF file format is displayed on the monitor screen (step 12).

With these steps, the work of receiving the image information in the PDF file format in the personal computer, the image display software Acro for displaying the image information in the PDF file format on the screen.
The bat startup work and the screen display of the image information in the PDF file format are completed.

[0041]

As described above, since the image forming apparatus according to the present invention displays the image information read by the image reading section or the personal computer on the display panel before output, for example, If the reading was unsuccessful (such as misalignment or diagonal reading), it can be known before output. Therefore, efficient printing (output) can be performed without performing unnecessary output. Further, by confirming the content of the image information on the display panel without using an external means such as a personal computer, for example, the image forming apparatus is connected to a network and a plurality of terminals (personal computers etc.) are connected. Even when shared, the content of the image information can be confirmed without increasing the amount of information communication (network traffic) in the network.

As described above, in the image forming system according to the present invention, the image information read by the image reading unit of the image forming apparatus is converted into the PDF file format and then transmitted to the desired personal computer. However, since the image information is automatically displayed on the screen on the personal computer, the image information can be confirmed also on the personal computer. Further, since the image information is in the PDF file format, for example, various image processing (image processing) in the personal computer.
It is also possible to apply. Further, the image information after the image processing (image processing) may be transmitted to the image forming apparatus again, and the image information after the image processing (image processing) may be output in the image forming apparatus. It is possible.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an internal configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a diagram showing an operation unit and a display panel of the image forming apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a flow of data processing in the image forming apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

5 is a flowchart showing a flow of data processing in the personal computer shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Image forming apparatus 11 ... communication section 12 ... Decoding unit 13 ... Encoding unit 14 ... Operation unit 15 ... Printer controller 20 ... Display panel 21 ... LCD controller 22 ... VRAM 23 ... File format converter 31 ... Image reading unit 32 ... Image writing section 33 ... Image forming unit 34 ... Transfer paper transport unit 35 ... Transfer paper discharging section 41 ... ROM 42 ... Memory 43 ... Nonvolatile RAM 50 ... Control unit 51 ... CPU 52 ... Gate array 2 ... Personal computer N ... Network

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. Image information of a document optically read by a scanner is digitized and stored as image information data in a storage means, and predetermined recording is performed based on the image information data according to a command from an operation unit or a computer. In an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a medium and outputting the image, a converting unit for converting the image information read by the scanner into a digital data format generally used in a computer, and the image information in the digital data format is displayed on a screen. An image forming apparatus comprising display means for displaying and transfer means for transferring image information in the digital data format to a computer. 2. An image forming system comprising an image forming apparatus connected to a network and one or a plurality of computers connected to the network, wherein the image forming apparatus generally uses image information read by a scanner in the computer. A digital data format used in the above, a display means for displaying image information in the digital data format on a screen, and a transfer means for transferring the image information in the digital data format to a computer, and The computer receives the image information in the digital data format transmitted from the image forming apparatus, and receives the image information in the digital data format and simultaneously displays the image information in the digital data format on a screen. Starting means to automatically start the image display software, An image forming system characterized by comprising display means for automatically displaying image information in digital data format on the screen by the image display software. 3. The digital data format is a PDF file format, and the image display software is Acrobat.
The image forming apparatus or the image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is an at.