JP2004357324A - Image processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a plurality of images to be optionally combined, so that the combined image can be output. <P>SOLUTION: The image processing apparatus includes a reader section 1 for inputting image data, an external storage device 7 for storing a plurality of the pieces of image data input from the reader section, and a core section 10 for combining the plurality of the pieces of image data stored in the external storage device 7 in the order of specified pages to read out the combined image data. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus having, for example, a copying function, a facsimile function, a printer formatter function, and an image electronic file function.

  Conventionally, when transferring the information in the image electronic file and the original on hand to an external facsimile receiver, the electronic image file is transferred via a communication adapter that can operate in a facsimile procedure, and the original on hand is transmitted from the facsimile transmitter. As in the case of transfer, information transmission has been realized using separate systems and lines.

  Further, there is a facsimile apparatus in which a document and a cover stored in different areas are taken out in a predetermined order and transmitted collectively (for example, Patent Document 1).

  Further, there is an image which describes that an image different for each destination, that is, a cover is created by an external device and transferred to a facsimile machine (for example, Patent Document 2).

In addition, there is a description in which an instruction to replace, add, or delete a transmission document on a page-by-page basis with an operation unit is provided (for example, Patent Document 3).
JP-A-3-192959 JP-A-62-217762 JP-A-5-219325

  However, when information is transferred in a facsimile procedure using different networks in this way, initial costs and running costs for system construction are required, and more time and effort are required for transmission.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, a reading unit that reads a document, an input unit different from the reading unit that inputs image data, and a storage unit that stores image information of a plurality of pages together with page number information, Specifying means for specifying the order of pages to be read from the storage means; and image data read from the reading means and image data input by the input means, stored in the storage means, based on respective page number information. Control means for performing retrieval and reading in the order designated by the designation means and combining them, and the storage means stores the combined image data in accordance with a filing instruction. Is what you do.

  As described above, image electronic file information and a hand-held document can be handled as the same electronic information and transferred as one document image in the image processing apparatus, so that operability and communication cost are reduced. Also, the combined image can be stored as needed.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an image input device for converting a document into image data (hereinafter referred to as a reader unit), which photoelectrically reads a document image by a CCD linear image sensor or the like, converts the document image into digital image data, and outputs the digital image data.

  Reference numeral 2 denotes an image output device (hereinafter, referred to as a printer) having a plurality of types of recording paper cassettes and outputting image data from the reader unit 1 as a visible image on recording paper in accordance with a print command input from the reader unit 1. .

  Reference numeral 3 denotes an operation unit that issues a print instruction to the reader unit 1 and a process to an external device 4 that is electrically connected to the reader unit 1. The external device 4 includes a facsimile unit 5, a file unit 6, an external storage device 7 connected to the file unit 6, a computer interface unit 8 for connecting to an information processing device 11 such as a computer, and image data information. A formatter unit 9 for forming a visual image, a core unit 10 for controlling the above functions, and the like are provided. The core unit 10 manages the status of the facsimile unit 5, the file unit 6, the external storage device 7, the computer interface unit 8, the formatter unit 9, the input / output control of commands, and the input / output of image data, which are the components of the external device 4. Control.

  Now, a plurality of originals on the automatic original reading device provided in the reader unit 1 and a file previously stored in an external storage device 7 provided with a storage medium such as a magneto-optical disk are transferred from the operation unit 3 to the original. 1 to 7, a description will be given of a process in which the transmission order of each page of a manuscript and a file is specified and facsimile transmission is performed from the facsimile unit 5 to a remote facsimile receiver via a communication line. I do. 2 shows the operation of the reader unit, FIG. 3 shows the operation of the core unit, FIG. 4 shows the operation of the fax unit, and FIGS.

  First, a plurality of originals to be transmitted to the automatic original reading device of the reader unit 1 are set.

  Next, a file name desired to be transmitted among the image files recorded in the external storage device 7 is designated from the operation unit 3.

  Next, the subscriber number of the other party's fax is input from the operation unit 3 and the transmission button is pressed.

  The reader unit 1 reads the originals on the automatic original reading apparatus one by one (S1), converts each page into digital image data (S2), and adds page number information to the digital image data for each original (S1). S3), hand over to core unit 10 (S4). The reader unit 1 performs this process for all originals on the automatic original reading device.

  The core unit 10 temporarily stores the received digital image data (S11) in the external storage device 7 together with the page number information (S12).

  Next, the transmission page order specified by the operation unit 3 is analyzed (S13), and the digital image data is retrieved and extracted one page at a time from the external storage device 7 based on the analysis contents (S14).

  Here, the file information stored in advance in the external storage device 7 is provided with page number information in page units in addition to the attribute information of the image data.

  Now, as shown in FIG. 5, when five originals (A) are set in the automatic original reading apparatus and the file information transmitted at the same time is two-page image data (B), as shown in FIG. A case will be described in which a setting for facsimile transmission as a transmission file in a proper page order is made by the operation unit 3. Based on the page number information of the document (A) and the file (B) temporarily stored in the external storage device 7, the core unit 10 performs digital image data of the first page of the document, digital image data of the second page of the document, The file information is searched and read from the external storage device 7 in the order of the file information of the first page, the digital image data of the third page, the file information of the second page, and the digital image data of the fourth page of the document. (S15), and further instructs the facsimile unit 5 the command of the subscriber number information input by the operation unit 3 (S16).

  The fax unit 5 converts the digital image data (S21) received from the core unit 10 into a facsimile code using a well-known compression method or the like (S22), executes dialing on the other party's fax (S23), and Transmission is performed (S24).

  The combination of transmission originals is not limited to that shown in FIG. 5 but also deletes or selects an arbitrary page of a plurality of originals read by the reader unit 1 as shown in FIG. 6, or changes the page order as shown in FIG. Combinations are also possible according to instructions from the operation unit 3.

  In addition to the originals to be combined, not only the originals and the files, but also the image data sent from the information processing device 11 connected to the computer interface unit 8 are stored in the external storage device 7 and selectively transmitted as described above. The setting content from the operation unit 3 may be set from the information processing device 11 in the same manner as from the operation unit 3.

  Further, the image data transmitted in combination may be stored in the external storage device 7 at the same time as facsimile transmission by giving a file creation instruction.

1 is an overall view of an image forming apparatus. FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a document reading operation of the reader unit. FIG. 9 is an operation flowchart of a core unit of the document combination transmission process. FIG. 9 is an operation flowchart of a transmission process of the fax unit. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a combination of transmission originals. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a combination of transmission originals. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a combination of transmission originals.

Explanation of reference numerals

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Reader part 3 Operation part 4 External device 10 Core part

Claims (12)

Reading means for reading an original;
Input means different from the reading means for inputting image data,
Storage means for storing image information of a plurality of pages together with page number information;
Specifying means for specifying the order of pages to be read from the storage means;
Searching and reading are performed in the order specified by the specifying unit based on the respective page number information from the image data read from the reading unit and the image data input by the input unit stored in the storage unit. Control means for combining
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage unit stores the combined image data according to a file creation instruction.   2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising facsimile transmission means for transmitting the image data retrieved and read by facsimile.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the designation unit is an operation unit included in the apparatus.   2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the designation unit is a unit that can designate a page order from an information processing device connected to an interface.   2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the specifying unit is a unit capable of instructing deletion, selection, and switching of page order of an arbitrary page of the image data stored in the storage unit.   6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input unit is a computer interface for connecting an information processing device. A reading step of reading the manuscript;
An input process different from the reading process for inputting image data,
A storage step of storing image information of a plurality of pages together with page number information;
A designation step of designating an order of pages from which the image data stored in the storage step is read;
Searching and reading are performed in the order specified by the specifying step based on the respective page number information from the image data read in the reading step and the image data input in the input step stored in the storing step. And a control step,
The image processing method, wherein the storing step stores the combined image data in accordance with a filing instruction.   8. The image processing method according to claim 7, wherein the image data retrieved and read is transmitted by facsimile.   The image processing method according to claim 7, wherein the specifying step is an operation unit included in an apparatus that performs the image processing method.   8. The image processing method according to claim 7, wherein said specifying step is means for instructing a page order from an information processing device connected to an interface.   8. The image processing method according to claim 7, wherein the specifying step is a step in which deletion, selection, and change of the page order of an arbitrary page of the image data stored in the storage step can be instructed. 12. The image processing method according to claim 7, wherein the input step is a computer interface for connecting an information processing device.

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