JP2005045354A - Image processing apparatus, image forming system, image processing method, computer program, and recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To select the optimum image output apparatus corresponding to an image, in outputting image data from an image input apparatus to a plurality of other image output apparatuses on a network. <P>SOLUTION: The image processing apparatus in which a master device provided with an image input section is connected to a plurality slave devices such as printers is provided with an image density detecting means 603 for detecting an output density level of each of the slave devices, and a CPU 602 for selecting a slave device to which an image is outputted corresponding to the density level of image data read by the master device. The apparatus selects the optimum slave device according to the density of an original. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus that controls an output method when image data from an image input apparatus is output to a plurality of other image output apparatuses on a network, an image processing method, a copier using the image processing apparatus, The present invention relates to an image forming system including an image forming apparatus such as a printer and a facsimile, a computer program for executing the image processing method by a computer, and a recording medium on which the computer program is recorded.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, image forming apparatuses such as copiers, printers, and facsimiles are connected to a plurality of digital copiers and digital multi-function peripherals (MFPs) via a network in accordance with digitization and speeding up, and reading by one digital copier is possible. There is provided a system for transferring image data read from a printing unit to a printer unit of another digital copying machine and performing printing processing. Even if each digital copying machine is the same model, the density adjustment may be fixed in advance in accordance with variations in characteristics of the photosensitive member and the developing device and usage. Therefore, when a plurality of digital copying machines of the same model are connected on the network, even if the same density and color correction are performed, an optimal image may not be obtained depending on the machine. For this reason, an image processing method that can automatically perform appropriate color balance adjustment or the like for each machine is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1 and the like.
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2001-246784 A
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, when a plurality of various devices are connected as image output devices on the network, it is very difficult to adjust their color balance. In addition, if an attempt is made to forcibly adjust, there is a possibility that the color reproduction is far from the original document image.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of the actual situation of the prior art, and its object is to optimize image data according to a document when outputting image data from an image input device to a plurality of other image output devices on a network. An image processing apparatus and an image forming system for selecting an appropriate image output apparatus are provided.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the first means is the image processing apparatus which receives the image data from the image input means and outputs the image data to at least one of the plurality of image output means via the network. Recognizing means for recognizing the output density of the image output means, and selecting means for selecting the image output means to be output according to the density recognized by the recognizing means.
[0007]
The second means is characterized in that, in the first means, the output density of the image output means is gradation pattern data sent from the image output means.
[0008]
A third means is characterized in that, in the first means, the output density of the image output means is density data of a document image.
[0009]
The fourth means is characterized in that, in the first to third means, the recognition means includes density detection means for detecting density.
[0010]
A fifth means is the fourth means, wherein the density detecting means detects a MAX density, a MIN density, and an average density.
[0011]
The sixth means is the third to fifth means, further comprising display means for displaying the density level of the document image detected by the density detection means.
[0012]
The seventh means is characterized in that, in the sixth means, the display means displays the priority order of the output means selected by the selection means corresponding to the density level.
[0013]
The eighth means is characterized in that an image forming system comprises the image processing apparatus according to the first to seventh means and an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium.
[0014]
A ninth means is an image processing method in which image data is input from an image input means and the image data is output to at least one of a plurality of image output means via a network.
The method includes a step of recognizing an output density of each image output unit, and a step of selecting an image output unit to be output according to the density recognized in the recognition step.
[0015]
A tenth means is the ninth means wherein the output density is gradation pattern data sent from the image output means or density data of a document image.
[0016]
The eleventh means is characterized in that, in the ninth or tenth means, the MAX density, the MIN density, and the average density of the output density are detected, and the image output means is selected based on these densities.
[0017]
A twelfth means is characterized in that a computer program is constructed in order to execute the image processing methods according to the ninth to eleventh means by a computer.
[0018]
A thirteenth means is characterized in that the computer program according to the twelfth means is read by a computer and recorded on a recording medium so as to be executable.
[0019]
In the following embodiments, the image input unit is the image input unit 101 and the image input unit 605, the image output unit is the printer 102, the slave units 110, 1102, 1103, and 1104, and the recognition unit is the image density detection unit 603. The selection means corresponds to the CPU 602, the density detection means corresponds to the image density level detection circuit 801, and the display means corresponds to the touch panel 1200.
[0020]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0021]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a system configuration of an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the image forming system shown in FIG. 1, a master device 100 that performs overall control is configured by a copying apparatus that includes an image input unit 101 and a printer 102, and a plurality of slave devices 110 are connected to the master device 100 via a network. Here, the plurality of slave units 110 are all printers. The image input unit 101 reads a document image, and the printer 102 receives image data read by the image input unit 101 and forms an image on a sheet. A parent device controller 103 is connected to the parent device 100, and this parent device controller 103 is connected to a child device controller 111 provided in each child device 110 via a network 120. As a result, transfer of video data, transmission / reception of commands, and the like are performed between the image input unit 101 and the printers of the plurality of slave units 110.
[0022]
FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of the image input unit 101 of the parent device 100, and FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of the printer 102 of the parent device 100.
[0023]
In these drawings, the image input unit 101 includes an automatic document feeder 201 that feeds originals 202 one by one onto a platen glass (contact glass) 203, and the original 202 fed from the automatic document feeder 201. Are sequentially set at predetermined positions. Below the document table glass 203, for example, a document illumination lamp 205 composed of a halogen lamp and an optical scanning unit 204 containing a plurality of scanning mirrors 206, an imaging lens 208, an image sensor 209 composed of a CCD, and a scanner A CCD unit 207 accommodating the image processing unit 210 and an image output I / F 211 for outputting image data from the scanner image processing unit 210 to the outside are provided.
[0024]
With this configuration, the document 202 set on the document table glass 203 is exposed by the document illumination lamp 205, and reflected light from the document 202 is guided to the CCD unit 207 by the plurality of scanning mirrors 206. Reflected light from the document 202 is incident on the image sensor 209 by the imaging lens 208. The image signal output from the image sensor 209 is converted into, for example, 8-bit digital image data, and then input to the scanner image processing unit 210. Various image processing is performed, and the processed image data is an image I / F 211. To the printer unit 102 of the parent device 100 or to the controller 103.
[0025]
As shown in FIG. 3, the printer 102 has a laser unit 303 as an exposure unit, a photosensitive drum 302 exposed by a laser beam (LB) from the laser unit 303, and an image image transferred on the photosensitive drum 302. A sheet feeding unit 308 for transfer paper and a fixing device 309 for fixing an image on the transfer paper are provided. The laser unit 303 is composed of a semiconductor laser device or the like, and exposes the photosensitive drum 302 with a laser beam (LB) based on the image processed image data to form an electrostatic latent image. Around the photosensitive drum 302, a primary charger 304 that uniformly charges the photosensitive drum 302, a developer containing magenta (M), cyan (C), yellow (Y), and black (K) toners. A developing unit 305 containing toner, a transfer charger 306 that transfers the toner image developed on the photosensitive drum 302 to the fed transfer paper, a cleaner 307 that cleans the surface of the photosensitive drum 302, and image formation. A neutralizing lamp 312 for neutralizing the photosensitive drum 302 is disposed. The developing device 305 sequentially attaches toner to the formed electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 302 according to the charge amount. The transfer sheet is fed from the sheet feeding unit 308 into the apparatus by driving each sheet feeding roller 310, and the writing timing with the image formed on the photosensitive drum 302 is taken.
[0026]
A transfer belt 311 is provided on the downstream side of the transfer charger 306 in the transfer sheet transfer direction, and the transfer sheet after the transfer process is transferred to the fixing unit 309, and the toner is fixed to the transfer sheet by heat and pressure by the fixing unit 309. To do. Reference numeral 313 denotes a video interface, which is an image input I / F of the printer 102 of the parent device 100 and an input I / F of image data on the child device side. The image data input from the image input I / F 313 is subjected to image processing such as gradation processing in the printer image processing unit 314.
[0027]
Note that the printer of the slave unit 110 is configured in the same manner as the printer 102 of FIG.
[0028]
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the controller 103 of the master unit. The parent device controller 103 includes a compression processing unit 401, a memory control unit 402, a network driver / receiver unit 403, and an expansion processing unit 404. When the image data is transmitted / received to / from the controller 111 of the slave unit 110, the memory control unit 402 outputs the image data asynchronously to each of the plurality of slave units 110, or adjusts the transmission rate of the image data to the reception timing of each slave unit 110. The memory means such as the temporary memory 402a or the hard disk 402b is controlled. The compression processing unit 401 compresses data in order to effectively use the memory capacity before storing the images in the storage units 402a and 402b, and the decompression processing unit 404 decompresses the compressed data. . The network driver / receiver unit 403 distributes the image data read from the memory 402 a or the hard disk 402 b to the plurality of slave units 110 via the network 120 under the control of the memory control unit 402 and transmits the image data.
[0029]
As an image data format at this time, for example, as shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of blocking the image data format. In this image data format, for example, the block 504 is configured to the first slave unit 110, the block 505 is configured to the second slave unit 110, and the block 506 is configured to the third slave unit 110. Each block 504, 505, 506 has a child device ID 501 indicating which child device 110 is transmitted to the head, and data indicating whether command data is transmitted to the child device 110 or image data is transmitted. It consists of an ID 502 and a data part 503 which is a main body. The data part 503 determines whether it is command data or image data based on the data ID 502.
[0030]
In the present embodiment, when a plurality of slave units 110 are connected as a printer to a single master unit 100 in order to improve productivity, image characteristics such as a monochrome document can be obtained depending on various types of documents. In order to realize a configuration that can meet the demands of improving image quality as well as simply demanding productivity with a manuscript, color manuscript, photo manuscript, or text manuscript It is.
[0031]
FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an image processing unit of the parent device 100. The image processing unit includes an operation unit 601 for receiving an operation request from an operator, a central processing unit (hereinafter referred to as a CPU) 602 for controlling the entire image processing apparatus, an image density detecting unit 603, which will be described later, and an image. A network I / F 604 described below for outputting data, an image input unit 605 for optically reading a document and outputting it as a digital image, an image processing unit 606 described later, a memory control unit 607 for controlling the memory medium 608, and image data It comprises image output means 609 for outputting. Specifically, the image input unit 605 corresponds to the image input unit 101 of FIG. 2 described above. The memory medium 608 includes a RAM and a hard disk. The memory control unit 607 performs control as a buffer memory for timing adjustment with the network I / F 604 and the image output unit 609 in the subsequent stage. Specifically, the image output unit 609 corresponds to the printer 102 of FIG. 3 described above.
[0032]
FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the image processing means 606 in FIG. In the figure, the image processing means 606 includes a shading correction unit 701, an input γ unit 702, a filter unit 703, a color correction unit 704, an output γ unit 705, and a gradation processing unit 706. The shading correction unit 701 corrects the unevenness in the amount of light of the document illumination lamp 205 and the variation in the light receiving sensitivity of the image sensor 209, performs a process for correcting the output of the image sensor 209 to be constant, and corrects white and black. , Correction processing is performed so that white becomes a reference when reading white and black becomes a reference when reading black. The input γ unit 702 performs image conversion processing for linearly correcting input characteristics having distortion of the image input means. Specifically, a process of correcting RGB input data to appropriate RGB data using a conversion table for three colors is performed. A filter unit 703 determines a smoothing filter that removes moire or the like generated from a periodic shift between a period of halftone dots or the like of an original image and a sampling period of the image input unit 605, and determines a character part and a photograph part of an image. By doing so, it is composed of an emphasis filter or the like that sharpens only the character portion. The color correction unit 704 performs processing for converting an image read by the image input unit 605 using RGB data into Y, C, M, and K toner densities that are color materials of the image output unit 609. The output γ unit 705 has the same configuration as the input γ unit 702, but requires a table for four colors of YCMK. In this processing, processing for correcting the gray or color balance of the output image in accordance with the characteristics of the image output means 609 is performed. The gradation processing unit 706 performs processing for maintaining the gradation of the image, and includes a binary dither using a dither matrix, a multi-value dither having a table in the matrix, or the like.
[0033]
The image processing unit 606 sequentially executes the input data from the shading correction unit 701 to the gradation processing unit 706 described above, and outputs the image path to be transmitted to the memory control unit 607 and the output of the input γ unit 702 to the output of the image processing unit 606. There is an image path. The former image path is an image path when the read image data is output by the image output means 609 of the parent device 100 itself, and the latter image path is an image path when the image data is output to the image density detection means 603 of the parent device 100. It is.
[0034]
FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of the image density detecting means 603 of FIG. The image density detection unit 603 includes an image density level detection circuit 801 for detecting the density level of the document image and an internal register 802 for storing the result detected by the image density level detection circuit 801. . The image density level detection circuit 801 is a plurality of determination circuits that compare and determine original image data transmitted from the image processing unit 606 in real time. For example, the MAX density detection determination circuit detects the MAX density of the original image. 801a includes a MIN density detection determination circuit 801b that detects the MIN density of the original image, an average density detection determination circuit 801c that detects the average density of the original image, and the like. These determination circuits 801a to 801c are sequentially added to the configuration of the image density detection means 603 if they are circuits that can detect the density level of the original image as a material for selecting the slave unit 110 for image output. As a result, a more appropriate slave unit 110 can be selected. The determination results of the determination circuits 801a to 801c are sequentially stored in the internal register 802. These stored image density detection data are connected to the CPU bus 602a, and can be read out sequentially by access from the CPU 602 when the image is read and various detections are completed. As described above, the MAX density, the MIN density, and the average density in the document can be detected, so that the density level of the document image can be accurately recognized.
FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of the network I / F 604 of FIG. In the figure, the network I / F 604 is divided into a data reception circuit and a data transmission circuit controlled by a reception control unit 901 and a transmission control unit 907, respectively, as shown in the figure. The data receiving circuit includes a receiver 906 for receiving data from the network 120, a noise canceling unit 905 for removing noise from data received by the receiver 906, a demodulating unit 904 for demodulating modulated data, and serial data. Serial / parallel conversion unit (serial-parallel conversion unit) 903 for converting data into parallel data and a reception buffer 902 which is a queuing buffer for storing parallel data from the serial / parallel conversion unit 903. These are controlled by the reception control unit 901. The external CPU 602 can sequentially read data stored in the reception buffer 902 via the CPU I / F 912 connected to the CPU bus 602a. The data transmission circuit converts the data written in the transmission buffer 908 from the external CPU 602 via the CPU I / F 912 into parallel data by the parallel / serial conversion unit (paraserial conversion unit) 909, and the modulation unit 910 The data is modulated and output to the network 120 by the driver 911. These are controlled by the transmission control unit 907.
[0035]
FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the image processing unit of each slave unit 110. The image processing unit of each slave unit 110 includes a CPU 1001 that controls the entire slave unit, a network I / F 1002, a memory control unit 1003, a memory medium 1004, an image output unit 1005, and the like. The network I / F 1002 receives data from the network 120 and transmits data to the network 120, and its configuration is the same as the network I / F 604 shown in FIG. The memory control unit 1003 and the memory medium 1004 are for arbitrating the timing of writing to the image output unit 1005 and the timing of data input from the network I / F 1002. As for the density of each slave unit 110, the CPU 1001 transmits the tone pattern data of the slave unit from the network I / F 1002 to the image density detection unit 603 of the master unit 100 via the network 120, and the image density detection unit 603 Determination is made by detecting the MAX density, MIN density, and average density of the pattern. Thereby, the output density level of each slave unit 110 can be accurately recognized.
Here, an image forming operation in the image forming system according to the present embodiment will be described. In order to make the explanation of the operation of the system easy to understand, it is assumed that the system is configured as shown in FIG. That is, it is assumed that three slave units 1102 to 1104 are connected to one master unit 1101 via a network. A specific ID number is assigned to each of the three slave units 1102 to 1104. For example, assume that slave unit 1102 is assigned # 1, slave unit 1103 is assigned # 2, and slave unit 1104 is assigned # 3. This ID number is an identification number for determining the slave units 1102 to 1104 to be received when transmitted to the respective slave units 1102 to 1104 via the network. Of the transmission data shown in FIG. 12, what is indicated by reference numeral 1206 is a slave unit ID.
[0036]
In addition, each of the slave units 1102 to 1104 has characteristics. For example, the child device 1102 of the child device # 1 is a child device in which the color reproducibility of the high density is not so good and the MAX density is set in advance, and the child device 1103 of the # 2 is low density. It is assumed that the reproducibility of the part is not good and the reproducibility of the MIN density part is poor, and the # 3 handset 1104 is a handset that can output both the high density part and the low density part without any problem. In this way, it is assumed that the three slave units each have image data that they are good at and are connected to the master unit 1101 on the network.
[0037]
On the other hand, it is assumed that a touch panel 1200 as shown in FIG. The touch panel 1200 includes a linked copy button 1201, a document density level table 1202, a slave unit priority table 1203 corresponding to the document density level table 1202, a display unit 1204 that displays that linked copying is possible, and a copy start button. 1205 etc. are provided.
[0038]
FIG. 13 is a sequence diagram illustrating a procedure for transmitting and receiving information among the operator, the parent device, and the child device. As can be seen from FIG. 13, in order to use this image processing system, the operator first operates the connection mode button 1201 in FIG. 12 to connect the master unit 1101 and the plurality of slave units 1102 to 1104. Select the operation mode. The linked operation mode is an operation mode in which the parent device 1101 and a plurality of child devices 1102 to 1104 are connected via a network, and data from the parent device 1101 is output from the child device. At this time, the operation unit 601 transmits a “connection request” to the parent device 1101 using the connection copy button 1201 of the operator as a trigger (1301 in FIG. 13). Receiving this, the parent device 1101 transmits a “connection request” to the plurality of child devices 1102 to 1104 (1302). At this time, transmission request data from the CPU 602 is transmitted from the parent device 1101 to the child devices 1102 to 1104 in the data format shown in FIG. 5 under the control of the transmission control unit 907 of the network I / F unit 604 shown in FIG. . Similarly, the slave unit receives data by the network I / F 1002 and the CPU 1001 decodes the contents. The plurality of slave units 1102 to 1104 that have received the “connection request” shift themselves to the connection mode and return “connection OK” to the base unit (1303). At this time, since the reply data does not return from the slave units 1102 to 1104 that are in a non-operating state due to some problem, the master unit 1101 grasps which slave units 1102 to 1104 are in operation at this time. Can do. The connection mode viewed from the slave units 1102 to 1104 is a mode for shifting to a state in which only transfer data from the master unit 1101 is received.
[0039]
Next, in order for the master unit 1101 to obtain image density information of the plurality of slave units 1102 to 1104 connected by the command, the CPU 602 of the master unit 1101 sends a “slave unit density information request” to each of the slave units 1102 to 1104. Is transmitted (1304). Receiving this, the slave units 1102 to 1104 return their own “slave unit density information” from the CPU 1001 to the master unit 1101 (1305). The handset density information is data indicating the density level of each handset described above.
[0040]
The master unit 1101 that has obtained the slave unit density information determines, based on the transmitted slave unit density information, which slave unit 1102 to 1104 it is desirable to output to the density level of the document by the CPU 602. The output priority order of the output devices that are the child devices 1102 to 1104 is displayed on the table 1203 of the touch panel 1200 of the operation unit 601 of the parent device 1001. An example of the display at this time is shown in FIG. Here, how to determine which slave unit 1102 to 1104 is desired to be output with respect to the “slave unit density information” is as follows. First, the list of menus in the table 1202 on the left of FIG. Compared with the “child device density information” sent from each of the slave units 1102 to 1104 with respect to the document density level, an appropriate slave unit 1102 to 1104 for the document density is selected based on the magnitude relationship with the document density. . In this case, the slave units 1102 to 1104 that match the image density level indicate that the slave unit shown in the left column of the table 1203 in FIG. 12 has the highest priority. Further, the priorities of the slave units 1102 to 1104 in the table 1203 of the same figure can be manually set later by the operator. Such manual setting can be easily realized by a program operating on the CPU 601 of the parent device 1101.
[0041]
In this way, when it is possible to determine which slave unit 1102 to 1104 to output to the feature of the document, the master unit 1101 indicates to the operator the meaning of “connection OK” (1306). As shown by 12 display sections 1204, “Concatenated copy is possible” is displayed. When “Concatenated copy is possible.” Is displayed, the operator sets a plurality of originals on the image input device 101 (FIG. 2) of the master unit 1101 in order to make a copy of the original, and the copy shown in FIG. The start button 1205 is pressed (1307). When the copy start button 1205 is pressed, the parent device 1101 transmits a “data transfer request” (1308) to the child device (one of 1102 to 1104) with the highest priority to be transmitted. If the child device with the highest priority cannot be used for some reason, the output can be changed to the child device with the next highest priority. The target slave unit that has received the “data transfer request” prepares to receive data, and upon completion, returns “ready preparation OK” (1312) to the base unit 1101. Receiving “reception preparation OK” from the child device, the parent device 1101 first transmits the packed image data “data transfer 1” (1309) to the child device. The slave unit checks whether the transferred data has been received without any problem, and if there is no problem, responds with “ACK” (1313) to that effect. Next, the parent device 1101 transmits the packed image data “data transfer 2” (1310) to the child device. The slave unit checks whether the transferred data has been received without any problem, and if there is no problem, responds with “ACK” (1314) to that effect. Similarly, n−1 pieces of image data are transferred, and the nth image data “data transfer n” (1311) is transmitted to the slave unit. If the slave unit can receive the transferred data without any problem, it responds with “ACK” (1315). When the base unit 1101 receives this “ACK” (1315), the base unit 1101 transmits “data transfer completion” (1316) to the slave unit, and the slave unit receives this and receives “data reception completion” (1317). Reply to 1001.
[0042]
At the same time that the data reception completion is transmitted to the parent device 1101, the child device sequentially outputs the image data from the parent device 1101 stored via the network I / F 1002 from the memory medium 1004 to the image output means 1005 of the child device itself. Specifically, the image data is plotted on the sheet by an output device such as the printer 102 shown in FIG. When the output of the image data is completed, “output completion” (1318) is transmitted to the parent device 1101. Up to this point, first, the first original is output from the slave unit assigned according to the characteristics of the original.
[0043]
Next, the second original is read from the image input unit 605 of the master unit 1101 and image processing is performed by the image processing unit 606 as in the first page, and the density level of the original is detected by the image density detection unit 603. . The CPU 602 selects the slave unit corresponding to the detection result from the table 1202 of FIG. 12 as the next document output device, similarly to the first sheet from the detection result. In this way, the second and subsequent slave units are selected, a “data transfer request” (1309) is made to the selected slave units, and image data is sequentially transferred in the same procedure as the first page. When the transfer is completed, image data is output from the image output means 1005 of the slave unit.
[0044]
In this way, as many as the number of originals are selected, the respective slave units that are optimal for the characteristics of the originals are selected and images are sequentially output. When all the originals have been output, “output complete” is transmitted to the master unit 1101. 1101 displays the content indicating “copy completed” (1321) on the display unit 1204 in FIG. 12 to notify the operator that a series of linked copies has been completed. The operator notifies the parent device 1101 of a request for “release connection” (1322) by turning OFF the connection mode button 1201 in FIG. 12 to release the connection mode. In response to this, the parent device 1101 transmits a “connection release request” (1323) to each of the plurality of connected child devices 1102, 1103, and 1104. Upon receiving this, the slave units 1102, 1103, and 1104 release themselves from the connection mode and shift to the stand-alone mode or the normal network output device mode. When the migration is completed, the slave units 1102, 1103, and 1104 return “cancel OK” (1324) to the master unit 1101. When the parent device 1101 confirms the cancellation OK notification of the child devices 1102, 1103, and 1104, the display unit 1204 in FIG. 12 displays that the connection mode is released, and displays to the operator that the connection mode has been released. Notification is made via the unit 1204 (1325).
[0045]
With such a configuration, in addition to how to efficiently output an image as in the past, a plurality of output devices that are optimal for the density level of the document are selected from a plurality of slave units for high speed. It is possible to output a higher quality image without impairing the output.
[0046]
The procedure shown in the sequence diagram is executed and executed by the CPUs 602 and 1001 in accordance with a program stored in a ROM (not shown) provided in the master unit 1101 and the slave units 1102, 1103, and 1104.
[0047]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, when outputting image data from an image input device to a plurality of other image output devices on the network, an optimal image output device can be selected according to the document.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a configuration of an image input unit of the master unit.
FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of a printer of a parent device.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a controller of the parent device.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of blocking an image data format.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an image processing unit of the master unit.
7 is a block diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of an image processing unit in FIG. 6. FIG.
8 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of the image density detecting means of FIG. 6. FIG.
9 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of the network I / F in FIG. 6. FIG.
FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image processing unit of each slave unit.
FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a system configuration of a master unit and a slave unit.
FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a touch panel on the operation unit of the master unit.
FIG. 13 is a sequence diagram showing a data processing procedure in a connection operation mode of a parent device and a child device.
[Explanation of symbols]
100, 1101 Base unit
101 Image input unit
110, 1102, 1103, 1104
102 Printer
103 Master unit controller
110 handset
111 Remote controller
120 network
601 operation unit
602, 1001 CPU
603 Image density detection means
605 Image input means
606 image processing means
609, 1005 Image output means
801 Image density level detection circuit
801a MAX concentration detection judgment circuit
801b MIN concentration detection judgment circuit
801c Average density detection determination circuit
1200 touch panel

Claims (13)

In an image processing apparatus that receives image data from an image input unit and outputs the image data to at least one of a plurality of image output units via a network,
Recognition means for recognizing the output density of each image output means;
Selection means for selecting an image output means to be output according to the density recognized by the recognition means;
An image processing apparatus comprising: 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output density of the image output means is gradation pattern data sent from the image output means. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output density of the image output means is density data of a document image. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recognition unit includes a density detection unit that detects a density. The image processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the density detecting unit detects a MAX density, a MIN density, and an average density. 6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising display means for displaying a density level of the document image detected by the density detection means. The image processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the display unit displays a priority order of the output unit selected by the selection unit corresponding to the density level. An image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium;
An image forming system comprising: In an image processing method in which image data is input from an image input means and the image data is output to at least one of a plurality of image output means via a network,
Recognizing the output density of each image output means;
Selecting an image output means to be output according to the density recognized in the recognizing step;
An image processing method comprising: 10. The image processing method according to claim 9, wherein the output density is gradation pattern data sent from the image output means or density data of a document image. 11. The image processing method according to claim 9, wherein a MAX density, a MIN density, and an average density of the output density are detected, and an image output unit is selected based on these densities. The computer program for performing the image processing method of any one of Claim 9 thru | or 11 with a computer. 13. A recording medium, wherein the computer program according to claim 12 is recorded by being read and executable by a computer.

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