JP2005271417A - Recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a recorder that records image data inputted by a plurality of routes, and can make interruption to execute the recording processing of the image data from the other route during the recording processing of the image data from one route. <P>SOLUTION: A printer controller converts printing data acquired from an external PC to the image data and sends the data to an apparatus body 1. The apparatus body 1 carries out recording processing to the image data sequentially acquired from the printer controller. In the case that the interruption of copying processing is required during the PC printing processing, the PC printing processing is interrupted. If the PC printing processing by the apparatus body 1 is interrupted, the printer controller encodes the converted image data and sends the data to the apparatus body 1. The apparatus body 1 accumulates the acquired encoded data in an image memory 16. After the interruption processing ends, the apparatus body 1 decodes the data by a high-speed CODEC part 17 and then prints out the data by a printer 20. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention provides a recording apparatus comprising: an apparatus main body that outputs image data input through a plurality of paths to a recording medium; and a relay unit that converts print data input from the outside into image data and inputs the image data to the apparatus main body. Relates to the device.

  In addition to the original copy function and facsimile function, image data or text data sent from a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as PC) connected via a LAN (Local Area Network) or USB (Universal Serial Bus) cable And other functions such as a transmission function for transmitting data to other facsimile machines, a printer function for printing out the data, and a scanner function for transferring image data read from a document to a PC connected via a LAN or USB cable. A multifunctional facsimile machine (facsimile multifunction machine) has been developed.

  In such a facsimile composite machine having various functions, priority is set for each function, and when a recording process is performed by a certain function, a recording request for a function having a higher priority than that function has occurred. In this case, for example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a technique for interrupting a recording process that is being executed and preferentially executing a recording process having a higher priority.

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration example of a conventional facsimile multifunction apparatus. As shown in FIG. 5, the facsimile complex apparatus 500 includes an apparatus main body 5 and a printer controller 6 as a relay unit for inputting data input from an external PC to the apparatus main body 5. The apparatus body 5 includes a modem 50, an NCU (Network Control Unit) 51 for connecting the modem 50 to the public telephone line network L via a connector 51a, a codec unit 52 for performing encoding processing and decoding processing on image data, for example, A scanner unit 53 that reads an original through an optical system using a CCD and acquires image data, stores image data that is obtained by reading the original and is encoded, encoded image data that is received from another facsimile machine, and the like. The image memory 54, the image data of the original read by the scanner unit 53, and a printer 55 for printing out an image based on the image data received by facsimile communication on paper are provided, and each is connected to each other via a bus 5a. Has been.

  In the apparatus main body 5, connectors 55a and 56 for connecting to the printer controller 6 are connected to the printer 55 and the bus 5a, respectively. The printer controller 6 includes connectors 65 and 66 connected to the connectors 55a and 56 of the apparatus main body 5, a connector 60a connected to the LAN 60b, and a connector 61a connected to the USB cable 61b.

  The printer controller 6 transmits / receives data to / from a PC connected to the USB cable 61b via the connector 61a and a LAN interface 60 for transmitting / receiving data to / from the PC connected to the LAN 60b via the connector 60a. USB interface 61 for performing transmission / reception, image conversion unit 62 that converts print data received from an external PC into image data using, for example, an outline font, and image data converted by the image conversion unit 62 is temporarily stored in units of pages. A page memory 63 for storing data, a memory 64 for storing print data received from an external PC, and the like are connected to each other via a bus 6a. The printer controller 6 is an option board that is made up of character data edited by a PC and that causes the apparatus main body 5 to print out an image based on print data described in, for example, PDL (page description language).

  In the facsimile multifunction apparatus 500 having the above-described configuration, for example, the priority of the recording process (PC printing process) by the apparatus main body 5 of the data acquired by the printer controller 6 from the external PC is determined by the scanner unit 53 of the apparatus main body 5 from the original. If it is set lower than the priority of the recording process (copy process) of the read image data, and if a copy process execution request is generated during the execution of the PC print process, the apparatus body 5 will execute the PC being executed. The print process is interrupted and the copy process is executed with priority. In addition, some facsimile multifunction devices 500 have an interrupt function that interrupts a recording process being executed and executes another recording process regardless of the priority order.

  In such a facsimile complex apparatus 500, when performing PC print processing, the printer controller 6 sends image data generated by converting print data acquired from the PC from the connector 65 to the connector 55a of the apparatus body 5. The apparatus body 5 outputs the image data acquired from the connector 55a to a recording sheet by the printer 55. However, when an execution request for copy processing is received during image output by this PC print processing, the apparatus body 5 interrupts the acquisition of image data from the printer controller 6 via the connector 55a, and the scanner unit 53 starts from the document. Recording processing of the read image data by the printer 55 is started.

On the other hand, the printer controller 6 sequentially stores print data acquired from an external PC in the memory 64 while the apparatus main body 5 interrupts acquisition of image data as described above. The printer controller 6 converts the print data stored in the memory 64 into image data by the image conversion unit 62 when the apparatus main body 5 finishes the copy process accepted as the interrupt process, and the connector 65 uses the connector 65 to convert the print data. Send to 5. As a result, the apparatus main body 5 can resume the recording process of the print data acquired by the printer controller 6 from the PC.
JP 11-136404 A

  In the facsimile composite apparatus 500 as described above, even when the PC print processing by the apparatus main body 5 is interrupted, the printer controller 6 cannot interrupt the acquisition of the print data from the PC, so the data is acquired from the PC. There is a problem that it is necessary to provide a memory 64 having a large storage capacity for storing print data.

  When the apparatus main body 5 completes the interrupt process, the printer controller 6 needs to convert the print data stored in the memory 64 into image data by the image conversion unit 62 and send it to the apparatus main body 5. Therefore, there is a problem that it is difficult to shorten the time required to start the PC print processing after the interrupt is released.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and when the apparatus main body interrupts the recording process of print data input from an external PC via the relay unit, it has conventionally been stored in the relay unit. It is an object of the present invention to provide a recording apparatus capable of reducing the cost without accumulating expensive and large-capacity memory in the relay unit by storing print data in the apparatus main body.

  Another object of the present invention is to reduce the burden of image data transmission processing between the relay unit and the apparatus main body when the apparatus main body interrupts the recording process of the image data from the relay unit, and the apparatus main body. It is an object of the present invention to provide a recording apparatus capable of reducing the amount of image data to be stored in a storage device. It is another object of the present invention to provide a recording apparatus capable of efficiently resuming the recording process temporarily interrupted by the apparatus main body.

  A recording apparatus according to the present invention includes an apparatus main body for recording image data input from any of a plurality of input means, and print data input from the outside is converted into image data and the input means to the apparatus main body. A relay unit that inputs to the image processing apparatus, and the apparatus main body is requested to execute the recording process of the image data input from another input unit during the recording process of the image data input from the relay unit. Recording that interrupts the recording process of the image data input from the relay unit and resumes the recording process of the image data input from the relay unit after the recording process of the image data input from the other input unit is completed In the apparatus, the apparatus body includes storage means for storing the image data input from the relay unit when the recording process of the image data input from the relay unit is interrupted. And wherein the door.

  In the present invention, the apparatus main body for recording the image data input from any of the plurality of input means may perform another input during the recording process of the image data input from the relay unit via the input means. When execution of the recording process of the image data input from the means is requested, the recording process of the image data from the relay unit is interrupted and the recording process of the image data from the other input means is executed. In this case, since the apparatus main body stores the image data from the relay unit in the storage unit, the relay unit does not need to store the image data.

  In the recording apparatus according to the present invention, the relay unit encodes the image data so that the amount of data is reduced when the recording process of the image data input to the apparatus main body is interrupted, Means for inputting the encoded data generated by the encoding means to the apparatus main body, and the storage means of the apparatus main body is configured to store the encoded data input from the relay unit. It is characterized by.

  In the present invention, when the apparatus main body interrupts the recording process of the image data from the relay unit, the relay unit converts the print data input from the outside into the image data converted by the encoding unit into the data amount. Encoding is performed so as to decrease, and the generated encoded data is sent to the apparatus main body. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the load of image data transmission processing from the relay unit to the apparatus main body, and it is possible to reduce the storage capacity of the apparatus main body for storing the image data in the interrupted recording process. It becomes.

  In the recording apparatus according to the present invention, the apparatus body includes a decoding unit that decodes the encoded data stored in the storage unit into image data after the recording process of the image data input from the other input unit is completed. And the image data decoded by the decoding means is recorded.

  In the present invention, when the apparatus main body interrupts the image data recording process from the relay unit and executes the image data recording process from the other input means, the apparatus main body receives from the other input means. After the image data recording process is completed, the encoded data acquired and accumulated from the relay unit is decoded by the decoding means, and the obtained image data is recorded. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently resume the interrupted recording process.

  In the present invention, the apparatus main body for recording the image data input from any of the plurality of input means inputs from the other input means during the recording process of the image data input from the relay unit via the input means. When execution of the recorded image data recording process is requested and the recording process of the image data from the relay unit is interrupted, the image data from the relay unit is accumulated. Therefore, the relay unit does not need to store the image data in the interrupted recording process and does not need to have a large-capacity image memory, so that the cost can be reduced.

  Further, in the present invention, when the apparatus main body interrupts the recording process of the image data from the relay unit, the relay unit encodes the image data obtained by converting the print data from the outside to reduce the data amount. By sending the image data to the apparatus main body, it is possible to reduce the load of image data transmission processing from the relay unit to the apparatus main body, and to reduce the amount of image data to be accumulated when the apparatus main body interrupts the recording process. Can be reduced.

  Further, in the present invention, when the apparatus main body interrupts the image data recording process from the relay unit and executes the image data recording process from the other input means, the apparatus main body receives the image from the other input means. After the data recording process is completed, the interrupted recording process can be restarted efficiently by decoding the encoded data acquired and accumulated from the relay unit and performing the recording process. The overall recording processing time in the recording processing can be shortened.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings showing embodiments thereof. The recording apparatus of the present invention includes an apparatus main body that records image data, and a relay unit that converts print data received from an external PC into image data and transmits the image data to the apparatus main body. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an apparatus main body in a facsimile multifunction apparatus as a recording apparatus of the present invention. The apparatus main body 1 in the facsimile composite apparatus 100 includes an MPU 10, a ROM 11, a RAM 12, a modem 13, an NCU 14, a memory control unit 15, a high-speed codec unit 17, an image conversion unit 18, an operation unit 25, and the like as main components. Are connected to each other via a system bus 1a. The memory control unit 15 is also connected to the image bus 1b, and is also connected to the printer control unit 19 and the scanner control unit 22 via the image bus 1b.

  The MPU 10 is connected to the above-described hardware components of the apparatus main body 1 via the system bus 1a, and controls them, and is necessary for the operation as the apparatus main body in the recording apparatus of the present invention stored in the ROM 11. Various software functions are executed according to various control programs. The RAM 12 is configured by SRAM, flash memory, or the like, and temporarily stores data generated when the control program is executed by the MPU 10.

  The modem 13 is a fax modem capable of facsimile communication, and is directly connected to the NCU 14. The NCU 14 is connected to a connector 14a connected to the public telephone exchange network L. If necessary, the NCU 14 connects the modem 13 to the connector 14a connected to the public telephone exchange network L, so that the public telephone exchange network L is connected. Facsimile communication is possible between an external facsimile compound apparatus and a facsimile apparatus. Thereby, the modem 13 functions as an input means for inputting image data acquired by facsimile communication.

  The scanner control unit 22 acquires image data by reading a document through an optical system using, for example, a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) according to control from the MPU 10 via the memory control unit 15. The scanner control unit 22 stores the acquired image data in a page memory 23 connected to itself, and outputs the image data stored in the page memory 23 in page units. The scanner control unit 22 outputs the read image data to the printer 20 via, for example, the printer control unit 19, whereby the scanner control unit 22 functions as an input unit for inputting the image data read from the document. .

  The scanner control unit 22 also connects the read image data to the image memory 16 via the memory control unit 15, to an external facsimile device via the modem 13 and the NCU 14, or to a connector directly connected to the image bus 1 b. The data is output to an external PC from a printer controller 3 (see FIG. 2), which will be described later, via the printer 24.

  The memory controller 15 is connected to an image memory 16 composed of DRAM. The memory control unit 15 includes, for example, image data received by facsimile communication via the modem 13 and the NCU 14, image data read by the scanner control unit 22, or a connector 24 and printer control unit directly connected to the image bus 1b. The image data sent from the printer controller 3 via the connector 19 a connected to 19 is stored in the image memory 16.

  For example, an electrophotographic printer 20 and a page memory 21 are connected to the printer control unit 19. The printer control unit 19 is, for example, image data received by facsimile communication via the modem 13 and the NCU 14 and decoded by the high speed codec unit 17, image data read by the scanner control unit 22, or a printer controller via the connector 19a. 3 is temporarily stored in page memory 21 in units of pages, and an image based on the stored image data is printed out on a sheet by printer 20.

  The high-speed codec unit 17 performs, for example, encoding processing based on a method such as MH, MR, MMR, or JBIG on the image data read by the scanner control unit 22 to generate encoded data with a reduced data amount, and performs memory control The image data is stored in the image memory 16 via the unit 15. The high-speed codec unit 17 decodes encoded image data received from another facsimile apparatus via the modem 13 and the NCU 14. The high-speed codec unit 17 can perform encoding processing and decoding processing at a higher speed than the codec unit 39 of the printer controller 3 (see FIG. 2) described later.

  When receiving text data from the printer controller 3 through the connectors 19a and 24, for example, the image conversion unit 18 converts the image data into image data using a bitmap font, and converts the obtained image data into, for example, the memory control unit 15 To the printer control unit 19 and printed out by the printer 20.

  The operation unit 25 includes a numeric keypad, speed dial keys, various function keys, and the like necessary for the user to operate the facsimile multifunction peripheral 100, and corresponds to the operated key when each key is operated by the user. The transmitted control signal is sent to the MPU 10. The MPU 10 executes various operations according to the control signal given from the operation unit 25 according to the control program. The operation unit 25 has an interrupt key 25a. When the user operates the interrupt key 25a, the MPU 10 interrupts the process being executed and executes the requested interrupt process.

  With the configuration described above, the facsimile multifunction apparatus 100 has the reading function of reading an original by the scanner control unit 22 to obtain image data, and the printer 20 records an image corresponding to the read image data or image data received by facsimile communication. And a recording function for transmitting, and a transmission function for facsimile transmission of read image data or received image data.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a printer controller as a relay unit in a facsimile multifunction apparatus as a recording apparatus of the present invention. The printer controller 3 in the facsimile composite apparatus 100 is connected to the MPU 30, ROM 31, RAM 32, page memory 33, image conversion unit 34, LAN interface 35, USB interface 36, codec unit 39, and connectors 19a and 24 of the apparatus body 1 described above. Connectors 37, 38 and the like are provided as main components, and each is connected to each other via a system bus 3a. The printer controller 3 is an option board for printing out an image based on print data edited by a PC and described in PDL, for example, by the apparatus main body 1.

  The MPU 30 is connected to the above-described hardware units of the printer controller 3 via the system bus 3a and controls them, and is necessary for the operation as a relay unit in the recording apparatus of the present invention stored in the ROM 31. Various software functions are executed according to various control programs. The RAM 32 is configured by SRAM, flash memory, or the like, and temporarily stores data generated when the control program is executed by the MPU 30.

  The LAN interface 35 is connected to a connector 35a as a LAN port. The LAN interface 35 is connected to an external PC via the LAN 35b, and transmits / receives data to / from the external PC. The USB interface 36 is connected to a connector 36a as a USB port. The USB interface 36 is connected to an external PC via a USB cable 36b, and transmits and receives data to and from the external PC. Therefore, the printer controller 3 can acquire print data from an external PC via the connector 35a and the connector 36a.

  The print data input from the LAN interface 35 and the USB interface 36 is input to the image conversion unit 34. The image conversion unit 34 converts print data acquired from an external PC into image data using, for example, an outline font, and temporarily stores it in the page memory 33 in units of pages. The page memory 33 sends the stored image data from the connector 37 to the apparatus main body 1 in units of pages.

  The codec unit (encoding means) 39 performs an encoding process based on a method such as MH, MR, MMR, JBIG or the like so that the data amount of the image data converted by the image conversion unit 34 is reduced as necessary. The generated encoded data is sent from the connector 37 to the apparatus main body 1.

  The image data sent from the printer controller 3 to the apparatus main body 1 is input to the printer control unit 19 via the connector 19a and printed out on paper by the printer 20. The print data acquired from the LAN interface 35 and the USB interface 36 can also be sent to the apparatus main body 1 as it is via the connector 38, for example. The codec unit 39 may be configured by hardware. For example, the control program for executing a predetermined encoding process is stored in the ROM 31, and the control program is realized by the MPU 30 executing the control program. It may be a function.

  The facsimile composite apparatus 100 of the present invention is realized by connecting the apparatus main body 1 having the above-described configuration and the printer controller 3. The facsimile multifunction apparatus 100 has a recording function for recording an image corresponding to print data sent from an external PC via the printer controller 3 by the printer 20 of the apparatus main body 1, and read image data or A transmission function for transmitting image data received by facsimile communication from the printer controller 3 to an external PC is further provided.

  Note that when the facsimile multifunction apparatus 100 executes processing for recording an image corresponding to print data sent from an external PC by the printer 20, that is, PC print processing, the MPU 30 of the printer controller 3 is connected to the LAN interface 35 or Print data acquired from an external PC via the USB interface 36 is converted into image data by the image conversion unit 34, and the generated image data is sent from the connector 37 to the apparatus main body 1. The apparatus main body 1 acquires this image data from the connector 19a, inputs it to the printer control unit 19, and prints it out on paper by the printer 20.

  During the execution of the PC print process by the facsimile multifunction apparatus 100 described above, the user can cause the facsimile multifunction apparatus 100 to execute a copy process. Specifically, for example, when the user operates the interrupt key 25a of the operation unit 25 while the PC print processing of the facsimile multifunction peripheral 100 is being executed, the MPU 10 of the apparatus main body 1 is requested to execute the interrupt processing. Detect that. Note that the MPU 10 of the apparatus main body 1 may be configured to detect the occurrence of an interrupt process execution request when a user places a document on a document placement table (not shown) during execution of the PC print processing.

  When the MPU 10 of the apparatus main body 1 detects an interrupt process execution request as described above, the MPU 10 sends an interrupt signal indicating interruption of the PC print process to the printer controller 3 via the connector 19a, for example, and is requested to execute the interrupt process. Starts copy processing, which is interrupt processing. When the MPU 30 of the printer controller 3 receives an interrupt signal from the apparatus body 1, the image data converted by the image conversion unit 34 is encoded by the codec unit 39, and the generated encoded data is transmitted from the connector 37. The data is sent to the apparatus main body 1.

  The apparatus body 1 inputs the encoded data acquired from the connector 19a through the printer control 19 to the memory control unit 15 and stores it in the image memory (storage means) 16. Further, when the user operates the interrupt key 25a of the operation unit 25 again, the apparatus main body 1 detects that the interruption process is instructed, and resumes the interrupted PC print process. Specifically, when the MPU 10 detects the end of the interrupt processing, the MPU 10 decodes the encoded data from the printer controller 3 stored in the image memory 16 by the high-speed codec unit (decoding unit) 17, and the printer control unit 19. And printed out on paper by the printer 20.

  As a result, even if the PC printing process is interrupted, it is not necessary for the printer controller 3 to store data from the PC in itself, so that the printer controller 3 is provided with only the page memory 33. There is no need to provide a large-capacity memory. In addition, when the interrupted PC print process is resumed, the apparatus main body 1 decodes the encoded data stored in its own image memory 16 by its own high-speed codec unit 17 and outputs an image. Therefore, even when the interrupted PC printing process is resumed, the total processing time can be shortened.

  Hereinafter, operations of the apparatus main body 1 and the printer controller 3 at the time of executing the interrupt processing requested by the user in the facsimile multifunction peripheral 100 having the above-described configuration will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation when an interrupt process occurs during execution of the PC print process of the printer controller 3 of the present invention. Each process shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3 below is executed by the MPU 30 of the printer controller 3 in accordance with a control program stored in advance in the ROM 31.

  When the MPU 30 of the printer controller 3 acquires print data from an external PC via the LAN interface 35 or the USB interface 36, the MPU 30 converts the acquired print data into image data by the image conversion unit 34 (S1). The MPU 30 sequentially stores the converted image data in the page memory 33 in units of pages, and sends the generated image data to the apparatus main body 1 from the connector 37 (S2). The MPU 30 determines whether or not the acquisition of the print data has ended based on whether or not an end command signal is input from an external PC (S3), and processing when it is determined that the processing has ended (S3: YES) Exit.

  When the MPU 30 determines that the acquisition of print data has not ended (S3: NO), the MPU 30 determines whether an interrupt signal has been acquired from the apparatus body 1 (S4), and when it has determined that it has not acquired (S4: NO), the process returns to the process of step S1, and the processes of steps S1 and S2 are repeated until the print data from the PC is completed or an interrupt signal is acquired from the apparatus main body 1.

  When the MPU 30 determines that the interrupt signal has been acquired (S4: YES), the print data acquired from the PC is sequentially converted into image data by the image conversion unit 34 (S5), and the generated image data is converted by the codec unit 39. Encode (S6). The MPU 30 sends the obtained encoded data from the connector 37 to the apparatus main body 1 (S7). The MPU 30 determines whether or not the acquisition of the print data has ended based on whether or not an end command signal is input from an external PC (S8), and processing when it is determined that the processing has ended (S8: YES) When it is determined that the process has not been completed (S8: NO), the processes from step S5 to S7 are repeated.

  As described above, when an interrupt processing execution request is generated during execution of the PC print processing by the apparatus main body 1 of the print data acquired by the printer controller 3 from the PC, the printer controller 3 sends the print data from the PC to the conventional example. Instead of being stored in the memory as described above, it is encoded by the codec unit 39 and sent to the apparatus main body 1. This eliminates the need for the printer controller 3 to store print data acquired from the PC after the time when the apparatus main body 1 interrupts the PC print processing. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide the printer controller 3 with a large capacity and an expensive memory.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation when an interrupt process occurs during execution of the PC print process of the apparatus main body 1 of the present invention. Each process shown in the flowchart of FIG. 4 below is executed by the MPU 10 of the apparatus body 1 according to a control program stored in the ROM 11 in advance.

  The MPU 10 of the apparatus main body 1 acquires image data from the printer controller 3 via the connector 19a, inputs the acquired image data to the printer 20 via the printer control unit 19, and records it on a sheet by the printer 20 (S11). . The print control unit 19 determines whether or not the acquisition of the image data has ended based on whether or not the end command signal is input from the printer controller 3 (S12), and determines that the acquisition has ended (S12: YES) The process ends.

  When the MPU 10 determines that the acquisition of the image data has not ended (S12: NO), the MPU 10 determines whether or not an interrupt process has been requested by operating the interrupt key 25a of the operation unit 25 ( If it is determined that it is not requested (S13: NO), the process returns to step S11, and the process of step S11 is repeated until the acquisition of the image data from the printer controller 3 is completed.

  When the MPU 10 determines that execution of interrupt processing is requested (S13: YES), the MPU 10 sends an interrupt signal to the printer controller 3 (S14), and starts copy processing which is interrupt processing. That is, the MPU 10 reads the image data from the original by the scanner control unit 22, sequentially outputs it to the printer control unit 19, and records it on the paper by the printer 20 (S15). At the same time, the facsimile multifunction device 1 acquires the encoded data sent from the printer controller 3 and stores it in the image memory 16 while performing the copy processing of the image data read from the document as described above (S16).

  The MPU 10 determines whether or not the copy processing (interrupt processing) of the image data read by the scanner control unit 22 has been completed (S17), and if it is determined that it has not ended (S17: NO), step S15 Returning to the process, steps S15 and S16 are repeated. When the MPU 10 determines that the interrupt process has ended (S17: YES), the MPU 10 resumes the PC print process. That is, the encoded data acquired from the printer controller 3 and stored in the image memory 16 during execution of the interrupt process is decoded by the high-speed codec unit 17 (S18), and the decoded image data is output to the printer control unit 19. Then, it is recorded on paper by the printer 20 (S19).

  As described above, when the PC print process is interrupted, the apparatus main body 1 acquires encoded data from the printer controller 3 even after the PC print process is interrupted, and sequentially stores the encoded data in the image memory 16. Further, the apparatus main body 1 reads out the encoded data stored in the image memory 16 after the interruption process, decodes it, and performs the print process, thereby shortening the print time in the interrupted PC print process. be able to.

  In the above-described example, the case where the copy processing interrupt is input during the PC print processing from the printer controller 3 has been described. However, the same applies to the case where the copy processing is interrupted during the print processing of the image data received by facsimile communication, for example. The effect is obtained. Further, in the above-described example, the configuration in which the printer controller 3 includes the LAN interface 35 and the USB interface 36 that can be connected to the LAN 35a and the USB cable 36a has been described. However, the printer controller 3 is connected to another input port such as a parallel (Parallel) port. It may have an interface. In the above-described embodiment, the example in which the facsimile composite apparatus is used as the recording apparatus has been described. However, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to all recording apparatuses that execute recording processing based on image data.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of an apparatus main body in the facsimile multifunction peripheral according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a printer controller in the facsimile multifunction peripheral according to the present invention. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation when an interrupt process is generated by the printer controller of the present invention. It is a flowchart which shows an example of operation | movement at the time of generation | occurrence | production of the interruption process of the apparatus main body of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the example of schematic structure of the conventional facsimile compound apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

100 Facsimile multifunction device (recording device)
1 Device body 10 MPU
16 Image memory (storage means)
17 High-speed codec section (decoding means)
22 Scanner control unit 3 Printer controller (relay unit)
30 MPU
39 Codec section (encoding means)

Claims (3)

An apparatus main body that records image data input from any of a plurality of input means, and a relay unit that converts print data input from the outside into image data and inputs the image data from the input means to the apparatus main body. The apparatus body receives an image input from the relay unit when execution of a recording process of image data input from another input unit is requested during the recording process of the image data input from the relay unit. In the recording apparatus that interrupts the data recording process and resumes the recording process of the image data input from the relay unit after the recording process of the image data input from the other input unit is completed,
The recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a storage unit configured to store image data input from the relay unit when the recording process of the image data input from the relay unit is interrupted. The relay unit is
An encoding means for encoding the image data so that the amount of data is reduced when the recording process of the image data to be input to the apparatus main body is interrupted;
Means for inputting the encoded data generated by the encoding means to the apparatus main body,
The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage unit of the apparatus main body is configured to store encoded data input from the relay unit. The apparatus main body is
A decoding unit for decoding the encoded data stored in the storage unit into image data after the recording process of the image data input from the other input unit is completed;
3. The recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the decoding unit is configured to record the decoded image data.

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