JP2006067108A - Image processing apparatus, facsimile machine, and image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a read image with a black stripe from being processed, in a state where a user being unaware of the black stripe. <P>SOLUTION: An original manuscript is read, after starting FAX transmission operation (S101). Image data of the read original manuscript are transmitted to an image processor and are subjected to processing for transmission and black stripe detection for detecting the presence or the absence of the black stripe (S102). When the black stripe is detected, the transmission operation is temporarily stopped (S103). The user is warned by the display of "the presence of the black stripe" on a display unit (S104). Next, it is checked whether the restart of the transmission is instructed by key operation (S105). When the restart of the transmission is instructed, the image with the black stripe is transmitted (S106). The warning of "the presence of the black stripe" is displayed continuously on the display unit (S107). When the black stripe is not detected, normal FAX transmission is executed (S108), and then the operation is finished. When the restart of the transmission operation is not instructed in S105, the read image is discarded (S109). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention includes an image processing apparatus that processes an image containing black streaks caused by dust or dirt on a document image reading unit, a facsimile apparatus including the image processing apparatus, and the facsimile apparatus as a composite function. The present invention also relates to an image forming apparatus also referred to as a so-called MFP.

  Many image forming apparatuses such as a facsimile machine and a copying machine are provided with an automatic document feeder that sequentially sends an image of a document to be transmitted or copied to a reading unit that optically reads the image. The reading unit of such an image forming apparatus is fixed in a direction perpendicular to the document transport direction, and reads the reflected light from the illuminated document surface when the document moves to read the image. It has become. Such a reading method is referred to as a sheet-through method. In the case of reading with this sheet-through method, if there is dust or dirt on the reading unit, it appears as a black streak in the read image. In the fax transmission operation, even if black streaks are included, the transmission side cannot recognize it, and it cannot be known unless it is the reception side. In a facsimile machine in which a transmission function and an output function are linked, it is possible to output a scanned image on the transmission side for confirmation before transmission, but paper is consumed by output. The same applies to the copying machine, and the user notices that black streaks appear only when the copied recording paper is viewed.

Therefore, in Patent Document 1, for example, when black streaks are detected in the image information of a document read by the reading unit, a mark is added to a document in which black streaks are detected, and the document is transmitted in advance using the marks attached to the document. It is disclosed that it is possible to know that black streaks are attached and to take measures such as stopping transmission of the original document immediately before transmission. Patent Document 2 discloses that dust is detected at the start of reading and at the end of reading so that unnecessary notification is not sent to the user when the dust is removed by conveying the document. ing.
JP 2001-57617 A JP 2003-92655 A

  However, the invention described in Patent Document 1 has a problem that an image with black streaks is sent to the transmission destination unless it is constantly monitored whether or not the original is marked at the time of transmission. Moreover, in the said patent document 2, when dust is removed in the middle of conveyance, the inconvenience of having to always monitor at the time of transmission is not eliminated only by notifying the occurrence of black streaks.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a state of the art, and an object thereof is to prevent a read image containing black stripes from being processed without being noticed.

  In order to achieve the above object, the first means includes a reading means for reading image information of a moving document, and a black line for detecting a black stripe caused by something other than the document image from the image information read by the reading means. An image processing apparatus including a detecting unit includes a control unit that interrupts output of the read image data when the black streak detecting unit detects the black streak.

  The second means is characterized in that the first means further comprises display means for displaying when the output of the image data is interrupted based on an instruction from the control means.

  The third means is characterized in that the first means or the second means further comprises operation means for instructing the control means whether or not to resume the output of the interrupted image data.

  The fourth means is characterized in that, in the third means, when the output of the interrupted image data is canceled by the operation means, the control means discards the image information read before the interruption.

  According to a fifth means, in the third or fourth means, the control means displays that the black streak has been detected after the output of the interrupted image data is restarted and canceled. It is characterized by being displayed on the means.

  The sixth means is characterized in that the facsimile apparatus includes an image processing apparatus according to any one of the first to fourth means and means for transmitting the image data of the document read by the reading means to a remote place. And

  A seventh means is characterized in that the image forming apparatus includes a facsimile apparatus according to the sixth means and a recording means for recording the image data of the original read by the reading means as a visible image on a recording sheet. And

  In the embodiments described later, the reading unit is the reading unit 14, the image processing unit is the image processing unit 13, the control unit is the system control unit 11, the display unit and the operation unit are the operation panel unit 16, and the recording unit is the plotter. 15 respectively.

  According to the present invention, when a black streak is detected from the read image during reading of the image, the output of the read image data is interrupted, so that the read image containing the black streak is processed without being noticed. Can be prevented.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an example of a facsimile apparatus provided with an image processing apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the facsimile apparatus of FIG.

  The facsimile apparatus 1 includes a known automatic document feeder (hereinafter referred to as ADF) 2 that feeds set documents one by one, and the document fed from the ADF 2 is conveyed as shown by an arrow 3 in the figure. Don't pass over the reading window. Below the reading window, a line-shaped image scanner 4 using a CCD, for example, is installed as a reading means, and the original passing through the reading window is read in line units to obtain image signals. If there is dust or dirt in the image reading path of the image scanner 4 including the reading window, the image scanner 4 reads the dust, and black streaks appear in the read image parallel to the document conveyance direction. Become.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the facsimile apparatus 1 includes a system control unit 11, a system memory 12, an image processing unit 13, a reading unit 14, a plotter 15, an operation panel control unit 16, a communication control unit 17, and the like. They are connected by a bus 18.

  The system control unit 11 includes a CPU and the like, and controls each unit of the facsimile apparatus 1 according to a program in the system memory 12 to execute a sequence as the facsimile apparatus 1, and also detects black streaks described later and processing associated therewith. Execute.

  The system memory 12 stores a basic program for the facsimile machine 1 and a black streak detection and processing program to be described later. The system memory 12 is also used as a temporary memory or the like when performing image processing such as encoding processing and decoding processing of a received image and a transmitted image.

  The image processing unit 13 converts the analog video signal of the document read by the image scanner 4 into a digital image data signal, compresses or decompresses the digital image data, performs pixel thinning, and the like. Image processing such as generating binary image data from the read image data is performed. The image processing unit 13 also performs black stripe detection to determine whether there is a black stripe due to dust, dust, or the like adhering to the optical path in the image information of the document read by the image scanner 4. This black stripe detection is performed by a known method such as a method of determining that there is a black stripe when the number of continuous black pixels exceeds a preset reference value. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the binary value is black and white, but the same applies to a color facsimile having a color reading function and transmitting a color image.

  The reading unit 14 includes the above-described image scanner 4, irradiates light from a light source onto a document sent to the reading position one by one by the ADF 2, and makes the reflected light enter the image scanner 4 through an optical system. By scanning the original, the image of the original is read at a predetermined resolution.

  The plotter 15 is constituted by, for example, a thermal recording device or an electrophotographic recording device using a thermal element, and records received image information, image information read by the reading unit 14 and the like on a recording sheet.

  The operation panel control unit 16 includes an operation panel having various operation keys such as a numeric keypad, a start key, a function key, and a one-touch key, a display unit composed of a liquid crystal display, or a liquid crystal operation panel (not shown). ) Is connected. On the operation panel, various commands such as designation of a transmission destination and transmission operation are input by operation keys, and various operation command contents input by the operation keys and various information notified to the operator from the facsimile apparatus 1 are displayed on the display unit. Is done. The operation panel control unit 16 acquires the operation content on the operation panel and outputs it to the system control unit 11 or displays various information on the display unit under the control of the system control unit 2.

  The communication control unit 17 is connected to a line such as a public telephone line or ISDN, and operates under the control of the system control unit 11. The communication control unit 17 captures the line, sends a selection signal that is a destination telephone number, and checks incoming calls. Thus, an automatic call is received in response to a call from the circuit, an automatic call process to the line is performed, and a facsimile control signal is exchanged with the other facsimile apparatus to execute a facsimile communication procedure.

The image processing operation in this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
A FAX transmission operation is started, and the document is read by the image scanner 4 of the reading unit 14 (step S101). The image data of the document read by the reading unit 14 is sent to the image processing unit 13 to perform processing for transmission, and whether or not there is black streaks due to dust or dust adhering to the optical path. Line detection is performed (step S102). If it is determined that there is a black streak, the system control unit 11 temporarily stops the transmission operation (step S103), and displays a warning “black streak” on the display unit of the operation panel (step S104). Next, the system control unit 11 checks whether or not the operator has instructed to resume transmission by operating the keys on the operation panel of the operation panel control unit 16 (step S105). The image is transmitted (step S106), and the “black streak” warning is continuously displayed on the display unit of the operation panel control unit 16 (step S107). Even after the operator manually resumes or cancels the FAX transmission operation interrupted by black stripe detection in this manner, the black stripe detection means that the black stripe has been detected is displayed on the operation panel and a warning is issued. Thus, it can be seen that a black streak appears when the next image is transmitted, in other words, when the next original is sent.

  If no black streak is detected in step S102, the system control unit 11 executes normal FAX transmission (step S108) and ends. If it is not instructed to resume the transmission operation in step S105, the scanned image is discarded (step S109), the process proceeds to step S107, and a warning regarding black stripes is continuously displayed. In the case of dust or dirt adhering to the outer surface of the reading window, black streaks can be eliminated by wiping and cleaning the outer surface of the reading window. If the black streak is still not resolved, it is possible that some dust or dirt has adhered to the inside of the reading window or the surface of the image sensor 4. In such a case, the user cannot deal with it. Therefore, it will ask a service person to clean.

  As described above, when black streaks are detected from the read image during the fax transmission operation, the fax transmission operation is temporarily interrupted, so that an image containing black stripes is not transmitted without being noticed. Further, when the FAX transmission operation is interrupted due to detection of black stripes, a warning is displayed on the display unit (liquid crystal operation panel), so that black stripes are included in the image to be sent. I understand.

  In addition, when the FAX transmission operation is interrupted by black stripe detection and there is no problem even if black stripes are included in the image to be transmitted, the FAX transmission operation can be resumed and the scanned image can be transmitted. .

  Further, when the transmission of an image containing black stripes is canceled when the FAX transmission operation is interrupted due to black stripe detection, the interrupted FAX transmission operation is canceled and the read image is discarded, so that the transmission is erroneously performed. There is nothing. Even after resuming or canceling the fax transmission operation that was interrupted due to black stripe detection, the fact that black stripes have been detected is displayed on the operation panel and a warning is given, so if the fax transmission operation is performed, black stripes appear in the scanned image. It is possible to know in advance that there is a possibility.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to a facsimile apparatus has been described. After image data of a document read by an image scanner is processed by an image processing unit, the image data is recorded on a recording sheet by a plotter (printing unit). Needless to say, the present invention can also be applied to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine.

1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an example of a facsimile machine to which an image processing apparatus according to the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an electrical configuration of the facsimile apparatus of FIG. 1. It is a flowchart for demonstrating image processing operation | movement.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Facsimile device 4 Image scanner 11 System control part 12 System memory 13 Image processing part 14 Reading part 15 Plotter 16 Operation panel control part

Claims (7)

In an image processing apparatus comprising: a reading unit that reads image information of a moving document; and a black stripe detection unit that detects black stripes caused by things other than the document image from the image information read by the reading unit.
An image processing apparatus comprising: control means for interrupting output of read image data when the black stripe detection means detects the black stripe.   2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising display means for displaying when the output of image data is interrupted based on an instruction from the control means.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an operation unit that instructs the control unit whether to resume the output of the interrupted image data.   4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein when the output of the interrupted image data is canceled by the operation means, the control means discards the image information read before the interruption.   5. The control unit according to claim 3, wherein the display unit displays that black streaks are detected after the output of the interrupted image data is resumed and after the output is canceled. Image processing apparatus. An image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
Means for transmitting image data of the document read by the reading means to a remote place;
A facsimile apparatus comprising: A facsimile apparatus according to claim 6;
Recording means for recording image data of the original read by the reading means on a recording sheet as a visible image;
An image forming apparatus comprising:

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