JP2006165713A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus for producing a copy object, the bar code region of which can be read independently of various image forming methods instructed by an operator. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus including an image reading means for reading an image from an original and an image forming means for forming the image on recording paper according to an image forming method instructed by the operator, is provided with: a bar code region recognition means for recognizing the bar code region from the image; and a bar code image storage means for storing the image of the recognized bar code region, and the image forming means is characterized in including an image composite means for composing the image obtained by the image processing instructed by the operator with the image of the bar code region. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine.

  In recent years, an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine has been proposed that has a function of recognizing a barcode area on a document in addition to reading an image from the document. Such an image forming apparatus has a configuration in which an image read by a scanner can be distinguished into a barcode area and other portions.

As an image forming apparatus for recognizing a barcode area on an original, for example, there is an apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-228707. This conventional image forming apparatus is configured to extract code information from a barcode area whose image has deteriorated, newly generate code information identical to the extracted code information, and form an image having a clear barcode area. ing.
JP-A-6-284282

  However, according to the prior art described in Patent Document 1, only the case of copying a manuscript including a bar code area is considered, and bar codes can be obtained by various manuscript processing methods specified by an operator. There was a possibility that a copy in which the area could not be read was generated.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems of the prior art, and its purpose is to generate a copy capable of reading a barcode area regardless of various image forming methods instructed by an operator. An image forming apparatus is provided.

  To achieve the above object, the present invention provides an image reading unit that reads an image from a document, and an image forming unit that forms an image read by the image reading unit on a recording sheet according to an image forming method instructed by an operator. In the forming apparatus, a barcode area recognition means for recognizing a barcode area from an image read by the image reading means, and a barcode image storage means for storing an image of the barcode area recognized by the barcode area recognition means The image forming means performs image processing instructed by an operator on the image read by the image reading means, and an image obtained by performing the image processing and a bar code stored in the bar code image storage means. An image synthesizing unit for synthesizing the code region image is provided.

  According to the present invention, an image of a barcode area is stored, and an image obtained by performing image processing instructed by the operator on a scanned image and an image of the stored barcode area are synthesized from the operator. Even when various document processing methods are instructed, the image state of the barcode area is not changed, so that a copy capable of reading the barcode area can be generated.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

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

  In FIG. 1, reference numeral 100 denotes an image forming apparatus, which includes a reader unit 139, a printer unit 149, a control device 160, and an operation unit 170.

  The reader unit 139 includes a document feeding unit (RDF) 136 for feeding a document and a scanner unit (image reading unit) 138 for reading an image on the document fed from the document feeding unit 136. Have. Image data read by the scanner unit 138 is input to the control device 160.

  The printer unit 149 includes a paper feed unit 148, a marking unit 151, and a paper discharge unit 135. The paper feed unit 148 is equipped with a plurality of cassettes that respectively accommodate recording papers of different sizes, and feeds the recording paper from each cassette. The marking unit 151 is a unit having an image forming process by an electrophotographic method. The marking unit 151 forms an image on the recording paper fed from the paper feed unit 148 based on the image data input from the scanner unit 138 via the control device 160. The paper discharge unit 135 performs processing such as sorting / stapling on the recording paper on which the image is formed by the marking unit 151 and discharges the recording paper to the outside of the apparatus.

  The control device 160 is electrically connected to the reader unit 139 and the printer unit 149. The control device 160 implements a copy function by reading the image data of the original with the reader unit 139 and outputting the image data to the printer unit 149 so as to form an image on the recording paper.

  The operation unit 170 has various keys for inputting instructions to the control device 160 and a liquid crystal display panel for displaying an interface screen with an operator, and generates corresponding signals according to the operations of the various keys. To the control device 160.

  The printer unit 149 is a laser beam method, an electrophotographic method (for example, an LED method) other than the laser beam method, a liquid crystal shutter method, an ink jet method, a thermal transfer method, a sublimation method, or any other printing method. Also good.

  Next, the hardware configuration of the reader unit 139 and the printer unit 149 will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating a hardware configuration of the reader unit 139 and the printer unit 149 in the image forming apparatus 100 of FIG.

  In FIG. 2, reference numeral 100 denotes an image forming apparatus (hereinafter referred to as a main body), which includes a reader unit 139 and a printer unit 149. Reference numeral 136 denotes a document feeding unit that automatically feeds a document to the document table 101. A paper discharge unit 135 sorts the recording paper discharged from the main body 100. The document feeding unit 136 and the paper discharge unit 135 are configured to be used in any combination with the main body 100.

  Reference numeral 137 denotes a paper discharge tray that discharges a document fed to the document table 101 by the document feeding unit 136. Reference numerals 146 and 147 denote bins that discharge the recording sheets sorted by the paper discharge unit 135. The document placing table 101 is for placing a document fed from the document feeding unit 136 and is made of transparent glass. Reference numeral 102 denotes an optical system for performing an exposure operation on a document image placed on the document placement table 101, and includes a document illumination lamp (exposure lamp) 103, a scanning mirror 145, a lens 143, a motor 104, and the like.

  106 is a primary charger, 107 is a blank exposure unit, 108 is a potential sensor, 109 is a developing device, 110 is a transfer charger, 111 is a separation charger, 112 is a cleaning device, and these are arranged around the photosensitive drum 105. Is done. These sections 106 to 112 and the photosensitive drum 105 constitute an image forming unit.

  A motor 113 rotates the photosensitive drum 105 in the direction of the arrow (clockwise direction) in the drawing. Reference numeral 114 denotes an upper cassette, and 115 denotes a lower cassette, in which recording paper is stored. Reference numerals 118 and 119 denote paper feed rollers, and the recording paper picked up from the upper cassette 114 and the lower cassette 115 by the pickup rollers 116 and 117 is conveyed to the paper feed roller 132.

  A deck 124 is provided on the main body 100 and can store, for example, 4000 recording sheets. A lifter 125 is raised according to the amount of recording paper so that the recording paper stored in the deck 124 is always in contact with the paper feed roller 126. Reference numeral 120 denotes a registration roller, and the recording paper is fed so that the leading edge of the recording paper conveyed by the paper feeding roller 132 or the paper feeding roller 126 of the deck 124 coincides with the leading edge of the toner image developed on the photosensitive drum 105. Is conveyed to the photosensitive drum 105.

  A conveyance belt 121 conveys the recording paper on which the toner image is transferred to the fixing device 122. A fixing device 122 fixes the toner image on the recording paper by pressurizing and heating the recording paper with the fixing roller 144. A discharge roller 123 discharges the recording paper on which the toner image is fixed. A paper discharge flapper 127 switches the conveyance path of the recording paper fed from the discharge roller 123 to either the duplex printing side, the multiple printing side, or the discharge side (discharge unit 135). Here, when double-sided printing or multiple printing is set, the conveyance path of the recording paper fed from the discharge roller 123 is switched to the double-sided printing side or the multiple printing side.

  Reference numeral 128 denotes a lower conveyance path, and the recording sheet fed from the discharge roller 123 is turned over through the reverse path 129 and guided to the refeed tray 130. Reference numeral 131 denotes a multiple flapper that switches between double-sided printing and multiple printing conveyance paths. By tilting this to the left, the recording paper can be directly guided to the lower conveyance path 128 without going through the reverse path. A refeed tray 130 temporarily stores recording paper conveyed from the lower conveyance path 128. The paper feed roller 132 feeds the recording paper to the photosensitive drum 105 side through the path 133. A paper discharge roller 134 is disposed in the vicinity of the paper discharge flapper 127 and discharges the recording paper switched to the discharge side by the paper discharge flapper 127 to the outside of the main body.

  Hereinafter, the operation of each unit will be described.

  The exposure lamp 103 and the scanning mirror 145 are driven by the motor 104 to illuminate the original with the exposure lamp 103 while scanning the original placed on the original table 101, and the reflected light from the original is scanned with the scanning mirror 145 and the lens 143. By this, the photosensitive drum 105 is irradiated. The photosensitive drum 105 is rotated in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. The surface of the photosensitive drum 105 is corona-charged by the primary charger 106, and an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 105 when the reflected light of the original is irradiated from the optical system 102. This electrostatic latent image is developed by the developing device 109 and visualized as a toner image.

  On the other hand, the recording paper fed into the main body 100 by the paper feeding rollers 118 and 119 from the upper cassette 114 or the lower cassette 115 through the pickup rollers 116 and 117 is moved between the leading edge of the toner image and the leading edge of the recording paper by the registration roller 120. After being timed so as to coincide with each other, the toner is fed to the photosensitive drum 105 and the toner image is transferred by the transfer charger 110.

  After the toner image is transferred to the recording paper, the recording paper is separated from the photosensitive drum 105 by the separation charger 111, guided to the fixing device 122 by the conveyance belt 121, and the toner image is applied on the recording paper by pressurization and heating. It is fixed. Thereafter, the paper is discharged by the discharge roller 123. Further, the surface of the photosensitive drum 105 is cleaned by the cleaning device 112.

  At the time of duplex printing, the paper discharge flapper 127 is raised upward and stored in the refeed tray 130 so that the image-formed surface of the recording paper faces up via the reverse path 129 and the transport path 128. At this time, the multiple flapper 131 is tilted rightward in the drawing.

  On the other hand, at the time of multiple printing, the recording paper is stored in the refeed tray 130 so that the surface on which the image is already formed is positioned below, and the multiple flapper 131 is tilted leftward in the drawing. In the next backside printing or multiple printing, the recording paper stored in the refeed tray 130 is guided to the registration rollers 120 of the main body 100 via the path 133 by the paper feed roller 132 one by one from the bottom. It is burned.

  When the recording paper is reversed and discharged from the main body 100, the paper discharge flapper 127 is raised upward in the figure, the multiple flapper 131 is tilted to the right in the figure, and the recording paper is conveyed to the conveyance path 129 side. After the trailing edge of the recording paper passes the feeding roller 140, the recording paper is conveyed to the feeding roller 141 side by the reversing roller 142, and the recording paper is reversed by the discharge roller 134 and discharged out of the main body.

  Next, a detailed configuration of the control device 160 will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control device 160 in the image forming apparatus (main body) 100 of FIG.

  In the control device 160, the CPU 201 controls the entire system. A RAM 202 is a system work memory for the CPU 201 to operate, and is also an image memory that temporarily stores image data. The ROM 203 has a boot ROM and stores a system boot program.

  A hard disk drive (HDD) 204 stores system software and image data. The SRAM 205 is a memory that is backed up by a battery in order to prevent the stored data from being lost due to power shutdown.

  The operation unit I / F 206 is an interface unit with the operation unit (UI) 170, and outputs image data to be displayed on the operation unit 170 to the operation unit 170. In addition, information input by the operator is transmitted to the CPU 201 via the operation unit 170.

  Each of the above devices is arranged on the system bus 207.

  An image bus interface (Image Bus I / F) 208 is a bus bridge that is connected between the system bus 207 and an image bus 209 that transfers image data at high speed and converts a data structure. The image bus 209 is configured by a PCI bus or IEEE1394.

  On the image bus 209, there are a device I / F 210, a scanner image processing unit 211, a barcode area recognition unit 212, an image rotation unit 213, an image compression unit 214, an image composition unit 215, and a printer image processing unit. 216 are arranged.

  The device I / F 210 is connected to the reader unit 139, the printer unit 149, and the control device 160, and converts image data into a synchronous system or an asynchronous system.

  The scanner image processing unit 211 performs image processing such as noise removal, movement, masking / trimming, enlargement / reduction, and gradation conversion on the image data in accordance with an instruction from the CPU 201.

  The barcode area recognition unit 212 detects the presence or absence of a barcode for the image data. When a bar code is detected, the position of the bar code is specified, and the image data of that area is stored in the RAM 202.

  The image rotation unit 213 performs rotation processing on the image data. The image compression unit 214 performs JPEG compression / decompression processing for multi-valued image data, and performs compression / decompression processing such as JBIG, MMR, MR, and MH for binary image data. The image composition unit 215 performs image composition processing such as creating one image data from a plurality of image data.

  The printer image processing unit 216 performs image processing such as correction and resolution conversion on the image data.

  Note that the CPU 201 comprehensively controls access to various devices connected to the system bus 207 based on a control program stored in the program ROM in the ROM 203 or the HDD 204. Then, input information is read from the reader unit 139 connected via the reader unit interface 217, and an image signal as output information is output to the printer unit 149 connected via the printer unit interface 218.

  The program ROM in the ROM 203 stores a control program corresponding to the operation shown in the flowchart described later. A data ROM in the ROM 203 is an electrically rewritable EPPROM data ROM, and can store various data to be described later.

  Hereinafter, the image composition procedure will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. This processing operation is repeatedly executed at a predetermined timing.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an image composition procedure in the image forming apparatus 100 (main body) of FIG.

  First, in step S301, a document is scanned from the reader unit 139, and the scanned image is stored in the RAM 202 (see FIG. 3) that is an image memory.

  Next, in step S302, the barcode area recognition unit 212 (see FIG. 3) detects the presence or absence of a barcode with respect to the scanned image stored in the RAM 202.

  In step S303, it is determined whether a barcode is detected from the scanned image. If it is determined that the barcode has not been detected, in step S305, the image processing instructed by the operator from the operation unit 170 (see FIG. 1) is performed on the scanned image stored in the RAM 202.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step S303 that a barcode has been detected from the scanned image, the barcode position of the scanned image is specified in the next step S304, and the barcode area image is stored in the RAM 202. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S305, and image processing instructed by the operator is performed on the scanned image by the scanner image processing unit 211 (see FIG. 3).

  Next, in step S <b> 306, it is determined whether an image of the barcode area is stored in the RAM 202. If it is determined that the image is not stored in the RAM 202, in step S308, the image obtained by performing image processing in step S305 is laid out in units of pages.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step S306 that the barcode area image is stored in the RAM 202, in the next step S307, the image composition unit 215 (see FIG. 3) performs the barcode area image and its image. The first page of the image obtained by performing image processing on the scanned image from which the barcode is detected is synthesized.

  Next, in step S308, the image obtained by performing the image processing in step S305 or the composite image obtained in step S307 is laid out in units of pages.

  In step S309, it is determined whether or not a plurality of composite images are arranged in the same page of the image obtained in step S308. If it is determined that they are not arranged, in step S311, the image obtained in step S308 is output to the printer unit 149 (see FIG. 1).

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step S309 that a plurality of composite images are arranged in the same page of the image obtained in step S308, a plurality of composite images are included in the same page in the next step S310. A re-layout process is performed so as not to place the.

  In step S311, the image obtained in step S308 or the image obtained in step S310 is output to the printer unit 149 (see FIG. 1).

  In step S312, the stored image is erased from the RAM 202, and then the processing operation ends.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating a hardware configuration of a reader unit and a printer unit in the image forming apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a control device in the image forming apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an image composition procedure in the image forming apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1.

Explanation of symbols

100 Image forming device (main unit)
101 Document Placement Table 102 Optical System 103 Document Illumination Lamp (Exposure Lamp)
104 Motor 105 Photoconductor drum 106 Primary charger 107 Blank exposure unit 108 Potential sensor 109 Developer 110 Transfer charger 111 Separating charger 112 These are arranged around the photosensitive drum 105 113 Motor 114 Upper cassette 115 Lower Cassette 116 Pickup roller 117 Pickup roller 118 Feed roller 119 Feed roller 120 Registration roller 121 Conveyor belt 122 Fixing device 123 Discharge roller 124 Deck 125 Lifter 126 Feed roller 127 Discharge flapper 128 Lower transport path 129 Reverse path 130 Refeed Tray 131 Multiple flapper 132 Paper feed roller 133 Path 134 Paper discharge roller 135 Paper discharge unit 136 Document feed unit (RDF)
137 Discharge tray 138 Scanner unit (image reading means)
139 Reader 140 Feed roller 141 Feed roller 142 Reverse roller 143 Lens 144 Fixing roller 145 Mirror 146 Bin 147 Bin 148 Paper feed unit 149 Printer unit 151 Marking unit 160 Controller 170 Operation unit 201 CPU
202 RAM
203 ROM
204 Hard disk drive (HDD)
205 SRAM
206 Operation unit I / F (interface)
207 System Bus 208 Image Bus I / F (Interface)
209 Image bus 210 Device I / F (interface)
211 Scanner image processing unit 212 Barcode area recognition unit 213 Image rotation unit 214 Image compression unit 215 Image composition unit 216 Printer image processing unit 217 Reader unit I / F (interface)
218 Printer I / F (interface)

Claims (3)

  In an image forming apparatus comprising: an image reading unit that reads an image from a document; and an image forming unit that forms an image read by the image reading unit on a recording sheet according to an image forming method instructed by an operator. A barcode area recognition unit for recognizing a barcode area from an image; and a barcode image storage unit for storing an image of the barcode area recognized by the barcode area recognition unit, wherein the image forming unit includes the image reading unit. Image synthesizing means for performing image processing instructed by an operator on the image read by the means, and synthesizing the image obtained by performing the image processing and the image of the barcode area stored in the barcode image storage means An image forming apparatus comprising:   The image synthesizing unit includes a bar code area image stored in the bar code image storing unit and a first page of an image obtained by performing image processing instructed by an operator on the image in which the bar code area is recognized. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:   3. The image according to claim 2, wherein the image forming unit includes an image layout unit that performs a layout process so that a plurality of synthesized images obtained by the image synthesizing unit are not arranged in the same page. Forming equipment.

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