JP2006339777A - Image processing unit - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform entire printing smoothly when copying a plurality of sheets in an image processing unit having a small-capacity data buffer. <P>SOLUTION: When the plurality of sheets are copied by the image processing unit, image processing is made to image data read by a scanner for printing in first copy operation. In parallel with it, the data after the image processing are transmitted to an external memory for holding. The data inside the external memory are transmitted to a recorder in the image processing unit for printing processing after the second copy operation or thereafter. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus having a scanner function, a printer function, a copy function, and the like.

  FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a conventional image processing apparatus.

  In the conventional image processing apparatus 101 having a scanner function, a printer function, a copy function, and the like, the scanner function or the printer function is used by being connected to the host computer 102. For example, in the scanner function, digital data of a document read by the scanner unit 103 in the image processing apparatus 101 can be transferred to the host computer 102 through the connected interface unit 107. In the printer function, data created in the host computer 102 can be transferred to the recording unit 106 in the image processing apparatus 101 through the interface unit 107 and printed out.

  However, when the copy function is used, it can be used standalone regardless of the host computer 102. A specific operation flow is, for example, that a document to be copied is read by the scanner unit 103 in the image processing apparatus 101, and image data output from the scanner unit 103 is input to the image processing unit 104, where, for example, input masking processing and filter processing are performed. , Scaling processing, log conversion processing, masking processing, gamma processing, multi-value processing, and multi-value data is held once in the data buffer 105. The stored multi-value data is converted into recording data by the recording unit 106 and printed on a recording medium.

  Recently, the external memory 108 can also be connected to the image processing apparatus through the external memory interface unit 109, and image data in the external memory can be processed and printed by the recording unit 106.

As another conventional example, Patent Literature 1 and Patent Literature 2 can be cited.
JP 2000-013617 A JP 2001-007972 A

  However, when a plurality of originals are copied by this copying operation, if the capacity of the data buffer that temporarily holds the multi-value data from the image processing unit is equal to the image data when the original is read, 2 The copy operation after the first page can be performed using the multi-valued data in the data buffer as it is. However, if the data buffer capacity is not enough for the image data when the original is read, all the data buffers are copied. When the multi-value data is filled, the next multi-value data is overwritten in order from the head address of the data buffer. (At this time, it is a precondition that the multi-value data previously held at the head address of the data buffer is transferred to the recording unit. If the multi-value data is not transferred to the recording unit, For example, the writing to the data buffer is stopped, and the operations of the image processing unit and the scanner unit are also stopped.) In other words, since the data buffer is used as a ring buffer, a large amount of original reading obtained by the first copy operation is performed. All of the valued data is not held in the data buffer. Therefore, in this case, the document reading operation by the scanner unit and the image processing operation by the image processing unit must be performed for each copy operation after the second sheet.

  Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and a first object of the present invention is to perform data processing using an external memory that can be connected to an image processing apparatus when copying a plurality of sheets. By performing the second and subsequent copy operations, the document reading operation by the scanner unit and the image processing operation by the image processing unit are not performed for each copy operation, and smooth print output without waste of operation time is performed. The present invention proposes an image processing apparatus that performs the above.

  Furthermore, the second object of the present invention is when the capacity of the data buffer for holding the data after image processing is not enough for one original (at least one line is required when the image data string in the main scanning direction is one line). However, the present invention proposes an image processing apparatus that can reduce the memory cost by reducing the capacity of the data buffer.

  The present invention intends to achieve the above object by providing a printer device according to any one of the following items (1) to (9).

  (1) Reading means for optically reading a document, converting the image signal into a digital signal and outputting it, and performing image processing on the image data output from the reading means to output multilevel data Image processing means, storage means for holding multi-value data output from the image processing means, and conversion of multi-value data held in the storage means into recording data for recording media In an image processing apparatus having recording means for performing printing and external memory interface means for setting a removable external memory to enable data transmission / reception with the storage means, a plurality of documents are recorded on a recording medium. When copying one sheet, the multi-value data in the storage means is transferred to the recording means to perform the first printing, and at the same time, the external memory interface The multi-value data is transferred to the external memory through the Ace means and is held, and the printing is performed by the recording means using the multi-value data in the external memory for the second and subsequent printing. An image processing apparatus characterized by being configured as described above.

  (2) The second and subsequent copying operations are performed using the multi-value data held in the external memory when all of the multi-value data for the original read in the storage means cannot be held. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1.

  (3) The storage means is a line buffer when the image data string in the main scanning direction of the document is one line, and has a capacity capable of storing multi-value data for at least one line (1). Image processing apparatus.

  (4) Each time all the multi-value data for one line is held in the storage means, the multi-value data for one line is first transferred to the recording means and the external memory interface means, respectively. The image processing apparatus according to (3), wherein the memory interface means transfers the multi-value data for one line to the external memory and holds it.

  (5) Each time all the multi-value data for one line is held in the storage means, transfer of the multi-value data for one line to the recording means is first started, and when the transfer is completed, 4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the multi-value data for one line is transferred to the external memory through an external memory interface means and is held there.

  (6) It has an external memory presence / absence detecting means for detecting whether or not an external memory is set in the external memory interface means, and the external memory presence / absence detecting means sets the external memory in the external memory interface means. The multi-value data in the storage means is transferred to the external memory through the recording means and the external memory interface means when it is recognized that the data is stored in the external memory. Image processing device.

  (7) When the external memory presence / absence detecting means recognizes that the external memory is not set in the external memory interface means, the multi-value data in the storage means is transferred only to the recording means, 7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the first copy operation using the reading unit, the image processing unit, and the recording unit is repeated in the second and subsequent copy operations.

  (8) Memory full judging means for recognizing whether or not there is free space in the external memory in the external memory interface means, and the multivalued data in the storage means during the first copy operation During the external memory transfer, when the external memory interface means recognizes that the data in the external memory is full with the information from the memory full determination means, the reading means in the second and subsequent copy operations, 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a first copy operation using the image processing unit and the recording unit is repeated.

  (9) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the external memory is a memory such as a smart media, a memory stick, a compact flash (registered trademark), an SD card, or an SMM card.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

  1. When copying multiple sheets, data processing is effectively performed using an external memory connected to the image processing apparatus, so that smooth print output without waste can be performed from the start to the end of copying.

  2. Even when the capacity of the data buffer that holds the image-processed data is not enough for one original, it is possible to efficiently make a multiple copy.

  3. If the data buffer has at least one line (one column of data in the main scanning direction of the printing process), a plurality of copies can be efficiently performed. Therefore, the memory cost can be reduced by reducing the capacity of the data buffer. be able to.

  Next, details of the present invention will be described in accordance with the description of the embodiments.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on examples.

  First, an image processing apparatus related to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control system including an image processing apparatus and a host computer connected thereto according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  In this block diagram, 201 is an image processing apparatus. A scanner unit 203 reads an original for each line with a photoelectric element such as a CCD, and separates the color to obtain RGB analog image signals. Further, the analog image signal is converted into a digital signal. An image processing unit 204 performs image processing on image data output from the scanner unit in the order of input masking processing, filter processing, scaling processing, log conversion processing, masking processing, gamma processing, and multivalue processing. Do. Reference numeral 205 denotes a data buffer, which temporarily stores multi-value data obtained after multi-value processing. A recording unit 206 receives multi-value data stored in the data buffer for each line, converts the data into a printable data format, that is, print data, and records the data on a recording medium. ing. Reference numeral 207 denotes an external memory, and 208 denotes an external memory interface. The multi-value data is transmitted from the data buffer 205 in the image processing apparatus 201 to the external memory 208, or the data in the external memory 207 is transmitted to the data buffer 205. Data communication control is being performed.

  Next, the operation of the image processing apparatus when copying a plurality of originals related to the embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of the image processing apparatus related to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is an operation flowchart of the image processing apparatus when copying a plurality of sheets according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  First, a document is placed on the scanner unit 203 of the image processing apparatus 201, a plurality of copies are set by an operation unit (not shown) of the image processing apparatus 201, and a copy start is executed. The scanner unit 203 starts reading an original, and transfers the image data created there to the image processing unit 204. When image data is input to the image processing unit 204, image processing in the image processing unit 204 starts, and input masking processing, filter processing, scaling processing, log conversion processing, masking processing, gamma processing, multi-value processing Processing proceeds in this order. The multi-value data after multi-value processing is held in the data buffer 205, and when the multi-value data for one line is ready, transfer of the multi-value data for one line to the recording unit 206 is started. To do. The recording unit 206 converts the sent multi-value data into print data, and starts printing when the amount of data necessary for printing is complete.

  When the transfer of the multi-value data for one line held in the data buffer 205 to the recording unit 206 is completed, the multi-value data for one line is transferred to the external memory 207 through the external memory interface unit 208 this time. To do.

  If the multi-value data from the buffer memory 205 is delayed due to the printing process speed of the recording unit 206, the buffer memory 205 may become full with the multi-value data from the image processing unit 204. If the buffer memory 205 becomes full, the scanner unit 203 is stopped so that the image data of the line to be processed next is not transferred. If the data buffer 205 is free for one line, the scanner unit is started again, and data processing is sequentially performed.

  When the first printing by the recording unit 206 is completed, the second and subsequent printings are performed using the multi-value data stored in the external memory 207.

  First, the external memory interface unit 208 starts reading multilevel data from the external memory 207. Then, the read multi-value data is transferred to the buffer memory 205, and then the multi-value data is sequentially transferred to the recording unit 206 line by line. As with the first printing operation, the recording unit 206 converts the multi-value data into print data and prints the recording medium when the data amount necessary for printing is complete.

  Such a series of data processing using the external memory 207 is repeated until printing of all the number of prints initially set in the operation is completed.

  When the image processing apparatus 201 includes an external memory presence / absence detection unit 209 for detecting whether or not the external memory 207 is connected to the external memory interface unit 208, the external memory presence / absence detection unit 209 is connected to the external memory 207. When it is determined that it is connected to the memory interface unit 208, the second and subsequent copy operations are performed using the external memory 207, but when it is determined that the external memory 207 is not connected to the external memory interface unit 208, In the second and subsequent copying operations, as in the first time, the document reading operation by the scanner unit 203 and the image processing operation by the image processing unit 204 are performed to create multi-value data, and the recording unit 206 performs the printing process. .

  Further, the external memory interface 208 has a memory full determination unit 210 that can determine whether the external memory 207 has no free space and the data is full. If the external memory interface unit 208 recognizes that the external memory 207 is full of data during the copying operation, the second and subsequent copying operations are performed by the scanner unit 203, the image processing unit 204, and the recording unit 206 as in the first time. Process it.

Configuration diagram of a conventional image processing apparatus 1 is a configuration diagram of an image processing apparatus related to an embodiment of the present invention. Flowchart of operation of image processing apparatus when copying a plurality of sheets according to an embodiment of the present invention

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 Image processing apparatus 102 Host computer 103 Scanner part 104 Image processing part 105 Data buffer 106 Recording part 107 Interface part 201 Image processing apparatus 203 Scanner part 204 Image processing part 205 Data buffer 206 Recording part 207 External memory part 208 External memory interface part

Claims (9)

  Reading means for optically reading a document, converting the image signal into a digital signal and outputting it, and image processing means for performing image processing on the image data output from the reading means and outputting multilevel data And storage means for holding the multi-value data output from the image processing means, and converting the multi-value data held in the storage means into recording data for printing on a recording medium A plurality of originals are copied to a recording medium in an image processing apparatus having an external memory interface means for setting a recording means for recording and a removable external memory to enable data transmission / reception with the storage means In this case, the multi-value data in the storage means is transferred to the recording means to perform the first printing, and at the same time, the external memory interface. The multi-value data is transferred to the external memory through the means and held there, and for the second and subsequent printings, the multi-value data in the external memory is used to perform print processing in the recording means. An image processing apparatus characterized by that.   The second and subsequent copying operations are performed using the multi-value data stored in the external memory when all of the multi-value data for the original read in the storage means cannot be held. Item 8. The image processing apparatus according to Item 1.   2. The storage unit according to claim 1, wherein the storage means is a line buffer when the image data string in the main scanning direction of the document is one line, and has a capacity capable of storing multilevel data for at least one line. Image processing device.   Each time all the multi-value data for one line is held in the storage means, the multi-value data for one line is first transferred to the recording means and the external memory interface means, respectively, and the external memory interface means The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the multi-value data for one line is transferred to the external memory and retained.   Each time all the multi-value data for one line is held in the storage means, transfer of the multi-value data for one line to the recording means is started, and when the transfer is completed, the external memory interface is then started. 4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the multi-value data for one line is transferred to the external memory through means and held.   External memory presence / absence detecting means for detecting whether or not an external memory is set in the external memory interface means, and the external memory presence / absence detecting means is set in the external memory interface means. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the multi-value data in the storage unit is transferred to the external memory through the recording unit and the external memory interface unit when the data is recognized. .   When the external memory presence / absence detecting means recognizes that the external memory is not set in the external memory interface means, the multi-value data in the storage means is transferred only to the recording means, and the second and subsequent times 7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the first copying operation using the reading unit, the image processing unit, and the recording unit is repeated in the copying operation.   The external memory interface means has a memory full determination means for recognizing whether or not there is free space in the external memory, and the external memory of the multilevel data in the storage means during the first copy operation During the transfer, when the external memory interface means recognizes that the data in the external memory is full based on the information from the memory full determination means, the reading means and the image processing are also performed in the second and subsequent copy operations. 2. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first copying operation using said recording means is repeated.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the external memory is a memory such as a smart media, a memory stick, a compact flash (registered trademark), an SD card, or an SMM card.

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