JP2008034903A - Image reading apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image reading apparatus, whereby user can omit the labor of confirming directory configuration in a recording medium and can simply and quickly store the image data read. <P>SOLUTION: The image reading apparatus includes a read means for reading an original to generate image data; a loading means for loading a recording medium; a detection means for detecting the loaded recording medium; a detection means for detecting a file form established in the directory in the recording medium, on the basis of a result of the detection by the detection means; a start means for starting the read means, on the basis of a result of the detection by the detection means; and a storage means for storing the image data generated by the read means to the directory, corresponding to each file form by the detected file form. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus such as a scanner or a copying machine that converts a document into read image data.

  In recent years, image reading apparatuses such as scanners that can store read image data in a recording medium such as a USB storage have appeared.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram of such an image reading device 30. As shown in FIG. A directory D (d1, d2, d3) in which various image data file formats such as pdf, tiff, png, etc. are set is provided in the recording medium 36 such as a USB storage. These directories D can be created by a personal computer, for example, or they may be provided as standard on the recording medium 36.

  When the recording medium 36 is attached to the attachment means (interface) 33, the selection means 32 (which is a program stored in the memory) displays a list 40 of the directory D on the touch panel 31 as shown in FIG. . Here, the message 41 prompts the user to select a file format of image data when reading and saving a document. Note that the display of the list table 40 may be performed automatically by mounting the recording medium 36 or manually by operating the touch panel 31 by the user.

  Here, it is assumed that the user selects, for example, the button “pdf” and touches the button 43 “reading start”. Then, the start unit 34 (which is a program stored in the memory) starts reading the document by the reading unit 35 such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device). Then, the reading unit 35 creates image data in the pdf format selected by the user as described above, and this is stored in the directory d1 set in the pdf format in the recording medium 36 via the mounting unit 33. .

An image reading apparatus having such a function is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 below.
JP 2004-120032 A JP 2003-274102 A

  However, in the above technique, every time a document is read, the user must check the inside of the directory D, specify the file format of the image data, and read the document, which is troublesome.

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and can save the user from having to check the directory structure in the recording medium, and can easily and quickly store the read image data. An object is to provide an image reading apparatus.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention employs the following means.

  First, an image reading apparatus according to the present invention includes a reading unit that reads a document and generates image data, and a mounting unit that mounts a recording medium.

  In such an image reading apparatus, detection means for detecting attachment of the recording medium, detection means for detecting a file format set in a directory in the recording medium based on a detection result of the detection means, And an activation means for activating the reading means based on the detection result of the detection means. Thereby, the detection of the file format is automatically started without the user operating the touch panel or the like. When the file format is detected, the reading unit is activated and the image data is read.

  Next, storage means is provided for storing the image data generated by the reading means in the detected file format in the directory corresponding to each file format. As a result, the image data is automatically saved in the file format set in the existing directory.

  In particular, when there are a plurality of file formats, the storage means stores the image data in the plurality of file formats in a directory in which each file format is set.

  As described above, it is possible to save the user from confirming the directory structure in the recording medium, and it is possible to save the read image data easily and quickly by using an existing file format or a designated file format.

  Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image reading apparatus according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, reading means 35 and the like that perform the same operation as in the background art are given the same reference numerals as in FIG.

  Similar to the above background art, a plurality of directories D (d1, d2, d3) in which various file formats of image data such as pdf, tiff, png, etc. are set are provided in the recording medium 36 such as a USB storage. It has been. A directory is a storage location for sorting and organizing files. Therefore, a folder having the same concept as a directory can be provided.

  This directory is set by adding a file format name such as pdf, tiff, or png to the directory name. Note that, in addition to the above file format, the resolution and color information of the image data are also added to the directory name of the present embodiment. Here, the color information is a hue indicating a difference in hue, a lightness indicating a difference in brightness, a saturation indicating a difference in vividness, a color tone indicating a color impression by a combination of lightness and saturation, and the like. Say. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, for example, a directory name such as “pdf format, resolution 600 dpi, color tone monotone”, “png format, resolution 600 dpi, color tone sepia” or the like is assigned to the directory.

  These directories D can be created by a personal computer, for example, or they may be provided as standard on the recording medium 36.

  When this recording medium 36 is attached to the attachment means (interface) 12, the activation means 11 (a program stored in the memory) that has detected this attachment immediately activates the reading means 35 such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device). Then, reading of the original is started and image data is generated. This detection can be performed based on, for example, a change in the resistance value of the electric circuit due to the mounting.

  On the other hand, the detection means 13 (which is a program stored in the memory) detects the directory D in which the file format, resolution, and color information of various image data such as pdf, tiff, and png in the recording medium 36 are set. .

  This detection technique is a known technique that is performed in the same manner as when a subdirectory in a specific directory is displayed on a personal computer or the like.

  Then, the storage means 14 (which is a program stored in the memory) saves the generated image data in the directory detected by the detection means 13 with the file format, resolution, and color information set in this directory. To do.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 1, a directory d1 in which the directory D is set to “pdf format, resolution 600 dpi, tone monotone”, a directory d2 set to “tiff format, resolution 300 dpi, tone natural”, and “png It is assumed that the directory d3 is set to “format, resolution 600 dpi, color sepia”. In such a case, the storage means 14 stores the above image data in the directory d1 in “pdf format, resolution 600 dpi, color tone monotone”, in the directory d2 in “tiff format, resolution 300 dpi, color tone natural”, and directory d3. Are stored in “png format, resolution 600 dpi, color sepia”.

  Note that the user can also specify the file format, resolution, and color information for storing the image data by operating the touch panel 15. However, in the image reading apparatus 10 of the present invention, the touch panel 15 is not an essential component, and the user can specify the file format or the like from the personal computer 16 connected to the image reading apparatus 10 with, for example, a USB cable. Can also be done.

  FIG. 2 is an example of a display on the monitor of the touch panel 15 or the personal computer 16 when performing this designation. The message 21 displays that the user can specify the file format, resolution, and color tone. For example, it is assumed that the user selects “pdf” with the file format button 22, selects “600 dpi” with the resolution button 23, selects “monotone” with the color tone button 24, and touches or clicks the button 25 “Specify”. Then, the storage unit 14 stores the image data only in the directory d1 set to “pdf format, resolution 600 dpi, monotone”.

  Here, it is assumed that the user selects “bmp”, “500 dpi”, and “sepia” with the buttons 22, 23, and 24 in FIG. 2, and touches or clicks the button 25 “Specify”. As shown in FIG. 1, the directory D of the recording medium 36 has no directory set in the bmp format. In this case, the storage unit 14 stores the image data in the recording medium 36 as a bmp file format of “resolution 500 dpi, color tone sepia”.

  In this case, the storage unit 14 creates a new bmp file format directory in the recording medium 36, and programs the storage unit 14 to store the image data as the bmp file f1 in the directory. You can also.

  As described above, since the image reading apparatus 10 of the present invention detects the attachment of the recording medium 36 and automatically starts reading the document, the user's operation can be simplified. The image data is automatically saved in an existing directory in the recording medium 36. If there is no directory in which the file format specified by the user is set, this directory is created in the recording medium 36. The image data can be saved automatically. Accordingly, it is possible to omit the conventional operation of checking the directory structure of the recording medium 36 and specifying the file format of the image data to read the document every time the document is read each time. It is.

  In the above description, the recording medium 36 is a USB storage. However, this is an example, and may be a CD-R or a DVD-R, for example.

  The image reading apparatus according to the present invention can save the user the trouble of confirming the directory structure in the recording medium, and can store the read image data easily and quickly using an existing file format or a specified file format. Is possible. Therefore, it is useful as an image reading apparatus such as a scanner or a copying machine.

1 is a block configuration diagram of an image reading apparatus of the present invention. An example of a touch panel display when specifying a file format. FIG. 6 is a block configuration diagram of a conventional image reading apparatus. An example of the display of the conventional touch panel at the time of selecting a file format.

Explanation of symbols

10 Image reader
11 Startup method
12 Mounting means
13 Detection means
14 Storage means
15 Touch panel
16 Personal computer
31 Touch panel
32 Selection methods
33 Mounting method
34 How to start
35 Reading means
36 Recording media
D directory

Claims (4)

Reading means for reading a document and generating image data;
Mounting means for mounting a recording medium; detection means for detecting mounting of the recording medium;
Detection means for detecting a file format set in a directory in the recording medium based on a detection result of the detection means;
An activation means for activating the reading means based on a detection result of the detection means;
Storage means for storing the image data generated by the reading means in the detected file format in the directory corresponding to each file format;
An image reading apparatus comprising: The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when a plurality of file formats are set, the storage unit stores the image data in the plurality of file formats in the directory corresponding to each file format. When the resolution of the image data is included in the setting of the directory in the recording medium in addition to the file format,
The detection means reads the resolution set in the directory,
The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage unit stores the image data in a directory corresponding to the resolution. When the directory setting in the recording medium includes at least one color information of hue, brightness, saturation, and color tone in addition to the file format,
The detection means reads the color information set in the directory,
The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage unit stores the image data in a directory corresponding to the color information.

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