JP2010245661A - Image reader - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image reader which accurately rereads a remaining original that an operator surely does not finish reading without mixing the remaining original with a normal original. <P>SOLUTION: The image reader including a feeding means for feeding an original to a carrying path, a carrying means for carrying the original along the carrying path, and a reading means for reading an image of the original carried by the carrying means, includes a means for outputting information about the remaining original when a detecting means for detecting the remaining original left behind on the carrying path detects the remaining original when original carrying by the carrying means is interrupted. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus that reads an image of a document such as a bill for a utility bill, a service application, or a bill or check.

In recent years, image reading apparatuses and image forming apparatuses that continuously feed a large number of originals have become widespread. In such an image reading apparatus or image forming apparatus, the interval between the originals is shortened as much as possible in order to increase the reading and forming speed of the originals. In general, the higher the image reading and printing speed, the larger the number of documents that simultaneously flow in the document conveyance path.
In general, when a jam occurs in the document conveyance path, the image reading and forming apparatus prompts the operator to remove the document that caused the jam. Here, in an image reading and forming apparatus of a type in which only one original always flows in the original transport path, the original reading and forming can be resumed by removing the original caused by the operator. However, with the recent increase in document reading and forming speed, there are an increasing number of cases in which a plurality of documents flow in the document transport path. In this case, it is necessary not only to remove the original that caused the jam, but also to remove the original during image reading and formation. Documents that remain in the document transport path other than the document that causes the jam are called residual documents.

  Many image reading apparatuses have a main body cover for protecting a conveyance path for conveying a document. If the operating unit is operating when the main body cover is opened, an operator may touch the operating unit and be injured. For this reason, the power is cut off for the operating part that can be touched when the body cover is opened. Therefore, if the main body cover is opened during document conveyance, residual documents may remain in the document conveyance path.

Of the remaining originals generated for the above reasons, the image reading has been completed for the originals that have passed the image reading sensor, and the originals that have not passed the image reading sensor have not completed the image reading and are read again. I have to do it. Of the remaining documents, it is not desirable that a document that has not been scanned is mixed with a normal document (that is, a document that has been successfully processed).
Therefore, in Patent Document 1, when a residual document (printing paper on which image formation has not been completed) occurs, the residual document is discharged to a residual document discharge tray that is selected in advance by the user. Discloses a printing apparatus that separates a remaining document from the rest (printing paper subjected to normal image formation processing).

Japanese Patent Registration No. 03653979

However, in the printing apparatus of Patent Document 1, since the remaining original (printing paper on which image formation has not been completed) is discarded without being re-read, the page order of the residual original is not considered. Therefore, there is a problem that missing pages and page order are generated when the remaining original is re-read.
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image reading apparatus that can accurately re-read a remaining original that has not been read without causing the remaining original to be confused with a normal original. And

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention,
A feeding means for feeding the document to the conveyance path;
Conveying means for conveying the document along the conveying path;
Reading means for reading an image of a document conveyed by the conveying means;
In an image reading apparatus comprising:
When the conveyance of the document by the conveyance unit is interrupted, when the detection unit that detects the remaining document remaining in the conveyance path detects the residual document,
An image reading apparatus is provided that includes means for outputting information relating to the residual document.

Moreover, according to the present invention,
A feeding means for feeding the document to the conveyance path;
Conveying means for conveying the document along the conveying path;
Reading means for reading an image of a document conveyed by the conveying means;
In an image reading apparatus comprising:
Detecting means for detecting a remaining original remaining in the original conveying path when the conveying of the original by the conveying means is interrupted;
There is provided an image reading apparatus comprising comparing original information of a residual original detected by the detecting means with original information obtained by rereading the residual original.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an image reading apparatus capable of accurately re-reading a remaining original that has not been read without causing the residual original to be confused with a normal original.

1 is a configuration diagram of an image reading apparatus that is an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. It is a display example of a warning display. 6 is a flowchart showing a processing flow of the image reading apparatus when the main body cover is opened. It is an example of a check. It is an example of the character of a magnetic character part. It is an example of a table. 6 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing of the image reading apparatus after resuming reading.

Hereinafter, an embodiment for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an image reading apparatus 100 according to the present invention. The image reading apparatus 100 is communicably connected to a host computer (information processing apparatus) (not shown) via communication means such as a communication cable (not shown).
In FIG. 1, 101 is a first paper discharge tray, 102 is a second paper discharge tray, 103 is a third paper discharge tray, 104 is a paper feed tray, 105 is a document transport roller (transport means), and 106 is a document transport path. , 107 is a first flapper, 108 is a second flapper, 109 is a paper feed roller (feeding means), 110 is a document detection sensor (detection means), 111a and 111b are image reading sensors (reading means), and 112 is paper discharge. A sensor 113 is a paper feed sensor, and 114 is a magnetic data sensor.

  A document placed on a sheet feed tray 104 by a user is fed by a sheet feed roller 109 to a document transport path 106. Each time a document is fed, the feed sensor 113 detects the document, and a CPU (not shown) that controls the transport system counts and stores the number of fed sheets. The document transport roller 105 is installed along the document transport path 106, and transports the document as the document transport roller 105 rotates. The document transport roller 105 and the paper feed roller 109 are driven using a stepping motor, a DC motor, or the like. A plurality of document detection sensors 110 are installed on the document conveyance path 106 to detect the position of the document.

  In the case of an image reading apparatus that reads magnetic data of a document and distributes the paper to a plurality of paper discharge trays based on the magnetic data, the magnetic data sensor 114 (second reading means) is fed to the document conveyance path 106. Can be installed near the mouth. By installing the magnetic data sensor 114 in the vicinity of the paper feed slot, the magnetic data can be read immediately after the paper feed, and the sorting destination can be determined before the original is ejected to the paper ejection tray.

When a document is discharged, the host computer determines which of the first discharge tray 101, the second discharge tray 102, and the third discharge tray 103 based on information such as the type of document, embedded magnetic data, and document image. Select whether to discharge the paper. The first flapper 107 and the second flapper 108 are operated so that the document is discharged to the selected tray.
The first flapper 107 and the second flapper 108 are powered by solenoids, and when power is not supplied to the solenoids that control the first flapper 107 and the second flapper 108, the document is discharged to the third paper discharge tray 103. It is configured to be paper.
In this case, the third paper discharge tray 103 is a residual document tray.

When the main body cover is opened during document conveyance, the control unit (not shown) does not injure the user by touching the operation unit such as the document conveyance roller 105, so that the control unit (not shown) has the document conveyance roller 105 and the first flapper 107. The second flapper 108 is stopped, and the conveyance of the original is interrupted.
Image reading sensors 111a and 111b that respectively read the front and back surfaces of the document are installed in the document conveyance path 106, and can read the document image by reading the document image of the document conveyed at a constant speed at a constant cycle. Note that the image reading sensors 111 a and 111 b are not limited to this configuration, and may be installed at any position in the document conveyance path 106.

The images read by the image reading sensors 111a and 111b are transferred to the host computer, the paper discharge tray to be discharged is selected from the information of the original image, and the first flapper 107 and the second flapper 108 correspond to the respective paper discharge trays. Change direction.
The image reading sensor 111b detects the document every time the document is read, and counts and stores the number of sheets read by the CPU that controls the conveyance system.

  In addition to the information on the original image, the magnetic data sensor 114 is used to read the embedded magnetic data, the paper discharge tray to be discharged is selected by the magnetic data of the original, and the first flapper 107 and the second flapper 108 are selected. You may change to the direction corresponding to each discharge tray. When a remaining document is generated in the document conveyance path 106 due to jam processing or an operator's erroneous operation, the position of the remaining document is first confirmed. Specifically, a large number of document detection sensors 110 installed in the document conveyance path 106 detect a position where a remaining document exists.

It can be determined that the image reading has been completed for the document on the paper discharge tray side with respect to the image reading sensor 111b. These documents are distributed to a suitable one of the first discharge tray 101 and the second discharge tray 102.
It can be determined that the image reading on the paper feed tray 104 side with respect to the image reading sensor 111b has not ended normally. These documents are discharged to the third discharge tray as a reread target.
Then, the operator is alerted so that the documents discharged to the third discharge tray are in the correct page order. A specific method will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 2 is a display example of a warning display. A message as shown in FIG. 2 is displayed on the display of the host computer or on the image reading apparatus 100. When a document that needs to be read again is discharged to the third discharge tray 103, the message is displayed on the display LCD display. (Output), and notifies the operator of the number of documents that need to be read again. Note that the display is not limited to the number of originals that need to be read again. For example, if the information relates to the remaining originals, such as the number of sheets detected by the paper feed sensor 113 and the number of sheets detected by the image reading sensor 111b, Good.

The number of originals is calculated and displayed (output) by subtracting the number of sheets detected and read by the image reading sensor 111b from the number of sheets detected and fed by the CPU by the paper feed sensor 113.
When a pulse motor is used, the number of pulses output to the pulse motor after passing through the document detection sensor 110 is counted, and it is determined that the document is discharged when the number of pulses to be discharged reaches the document. Also good.

A process when the main body cover is opened and a remaining document is generated when removing a jammed document being conveyed will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
Each process in FIG. 3 is executed by a CPU after a control program stored in a ROM, hard disk, or the like (not shown) of the image reading apparatus 100 is loaded into a RAM (not shown).

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the image reading apparatus 100 when the main body cover of the image reading apparatus 100 is opened for jammed document processing.
If a jam is detected, the operator is notified that a jam has occurred, and the removal of the original that caused the jam is notified (S301).
The operator opens the main body cover (S302), and removes the original that caused the jam (S303). The operator removes the document causing the jam and then closes the main body cover to resume image reading (S304).

  When the main body cover is closed (YES in S304), the position of the remaining document is specified using the detection result of the document detection sensor 110. At this time, among the remaining originals, the originals that have passed through the image reading sensor 111b and are on the discharge tray side are read, and the originals that have not passed the image reading sensor 111b are to be reread. After the remaining document is determined as a scanned document and a document to be reread, document data such as magnetic data and image data of the document that has been scanned and the document that has been scanned again are stored in the CPU (S305). .

The remaining original is discharged to each discharge tray. The original conveying roller 105 is rotated, the first flapper 107 and the second flapper 108 are operated, and the read original is discharged onto a suitable discharge tray. The document to be re-read is discharged by operating the first flapper 107 and the second flapper 108 so as to be discharged onto the third discharge tray 103. The document is discharged and the operator is notified of the number of objects to be re-read (S306).
After the document transport roller 105 is rotated, a signal from the document detection sensor 110 installed in the document transport path 106 is detected to check whether there is a document in the document transport path 106 (S307).

If a signal indicating that there is a document is received (YES in S307), it is determined that a jam has occurred, the cause of the document is removed again, and the processing in S301 is repeated. If the document detection sensor 110 detects that there is no document in S307 (NO in S307), all remaining documents to be reread are discharged to the third discharge tray 103. The operator who has viewed the display of the number of documents to be re-read confirms the number of remaining documents to be re-read that have been discharged to the third discharge tray 103 and the number of documents to be re-read that have been displayed. The paper is placed on the paper feed tray 104 so that the remaining original document is at the top. When the operator places the discharged original on the paper feed tray, the image reading apparatus 100 requests rereading of the reread target original (S308).
Waiting for a reading resumption instruction issued by the operator who has placed the ejected residual document on the paper feed tray (S309), and in response to the reading resumption instruction (YES in S309), image reading is resumed (S310).

In addition to jam processing, processing when the main body cover is opened during document conveyance due to misuse by the operator will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
When the main body cover is opened during document conveyance, this corresponds to S302 in FIG. When “main body cover open” is detected (S302), the power of the document conveying roller 105 is cut off, and the document conveying roller 105 stops. When the operator notices misuse and closes the main body cover (S304), the position of the remaining document is specified from the document detection sensor 110. Since the subsequent flow is the same as the jam processing flow, the description thereof is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 1, since the magnetic data sensor 114 is installed at a position close to the paper feed sensor 113, the magnetic data sensor 114 is immediately after paper feed even for a residual document that has not passed through the image reading sensors 111a and 111b. Will pass. The original passing through the magnetic data sensor 114 can store the magnetic data of the remaining original in the CPU. There is a check on a typical document with magnetic data. The check will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 4 is an example of a check. Magnetic data is embedded in the magnetic character portion 4011 in FIG.

  FIG. 5 is an example of characters in the magnetic character part. In FIG. 5, the numeral 8 is displayed as an example. An analog signal as shown in FIG. 5 is transmitted from the magnetic data sensor 114 installed in the vicinity of the paper feed port to the CPU. Based on the analog signal from the magnetic data sensor 114, the distribution destination of each document is set.

FIG. 6 is a table (original information storage means) for each conveyed original.
The paper number is a document number for identifying each conveyed document, and is given in the order in which the document is conveyed by the paper feed sensor 113. The table for each original in the present invention includes at least magnetic data for each paper number and a picture flag indicating whether or not the original image for each paper number has been read. In the case of FIG. 6, when the image reading by the image reading sensor 111 b is finished, the picture flag is set to 1.

  In the case of FIG. 6, since the magnetic data m is stored in the document with the paper number m and the picture flag is 1, the image reading is finished. The original of paper number n stores magnetic data n and the picture flag is 0, so image reading is not completed. It can be seen that the original of paper number N + 1 has no magnetic data stored therein and has not passed through the magnetic data sensor. Paper numbers 1 and 2 are normally discharged, and paper numbers m, m, and N + 1 are residual documents.

During normal document conveyance, the target record is deleted simultaneously with passing through the paper discharge sensor 112. Therefore, the table of paper numbers 1 and 2 has been deleted.
After the main body cover is closed, the remaining original that has been read is sorted from the magnetic data m stored in the table to a suitable paper discharge tray.

  When a remaining document is generated, the table for the remaining document is stored even after the remaining document is discharged. In the case of FIG. 6, if the remaining document is re-read and the page order is correct, the first document conveyed is paper number n, and the same analog waveform as magnetic data n should be obtained. . The magnetic data n is compared with the magnetic data of the original conveyed on the first sheet by rereading the remaining original. If the magnetic data of the original conveyed on the first sheet by rereading the remaining original is the same as the magnetic data n, it can be determined that the original reading order is correct.

  If the magnetic data of the original document that was transported to the first page by re-reading the remaining document is different from the magnetic data n, the image may not be read in the correct page order. Encourage the operator to check the order of documents. When the magnetic data m (image-read document) and the magnetic data read when re-reading are the same, the image-read document is read again, and the page order is out of order. Therefore, a warning is displayed to the operator and the operator is prompted to confirm the document order. If an area for storing the table shown in FIG. 6 is secured in the non-volatile memory, even if the operator accidentally turns off the power, the table remains at the start of re-reading.

  Further, the table for each conveyed document is not limited to the magnetic data and the picture flag, and may be composed of image patterns of image data read by the image reading sensors 111a and 111b for each paper number. In that case, the re-read original is compared with the image pattern of the image data of the stored original, and the reading order of the original as described above and a warning are performed. Therefore, the operator can understand whether the page order of the reread document is accurate by comparing the document information (magnetic data, image data) of the remaining document with the reread document information. It is possible to accurately re-read the remaining document that has not been completed.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation after resuming reading.
When reading is resumed in step S701, the documents on the sheet feed tray 104 are sequentially fed. When the first original passes through the magnetic data sensor 114 after resuming reading, the magnetic data of the original is read (S702).

  The magnetic data n and the document data read in S702 are compared to confirm whether they match (S703). If they match (YES in S703), the page order is correct and image reading is continued (S704). If they do not match (NO in S703), the magnetic data of the read residual document is compared with the magnetic data m to confirm whether they match (S705). If the magnetic data m of the remaining original whose image reading has been completed in S705 is the same as the magnetic data of the first original after resuming reading (YES in S705), the same original is read twice. A warning is displayed (S706).

If the magnetic data do not match in S705 (NO in S705), the document reading order is likely to be out of order, so a warning for page order confirmation is displayed (S707).
After the warning is displayed (S706 and S707), the operator waits for a reading reunion instruction from the operator (S708), and the document reading is continued.

  Further, when the magnetic data m of the original of which the image reading of the remaining original has been completed and the magnetic data read when the rereading is performed (YES in S707), the image read original is re-imaged. Reading. In this case, since the same original is read twice, there are two images of the same original. The page order is out of order because there are two images of the same document, but if one of them is discarded, the page order out of the original is eliminated.

Therefore, duplicate documents can be created by discarding the document image of the re-read document or by overwriting the re-read document image in the area where the document image of the remaining document having the corresponding magnetic data is stored. Either of them can be discarded.
Before discarding either document image, the operator may display the document image and confirm whether to discard it.

  Further, the image reading apparatus 100 of the present invention alone may include a document sorting function that selects a tray to be discharged based on information such as a document image.

  The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the configuration of the present invention is not limited to the configurations of these embodiments, and the embodiments described above are not departed from the spirit of the present invention. What changed or changed the structure of is included in this invention.

  The object of the present invention can also be achieved by supplying a storage medium storing software program codes for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or apparatus. In that case, the computer (or CPU, MPU, etc.) of the system or apparatus reads and executes the program code stored in the storage medium. The program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the program code and the storage medium storing the program code constitute the present invention.

  As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a flexible disk, a hard disk, a magneto-optical disk, or the like can be used. Further, optical disks such as CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-ROM, DVD ± R, DVD-RAM, DVD ± RW, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, ROM, and the like can be used. The program code may be downloaded via a network.

  The functions of the above-described embodiment are not only realized by executing the program code read by the computer. That is, an OS (operating system) running on a computer performs part or all of actual processing based on an instruction of a program code, and the functions of the above-described embodiments may be realized by the processing. included. Further, the program code read from the storage medium is written in a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer. The CPU of the function expansion board or function expansion unit may perform part or all of the actual processing based on the instruction of the program code, and the functions of the above-described embodiment may be realized by the processing. included.

  The functions of the above-described embodiments are not only realized by executing the program code read by the computer. That is, the present invention can be applied to the case where the OS running on the computer performs part or all of the actual processing based on the instruction of the program code and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing. Needless to say, it is included in

  In this case, the program is supplied by downloading directly from a storage medium storing the program or from another computer or database (not shown) connected to the Internet, a commercial network, a local area network, or the like.

101 First discharge tray 102 Second discharge tray 103 Third discharge tray (remaining document tray)
104 Feed tray 105 Document transport roller 106 Document transport path 107 First flapper 108 Second flapper 109 Paper feed roller 110 Document detection sensors 111a and 111b Image reading sensor 112 Paper discharge sensor 113 Paper feed sensor 114 Magnetic data sensor 401 Check 402 Magnetic character part

Claims (8)

A feeding means for feeding the document to the conveyance path;
Conveying means for conveying the document along the conveying path;
Reading means for reading an image of a document conveyed by the conveying means;
In an image reading apparatus comprising:
When the conveyance of the document by the conveyance unit is interrupted, when the detection unit that detects the remaining document remaining in the conveyance path detects the residual document,
An image reading apparatus comprising: means for outputting information relating to the residual document. In addition, it has a plurality of paper discharge trays,
The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, among the remaining originals, an original that has not been read is discharged to a specific discharge tray. And a second reading means for reading the magnetic data of the document.
When re-reading the residual document,
The magnetic data of the remaining original is compared with the magnetic data of the re-read original, and a warning is displayed when the re-read original is different from the residual original that has not finished image reading. Item 3. The image reading apparatus according to Item 1 or 2. And a second reading means for reading the magnetic data of the document.
When re-reading the residual document,
When the magnetic data and image data of the remaining original are compared with the magnetic data and image data of the reread original, and the reread original is the same as the original that has finished image reading, a warning is given. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein display is performed. And a second reading means for reading the magnetic data of the document.
When re-reading the residual document,
The magnetic data and image data of the remaining original are compared with the magnetic data and image data of the re-read original. If the re-read original is the same as the original that has been read, The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image data of the read document is discarded or the image data that has been read is rewritten. A document information storage means for storing the magnetic data and image data of the residual document and the magnetic data and image data of the reread document;
6. The document information storage means includes at least a paper number for each original document, magnetic data corresponding to the paper number, and a flag indicating whether or not reading of the original image has been completed. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1. A feeding means for feeding the document to the conveyance path;
Conveying means for conveying the document along the conveying path;
Reading means for reading an image of a document conveyed by the conveying means;
In an image reading apparatus comprising:
Detecting means for detecting a remaining original remaining in the original conveying path when the conveying of the original by the conveying means is interrupted;
An image reading apparatus that compares document information of a remaining document detected by the detecting unit with document information obtained by re-reading the remaining document.   The image reading apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the document information includes one or a combination of magnetic data and image data.

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