JP2012231398A - Image data storage device, document reading apparatus, and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image data storage device in which the occurrence of double feed can be notified without requiring time and efforts of a user even in the case where there are a number of documents to be read.SOLUTION: An image data storage device 10 receives size data indicating the size of documents which is detected while a plurality of documents in the same size set in a document tray 305 are conveyed to a document reading unit 200 by a document feeding unit 300. By using the size data, it is determined whether the size of each of the plurality of documents detected during the conveyance to the document reading unit 200 is equal to the size of a document to be used for comparison. If the same size is not determined, a notification is made. If there is a document whose size is not equal to that of the document to be compared, it is determined that any document may be fed double. According to the image data storage device 10, by making a notification when it is determined that the size of each of the plurality of documents is not equal to the size of the document to be used for comparison, the occurrence of double feed can be notified to a user.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image data storage device for storing a plurality of originals conveyed by an automatic document feeder to a document reading device and storing image data of the plurality of originals read by the document reading device, and a document reading related thereto. The present invention relates to an apparatus and an image forming apparatus.

  By reading a document with a scanner that is a document reading device and storing image data of the document in a storage device, the document can be digitized and stored. An automatic document feeder (ADF) is an apparatus that automatically feeds a plurality of documents one by one to a document reading position of a scanner. If the number of documents to be read is large, it is convenient to use an automatic document feeder.

  However, in the automatic document feeder, multiple documents set on the automatic document feeder are not separated one by one due to the influence of ambient humidity, etc., but two or more sheets are stacked and sent to the document reading location of the scanner. (Multiple feed).

  As a first technique that can cope with double feeding, when the number of originals to be read (in other words, the number of originals to be sent) is input by the user in the facsimile transmission, the actual number of originals read differs from the number of input originals. There has been proposed a facsimile device that determines that double feeding has occurred and notifies the user (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  As a second technique capable of coping with double feeding, a digital copying apparatus has been proposed in which a user can check an image of a read original by displaying an image of the read original every time the original is read (for example, , See Patent Document 2).

JP-A-6-303375 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-7047

  However, in the first technique, the user must input the number of documents to be read. For this reason, if the number of documents is not known in advance, the user must count the number of documents, and if the number of documents is large, it is troublesome.

  In the second technique, the user must check the read image of the document and determine whether or not a double feed has occurred. Therefore, it takes time and effort when the number of documents is large.

  It is an object of the present invention to provide an image data storage device that can notify the occurrence of double feeding without troublesome users even when the number of originals to be read is large, and an original reading device and an image forming device related thereto. Objective.

  An image data storage device according to an aspect of the present invention that achieves the above object is characterized in that the plurality of documents are conveyed to a document reading device by an automatic document feeder in which a plurality of documents of the same size are set, An image data receiving unit that receives image data of the plurality of documents read by the document reading device; an image data storage unit that stores image data of the plurality of documents received by the image data receiving unit; A size data receiving unit that receives size data indicating the size of each document detected during conveyance of the plurality of documents to the document reading device, and the plurality of documents received by the size data receiving unit. The size data of the document to be used for comparison is preset from among the size data of the plurality of documents, and those of the plurality of documents detected during conveyance to the document reading device. A size determination unit that determines whether the size is the same as the document used for the comparison, and a notification unit that notifies when the size determination unit does not determine that the size is the same as the document used for the comparison. .

  When double feeding occurs in the automatic document feeder and two or more documents are conveyed in a stacked state, and the documents are read by the document reading device, the document reading device reads the image as a single document, and image data Is generated. There was an original that was different in size from other originals for each of the original sizes detected while the multiple originals were being transported to the original reader by an automatic document feeder with multiple originals of the same size set. In this case, it is considered that the document is conveyed (multi-feed) with two or more documents partially overlapped. As will be described below, the image data storage device according to one aspect of the present invention uses this to determine and notify the occurrence of double feed.

  According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image data storage device in which a plurality of documents detected by the automatic document feeder on which a plurality of documents of the same size are set while being conveyed to the document reading device. Receive size data indicating the size of. Then, using this size data, it is determined whether or not the size of the plurality of documents detected during conveyance to the document reading device is the same as the size of the document used for comparison. Inform. If there is a document that is not the same size as the document to be compared, one of the documents has been double-fed. According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to notify the user of the occurrence of double feeding by notifying when it is determined that the size of the original used for comparison is not the same.

  In addition, according to one aspect of the present invention, occurrence of double feeding is determined using the size data described above. This eliminates the need for the user to input the number of documents read by the document reader.

  Furthermore, according to one aspect of the present invention, since the occurrence of double feed is determined and notified by the image data storage device, even if the document reading apparatus cannot detect the occurrence of double feed, Can be notified.

  As described above, according to the image data storage device according to one aspect of the present invention, even when the number of originals to be read is large, it is possible to notify the user of occurrence of double feeding without taking time and effort.

  As a notification by the notification unit, the occurrence of double feed is displayed, and in addition, an image of a document that is not determined to be the same size as the document used for comparison (i.e., a document suspected of being double-fed) is displayed as a preview image. It may be displayed, or the size of the document may be displayed.

  As the size data of the original used for comparison, (1) the size data of the original read in the order one order before the original is read for each of the plurality of originals read by the original reading device, (2 ) For each of a plurality of documents read by the document reading device, the size data of the documents read in the order one after the document reading order, and (3) the plurality of sheets read by the document reading device For each of the originals, the size data of the originals read in the order one order before and the order after the order in which the originals were read are illustrated.

  (1) is, for example, the size data of the document read third, and the size data of the document to be compared is the size data of the document read second. (2) is, for example, the size data of the document read fourth, and the size data of the document to be compared is the size data of the document read fourth. (3) is, for example, the size data of the document read third, and the size data of the document to be compared is the size data of the document read second and fourth.

  In the above configuration, in the size determination unit, for each of the plurality of documents read by the document reading device, the documents read in the order one order before and the order after the order in which the documents were read Are set as the size data of the original used for the comparison.

  According to this configuration, even if double feeding is performed twice in succession, occurrence of double feeding can be determined and notified. For example, the third and fourth originals partially overlap (third scanned original), and the fifth and sixth originals partially overlap (fourth scanned original) ), If the seventh original (fifth read original) is not double-fed even if it is conveyed to the original reading device, the occurrence of double-feed can be determined.

  In the above configuration, the notification unit includes a display unit, a read control unit that reads image data of a document that is not determined to be the same size as the document used for the comparison by the size determination unit, and the read control unit. An image generation unit that generates a preview image using image data read out by the control unit, and a display control unit that displays the preview image generated by the image generation unit on the display unit.

  According to this configuration, a preview image of a document that is not determined to be the same size as the document used for comparison (a document that is suspected of being double-fed) is displayed on the display unit. Can be confirmed.

  In the above configuration, when the preview image of the document that is not determined to be the same size as the document used for the comparison by the size determination unit is displayed on the display unit, the image data of the document is transferred from the image data storage unit. A receiving unit that receives an instruction to delete, and an erasing control unit that deletes image data of the document from the image data storage unit when an instruction to delete is received by the receiving unit.

  According to this configuration, the preview image of the document suspected of being double-fed displayed on the display unit is confirmed, and if the document is found to have been double-fed, an instruction to delete the original is given. The image data can be deleted from the image data storage unit. Accordingly, the user performs an operation of accessing the image data stored in the image data storage unit, and selecting and deleting the image data to be deleted from the image data stored in the image data storage unit. Even without this, it is possible to erase the image data of the multi-fed original.

  A document reading device according to another aspect of the present invention reads the plurality of documents conveyed by the automatic document feeder and the automatic document feeder on which a plurality of documents of the same size are set, A document reading unit that generates image data of a single document, and a size that detects the size of each document while each of the plurality of documents is being conveyed to the document reading unit, and generates size data indicating the detected size A detection unit; an image data transmission unit configured to transmit image data of the plurality of documents generated by the document reading unit to the image data storage device; and the plurality of documents generated by the size detection unit. A size data transmission unit that transmits the size data to the image data storage device.

  According to the document reading apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention, the above-described effects can be produced in the image data storage apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention by having these configurations.

  An image forming apparatus according to still another aspect of the present invention includes the above-described image data storage device, the above-described document reading device, an apparatus main body that forms an image using image data, and prints the formed image on paper. A copy mode for controlling the original reading device and the apparatus main body to form an image based on image data of the original read by the original reading device and printing it on a paper; and the original reading device and the image data storage device; And a mode control unit that executes a scanner mode in which image data of a plurality of documents of the same size read by the document reading device is stored in the image data storage device.

  The image forming apparatus according to still another aspect of the present invention includes the image data storage device according to one aspect of the present invention and the document reading apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention. The same effects as those of the image data storage device according to the one aspect occur.

  According to the present invention, even if the number of originals to be read is large, it is possible to notify the occurrence of double feeding without taking time and effort to the user.

1 is a diagram illustrating an outline of an internal structure of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the image data storage device which concerns on this embodiment. 6 is a first half of a flowchart illustrating a process of storing image data of a plurality of documents read by a document reading unit of the image forming apparatus in an image data storage device in the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, this is the latter half of the flowchart for explaining the process of storing the image data of a plurality of originals read by the original reading unit of the image forming apparatus in the image data storage device. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a state in which six originals are being conveyed to an original reading unit. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of image data and size data transmitted from an image forming apparatus to an image data storage device. FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the size data memorize | stored in the size data memory | storage part. It is a figure which shows an example of the screen which alert | reports generation | occurrence | production of double feeding.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of the internal structure of an image forming apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The image forming apparatus 1 can be applied to, for example, a digital multi-function peripheral having a copy, printer, scanner, and facsimile function. The image forming apparatus 1 is disposed on an apparatus main body 100, a document reading unit 200 disposed on the apparatus main body 100, a document feeding unit 300 disposed on the document reading unit 200, and an upper front surface of the apparatus body 100. An operation unit 400 is provided.

  The document feeder 300 functions as an automatic document feeder, and a document tray 305, a pickup roller 307, a sheet separation mechanism 309, a registration roller 311, a transport drum 313, and a sheet discharge roller arranged in order from the upstream side in the document feeding direction. 315, a paper discharge tray 317, and the like. A document to be read is placed on the document tray 305.

  The pickup roller 307 is disposed above the document tray 305 so as to be movable up and down. A sheet separation mechanism 309 is provided in the vicinity of the pickup roller 307. The paper separation mechanism 309 includes a driving roller 309a, a driven roller 309b, an endless belt 309c, and a separation roller 309d. The driving roller 309a is located downstream of the driven roller 309b. An endless belt 309c is stretched around the driving roller 309a and the driven roller 309b, and these rollers function as a paper feeding roller. A separation roller 309d is disposed below the driving roller 309a and the driven roller 309b so as to press the endless belt 309c.

  The pickup roller 307 and the driving roller 309 a rotate in a direction to send out the document placed on the document tray 305 from the document tray 305. On the other hand, the separation roller 309d rotates in a direction to return the document placed on the document tray 305 to the document tray 305. Accordingly, a plurality of originals taken one by one by the pickup roller 307 are prevented from being stacked and conveyed.

  A registration roller 311 is disposed in the vicinity of the sheet separation mechanism 309. The registration roller 311 includes a driving roller 311a and a driven roller 311b arranged so as to sandwich the document. The document conveyed from the sheet separation mechanism 309 is corrected to a correct angle by the registration roller 311 and sent to the conveyance drum 313. The original is passed over the original reading slit 233 by the transport drum 313 and then discharged to the paper discharge tray 317 by the paper discharge roller 315. The document reading slit 233 is provided in the document reading unit 200 described later.

  The document feeder 300 further includes a document reversing mechanism including a switching guide 319, a reversing roller 321, and a reversing conveyance path 323. The document reversing mechanism is used when automatically reading both sides of a document. During double-sided reading, the switching guide 319 is switched to the lower side, and the original whose surface is read by the original reading unit 200 is conveyed to the reverse conveyance path 323 by the paper discharge roller 315 and the reverse roller 321. Thereafter, the switching guide 319 is switched to the upper side and the reverse roller 321 rotates in the reverse direction, whereby the document is sent again to the transport drum 313. Then, the back side of the document is read by the document reading unit 200, and the document is discharged to the discharge tray 317 by the discharge roller 315.

  The document reading unit 200 optically reads a document image and generates image data. The document reading unit 200 includes a platen glass 231, a document reading slit 233, a light source 235, a first mirror 237, a second mirror 239, a third mirror 241, a first carriage 243, a second carriage 245, an imaging lens 247, and a CCD (Charge). Coupled Device) 249.

  The platen glass 231 and the document reading slit 233 are located on the upper surface of the document reading unit 200. The platen glass 231 is used in a flat bed reading mode, and an original is placed on the platen glass 231 and the original is read. The document reading slit 233 is located below the transport drum 313. The document reading slit 233 is used in the ADF reading mode, and the document conveyed by the conveyance drum 313 is read when passing between the document reading slit 233 and the conveyance drum 313.

  The light source 235 and the first mirror 237 are held by the first carriage 243. The second mirror 239 and the third mirror 241 are held by the second carriage 245. The light emitted from the light source 235 and reflected from the document is guided to the CCD 249 by the first mirror 237, the second mirror 239, the third mirror 241, and the imaging lens 247.

  In the flat bed reading mode, an original is placed on the platen glass 231 and the original is read by the CCD 249 while moving the carriage (the first carriage 243 and the second carriage 245) in the longitudinal direction of the platen glass 231 (sub-scanning direction Y). . On the other hand, in the ADF reading mode, the carriage (the first carriage 243 and the second carriage 245) is moved to a position facing the document reading slit 233, and the document sent from the document feeding unit 300 is read by the document. Read by the CCD 249 through the slit 233. As a result, the electrical signal output from the CCD 249 is subjected to predetermined processing by an image engine (not shown) provided in the document reading unit 200 and output as image data.

  The apparatus main body 100 includes a sheet storage unit 101, an image forming unit 103, and a fixing unit 105. The sheet storage unit 101 is disposed at the lowermost part of the apparatus main body 100 and includes a plurality of sheet feeding cassettes 107 that can store a bundle of sheets. In the bundle of sheets stored in the sheet feeding cassette 107, the uppermost sheet is sent out toward the sheet conveyance path 111 by driving the pickup roller 109. The sheet is conveyed to the image forming unit 103 through the sheet conveyance path 111.

  The image forming unit 103 forms a toner image on the conveyed paper based on the image data. The image forming unit 103 includes a photosensitive drum 113, a charge eliminating unit 115, a charging unit 117, an exposure unit 119, developing units 121Bk, 121Y, 121M, and 121C, a transfer drum 123, and a transfer roller 125.

  The charge removal unit 115 is a device that removes residual charges from the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 113. The charging unit 117 is a device that charges the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 113 after charge removal. The exposure unit 119 generates light modulated in accordance with image data (image data output from the CCD 249 of the document reading unit 200, image data transmitted from a personal computer, image data received by facsimile, etc.), and uniformly. This is an apparatus for forming an electrostatic latent image on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 113 by irradiating the peripheral surface of the charged photosensitive drum 113.

  The developing units 121Bk, 121Y, 121M, and 121C have black (Bk), yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) colors on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 113 on which the electrostatic latent image is formed. This is an apparatus for forming a toner image. If there is no need to distinguish between the developing portions of the respective colors, they are referred to as developing portions 121. The toner for each color of black, yellow, magenta, and cyan is supplied from a toner supply container or a toner cartridge (not shown).

  On the peripheral surface of the transfer drum 123, the toner images of the respective colors formed on the photosensitive drum 113 are transferred and superimposed. The transfer roller 125 is a roller that transfers the toner image on the peripheral surface of the transfer drum 123 onto the sheet conveyed from the sheet storage unit 101.

  The sheet on which the toner image is transferred is sent to the fixing unit 105. In the fixing unit 105, heat and pressure are applied to the toner image and the paper to fix the toner image on the paper. Thereby, the printing of the image on the paper is completed. The sheet is discharged to the stack tray 127 or the discharge tray 129.

  The operation unit 400 includes an operation key unit 401 and a display unit 403. The display unit 403 has a touch panel function, and displays a screen including soft keys. The user operates the soft keys while viewing the screen to make settings necessary for executing functions such as copying.

  The operation key unit 401 includes operation keys including hard keys. Specifically, the operation key unit 401 includes a start key 407, a numeric key 409, a function switching key 405, and the like. A start key 407 is a key for starting operations such as copying and facsimile transmission. A numeric keypad 409 is a key for inputting numbers such as the number of copies and a facsimile number.

  The function switching key 405 includes a copy key, a transmission key, a scanner key, and the like, and is a key for switching between a copy function, a transmission function, a scanner function, and the like. When the copy key is operated, an initial copy screen is displayed on the display unit 403. When the transmission key is operated, an initial screen for facsimile transmission and mail transmission is displayed on the display unit 403. When the scanner key is operated, the initial screen of the scanner is displayed on the display unit 403.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIG. The image forming apparatus 1 has a configuration in which an apparatus main body 100, a document reading unit 200, a document feeding unit 300, an operation unit 400, a control unit 500, and a communication unit 600 are connected to each other by a bus.

  The control unit 500 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and the like. The CPU executes control necessary for operating the image forming apparatus 1 on the above-described components of the image forming apparatus 1 such as the apparatus main body 100. The ROM stores software necessary for controlling the operation of the image forming apparatus 1. The RAM is used for temporary storage of data generated during execution of software, storage of application software, and the like.

  The control unit 500 has functions of a mode control unit 501 and a size detection unit 503. These functions are realized by the CPU, ROM, RAM, and the like provided in the control unit 500.

  A mode control unit 501 executes a copy mode and a scanner mode. In the copy mode, the mode control unit 501 controls the document reading unit 200 and the apparatus main body 100 (when the document feeding unit 300 is used, the document feeding unit 300 is further controlled) and is read by the document reading unit 200. An image is formed from the image data of the original and printed on paper. In the scanner mode, the mode control unit 501 controls the document reading unit 200 (if the document feeding unit 300 is used, further controls the document feeding unit 300), and the image data of the document read by the document reading unit 200 Is transmitted to the image data storage device 10 and stored in the image data storage device 10.

  The size detection unit 503 is configured to transfer a plurality of documents of the same size set on the document tray 305 in the document feeding unit 300 toward the document reading slit 233 illustrated in FIG. , And size data indicating the detected size is generated. The size detection unit 503 includes a sensor 51, a timer 53, a size table 55, and a size data generation unit 57.

  The sensor 51 is an optical sensor, for example, and is installed on the conveyance path near the registration roller 311 as shown in FIG. The timer 53 measures the time (detection time) from when the sensor 51 detects the leading edge of the conveyed document until the trailing edge of the document is detected.

  The size table 55 stores the detection time and the size in the document transport direction in association with each other. For example, when the detection time is T1, the size in the document conveyance direction is L1, when the detection time is T2, the size in the document conveyance direction is L2, and when the detection time is T3, the size in the document conveyance direction is L3. ...

  The size data generation unit 57 refers to the size table 55 and selects a size corresponding to the detection time measured by the timer 53. The size data generation unit 57 generates size data indicating the selected size.

  The communication unit 600 includes a part that performs facsimile communication using a telephone line 601 and a part that performs network communication using a LAN 603. The communication unit 600 includes an image data transmission unit 605 and a size data transmission unit 607. These functions are mainly realized by a network communication part (network I / F part).

  The image data transmission unit 605 transmits the image data of a plurality of documents generated by the document reading unit 200 to the image data storage device 10 using the LAN 603. The size data transmission unit 607 transmits the size data of a plurality of documents generated by the size detection unit 503 to the image data storage device 10 using the LAN 603.

  Since the apparatus main body 100, the document reading unit 200, the document feeding unit 300, and the operation unit 400 have already been described, description thereof will be omitted.

  Next, the image data storage device 10 will be described. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the image data storage device 10 according to the present embodiment. The image data storage device 10 has a configuration in which a control unit 20, a communication unit 30, and an operation unit 40 are connected to each other by a bus. The image data storage device 10 is a server that stores image data. That is, the image data storage device 10 stores the image data transmitted from the client device (for example, the image forming device 1) via the LAN 603, and if there is an access to read the image data from the client device via the LAN 603, A function of transmitting image data to the client device;

  The communication unit 30 is an interface that performs network communication using the LAN 603. The communication unit 30 has functions of an image data receiving unit 31 and a size data receiving unit 33.

  The image data receiving unit 31 transports a plurality of documents of the same size set on the document tray 305 shown in FIG. 1 to the document reading unit 200 by the document feeding unit 300 and read by the document reading unit 200. Image data of a single document is received in the reading order of a plurality of documents. The size data receiving unit 33 receives size data indicating the size of each document detected during conveyance of a plurality of documents to the document reading unit 200 in the order of reading the plurality of documents.

  The control unit 20 has functions of a storage control unit 21, an image data storage unit 22, a size data storage unit 23, a size determination unit 24, a display control unit 25, an image generation unit 26, and a reception unit 27. These functions are realized by a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like provided in the control unit 20.

  The storage controller 21 includes a write controller 21a, a read controller 21b, and an erase controller 21c. The writing control unit 21 a performs control to write image data in the image data storage unit 22. The read control unit 21 b performs control to read image data stored in the image data storage unit 22. The erasure control unit 21 c performs control to erase the image data stored in the image data storage unit 22. In addition, the storage control unit 21 performs control for writing size data in the size data storage unit 23 and control for reading size data stored in the size data storage unit 23.

  The image data storage unit 22 stores the image data of a plurality of documents received by the image data receiving unit 31. The size data storage unit 23 stores the size data of a plurality of documents received by the size data receiving unit 33.

  The size determination unit 24 is preset with size data of a document used for comparison among the size data of a plurality of documents received by the size data receiving unit 33. The size determination unit 24 determines whether the sizes of the plurality of originals detected during conveyance to the original reading unit 200 are the same as the originals used for comparison. As document size data used for comparison, for each of a plurality of documents read by the document reading unit 200, the size of the document read in the order one order before and one order after the order in which the documents were read. Data is set in the size determination unit 24. The read control unit 21 b has a function of reading image data of a document whose size is not determined to be the same as that of the document used for comparison by the size determination unit 24 from the image data storage unit 22.

  The image generation unit 26 generates a preview image using the image data read by the read control unit 21b. The display control unit 25 causes the display unit 43 to display the preview image generated by the image generation unit 26. The display unit 43, the readout control unit 21b, the image generation unit 26, and the display control unit 25 constitute a notification unit. The notification unit notifies when the size determination unit 24 does not determine that the size of the document used for comparison is the same.

  The operation unit 40 includes an operation key unit 41 and a display unit 43. The display unit 43 has a touch panel function, and displays a screen including soft keys. The user operates the soft keys and the operation key unit 41 while viewing the screen to input commands for editing and erasing image data stored in the image data storage unit 22.

  Next, in the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, a plurality of documents are conveyed to the document reading unit 200 by the document feeding unit 300, and image data of the plurality of documents read by the document reading unit 200 are Processing to be stored in the image data storage device 10 will be described. 4 and 5 are flowcharts for explaining this. Data is transmitted and received between the image forming apparatus 1 and the image data storage device 10 using the LAN 603.

  The user operates the function switching key 405 of the operation unit 400 shown in FIG. 1 to select the scanner function. The scanner function is a function in which image data of a document read by the document reading unit 200 is sent to the image data storage device 10 via the LAN 603 and stored in the image data storage device 10.

  The user sets, for example, six A4 size documents (an example of a plurality of documents of the same size) on the document tray 305 shown in FIG. 1 and operates the start key 407. As a result, the document feeder 300 starts conveying the top document among the six documents set on the document tray 305 to the document reading unit 200 (step S1). That is, the pick-up roller 307 picks up the top document among the six documents set on the document tray 305 and sends it out into the document feeding unit 300.

  The size detection unit 503 detects the size of the document conveyed in the document feeding unit 300 and generates size data (step S2). As the data format, for example, XML (Extensible Markup Language) can be used.

  The document reading unit 200 reads the document conveyed by the document feeding unit 300 and generates image data of the document (step S3).

  The image data transmission unit 605 (FIG. 2) transmits the image data generated in step S3 to the image data storage device 10 (step S4). Subsequently, the size data transmission unit 607 generates the size data generated in step S2. Is transmitted to the image data storage device 10 (step S5).

  If the mode control unit 501 determines that a document is set on the document tray 305 (Yes in step S6), the process returns to step S1. When the mode control unit 501 does not determine that a document is set on the document tray 305 (No in step S6), the communication unit 600 displays an end signal (for example, All Get) indicating that all document reading processes have been completed. Complete signal) is transmitted to the image data storage device 10 using the LAN 603 (step S7).

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a state in which six originals D1 to D6 are conveyed to the original reading unit 200. FIG. When each of the six originals D1 to D6 is conveyed in the conveyance direction A1 and passes through the original reading slit 233, each original is read by the CCD 249 (FIG. 1).

  A double feed occurs in which the third document D3 and the fourth document D4 partially overlap each other. As a result, the original D1 is read first, the original D2 is read second, the originals D3 and D4 are read third as one original, the original D5 is read fourth, and the original D6 is 5 Read th.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of image data and size data transmitted from the image forming apparatus 1 to the image data storage device 10. The image data I1 is image data of the document D1, and the size data S1 is size data of the document D1 in the transport direction A1. The image data I2 is image data of the document D2, and the size data S2 is size data of the document D2 in the transport direction A1.

  The image data I3 is the image data of the originals D3 and D4 partially overlapped, and the size data S3 is the size data in the transport direction A1 of the originals D3 and D4 partially overlapped. The image data I4 is image data of the document D5, and the size data S4 is size data of the document D5 in the transport direction A1. The image data I5 is image data of the document D6, and the size data S5 is size data of the document D6 in the transport direction A1.

  Documents D1 to D6 are A4 documents, and their long sides are in the transport direction A1. Therefore, the size indicated by the size data S1, S2, S4, S5 is the size of the long side of the A4 document. Since the document D3 and the document D4 partially overlap, the size indicated by the size data S3 is, for example, the size of the long side of the Folio document. A folio document is a document that has the same short side size as the A4 document and a large long side size.

  The image data I1 to I5 and the size data S1 to S5 are transmitted to the image data storage device 10 and processed by the image data storage device 10. This will be described below.

  The image data storage device 10 is in a standby state (step S11). The storage control unit 21 determines whether the image data receiving unit 31 (FIG. 3) has received the image data transmitted from the image data transmitting unit 605 (FIG. 2) (step S12).

  If the storage control unit 21 does not determine that the image data receiving unit 31 has received the image data transmitted from the image data transmitting unit 605 (No in step S12), the process returns to step S11. When the storage control unit 21 determines that the image data reception unit 31 has received the image data transmitted from the image data transmission unit 605 (Yes in step S12), the write control unit 21a displays the image data reception unit. The image data received at 31 is stored in the image data storage unit 22 (step S13).

  The storage control unit 21 determines whether the size data receiving unit 33 has received the size data transmitted from the size data transmitting unit 607 (step S14).

  If the storage control unit 21 does not determine that the size data reception unit 33 has received the size data transmitted from the size data transmission unit 607 (No in step S14), the process of step S14 is repeated. When the storage control unit 21 determines that the size data reception unit 33 has received the size data transmitted from the size data transmission unit 607 (Yes in step S14), the write control unit 21a displays the size data reception unit. The size data received at 33 is stored in the size data storage unit 23 (step S15).

  The storage control unit 21 determines whether the communication unit 30 has received an end signal indicating that the reading process of all the originals has been completed (step S16). If the storage control unit 21 does not determine that the end signal has been received by the communication unit 30 (No in step S16), the process returns to step S12. When the storage control unit 21 determines that the end signal has been received by the communication unit 30 (Yes in step S16), the size determination unit 24 determines the document that is suspected of being double fed by the document feeding unit 300, and Processing for displaying the image of the original is executed.

  In the size determination unit 24, for each of a plurality of documents read by the document reading unit 200, the size data of the documents read in the order one order before and the order one order after the order in which the documents were read, It is set as size data of a document used for comparison. As shown in FIG. 8, the size data storage unit 23 stores the size data S1 to S5 shown in FIG.

  First, the size determination unit 24 determines whether the size indicated by the nth received size data is the same as the size indicated by the (n−1) th received size data and the size indicated by the (n + 1) th received size data. Determine whether. In other words, whether the size of the document read nth by the document reading unit 200 is the same as the size of the document read n−1th by the document reading unit 200 and the size of the document read n + 1th. Determine.

  The size determination unit 24 sets the nth received size data as the first received size data (step S17). The size determination unit 24 determines whether n set in step S17 is greater than 1 (step S18).

  If the size determination unit 24 does not determine that n is greater than 1 (No in step S18), that is, if n is 1, there is no document read in the previous order, and the process proceeds to step S22.

  When the size determination unit 24 determines that n is greater than 1 (Yes in step S18), the size determination unit 24 reads the size data received n−1th from the size data storage unit 23, and then n The second received size data is read from the size data storage unit 23 (step S19).

  The size determination unit 24 determines whether the size indicated by the nth received size data is the same as the size indicated by the (n−1) th received size data (step S20).

  When the size determination unit 24 determines that the size indicated by the nth received size data is the same as the size indicated by the (n−1) th received size data (Yes in step S20), the size determination unit 24 It is determined whether the nth received size data is the last received size data (step S21). When the size determination unit 24 determines that the nth received size data is the last received size data (Yes in step S21), there is no size data received in the next order (n + 1), Proceed to step S24.

  If the size determination unit 24 does not determine that the nth received size data is the last received size data (No in step S21), the size determination unit 24 reads the nth received size data from the size data storage unit 23, and then The n + 1th received size data is read from the size data storage unit 23 (step S22). The size determination unit 24 determines whether the size indicated by the nth received size data is the same as the size indicated by the (n + 1) th received size data (step S23).

  When the size determination unit 24 determines that the size indicated by the nth received size data is the same as the size indicated by the (n + 1) th received size data (Yes in step S23), the original reading unit 200 sets the nth It is determined that the original read at step S24 is not double feed (step S24).

  On the other hand, if the size determination unit 24 does not determine that the size indicated by the nth received size data is the same as the size indicated by the (n−1) th received size data (No in step S20), or n + 1 If it is not determined that the size is the same as the size indicated by the received size data (No in step S23), it is determined that the document read nth by the document reading unit 200 is suspected of being double-fed (step S25).

  The nth original is suspected of being double-fed because the n-1st original is double-fed and the n-th original is not double-fed. This is because it is determined as No. Similarly, if the (n + 1) th original is double-fed and the n-th original is not double-fed, it is determined as No in step S23.

  The read control unit 21b shown in FIG. 3 reads the nth received image data stored in the image data storage unit 22 shown in FIG. 3, and the image generation unit 26 uses the image data to generate a preview image. Generate (step S26). For example, as shown in FIG. 9, the display control unit 25 causes the display unit 43 to display a screen 61 including a preview image 63 and an erase key 65 and a registration key 67, which are soft keys (step S27).

  The user looks at the preview image 63, determines that two or more originals are overlapping images (ie, determines that double feeding has occurred), and operates the delete key 65 to delete the image data. When the erase key 65 is operated (Yes in step S28), the accepting unit 27 accepts the operation, and the erase control unit 21c erases the nth received image data from the image data storage unit 22 (step S29). . The user operates the operation unit 400 shown in FIG. 1 and causes the document reading unit 200 to read the double-fed document again, thereby storing the image data of the document in the image data storage unit 22. .

  On the other hand, when the user looks at the preview image 63 and determines that the image is a single original (that is, determines that double feed has not occurred), the user wants to store the image data in the image data storage unit 22. Then, the registration key 67 is operated (step S30). When the registration key 67 is operated, the receiving unit 27 receives the operation, and the erasing control unit 21c does not execute deleting the nth received image data from the image data storage unit 22 (step S31).

  After step S24, step S29, or step S31, the size determination unit 24 determines whether the order of the nth received size data is the order of the last received size data (step S32). When the size determination unit 24 does not determine that the order of the nth received size data is the order of the last received size data (No in step S32), the size determination unit 24 sets the n + 1th to the nth. Set (step S33), return to step S19.

  When the size determination unit 24 determines that the order of the nth received size data is the order of the last received size data (Yes in step S32), the processing in the image data storage device 10 ends.

  The main effects of this embodiment will be described.

  In the image data storage device 10 according to the present embodiment, a plurality of documents of the same size set on the document tray 305 are detected by the document feeding unit 300 during conveyance to the document reading unit 200. Size data indicating the size is received (step S14). Then, using this size data, it is determined whether the sizes of the plurality of originals detected during conveyance to the original reading unit 200 are the same as the originals used for comparison (steps S17 to S23). Notification is made when the sizes are not determined to be the same (step S27). If there is a document that is not the same size as the document to be compared, one of the documents has been double-fed. According to the image data storage device 10 according to the present embodiment, it is possible to notify the user of the occurrence of double feeding by notifying when it is determined that the size of the document used for comparison is not the same.

  According to the image data storage device 10 according to the present embodiment, the occurrence of double feeding is determined using the size data described above. This eliminates the need for the user to input the number of documents read by the document reading unit 200.

  According to the image data storage device 10 according to this embodiment, the image data storage device 10 determines and notifies the occurrence of double feed, so even if the document reading unit 200 cannot detect the occurrence of double feed, the user is notified. The occurrence of double feeding can be notified.

  As described above, according to the image data storage device 10 according to the present embodiment, even when the number of originals to be read is large, it is possible to notify the occurrence of double feeding without taking time and effort for the user.

  According to the image data storage device 10 according to the present embodiment, each of a plurality of documents read by the document reading unit 200 is read in the order one order before and the order after the order in which the documents are read. The original document size data is used as the original size data for comparison (steps S20 and S23). Thereby, even if double feeding is performed twice in succession, occurrence of double feeding can be determined and notified. For example, the third and fourth originals partially overlap (third scanned original), and the fifth and sixth originals partially overlap (fourth scanned original) ), If the seventh original (fifth read original) is not double-fed even if it is conveyed to the original reading unit 200, the occurrence of double-feed can be determined.

  According to the image data storage device 10 according to the present embodiment, a preview image 63 of a document that is not determined to be the same size as the document used for comparison by the size determination unit 24 (a document that is suspected of being double-fed). It is displayed on the display unit 43 (step S27, FIG. 9). Thereby, it is possible to visually confirm whether or not the document has been double-fed.

  According to the image data storage device 10 according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, in the display unit 43, together with the preview image 63, the image data that is the basis of the image (the image data of the document that is suspected of being double-fed) A delete key 65 for inputting a command to delete the) from the image data storage unit 22 is displayed. Then, as described in step S29, the image data can be erased from the image data storage unit 22 by operating the erase key 65. Therefore, the user performs an operation to access the image data stored in the image data storage unit 22, and selects and deletes the image data to be deleted from the image data stored in the image data storage unit 22. Even without an operation, it is possible to delete the image data of the double-fed original.

  In the present embodiment, the system including the image forming apparatus 1 and the image data storage apparatus 10 connected to the apparatus via the LAN 603 has been described. However, a system including the document reading apparatus and the image data storage apparatus 10 connected to the apparatus via the LAN 603 also has the main effects of the above-described embodiment.

  The document reading apparatus in this case includes a document feeding unit 300, a document reading unit 200, a size detection unit 503, an image data transmission unit 605, and a size data transmission unit 607 shown in FIG.

  The aspect in which the image data storage device 10 is incorporated in the image forming apparatus 1 also has the main effects of the above-described embodiment. In this mode, in the scanner mode, the mode control unit 501 shown in FIG. 2 controls the document reading unit 200 and the image data storage unit 22 (when the document feeding unit 300 is used, the document feeding unit 300 is further controlled. ), Image data of the document read by the document reading unit 200 is stored in the image data storage device 10.

1 Image forming apparatus 21b Read control unit (component of an example of notification unit)
25 Display control unit (component of an example of notification unit)
26 Image generation unit (component of an example of notification unit)
43 display unit (component of an example of notification unit)
300 Document feeder (an example of an automatic document feeder)

Claims (6)

An image for receiving the image data of the plurality of documents read by the document reading device by the plurality of documents conveyed to the document reading device by an automatic document feeder on which a plurality of documents of the same size are set. A data receiver;
An image data storage unit for storing image data of the plurality of documents received by the image data receiving unit;
A size data receiving unit configured to receive size data indicating the size of each document detected during conveyance of the plurality of documents to the document reading device;
The size data of the document used for comparison is set in advance from the size data of the plurality of documents received by the size data receiving unit, and the plurality of documents detected during conveyance to the document reading device A size determination unit that determines whether the size is the same as that of the document used for the comparison,
An image data storage device comprising: an informing unit for informing when the size judging unit judges that the size of the original used for the comparison is not the same.   In the size determination unit, for each of the plurality of documents read by the document reading device, the size data of the documents read in the order one order before and the order after the order in which the documents are read are stored. 2. The image data storage device according to claim 1, wherein the image data storage device is set as size data of a document used for the comparison. The notification unit
A display unit;
A read control unit that reads image data of a document that is not determined to be the same size as the document used for the comparison by the size determination unit from the image data storage unit;
An image generation unit that generates a preview image using the image data read by the read control unit;
The image data storage device according to claim 1, further comprising: a display control unit that causes the display unit to display the preview image generated by the image generation unit. When the preview image of a document that is not determined to be the same size as the document used for the comparison by the size determination unit is displayed on the display unit, an instruction to delete the image data of the document from the image data storage unit is issued. A reception part to accept,
The image data storage device according to claim 3, further comprising: an erasure control unit that erases image data of the document from the image data storage unit when an instruction to erase is received by the reception unit. An automatic document feeder,
A document reading unit that reads the plurality of documents conveyed by the automatic document feeder on which a plurality of documents of the same size are set, and generates image data of the plurality of documents;
A size detection unit that detects the size of each document and generates size data indicating the detected size while each of the plurality of documents is conveyed to the document reading unit;
An image data transmission unit that transmits image data of the plurality of documents generated by the document reading unit to the image data storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
A document reading apparatus comprising: a size data transmission unit configured to transmit size data of the plurality of documents generated by the size detection unit to the image data storage device. The image data storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
An original reading apparatus according to claim 5;
An apparatus body that forms an image based on image data and prints the formed image on paper;
A copy mode for controlling the original reading device and the apparatus main body to form an image based on image data of the original read by the original reading device and printing it on a paper; and the original reading device and the image data storage device; An image forming apparatus comprising: a mode control unit that controls and executes a scanner mode in which image data of a plurality of originals of the same size read by the original reading apparatus is stored in the image data storage apparatus.

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