JP3208926B2 - Copy device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a copying apparatus for reading an image of a document and recording the same on a recording sheet, and more particularly to a copying apparatus for reading a document image and recording on a recording sheet in synchronization with each other. It is.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a facsimile apparatus, a reception mode for recording data sent from another facsimile apparatus on recording paper, a transmission mode for reading image data of an original and sending it to another facsimile apparatus, And a copy mode in which the image data is read and temporarily stored in a memory, and then called and recorded on recording paper. As a recording method, a method of using a thermal paper as a recording paper and selectively recording by a thermal head is widely known, and a thermal head having a latch function capable of latching recording data for one line is generally used. I have.

When copying is performed by such a facsimile machine, a copy mode is set, and after the reading of one line of image data of the original is completed, the read data is stored in the recording data until the reading of the next line is completed. As CP
A serial transfer to a shift register in the thermal head is performed by a transfer command of U. When the transfer of one line is completed, the print data of one line stored in the shift register is latched in a memory latch, and the latched print data is recorded on a recording paper by the output of a write strobe signal from the CPU. Control was performed.

However, as described above, if the thermal head is provided with a latch function, there is a problem that the cost of the entire facsimile apparatus increases. To solve this problem, a thermal head having no latch function has been devised, but the conventional copying method cannot cope with it. In other words, when the thermal head has a latch function as in the prior art, while the recording data for one line latched by the memory latch is output, the read data for the next one line is used as the recording data. It can be transferred to the shift register of the head, but if it does not have a latch function,
The output of the write strobe signal to the thermal head and the transfer of the recording data to the thermal head cannot be performed at the same time.

Therefore, if the processing time for one line is lengthened to shift the timing between the output of the write strobe signal from the CPU to the thermal head and the transfer of the recording data to the thermal head, the latch function is reduced. It can handle thermal heads that do not have them.

[0006]

However, in the facsimile apparatus configured as described above, the CPU
The data transfer is performed via the CPU under the control of (1), so that the transfer takes a long time, and the output of the write strobe signal and the transfer of the recording data cannot be performed simultaneously.
There is a problem that the processing time for a line becomes long. For example, if the processing for one line is not completed in about 5 milliseconds (mS), the usability will be poor for the user.

A method of shifting the reading operation and the recording operation by one line is also conceivable, but there is a problem that the control processing becomes complicated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems. The present invention controls the reading means and the recording means in synchronization with each other and, after confirming the end of the recording process, uses the reading means .
It is another object of the present invention to provide a copying apparatus which can cope with a recording head having no latch function by transferring newly read image data to a register of the recording head.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, a copying apparatus according to the present invention comprises: reading means for reading image data of a document; and image data read by the reading means on a recording paper by a recording head. Recording means for recording, synchronization control means for controlling the reading means and the recording means in synchronization,
And confirmation means for confirming the completion of the recording process by the recording head, after the check of the recording process ends by the confirmation means, and a transfer means for transferring the image data read more newly reading means in the register of the recording head I have.

[0010]

In the copying apparatus of the present invention having the above configuration, the synchronous control means controls the reading means and the recording means in synchronization, and the reading means reads a predetermined amount of the image of the document.
The read image data is sent to the register of the recording head, and the image data stored in the register by the recording means is recorded on recording paper by the recording head. After the end of the recording process is confirmed by the confirmation unit, the transfer unit transfers the image data newly read by the reading unit to the register of the recording head, and similarly, performs the next recording processing by the recording unit. , And the above-described processes are sequentially repeated to perform a copy operation.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the facsimile machine. As shown in FIG. 3, the facsimile apparatus 10 includes a container-shaped lower cover 12, an upper cover 14 that covers the lower cover 12, and a frame (not shown) provided therein.

A receiver 16 is attached to the lower cover 12 as shown in FIG. Then, in the lower cover 12, as shown in FIG.
The recording paper cassette 20 capable of accommodating a large number of sheets is mounted. The recording paper 18 is sent out one by one from a recording paper cassette 20 by a paper feed roller 22, and then is formed by a paper guide 24, a pair of feed rollers 26, a platen 36, a drive motor 31 including a pulse motor, and the like. The image is sent to the recording device 30 by the feeding device 28, and an image such as a character or a figure is recorded. Feed roller 26
Is rotated by driving a drive motor 31 (see FIG. 1). Further, the recording paper leading edge sensor 32 detects the leading end of the recording paper 18 sent out from the recording paper cassette 20, and the recording start timing of the recording device 30 is determined based on the detection.

The recording device 30 is provided in the upper cover 14. The recording device 30 includes a recording head 34 controlled by a CPU 33 (see FIG. 1), a platen 36 rotatably provided at a position facing the recording head 34, and an ink ribbon device 38. The recording head 34 is a thermal head, and includes a driving circuit 35 for driving a number of heating elements 35a and 35b arranged in a line in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the recording paper 18 is fed, and a shift register 37 for storing recording data. ing. The recording head 34 does not have a latch function, and the shift register 37 in the recording head 34 is used as a line memory. When the write strobe signals STR1 and STR2 input to the drive circuit 35 become low after the image data of the original 60 for one line is input to the shift register 37, the drive circuit 35 supplies the data to the shift register 37. The heating element group 35a or the heating element group 35b at the determined position is driven to generate heat based on the print data thus obtained.

The ink ribbon device 38 includes a thermal ink ribbon 40 having a width corresponding to the recording range of the recording head 34.
And an ink ribbon feeder 42 for feeding the thermal ink ribbon 40. The thermal ink ribbon 40 is the recording paper 1
8, the image is recorded on the recording paper 18 by feeding the thermal ink ribbon 40 and the recording paper 18 and pressing the thermal ink ribbon 40 against the recording paper 18 by the recording head 34.

The recording paper 18 on which the image has been recorded is guided by a paper guide 52, sent to a paper discharge tray 54, and discharged out of the apparatus. The recording paper discharge sensor 56 detects that the recording paper 18 on which the image has been recorded has been completely discharged when recording is continuously performed on a plurality of recording papers.
8 is started to be fed from the recording paper cassette 20, and paper jam is avoided.

In the upper cover 14, an image reading device 62 for reading an image recorded on the original 60 is provided. The document 60 is placed on a document receiver 64 detachably attached to the upper cover 14 and set between a pair of document guides 66 shown in FIG. The leading end of the set document 60 is detected by a document sensor 68 provided in the upper cover 14, and the document 60 is
The document is fed to the image reading device 62 by a document feeder 74 including a paper guide 72, a feed roller 73, the drive motor 31, and the like.

Each of the feed rollers 70 and 73 comprises a pair of rollers, and the drive motor 31 (see FIG. 1).
Driven by The drive motor 31 is connected to the CPU 33 via a drive circuit (not shown), and is controlled so that its rotation speed is always the same.

The image reading device 62 includes a light source 88 as a light emitter, lenses 89, mirrors 90 and 92, a plurality of charge coupled devices (Charge Coupled Devices) (hereinafter abbreviated as CCD) 94 as a light receiver, and the like. The light source 88
The original 60 is irradiated with light, the reflected light from the original 60 is condensed by a lens 89, reflected by mirrors 90 and 92, received by a CCD 94 arranged in a line, and displayed on the original 60. Are read one line at a time.

A pixel is a minimum unit constituting an image.
The area (area) on the document 60 read by the CCDs 94. The size of one pixel is determined by various factors such as the size of the CCD 94, the positions and angles of the mirrors 90 and 92, the position and the focus of the lens 89, and the like.
At 0, the size in the main scanning direction is 0.13 mm
The size in the sub-scanning direction is determined by the feed amount (feed speed) of the document 60 while the image reading device 62 reads one line.

The CCD 94 is a photoelectric conversion element that outputs a voltage corresponding to the intensity of the received reflected light. The stronger the reflected light, the larger the output voltage. That is, one CCD 9
The output voltage of No. 4 has a magnitude based on the density of one pixel constituting the image, and a signal representing the magnitude of the output voltage is supplied to the CPU 33 as image data, and binary data is created.

The document leading edge sensor 96 detects the leading edge of the document 60, and reading is started based on the detection of the leading edge of the document 60 by the document leading edge sensor 96.
After reading, the document 60 is discharged out of the opening 98.

Next, a system control unit for controlling the facsimile apparatus 10 configured as described above will be described.

As shown in FIG. 1, the system control unit includes a CPU 33, 1 having a clock signal generation unit 100.
ROM 102, EEPROM storing DAC (threshold) data for a line and a read / write control program
104, a binary data memory 1 for storing image data read by the image reading device 62 as binary data
06, and a bus 110.
Are connected by The CPU 33 also stores the original 6
An image reading device 62 that reads the image data of 0 and a recording head 34 that records the read image data are connected via a gate array (GA) 112.

Further, an LED 114 as a display device is connected to the CPU 33, and the LED 114 is lit in a different color when receiving, transmitting, and copying. A CP is provided between the CPU 33 and the gate array 112.
A first DMA channel (hereinafter, also referred to as a first channel) 116, which is activated by an instruction of U33 to activate an input / output device, transfer data, and the like, and a second DMA channel (hereinafter, also referred to as a first channel).
A DMA including a second channel 118, a counter (not shown) for counting a data transfer amount, and the like.
A controller 120 is provided.

The binarized data memory 106 in the RAM 108 compares the image data read by the CCD 94 with the DAC (threshold) data stored in the ROM 102 and transferred to the gate array 112. The binarized data created by the above is stored. That is, if the image data is larger than the DAC (threshold) data, 0 is set.
(White), and 1 (black) when smaller, thereby creating binary data.

Further, the CPU 33 has the RAM 108
An information compression / decompression unit 122 that encodes the binarized data stored in the digitized data memory 106 and decodes an encoded signal input from another facsimile machine or the like
And a communication control unit 126 for communicating with another facsimile machine via a modem 124. Although not shown in FIG. 1, the CPU 33 includes a recording paper leading edge sensor 32, a recording paper discharge sensor 56, a document sensor 68,
Various devices necessary for the operation of the facsimile machine 10, such as a document leading edge sensor 96 and an operation panel 99, are connected.

The first channel 116 is connected to the gate array 112 at the time of reception recording or list / report output.
Is transferred to the recording head 34 via the second channel 118, but the second channel 118 is not used at this time. Also, the first
The channel 116 transfers DAC (threshold) data to the gate array 112 during transmission reading, the second channel 118 transfers data read by the image reading device 62 from the gate array 112, and stores the binary data in the RAM 108. It is stored in the memory 106.

Further, the first channel 116 transfers DAC (threshold) data to the gate array 112 at the time of copying, and after completion of the transfer, the binary data memory 10
6 is transferred to the recording head 34 by a direct memory access method (hereinafter, referred to as a DMA method). The second channel 118 transfers data read by the image reading device 62 from the gate array 112 during copying, and
6 is stored.

The Low time of the write strobe signals STR1 and STR2 output from the gate array 112, that is, the length of the driving time of the recording head 34 is determined by a well-known hardware circuit (not shown).
That is, the length of time is controlled according to the temperature of the heating elements 35a and 35b, but the maximum value is determined. Therefore, the maximum time required for recording one line is also determined. When the time elapses after the output of the Low signal, the CPU 33 issues a write strobe command STC.
1 and STC2 are output, and the gate array 112 sets the write strobe signals STR1 and STR2 to High.

Further, the CPU 33 controls the DMA transfer control signals DMA0 and D0 output to the DMA controller 120.
By changing the level of MA1 from low to high, the first channel 116 and the second channel 118 perform transfer. When the transfer operation by the first channel 116 and the second channel 118 ends, the DMA controller 120 outputs a transfer end information signal TCIS to the CPU 33. When receiving the transfer end information signal TCIS, the CPU 33 returns the level of the corresponding DMA transfer control signal DMA0 or DMA1 to Low, and ends the transfer.

Next, a copy operation in the facsimile apparatus 10 configured as described above will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 4 is a timing chart showing the levels of various signals as time elapses during copying. The horizontal axis shows time, and the vertical axis shows the levels of various signals. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an interrupt operation after reading is completed.

First, when the copy mode is set and the copy operation is started, the CPU 33 sends the setup signal SU to the first channel 116 and the second channel 118, respectively.
1, SU2, and outputs the first channel 116 and the second
Set up channel 118.

Then, the CPU 33 outputs a drive signal to the drive motor 31 based on the clock signal generated by the clock signal generator 100 in the CPU 33 to synchronize the original transport device 74 with the recording paper transport device 28. The CPU 33 drives the gate array clock signal GCL synchronized with the drive signal while driving the gate array 112.
Output to Next, the gate array 112 outputs a start pulse signal SP synchronized with the received gate array clock signal GCL to the image reading device 62 and the CPU 33. The start pulse signal SP is output at a period of 5 ms as shown in FIG. 4, and the reading of one line of the document 60 is started by the image reading device 62 by the start pulse signal SP. Then, a read signal (read data) for one line read by the image reading device 62 is input to the gate array 112.

On the other hand, upon receiving the start pulse signal SP, the CPU 33 changes the levels of the DMA transfer control signals DMA0 and DMA1 from Low to High based on the read / write control program of the ROM 102, and sends the High to the DMA controller 120. And causes the first channel 116 to transfer the DAC (threshold) data to the gate array 112 and the second channel 118
The read data for one line by the image reading device 62 is transferred from the gate array 112 to the
The data is stored in the quantified data memory 106.

[0037] At this time, when the value reaches a predetermined value counted by and stored in binary data memory 106 the data amount incorporated in the DMA controller 120 counter RAM 108, and the reading of one line is completed The DMA controller 120 determines that the transfer end information signal T
The CIS is output to the CPU 33, and upon receiving the transfer end information signal TCIS, the CPU 33 returns the level of the corresponding DMA transfer control signal DMA0 or DMA1 to Low, and ends the transfer. At the same time, the gate array 1
12 is an interrupt signal INT immediately as shown in FIG.
0 is set to Low, and this signal is output to the CPU 33.
Upon receiving this interrupt signal, the CPU 33 enters an interrupt process shown in FIG.

First, the CPU 33 confirms whether or not a predetermined amount, that is, the amount of read data for one line is stored in the binarized data memory 106 of the RAM 108. It is checked whether or not there is (S1). It should be noted that the various check processes require about 100 μS.

Subsequently, a line strobe signal STR1,
It is determined based on the level states of the write strobe commands STC1 and STC2 whether or not both STR2 are High, that is, whether or not the recording process of the recording head 34 has been completed (S2). STR1 and ST
If both R2 and High are high (S2 · Y
ES) The read data for one line stored in the binarized data memory 106 is transferred to the recording head 3 by the DMA method.
As shown in FIG.
Outputs the print data setup signal SU3 to the first channel 116 to set up the first channel 116 for transfer of print data (S3). Then, CPU3
3 changes the DMA transfer control signal DMA 0 from low to high.
h, and outputs the signal DMA0 to the DMA controller 120 (S4).

Upon receiving the signal DMA 0, the first channel 116 reads one line of read (record) data stored in the binarized data memory 106 through the gate array 112 in the recording head 34 by the DMA method. Are transferred serially to the shift register 37, and the transferred data is stored in the shift register 37. When the data amount of the one line of image data transferred to the recording head 34 is counted by a counter of the DMA controller 120 and reaches a predetermined value, the DMA controller 120 determines that the transfer to the recording head 34 has been completed. Then, a transfer end information signal TCIS is output to the CPU 33.

On the other hand, when the CPU 33 receives the transfer end information signal TCIS (S5: YES), the DMA 33
The transfer control signal DMA 0 is changed from High to Low (S6). Next, the CPU 33 sets the DAC (threshold value).
In order to transfer data to the gate array 112, the CPU
33 to the first channel 116 on the setup signal SU1
To set up the first channel 116 for DAC data transfer (S7). Further, in order to transfer the read data from the gate array 112 and store the read data in the binarized data memory 106 of the RAM 108, the CPU 33 outputs the setup signal SU2 to the second channel 118 to use the second channel 118 for the read data transfer. After the setup (S8), the interrupt operation is terminated, and the process returns to the main routine in preparation for reading the next line.

Thus, the first channel 116 and the second
After the channel 118 is set up, the CPU 33 outputs the gate array clock signal GCL synchronized with the drive signal of the drive motor 31 to the gate array 112 as described above.
, The gate array 112 outputs a start pulse signal SP synchronized with the received gate array clock signal GCL to the image reading device 62 and the CPU 33.
Next, this triggers the image reading device 62, and the read data of the next line read by the image reading device 62 is input to the gate array 112.

When the transfer of one line of data to the recording head 34 is completed, the CPU 33 changes the write strobe command STC1 from High to Low, and outputs the command to the gate array 112.
As shown in FIG. 19, the gate array 112 sends a low-level write strobe signal STR1 to the driving circuit
Is output. Based on the signal STR1 being Low, the driving circuit 35 of the recording head 34 drives the heating element 35a to generate heat to perform a recording operation on the recording paper 18, and a part of the data for one line stored in the shift register 37. Record Then, as shown in FIG. 4, since 5 mS has elapsed since the previous output of the start pulse signal SP during this recording operation, the start pulse signal SP is again supplied to the gate array 11.
2 to the image reading device 62. Thus, an operation of reading the next line in parallel with the recording operation and an operation of DMA-transferring the read data from the gate array 112 to the binary data memory 106 of the RAM 108 are performed.

Further, as described above, when the time corresponding to the temperature of the heating element 35a at that time elapses, the CPU 33 issues a write strobe command STC1 for changing the write strobe signal STR1 to High.
12 and the gate array 112 is
Of the write strobe signal STR1 to the drive circuit 35
gh is output.

After a lapse of a predetermined time, the CPU 33
A write strobe command STC2 for changing the write strobe signal STR2 to Low is output to the gate array 112, and the gate array 112 outputs a Low of the write strobe signal STR2 to the drive circuit 35 of the recording head. Based on the signal STR2 being Low, the drive circuit 35 drives the heating element 35b to generate heat, performs a recording operation on the recording paper 18, and records the remaining portion of the data for one line stored in the shift register 37. In the same manner as described above, the write strobe signal STR2 becomes the CPU 33 when the time corresponding to the temperature of the heating element 35b elapses.
Sends a write strobe command STR2 for changing the write strobe signal STR2 to High to the gate array 1
12, and the gate array 112 supplies the drive circuit 35 of the recording head 34 with the high level of the write strobe signal STR2.
h is output, and the recording process ends. At this time, CPU
Reference numeral 33 confirms the end of the recording step when outputting the write strobe command STC2. Then, after that, the shift register 3 of the recording head 34 of the read data for one line stored in the binarized data memory 106.
7 enables a DMA transfer.

It should be noted that the write strobe signal is STR1,
The reason why the recording head 34 is divided into the two STR2s is that the recording head 34 is limited in power supply capacity.

As described above, in the facsimile apparatus 10, the reading (recording) data via the gate array 112 by the first channel 116 is transferred to the recording head 34 by the D.
The MA transfer is performed after confirming the High of the write strobe signals STR1 and STR2 in the interrupt processing operation. That is, the recording operation by the recording head 34 is always completed before the read (recording) data of the next line is DMA-transferred to the recording head 34. Therefore, when the read (recording) data of the next line is DMA-transferred to the shift register 37 of the recording head 34, the shift register 37 is empty, and the data of the previous line stored in the shift register 37 is stored. Does not occur.

Further, in synchronization with the recording cycle of 5 ms for one line, the excitation phases (A, B, C, D) of the pulse motor as the drive motor 31 are sequentially switched as shown in FIG. As a result, the recording paper transport device 28
Each time one line of data is recorded, the recording paper 18 conveys one line at a time.
Are transported one line at a time.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the time Tr required for reading one line is substantially constant, and the time Ttf required for transferring one line is very short and also substantially constant. Is the length of Then, the low level periods Ws1, Ws of the write strobe signals STR1, STR2
The length of s2 is determined by the temperatures of the heating elements 35a and 35b as described above, and the maximum value is determined. Therefore, the maximum value of the time Trd required for recording for one line is also determined. As a result, the maximum value of the time Ttr (Ttf + Trd) required for transfer and recording for one line is also determined.

Thus, according to the present invention, the time Ttf required for the DMA transfer can be greatly reduced by performing the DMA transfer, so that the time Ttr required for the transfer and recording for one line can be kept within 5 mS. . Therefore,
The start timing trs of the time Trd required for recording for one line can be repeated every about 5 ms. In other words, the record can be synchronized with the reading.

With this configuration, after the image reading device 62 finishes reading one line, the RAM 1
The read (recording) data for one line stored in the binarized data memory 106 is transferred to the recording head 34 by the direct memory access (DMA) method, so that the time required for the transfer can be reduced, and Even if the timing of the output of the write strobe signal STR to the head 34 and the timing of the transfer of the data to the recording head 34 are shifted, these processes can be performed within the cycle of the read signal of one line. Accordingly, it is possible to cope with the recording head 34 having no latch function, and the cost of the apparatus can be reduced. In addition, the copy processing time for one line can be shortened, the work efficiency can be improved, and the reading process and the recording process for one line can be performed continuously, so that the control can be simplified.

[0052]

As described in detail above, according to the copying apparatus of the present invention, the synchronous control means synchronously controls the reading means and the recording means, and after the reading means completes reading one line, the reading means newly outputs. The read image data is transferred to the register of the printhead.
It is possible to cope with a recording head having no latch function, and the cost of the apparatus can be reduced. Further, even if a recording head having no latch function is used, the copy processing time for one line can be reduced, work efficiency can be improved, and the reading processing and recording processing for one line can be performed continuously.
Control can be simplified.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a control unit of a copying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the facsimile apparatus of the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view showing the facsimile apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a timing chart showing the levels of various signals over time during copying according to the embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an interrupt operation after the end of reading according to the embodiment;

[Explanation of symbols]

 31 Drive motor 33 CPU 34 Recording head 35 Drive circuit 37 Shift register 62 Image reading device 102 ROM 108 RAM 112 Gate array 116 First DMA channel 118 Second DMA channel 120 DMA controller

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] A reading unit for reading image data of a document; a recording unit for recording the image data read by the reading unit on a recording paper by a recording head; and synchronizing the reading unit with the recording unit. and synchronization control means for controlling, said a confirmation means for confirming the completion of the recording head by the recording process, after the check of the recording process ends by the confirmation means, the image data read in more new to the reading means of the recording head And a transfer unit for transferring the data to a register. 2. A storage device for storing image data read by the reading device, wherein the transfer device transfers the image data stored in the storage device to a register of the recording head by a direct memory access method. 2. The copying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The reading device according to claim 1, wherein the reading device includes a document conveying device that conveys the document and a photoelectric conversion device that reads image data of the document, and the recording device includes a recording paper conveying device that conveys the recording paper. And a thermal head for recording on the recording paper, and the synchronization control means comprises:
A start pulse signal for driving the photoelectric conversion unit, a write strobe signal for driving the thermal head, and a drive motor for driving both the document conveyance unit and the recording paper conveyance unit. 2. The copying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the driving signal is generated based on a single clock signal.