JP3219303B2 - Digital copier - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a digital copying machine for copying on plain paper (PP).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in a digital copying machine (DPPC), an original image is read and converted into an electric signal, the signal is subjected to image processing, and the image is recorded on plain paper by, for example, an electrophotographic printer. Therefore, a multifunction peripheral having a facsimile function by sharing a reading unit and a printer is known. In addition, the printer is used as an output device of an external personal computer, for example, or combined with a file device having a storage medium such as a hard disk or a floppy disk to read and manage an original image and read image data from the file device. Output via a printer is also known.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional digital copying machine, when combined with a file device, the image data is only read out from the file device and output via a printer, so that the image data is stored in the file device. However, there is a problem that the image data cannot be used from a remote place such as outside.

An object of the present invention is to provide a digital copying machine capable of effectively using image data stored in a file device from a remote place in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems.

[0005]

To achieve the above object, a first means is a facsimile means for transmitting and receiving image data via a communication line, a file means for storing and managing the image data, registered in the file means by registering a command received via the communication line from the signal side sending the image data received through the facsimile means,
The image data registered in the file means is transmitted over a communication line.
To other file means by copy command received via
File control means for copying .

[0006] The second means is that the file control means of the first means receives the image data registered and copied in the file means by an edit command received via a communication line .
Editing .

A third means is that the file control means of the second means prints out the image data registered, copied and edited in the file means by a printout command received via a communication line. It is characterized by.

A fourth means is that the file control means of the second means outputs the image data registered, copied and edited in the file means to another device by an output command received through a communication line. It is characterized by doing.

A fifth means is that the file control means of the second means deletes the image data registered, copied and edited in the file means by a delete command received via a communication line. And

The sixth means is characterized in that the file control means of the second means searches for image data registered, copied and edited in the file means by a search command received via a communication line. And

[0011]

[0012]

[0013]

[0014]

According to the first means, image data is downloaded from a remote location.
Can be registered and edited further.
File means for storing image data can be effectively used from a remote location.

[0015] In the second means, further, the file means is registered.
The recorded and copied image data is received via a communication line.
Since the image data can be edited by the editing command, the file means for storing the image data can be effectively used from a remote place.

In the third means, further, the file means is registered.
Recorded, copied, and edited image data can be transferred via a communication line.
Print out by the received print out command
The file where the image data is stored.
Le means can be utilized effectively from a remote location.

In the fourth means, further, the file means is registered.
Recorded, copied, and edited image data can be transferred via a communication line.
Output to other devices by the received output command
Therefore, the file means for storing the image data can be effectively used from a remote place.

In the fifth means , the file means is further registered.
Recorded, copied, and edited image data can be transferred via a communication line.
Can be deleted by the received delete command
Thus, the file means for storing the image data can be effectively used from a remote place.

In the sixth means, further, the file means is registered.
Recorded, copied, and edited image data can be transferred via a communication line.
Can be searched by the received search command
Therefore, the file means for storing the image data can be effectively used from a remote place.

[0020]

[0021]

[0022]

[0023]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a digital copying machine according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of an application controller in FIG. 1 in detail, FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a general facsimile communication procedure, 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a registration operation of the digital copying machine of FIG. 1, FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a copying operation between storage media of the digital copying machine of FIG. 1, and FIG.
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing the editing operation of the digital copying machine of FIG. 1;
FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a printout operation of the digital copying machine of FIG. 1, FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a transfer operation of the digital copying machine to an external device, and FIG. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation of deleting the digital copying machine of FIG. 1 to an external device.

The digital copying machine shown in FIG. 1 is roughly constituted by a digital copying section (DPPC) 10 and its application section 20. A digital copying unit 10 for reading image data from a document or the like and converting the image data into an electrical signal; an electrophotographic printer 12 for recording an image read by the scanner 11 or a facsimile reception image on plain paper; D to control the whole 10
A PPC controller 13 is provided.

The application section 20 serves as a storage medium 21 of a file section as a floppy disk drive (F
DD) 22 and a hard disk drive (HDD)
23, an optical disk drive (ODD) 24, and I
It has at least one of a C card drive device 25 and a random access memory (RAM) 26 and has a facsimile unit 27, a page memory 28 for the facsimile unit 27, and an application controller 29.

The image data is transmitted between the scanner 11 and the printer 12 of the digital copying unit 10, the storage medium 21, the facsimile unit 27 and the page memory 28, and the application controller 29 is connected to a remote location via a line. It has a function of communicating with the terminal device 30. The application controller 29 controls not only the inside of the application unit 20 and the external terminal device 30, but also the DPPC controller 13 of the digital copying unit 10.
Arbitration with the DPPC controller 13 is performed by exchanging a control signal with the DPPC controller 13.

In such a copying machine, when a document is read as a basic function and its image is copied, image data flows from the scanner 11 to the printer 12. In the case of facsimile transmission, image data obtained by reading a document is transmitted from the scanner 11 to the facsimile unit 2.
7, and the received data flows to the printer 12 via the facsimile unit 27 in the case of reception.

When used as a file device, image data obtained by reading an original is stored and managed in the storage medium 21, and the image data read from the storage medium 21 flows to the printer 12. Note that the storage medium 2
1 is read-only (for example, the optical disk 2
4) Just read. When there are a plurality of storage media 21, image data is transferred between the storage media 21. Further, by combining the plurality of functions, for example, image data stored in the storage medium 21 is read and transmitted by facsimile, or image data received by facsimile is stored in the storage medium 21 and managed.

FIG. 2 shows an application controller 29 for communicating with the external terminal device 30 via the analog public telephone lines L1 and L2. The external terminal device 30 is, for example, a facsimile. Arrester 31 is telephone line L
1 and L2 are discharged to the ground side, and the current detection unit 32 detects the polarity inversion of the telephone lines L1 and L2 and outputs a detection signal to a CPU (central processing unit) 39. In phase A shown in FIG. 3, 16 Hz detecting section 33 detects a 16 Hz ringing pulse from telephone lines L1 and L2, outputs a detection signal to CPU 39, and outputs a detection signal to CPU 39.
The PU 39 closes the telephone lines L1 and L2 by closing the DI switch 34 in response to the detection signal. Therefore, a DC loop is formed between the telephone lines L1 and L2, and the polarities of the telephone lines L1 and L2 are inverted.

The DI switch 34 has a terminal resistance of 60
0Ω coupling transformer (T) 35 and hybrid IC 36
The hybrid IC 36 includes an LPF (low-pass filter), an HPF (high-pass filter), and the like for limiting a signal to a voice band. The DTMF receiver 37 detects a DTMF (PB) signal from the external terminal device 30 and outputs the detection signal to the CPU 39. The CPU 39 uses the DTMF signal as a command from the external terminal device 30.

The signal distributor 38 selects transmission / reception image data a or a command b for the CPU 39 in response to a select signal from the CPU 39, and this command is transmitted to the data modem 4
Modulated or demodulated by 0. The voice response IC 41 generates a voice response signal to the external terminal device 30.

When the telephone lines L1 and L2 are closed as described above, they are connected to the facsimile unit 27 shown in FIG. 1 via the signal distributor 38, and the facsimile unit 27 is connected to the G3 as shown in FIG. Execute the receiving side procedure of the facsimile communication procedure. In brief, the facsimile unit 27 first receives the calling tone CN in phase A.
Upon receiving G, the called terminal identification signal CED is transmitted. In the subsequent phase B, signals such as the non-standard function identification signal NSF, the called terminal identification signal CSI and the digital identification signal DIS are transmitted until the external terminal device 30 responds. Send three times.

Here, in normal facsimile communication, FIG.
As shown in (1), a non-standard function setting signal NSS and a digital command signal DCS, which are responses from the transmitting side, are received.
When a command is transmitted by the F signal and received by the DTMF receiver 37, the telephone lines L1 and L2 are connected to the CPU 39 via the signal distributor 38. DTMF
This connection can be made according to the content of the non-standard function setting signal NSS instead of the command of the signal.

Then, as shown in FIG.
0 sets the file registration mode for the copying machine (step S1), the copying machine stores the image data from the external terminal device 30 in the storage medium 21 (step S1).
2). In this case, the external terminal device 30 specifies the type of the storage medium 21, the specifications of the external terminal device 30, the file number, and the like for the copying machine.

When the copying machine completes storing the image data in the storage medium 21, it transmits registration information and its voice response to the external terminal device 30 (step S2), and the external terminal device 30 displays this registration result. (Steps S3, S
4) Play back to voice. As the registration information from the copying machine, for example, the success or failure of the transmission, the remaining amount of the storage medium 21, and the like are transmitted.

Therefore, according to the above embodiment, the image data is transferred from the external terminal device 30 to the storage medium 21 of the copying machine.
, The user can effectively use the printer 12 temporally without returning from a place to go, and it is possible to prevent an error caused by requesting another person to perform a registration operation. Therefore, the printer 12 can be controlled from a remote place and the printer 12 can be used effectively.

The remote control device 5 shown in FIGS.
Numeral 1 denotes a PB telephone or a DTMF signal generator, as shown in FIG.
When the mode for copying (or moving) the image data between the storage media 21 to the copying machine is set by the DTMF signal (step S11), the copying machine copies the image data between the storage media 21 by this command. Or move (step S12). In this case, parameters such as a file number and a machine address necessary for transfer are also set.

As shown in FIG. 6, a mode in which the remote controller 51 edits the image data stored in the storage medium 21 and the editing contents are transmitted to the copying machine by DTMF.
When the setting is made by a signal (step S21), the copier uses this command to edit a plurality of image data files stored in the storage medium 21, for example, to combine them into one or change the file name. (Step S2
2).

As shown in FIG. 7, a mode for printing out the image data and its index stored in the storage medium 21 and its contents are set by the DTMF signal from the remote control device 51 to the copying machine. (Step S31), the copying machine prints out the image data and its index via the printer 12 of the copying unit 10 by this command (Step S32).

As shown in FIG. 8, the remote controller 51 sends the image data stored in the storage medium 21 to the copying machine to another printer or an external device 52 such as a display or a copying machine. When the mode for transferring, displaying, editing, or printing out the transferred image data and its contents are set by the DTMF signal (step S41), the copier side performs remote control by this command. After releasing the line with the device 51, the line with the external device 52 is established, and the line is transferred to the external device 52,
You can view or edit the transferred image data,
The printer is out (steps S42 and S43).

In the example shown in FIG.
To the copier, the mode for deleting the image data stored in the storage medium 21 and its file number, etc., are DTMF.
It is set by a signal (step S51). Then, the copying machine deletes the image data from the storage medium 21 by this command (step S52).

In FIG. 10, the mode for deleting the image data transferred to the external device 52 in FIG. 8, its file number and the like are transmitted from the remote control device 51 to the copying machine (step S61). After releasing the line with the remote control device 51 by this command, the side establishes the line with the external device 52 and sends a delete command to the external device 52 (step S62). The external device 52 deletes the image data according to the delete command (step S63).

The image data stored in the storage medium 21 can be retrieved from the external terminal device 30 or the remote control device 51. When a facsimile machine is used as the external terminal device 30, a protocol signal is transmitted from the copier to the facsimile machine when a line is established by transmission from the facsimile machine. If the protocol signal is not returned, the copier enters the telephone mode, and the facsimile apparatus can transmit a command for remote control.

In the phase B, a protocol signal is transmitted from the copying machine to the facsimile apparatus again, and the protocol signal is returned from the facsimile apparatus.
The type, the contents of the file, and information on the devices connected to the copying machine are transmitted and printed out by the facsimile machine.

Therefore, according to this embodiment, image data can be transferred between the storage media 21, edited, printed out, deleted, searched for, and searched from a remote place. Can be transferred to the external device 52 via this copier, edited, printed out, deleted, and the search results can be output to the outside. Further, since the search result can be output to the outside, it is possible to prevent the image data from being accidentally deleted from the outside.

In the above embodiment, the controller 29 of the application unit 20 is configured to register the image data from the external terminal device 30 in the storage medium 21.
Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 11, the facsimile unit 27 may be connected to a dedicated line so that the facsimile unit 27 registers in the storage medium 21. In this case, there is no need to perform the input / output signal determination process such as the facsimile signal and control signal performed by the controller 29.

Further, as shown in FIG.
If the PPC controller 13a is configured to perform all controls, the entire system can be simplified, and the facsimile communication may be performed by the facsimile unit 27 as shown in FIG. Further, the present invention can be applied between copying machines even when a plurality of copying machines exist on each network as shown in FIG. 14. In this case, when the copying machines are connected via a dedicated line, The communication is performed based on the format of the line. In addition, in the above embodiment, the case where the application unit 20 has the facsimile function and the file function has been described. However, other functions, for example, a printer different from the printer 12 of the copying unit 10 may be added.

[0048]

As described above, the invention according to claim 1 is described above.
According to the above, image data is registered in file means from a remote location
Further, since the image data can be further edited, the file means for storing the image data can be effectively used from a remote place.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the file
The image data registered and copied in the stage is transmitted via a communication line.
You can edit with the received edit command
Thus, the file means for storing the image data can be effectively used from a remote place.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the file
The image data registered, copied, and edited in the
Print by printout command received via
As a result, the file means for storing the image data can be effectively used from a remote place.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the file
The image data registered, copied, and edited in the
Output to another device by output command received via
Therefore, the file means for storing the image data can be effectively used from a remote place.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the file
The image data registered, copied, and edited in the
Can be deleted by delete command received via
Therefore, the file means for storing the image data can be effectively used from a remote place.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the file
The image data registered, copied, and edited in the
Can be searched by the search command received via
Therefore, the file means for storing the image data can be effectively used from a remote place.

[0054]

[0055]

[0056]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a digital copying machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of an application controller of FIG. 1 in detail.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a general facsimile communication procedure.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a registration operation of the digital copying machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a copying operation between storage media of the digital copying machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an editing operation of the digital copying machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a printout operation of the digital copying machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a transfer operation of the digital copying machine of FIG. 1 to an external device.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a deletion operation of the digital copying machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation of deleting the digital copying machine of FIG. 1 to an external device.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a modification of the digital copying machine shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing another modification of the digital copying machine shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing another modification of the digital copying machine shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing a state where the digital copying machine of FIG. 1 is connected via a network.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 12 Printer 20 Application part 21 Storage medium (file part) 27 Facsimile part 29 Application controller 30 External terminal device 51 Remote control device 52 External device

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Kunio Hayakawa 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Ricoh Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Wataru Nara 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Ricoh Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-4-72961 (JP, A) JP-A-64-57868 (JP, A) JP-A-2-228172 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated ( Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04N 1/00-1/00 108 H04N 1/21

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] Facsimile means for transmitting and receiving image data via a communication line; file means for storing and managing the image data; and a communication line for transmitting image data received via the facsimile means from a transmission side. File control means for registering the image data registered in the file means with a registration command received via the communication means and copying the image data registered in the file means to another file means with a copy command received via a communication line. Copy machine. 2. The digital copying machine according to claim 1, wherein said file control means edits the image data registered and copied in said file means by an edit command received via a communication line. Wherein the file control means, said file means to the registration, copying, the image data edited, according to claim 2, characterized in that the printed out by the print-out commands received via the communication line Digital copier. Wherein said file control means, the registration file means, copying the image data edited by received via the communication line output command and outputs to another apparatus according to claim 2 Digital copier as described. 5. The digital copying apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the file control unit deletes the image data registered, copied, and edited in the file unit by a deletion command received via a communication line. Machine. 6. The digital copying apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein said file control means searches the image data registered, copied and edited in said file means by a search command received via a communication line. Machine.