JP3352287B2 - Image forming device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having a copy function and a facsimile function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an image forming apparatus of this type, a copy original and a facsimile transmission original can be read by a common scanner, and a copy original and a facsimile reception original can be recorded on recording paper by a common printer. .

[0003]

However, in the above-described conventional image forming apparatus, when the same document is copied and transmitted by facsimile, the user must perform a reading operation for copying and a reading operation for facsimile. However, there is a problem that the reading operation is troublesome. When an automatic document feeder (ADF) is provided, there is a problem that the document is damaged because the document is transported twice.

[0004] The present invention relates to an image de suitable for the light of the conventional problems, copy and facsimile transmission from the same original
It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus capable of reading data.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, a first means is to read a copy and send it by facsimile.
Original reading means that can switch between credit readings and copy and facsimile transmission functions are provided.
A constant Possible setting means, for copying the document reading means
The reading of documents and the reading for facsimile transmission
For example, an image with control means such as a main controller
In the image forming apparatus, wherein, when a copy function and a facsimile transmission function is set at the same time by the setting unit, and reading copy for the same document
Switch the reading for facsimile transmission
The document reading means is controlled as described above .

The second means includes a memory transmission mode in which the control means in the first means further stores the original image data read for facsimile transmission in a memory and transmits the data, and a transmission mode without storing the image data in the memory. direct transmission mode are possible control, characterized in that automatic control to set the memory transmission mode when a copy function and a facsimile transmission function is set at the same time by the setting unit.

[0007]

[0008]

[0009]

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an image processing circuit of a compound digital copying machine as one embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing the compound digital copying machine of FIG. 1, and FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of the multifunction digital copying machine, FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation unit in FIG. 3, FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a facsimile circuit of the multifunction digital copying machine in FIG. 1, and FIG. Flowchart for explaining mode check processing, FIG.
8 is a flowchart for explaining the direct transmission check processing, FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the fusion operation check processing, FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining the fusion processing, and FIG. 10 describes the reading processing shown in FIG. 9 in detail. It is a flowchart for performing.

First, the configuration of a composite digital copying machine to which the facsimile apparatus of the present invention is applied will be described with reference to FIG. The mechanism of this apparatus is schematically shown as a copying machine main body 1, an automatic document feeder (ADF) 100, and a three-bin sorter 200.
And a paper feed unit (bank) 300.

The ADF 100 feeds, one by one, originals for copying or facsimile transmission stacked on an original feeding table 101 onto a contact glass 10 of the copying machine main body 1 and, after reading an image, on an output tray 105. Is configured to be ejected to the printer. The document on the document feed table 101 is aligned in the width direction by a side roller (not shown), separated from the lowermost document by a feed roller 102, fed, and fed onto the contact glass 10 by a transport belt 103. Paper. After the reading of the original on the contact glass 10 is completed, the conveyance belt 103 and the paper ejection rollers 104
05 is discharged.

When reading a two-sided document, the document on the document feeder table 101 is separated from the lowermost document by a paper feed roller 102 and fed, and is fed onto the contact glass 10 by a transport belt 103. The sheet passes through and is reversed by the reversing claw 106, fed again onto the contact glass 10, and the back surface is read. Next, the contact glass 10
After the reading of the back surface is completed, the upper document is conveyed by the conveyance belt 103 and inverted by the reversing claw 106, fed again onto the contact glass 10, and the front surface is read.
Then, after the front side reading is completed, the document
The sheet is discharged onto a sheet discharge tray 105 by a sheet discharge roller 104.

The copying machine body 1 has a scanner, an image processing unit, a plotter, and the like for reading an original at the time of copying or facsimile transmission. The scanner has a contact glass 10 for placing a document and an optical scanning system. The optical scanning system includes an exposure lamp 11, a first mirror 12, a second mirror 13, a third mirror 14, a lens 15, a full-color CCD 16, and the like. Have.

The exposure lamp 11 and the first mirror 12
The first carriage is mounted on a carriage, and is moved in the sub-scanning direction at a constant speed by a stepping motor 605 (see FIG. 1) when reading a document. The second mirror 13 and the third mirror 14 are mounted on a second carriage, and the second carriage is moved by a stepping motor 605 at half the speed of the first carriage when reading a document. The contact glass 1 is moved by the movement of the first and second carriages.
0 is optically scanned, and the lens 15
An image is formed on the light receiving surface of D16 and photoelectrically converted.

The image signals separated into the respective colors of red (R), green (G) and blue (B) by the full-color CCD 16 are subjected to A / D conversion by the image processing circuit shown in FIG. , Various image processes are performed, and then the image is copied onto a recording sheet by a writing unit at the time of copying, and is transmitted to the other party at the time of fax transmission.

The writing unit is a laser output unit 2
0, an f-θ lens 21 and a mirror 22, and the laser output unit 20 is a laser diode (L
D) 614 (see FIG. 1), a polygon mirror and a polygon motor (not shown). Laser output unit 20
From the image read by the scanner at the time of copying,
Further, at the time of FAX reception, a laser beam of a black signal modulated according to the image received from the other party is emitted,
The latent image is formed thereon. Around the photoconductor 30, a black developing device 32, an LED writing unit 31 for writing a red signal image, a second red developing device 33, a transfer device and a separator (not shown), and the like are arranged. The upper toner image is recorded on the paper.

The paper is stored in a duplex unit 40 in the copier body 1.
And the first tray 50 and a pair of rollers of the feed roller 42 and the separation roller 43, respectively, selectively from one of the second tray 310, the third tray 320, and the fourth tray 330 in the sheet feeding unit 300; Paper is fed by the device 51, the second paper feeding device 311, the third paper feeding device 321, and the fourth paper feeding device 331. Duplex unit 40 and first tray 50
The sheet fed from the second tray 310 and the third tray 32 is transported upward by the vertical transport unit 60.
The paper fed from the 0th and fourth trays 330 is transported upward by the bank vertical transport unit 340 and the vertical transport unit 60.

After a predetermined time after the leading edge of the sheet is detected by the registration sensor 52, the sheet abuts against the registration roller 53 and temporarily stops, and the sub-scanning effective period signal (F)
GATE), the toner image is conveyed by the registration roller 53, and the toner image on the photoconductor 30 is transferred. Next, after the sheet is separated from the photoconductor 30, the sheet is conveyed by the conveying device 54, and the toner image is fixed by the fixing device 55. The fixed paper is switched between the one-sided printing and the two-sided printing by the switching claw 57 and the discharge roller 56 by the 3-bin sorter 20.
Discharged to zero.

On the other hand, the paper after front-side printing during double-sided printing is
The sheet is guided to the two-sided conveyance path 41 by the switching claw 57, is inverted by the feed roller 42 and the separation roller 43, and is accumulated on the two-sided unit 40. The sheet on the duplex unit 40 comes into contact with the feed roller 42 by raising the tray, and is sent to the vertical transport unit 60 by the rotation of the feed roller 42 to form an image on the back surface.

The three-bin sorter 200 is a first bin 20
1, a second paper discharge tray 202, a third paper discharge tray 203, and a reversal tray 204;
Papers 01 to 203 can be discharged in any direction. The paper ejected from the copying machine main body 1 has a switching claw 20 in the case of front ejection in the 3-bin sorter 200.
7, and is guided upward by the second and third discharge trays 20.
2 and 203, the switching claw 20 is used.
When the sheets 5 and 206 operate and the sheet is discharged to the first sheet discharge tray 201, the switching claws 205 and 206 do not operate.

On the other hand, the paper in the case of the back side paper discharge is guided by the switching claw 207 in the direction of the transport roller 209 and is discharged onto the reversal dedicated tray 204, and the rear end thereof is the reverse detection sensor 2.
08, the transport roller 209 rotates in the reverse direction, is transported upward, and is discharged to one of the first to third discharge trays 201 to 203. The first discharge tray 201 can move (shift) the sheet in the width direction (the direction orthogonal to the transport direction, that is, the direction orthogonal to the drawing) and the vertical direction of the sorter 200. Sorting is possible, and when moving up and down, a large amount of paper can be aligned.

Next, the image processing circuit will be described with reference to FIG. First, the control will be described.
The ROM 601 and the RAM 602 are provided in the image processing controller 502 shown in FIG.
00 gives a reading instruction to the scanner control circuit 604 when there is a reading instruction from the main controller 501. The scanner control circuit 604 turns on the exposure lamp 11 according to this instruction, moves the first and second carriages of the scanner to the reading reference position by operating the motor 605, and starts reading when the position sensor 603 detects this. . In this case, the scanner control circuit 60
4 generates a sub-scanning valid period signal FGATE (active at the start of reading and inactive at the end of reading), sends it to the timing control circuit 606, and
Reference numeral 6 denotes an image synchronization clock CLK and a main scanning synchronization signal LSYN.
C and a main scanning valid period signal LGATE are generated.

Next, the flow of an image will be described. The original 607 at the time of copying or fax transmission on the contact glass 10 is illuminated by the exposure lamp 11, and the reflected light is read by the color CCD 16. Then color CCD
The analog image signals separated into R, G, and B by the signal processing circuit 16 are amplified by the signal processing circuit 608 and light quantity correction is performed.
The image signal is converted into a digital image signal by the AD converter 609, subjected to shading correction by the shading correction circuit 610, and sent to the image processing unit 611.

The image processing unit 611 performs basic image quality processing such as MTF correction, γ correction, black image generation, color image generation, binary processing, and multi-value processing, and digital machine specific processing such as scaling, editing, and marker detection. Image processing is performed, and the black data DA
TA0-7 and the color data DATAC are selected by the selector 612.
Is output to The selector 612 also includes various timing signals generated by the timing control circuit 606,
The write reference signal PM from the black write control unit 613
SYNC is applied. At the time of copying, the selector 612 converts the black data DATA0 to DATA7 into the black write control unit 61.
3 is sent to the LD 614 and the color data DAT
AC is the color writing control unit 615 to the LED 616
To be copied.

On the other hand, during fax transmission, the selector 612 transfers the black data DATA0 to DATA7 to the fax image memory 620 in the main controller 501 shown in FIG. Also, at the time of FAX reception, after the received data is demodulated and decompressed from the line and then expanded in the FAX image memory 620 in the main controller 501,
The selector 612 switches the black write control unit 613 to L
D614.

Next, the overall configuration of the control system of this multifunction digital copying machine will be described with reference to FIG. The operation unit controller 500 includes a liquid crystal and various LEDs of the operation unit 400 shown in FIG.
The main controller 500 performs paper feed, conveyance, fixing, duplex printing, process control, etc., and especially when the copy function and the facsimile transmission function are set at the same time, the scanner uses a common document. The overall control for separately performing reading for copying and reading for facsimile transmission is performed.

The image processing controller 502 performs image control and scanner reading control based on the control of the main controller 500, and the ADF controller 503
The control of F100 is performed. Sorter controller 504 is 3
The bin sorter 200 is controlled. The paper feed tray controller 505 controls the paper feed tray, and the FAX controller 506 manages FAX transmission / reception and file management.
The G3 controller 507 performs G3 protocol control, and the G4 controller 508 performs G4 protocol control.

Next, the configuration of the operation unit 400 will be described with reference to FIG. In the center of the operation unit 400, a 400 × 256 dot liquid crystal display (LCD) 401 and a touch panel superimposed thereon are provided. The LCD 401 selectively displays a copy function or a facsimile function of the composite digital copying machine, and the user operates according to the display. In particular, on the FAX function screen, a key and a display for setting a memory transmission mode for storing and transmitting original image data in the memory, and a key and display for setting a direct transmission mode for transmitting without storing in the memory are stored. Is shown.
The display switching between the copy function and the FAX function is performed by the function switching keys 412 and 413.
When operating the AX transmission function at the same time, the LED 418
The copy / fax key 418 with a is used.

On the right side of the LCD 401, a copy function, FA
Numeric keypad 402, clear / stop key 403, start key 404, program key 405, job recall key 406, mode clear /
Various keys such as a residual heat key 407 and an interrupt key 408,
Keys such as a pause / redial key 409, abbreviated key 410, and a reception key 411 dedicated to FAX are provided.

On the left side of the LCD 401, the F
An AX switching key 412, a copy switching key 413, a copy / FAX key 418, an initial setting key 414,
Guidance key 415, LCD density adjustment volume 41
6 are provided. Further to the left of these keys is FA
An X-dedicated display unit 417 is provided. The display unit 417 includes various LEDs that indicate that the memory is full during facsimile communication, and the like.
LCD for 40 characters (20 characters x 2 lines) indicating communication status
Is provided.

Next, the flow of an image at the time of facsimile transmission / reception will be described with reference to FIG. Fax image memory transmission /
At the time of direct transmission, the selector 612 outputs black data DAT.
A0 to A7 are stored in the facsimile image memory 620 in the main controller 501, and then stored in the compression / decompression unit 622.
The compression code (MH, MR, MMR) specified by
And stored in the SAF memory 623 in the FAX controller 506. Here, the image memory 620
In the case where it is more efficient to transmit the image stored in the A in 90 rotations such as A4 width and B5 width, the image is rotated by the rotator 621 before being passed to the compression / expansion unit 622,
Compress by 22.

The compressed data stored in the SAF memory 623 is transferred to the line buffer 624 in the G3 controller 507 at the time of G3 transmission, recompressed by the compression / decompression device 627 according to the mode on the receiving side, and modulated by the modem 625. , NCU (Network Control Unit) 626 to the receiving side. Similarly, when transmitting G4,
The compressed data stored in the SAF memory 623 is transferred to the line buffer 628 in the G4 controller 508,
The data is recompressed by the compression / decompression unit 631 in accordance with the mode on the receiving side, and transmitted to the receiving side via the ISDN control unit 629 and the transformer 630.

The FAX reception in the data transmitted from the transmitting side line during NCU626 (trans 630), a modem 625 (ISDN controller 629), the compression decompressor 622
(Compressor / expander 627) and are stored in the SAF memory 623 via the line buffer 624 (line buffer 628). The compressed data stored in the SAF memory 623 is
The data is decompressed by a compression / decompression unit 622 in the main controller 501 and is expanded on the image memory 620. In this case, similarly, when it is more efficient to transmit the data by rotating 90 times such as A4 side and B5 side, the rotation is performed by the rotator 621. The data developed on the image memory 620 is sent to the writing unit shown in FIG.
Printing is performed.

Next, the fusion operation mode check processing will be described with reference to FIG. Copy / FAX key 418
Is pressed (step S1), first, copy / FA
It is checked whether or not the X simultaneous operation (fusion operation) mode is set by the ON / OFF state of the LED 418a (step S2).
The ED 418a is turned off from on (step S6), and the process returns.

On the other hand, when the simultaneous operation mode is not set, the LED 418a is turned on from off (Step S).
3) Then, it is checked whether or not it is in the direct transmission mode (step S4). If it is in the direct transmission mode, it is set to the memory transmission mode (step S5),
On the other hand, if it is not in the direct transmission mode, that is, if it is in the memory transmission mode, the routine returns. Therefore, when the simultaneous operation mode of copy / FAX is set, the FAX transmission mode is set to the memory transmission mode as an initial value.

In this embodiment, the copy / fax key 418 is used to set the simultaneous operation mode of copy / fax, the facsimile selection key is provided in the copy screen of the LCD 401, or the facsimile screen is displayed. A copy selection key may be provided.

Next, the direct transmission check processing will be described with reference to FIG. First, it is checked whether or not the direct transmission key on the FAX function screen of the LCD 401 is on (step S11). If it is on, the process proceeds to step S12 and below. If it is off, the process branches to step S16 and below. In step S12 and subsequent steps, first, it is checked whether or not the apparatus is in the direct transmission mode (step S12). If the apparatus is in the direct transmission mode, the process returns.

On the other hand, if the direct transmission mode has not been set in step S12, it is checked whether or not a plurality of copies have been set (step S13). If not set, the direct transmission display is turned on (step S14), and then the storage type transmission mode is set (step S15), and the process returns.

In step S16 and subsequent steps, it is checked whether or not a plurality of copies are set (step S1).
6) If not set, return as it is,
On the other hand, if it is set, the direct transmission display is turned off (step S17), then the memory transmission display is turned on (step S18), and the process returns.

That is, as described in FIG. 6, when the simultaneous operation mode of copy / FAX is set, the FAX transmission mode is set to the memory transmission mode as an initial value, and thereafter, when the direct transmission mode is selected. Switch to the storage type immediate transmission mode. At this time, if the number of copies is set to a plurality, the transmission is not switched to the direct transmission. If the direct transmission mode has already been set, the mode is switched from the direct transmission mode to the memory transmission mode. The reason for this is that, since the time between documents is specified in FAX transmission, a communication error is highly likely to occur due to a timeout between documents when reading multiple copies of a document during direct transmission.

Here, in the normal direct transmission mode, the original is read after being connected to the destination machine, and the next original is not read until all the transmissions for the original have been completed. The document is read after being connected to the device, and thereafter stored in the SAF memory 623 at the same speed as the normal memory storage. Therefore, usually
Since the communication speed via the public line is very slow, the reading interval of the original is very slow, but this method enables input processing at the same speed as the normal memory transmission mode,
The effect on copy processing can be greatly reduced.

Next, the fusion operation check processing will be described with reference to FIG. First, it is checked whether or not the fusion operation mode is set (step S21). When the start key 404 is turned on in the fusion operation mode, the process proceeds from step S22 to step S23 and thereafter. In step S23 and subsequent steps, it is checked whether the copy function and the facsimile function are set (steps S23 and S2).
4, S26), if only the FAX function is set, only the FAX process is executed (step S25), and if only the copy function is set, only the copy process is executed (step S27). Is set, the fusion process is executed (step S28).

Next, the fusion process will be described with reference to FIG. First, it is checked whether or not there is a document in the ADF 100 (step S31). If there is, the process proceeds to step S32 and below, and if not, the process branches to step S39 and below. In step S32 and subsequent steps, document feeding by the ADF 100 is started (step S32), and when a document is set on the contact glass 10, a reading process shown in detail in FIG. 10 is executed (step S33 → S34). When the reading process is completed, the document is discharged by the ADF 100 (step S35), and when the document image compression process is completed, the presence or absence of the next document in the ADF 100 is checked (step S36 → S37). If the next document is present in the ADF 100, the process returns to step S32, and if not, the process of terminating the storage of FAX transmission is performed (step S3).
8) Return.

In step S39 and thereafter, it is checked whether or not the original is on the contact glass 10 (step S3).
9) If there is, go to step S40 and below;
If there is no document, a document confirmation display such as "Please check the document" is performed (step S45), and the routine returns. Note that this document confirmation display is released by a lift-up operation of the pressure plate, the ADF 100, or the like. In step S40 and subsequent steps, the reading process shown in detail in FIG. 10 is executed. When the compression process of the document image is completed (step S41), it is checked for 20 seconds whether or not the next document has been replaced (steps S42 to S44). When the document is set on the contact glass 10, the reading process is performed again (step S44 → S40). If the next document is not set after 20 seconds, or if the accumulation end key (for example, the # key on the numeric keypad 402) is pressed, accumulation end processing is performed (step S38), and the process returns.

In the reading process shown in detail in FIG. 10, first, the feeding of the transfer paper for the copying operation is started,
Reading for transmission is performed (step S51). And
If the FAX reading has not been completed, the image data is sent to the image processing controller 502 before the transfer paper reaches the registration sensor 52.
The data is set to flow to the 01 side, and reading for FAX transmission is performed (steps S52 to S54). Therefore, after the read image data is stored in the image memory 620 and compressed by the compression / decompression unit 622, the SAF
It is stored in the memory 623.

When the reading for facsimile is completed, it is checked whether or not the transfer paper has arrived at the registration sensor 52 (step S55), and when it is reached, the read image data is sent to the image processing controller 502. The flow is set to flow to the copy side (step S56), and then reading for copying of the same document is started (step S57). Therefore, the read image data is copied onto the transfer paper. Next, the copy count indicating the number of copy sets is decremented by one and returns to step S51 from step S58 if it is not "0", and returns if it is "0".
Here, reading for fax transmission is performed only once.

Therefore, according to the above embodiment, the same document is first read for facsimile transmission and then read for copying, so that the same document can be copied and transmitted by facsimile. In the above embodiment, the FAX reading is performed before the copy reading. However, the FAX reading may be performed during the copying or after the copying. However, compression time for FAX storage is required.
Performing the X reading first and performing the compression process during the copy reading can increase the processing speed.

[0049]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, when the copy function and the facsimile transmission function are set at the same time, the document reading means reads the same document for copying and performs the facsimile transmission. Since each reading is performed, the same document can be automatically copied and transmitted by facsimile by two reading operations. Further, when the ADF is provided, the original is transported only once, so that damage to the original can be reduced.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a memory transmission mode in which the document image data read for facsimile transmission is stored in the memory and transmitted, and a direct transmission mode in which the image data is transmitted without being stored in the memory. When the copy function and the facsimile transmission function are set at the same time, the memory transmission mode is automatically set, so that the copy processing and the facsimile transmission processing can be performed in an integrated manner.

[0051]

[0052]

[0053]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an image processing circuit of a compound digital copying machine as one embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing the composite digital copying machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of the multifunction digital copying machine shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation unit of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a facsimile circuit of the composite digital copying machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining a fusion operation mode check process.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a direct transmission check process.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a fusion operation check process.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a fusion process.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining a reading process shown in FIG. 9 in detail;

[Explanation of symbols]

 10-16 Scanner 418 Copy / FAX key 501 Main controller 502 Image processing controller 506 FAX controller

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. Reading for copying and facsimile transmission
Document reading means capable of switching and reading for reading, setting means capable of setting a copy function and a facsimile transmission function, and reading and facsimile for copying by the document reading means.
Copy the image forming apparatus including a control means for controlling the reading of millimeter-transmission, and wherein, when a copy function and a facsimile transmission function is set at the same time by the setting unit, for the same document For reading and facsimile transmission
The original reading is performed so that reading is switched
An image forming apparatus comprising: 2. The control means can further control a memory transmission mode in which original image data read for facsimile transmission is stored in a memory and transmitted, and a direct transmission mode in which original image data is transmitted without being stored in a memory . Automatically setting the memory transmission mode when the copy function and the facsimile transmission function are simultaneously set by the setting means
2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control is performed in such a manner .