JP3428787B2 - Image communication 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 facsimile (hereinafter referred to as FAX) device for transmitting and receiving image data and a device.
The present invention relates to an image communication device including a multifunction device such as a copying machine or a printer having a FAX function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image communication apparatus such as a FAX apparatus is often used by an unspecified person in a company or the like, and there is a strong demand for improvement of functions including simplification of operation. For this reason, JP-A-5-56240 and JP-A-6-152.
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 819 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-164778, the transmission image is displayed in order to simplify the operation of the user of the FAX device and prevent erroneous transmission due to erroneous input of the destination to ensure the accuracy of the FAX transmission processing. An apparatus has been proposed which automatically reads a destination to be transmitted and automatically sends the read destination.

That is, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-56240 discloses
A communication terminal device is disclosed in which a character image read from a business card original is added to a transmission original to control transmission. Further, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-152819 discloses a FAX apparatus that transmits cover data created based on information on a destination read from a business card or a portable small-sized information device. Further, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 6-164778 discloses a copying machine with a FAX function which recognizes data following a character such as "FAX" in a document image data as a FAX number and automatically transmits the FAX number. There is.

[0004]

However, in the conventional image communication apparatus for automatically reading the destination, there is one in consideration of simplification of the work of fax-transmitting the image of the transmission original having the same content to a plurality of destinations. There wasn't. Therefore, when the image of the transmission original having the same content is fax-transmitted to a plurality of destinations, a series of processes in which the destination is read from the business card, the image of the transmission original is read, and the image is transmitted through predetermined image processing However, it is performed for each destination in one place, which forces the operator to repeat the work of exchanging the business card original and the transmitted original, which complicates the transmission operation and lengthens the transmission processing time. was there. In addition, when the image of the transmission original having the same content is fax-transmitted to a plurality of destinations, an operator who has completed the setting of the data such as the destinations often waits apart from the device which is performing the transmission work. In the conventional image communication device, there is no image communication device capable of confirming the transmission processing result at a place distant from the device in such a case. For this reason, the worker must return to the installation location of the device at the end of the transmission work regardless of the success or failure of the transmission process, and check the transmission process result on the display screen or the printed paper. However, if the transmission process is successful, a lot of time and labor are wasted. Further, in the formats of business card manuscripts and transmitted manuscripts, there are cases where they are written vertically in Japanese and horizontally, but in the conventional communication processing device, there is one that takes into consideration the format mismatch between the business card manuscript and the sent manuscript. There wasn't. For this reason, for example, a character image of an address read from a vertically written business card may not be able to be combined with the address space allocated to a horizontally transmitted original document. There is a problem that the automatic reading function of the destination cannot be effectively used without handwriting.

An object of the present invention is to provide an image communication apparatus capable of simplifying the work of fax-transmitting images of a transmission original having the same content to a plurality of destinations.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image reading unit for reading images of a business card original and a transmission original placed on a platen, and an image of the business card original read by the image reading unit. An image communication apparatus comprising: a character recognition unit that extracts a destination to which an image of a transmission document is to be transmitted; and an image transmission unit that transmits the image of the transmission document read by the image reading unit to the destination that is extracted by the character recognition unit. If the destination extracted by the character recognizing means includes unrecognizable characters, a single or a plurality of corrected destination information stored in the storage means is displayed, and among the displayed corrected destination information,
If the corrected destination information of this destination exists in the
Accept the selected input from the
If there is no corrected destination information for this destination in the information
Accepts correction input of new destination information, sets the selected corrected destination information or corrected destination information as the destination of the image of the transmission original, and stores the corrected destination information as new corrected destination information. It is characterized by storing in.

According to the second aspect of the invention, the document is placed on a document table.
Image reading that reads images of printed business card originals and transmitted originals
And the image of the business card document read by the image reading means
A character recognizer that extracts the destination to which the image of the sent document should be sent.
And the image of the transmission original scanned by the image scanning means
Image transmitting means for transmitting to the destination extracted by the recognizing means,
In the image communication device provided with the character recognition means,
Documents A number of business card documents scanned by the image scanning unit at once
It is a means for extracting a plurality of destinations from an image.
If the number of destinations extracted by the knowledge means exceeds a preset number
In some cases those destinations were given individual call codes
It is specially equipped with storage means for grouping and storing above.
To collect .

According to a third aspect of the present invention, when the character recognition means extracts a plurality of destinations from an image of a single business card original, the uppermost one of the plurality of destinations in the business card original is selected.
Or, the destination located on the far right is the destination of the image of the transmitted original.
It is characterized by doing .

According to the invention described in claim 4, the character recognition
When the destination extracted by the method contains unrecognizable characters
The image of the business card original read by the original image reading means.
Information is sent to an external device together with the character recognition processing request, and
It is an image of a business card manuscript due to character recognition processing in the device
Information transmission and reception that receives the destination information extracted from the external device
The image reading means reads the image transmitting means.
The destination where the information transmission / reception means received the image of the sent transmission original
It is characterized in that it is transmitted to a destination related to the information .

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described below, taking a digital copying machine having a FAX function as an example.

FIG. 1 is a schematic front sectional view showing the structure of a digital copying machine having a FAX function. The digital copying machine 1 includes a scanner unit 2, a laser printer unit 3, an operation unit 4, a communication unit (not shown), and an image processing control unit (not shown). The scanner unit 2 includes a document table 21 made of transparent hard glass and a document circulation feeding device (hereinafter, referred to as RDF) 2
2 and the scanner unit 23. The RDF 22 supplies a plurality of sheet-shaped originals stored in the original storage unit one by one to a position facing the scanner unit 23. The RDF 22 has a mechanism for reversing the front and back surfaces of a document, and causes the scanner unit 23 to read one side or both sides of the document according to the operator's selection.
The scanner unit 23 includes an exposure lamp 2 that exposes a document.
4, mirror 26, lens 27 and photoelectric conversion element (hereinafter,
It is called CCD. ) 25. The reflected light of the light from the exposure lamp 24 from the original document forms an image on the CCD 25 via the mirror 26 and the lens 27.

When reading an image of a document placed on the document table 21, the scanner unit 2 scans the scanner unit 23.
Are scanned along the lower surface of the document table 21. Also, RDF
When the original document is conveyed by 22, the original document is conveyed with the scanner unit 23 stopped at a predetermined position below the RDF 22. The image data of the document read by the scanner unit 23 is sent to the image processing unit and subjected to various processing, and then temporarily stored in the memory of the image processing unit, and the image data in the memory is transferred to the laser printer according to the output instruction. Supply to part 3. Further, in this apparatus, image data may be received from the outside via a communication line, and this data is also temporarily stored in the memory of the image processing unit and supplied to the laser printer unit 3 according to the output instruction.

The laser printer unit 3 has a sheet storage unit 31 formed in a manual feed tray shape or a cassette shape for storing sheets of each size, a laser writing unit 32 for irradiating a laser beam based on image data, and an electronic unit. It is composed of an electrophotographic process unit 33 that executes a photographic process. The laser writing unit 32 includes a semiconductor laser driven by the image data supplied from the memory, a polygon mirror that polarizes the laser light at an equal angular velocity, and an fθ lens that corrects the laser light. The electrophotographic process section 33 includes a charger, a developing device, a transfer device, a peeling device, a cleaning device, and a neutralizer around the photoconductor drum 34, and is formed on the surface of the photoconductor drum 34 by a well-known electrophotographic process. Transfer the developer image onto the paper.

The operation unit 4 is provided on the upper surface of the copying machine body 1, and has a ten-key pad for receiving a setting input of the number of copies, a print switch for receiving an operation start instruction input, and
It has a display for displaying messages and the like.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the control system of the digital copying machine. Each of the scanner unit 2, the laser printer unit 3, the operation unit 4, the communication unit 5, and the image processing control unit 6 provided in the copying machine body 1 is composed of a plurality of input / output devices. Are controlled by slave CPUs 42 to 46 which are independent of each unit. The slave CPUs 42 to 46 of each unit are integrally controlled by a single master CPU 41.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing details of the communication section and the image processing control section of the digital copying machine. The image processing control unit 6 provided in the copying machine main body 1 includes an image data input unit 70, an image data processing unit 71, an image data output unit 72, a memory 73 including a RAM, and a slave CPU 46.
Is equipped with. The image data input unit 70 is a CCD unit 70.
a, histogram processing unit 70b, and error diffusion processing unit 70
The image data of the original document read by the CCD 25 is binarized and converted, and is processed by the error diffusion method while taking a histogram as a binary digital amount, and is stored in the memory 7
Store in 3 once. In the CCD unit 70a, after the analog electric signal corresponding to each image density of the image data is A / D converted, MFT correction, black-and-white correction or gamma correction is performed,
It is output to the histogram processing unit 70b as an 8-bit (256 gradations) digital signal.

In the histogram processing unit 70b, the digital signal output from the CCD unit 70a is added for each pixel density of 256 gradations to obtain density information (histogram data).
Is obtained. This histogram data is sent to the slave CPU 46 as necessary, or sent to the error diffusion processing unit 70c as pixel data. Slave CPU
46 recognizes the image data based on this histogram data. The error diffusion processing unit 70c uses the error diffusion method, which is a kind of pseudo-halftone processing, that is, a method of reflecting a binarization error in the binarization determination of adjacent pixels.
The 8-bit / pixel digital signal output from the unit 70a is converted into 1-bit (binary), and the redistribution operation for faithfully reproducing the local area density in the original is executed.

The image processing section 71 includes a multi-valued processing section 71a,
71b, a combination processing unit 71c, a density conversion processing unit 71d, a scaling processing unit 71e, an image processing unit 71f, an error diffusion processing unit 71g, and a compression processing unit 71h. The image processing unit 71 is a processing unit that finally converts the input image data into image data desired by the operator, and in this processing unit until it is finally stored in the memory 73 as the converted FAX transmission data. Is configured to process.

However, the above-mentioned processing units included in the image processing unit 71 function as necessary. That is, in the multi-value quantization processing units 71a and 71b, the data binarized by the error diffusion processing unit 70c is converted again into 256 gradations. Also,
In the combination processing unit 71c, a logical operation for each pixel is selectively performed. The data to be calculated are the image data stored in the memory 73 and the bit data from the pattern generator (PG). Density conversion processing unit 7
In 1d, the relationship between the input density and the output density is arbitrarily set on the basis of a predetermined gradation conversion table for the 256-level digital signal. In the scaling processing unit 71e, pixel data for the target pixel after scaling is obtained by performing interpolation processing based on the known data that is input according to the instructed scaling, and the sub-scanning direction is scaled. After that, the main scanning direction is scaled.

In the image processing section 71f, various image processings are performed on the input pixel data, and information collection for a data string such as feature extraction is performed. The error diffusion processing unit 71g performs the same processing as the error diffusion processing unit 70c of the image data input unit 70. The compression processing unit 71h compresses the binary data by the encoding called run length. The character recognition unit 71i is a character recognition means of the present invention.
The character is extracted by the isolated figure separation method, the stroke extraction separation method, the superposition method, the feature extraction method, or the structure analysis method. Regarding the compression of image data, the compression functions in the final processing loop when the final output image data is completed.

In the character recognition process, the isolated figure separation method means that characters are generally small and are isolated, so that image data is separated into connected figure units, and the circumscribed rectangle size of the figure is the character size. It is a method of determining whether it is a character or a line drawing depending on whether or not The stroke extraction / separation method is a method in which strokes are detected from the direction of each segment forming a figure, and those having strokes of a certain length or longer are not characters. In the superposition method, the degree of coincidence is obtained by sequentially superposing the patterns of the characters in which the figures judged to be the characters by the feature extraction are stored. What is the feature extraction method?
The presence or absence of character features such as line segments, curves, enclosures, dakuten and splashes is extracted. The structural analysis method is a method of separating characters into constituent elements and analyzing the characteristics and relationships of each.

The image data output unit 72 includes a restoration unit 72a,
It includes a multi-value processing unit 72b, an error diffusion processing unit 72c, and a laser output unit 72d. The image data output unit 72
The image data stored in the memory 73 in the compressed state is restored, the original 256 gradations are converted again, and the error diffusion of the four-valued data that is a smoother halftone expression than the binary data is performed.
It is configured to transfer data to the laser output unit 72d. That is, the decompression unit 72a decompresses the image data compressed by the compression processing unit 71b, and the multi-value conversion processing unit 72b multi-value conversion processing units 71a, 7a of the image processing unit 71.
The same process as 1b is performed. The error diffusion processing unit 72c performs the same processing as the error diffusion processing unit 70c of the image data input unit 70. In the laser output section 72d, the digital image data is converted into a laser on / off signal based on a control signal from the print section control CPU 79,
The laser is turned on / off.

The data handled by the image data input section 70 and the image data output section 72 are described in the present invention.
In order to reduce the capacity of the memory 73, which is a storage unit , basically, the memory 73 is stored as FAX transmission data in the form of binary data.
However, it is also possible to process in the form of four-valued data in consideration of deterioration of image data.

On the other hand, the image transmission of the present invention for performing fax communication
The communication unit 5, which is a communication means, includes a modem 75 and an NCU 76. The FAX transmission data stored in the memory 73 is transmitted to the FAX apparatus of the other party via the modem 75, the NCU 76 and the telephone line 77. Also,
When the FAX information on the calling side receives the incoming information via the telephone line 77, the NCU 76 and the modem 75, an incoming signal is sent to the printer control CPU 79, and the CPU 7
Reference numeral 9 instructs the slave CPU 46 to prepare memory for image data (data from the modem), and causes the memory 73 to store the image data. The slave CPU 46 has a memory 7
The image data stored in 3 is read out, and the laser writing unit 32 is driven according to this image data.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing a processing procedure at the time of FAX communication processing of the digital copying machine. To read the destination address and destination number of a fax from a business card and automatically send the image of the sent document, first,
After placing a plurality of business cards on the document table 21 in the state shown in FIG. 5, the operator operates the operation panel to
Specify the fax transmission mode and business card original mode.

The slave CPU 44 of the operation unit 4 detects the operation state of the key switch on the operation panel, and determines whether the business card original mode is set and whether the print switch is operated (s1, s2). Next, it is detected whether or not a document is set on the RDF 22 (s3). When the document is set on the RDF 22, a warning message is displayed on the display in the operation panel and the document is conveyed by the RDF 22. Prohibit (s4).

Data indicating that the business card original mode is set and the print switch is operated is the slave CP.
When input from U44 to the master CPU 41, the master C
The PU 41 outputs a scan command for scanning the document on the document table 21 to the slave CPU 42 of the scanner unit 2. Slave C
The PU 42 receives the document table 21 according to the document table scanning command.
The image of the business card original placed on is scanned (s5). The image data read by the CCD 25 by the scanning of the scanner unit 2 is image-processed by the image processing control unit 6 and stored in the memory 73.

After the master CPU 41 confirms that the business card original has been removed from the original table 21 (s6, s7),
A document conveyance command is output to the RDF22, and the RDF22
The scanner unit 2 scans the transmitted document conveyed by
8-s10). The image data of the transmission original read by the CCD 25 is image-processed by the above-mentioned image processing controller 6 and stored in the memory 73 (s11).

The image processing control unit 6 extracts the FAX destination from the image of the business card document stored in the memory 73 (s12). This destination extraction processing uses a well-known algorithm, for example, the number sequence next to “FAX” is F
The image of the entire surface of the document table 21 read by the scanner unit 2 is extracted by a method such as extraction as an AX number.
Extract as many destination data as possible.

The master CPU 41 outputs the plurality of extracted destination data to the operation unit 4, and the slave CP of the operation unit 4 is output.
U44 displays the destination data on the display in the operation panel (s13). When the confirmation by the operator is completed (s14), the master CPU 41 supplies the destination data to the communication unit 5 one by one, and the communication unit 5 automatically calls the FAX number of the supplied destination data (s15). Communication unit 5
Transmits the FAX transmission data of the transmission document stored in the memory 73 through the line after the line that has called is connected (s16, s17).

By the above processing, since the images of the same transmission document are sequentially transmitted as FAX transmission data to the plurality of destinations extracted from the images of the plurality of business card documents, a plurality of images of the same transmission document are transmitted. Even when the FAX transmission is performed to the destination of the destination, the input of the destination is completed only by placing a plurality of destination business cards on the document table 21 at one time and performing the reading process once. The work can be simplified and the work can be shortened.

The operator's correction input may be accepted at the stage when the extraction result of the destination data is displayed on the display.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing a procedure for transmitting an image to a plurality of destinations in the digital copying machine. After automatically calling the FAX number of one piece of destination data among the plurality of pieces of destination data extracted from the image of the business card document (S21), the master CPU 41 displays a message indicating that the image is being transmitted on the display (s22). When the line cannot be connected when the other party who has automatically called is busy, the FAX number of the next destination data is automatically called (s23, s24). When the line can be connected to the other party who has automatically called and the FAX transmission data can be normally transmitted, the image transmitted message for each destination is displayed on the display (s25 to s27). When one automatic call is completed for all of the plurality of extracted destinations, the automatic call is again made to the partner with the communication error (s28 to s30).

By the above processing, the image of the transmission original can be surely transmitted to all of the plurality of extracted destinations.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing the procedure of the destination extraction processing in the digital copying machine . If the business card, which is the original when extracting the destination data of the transmission destination, is dirty or written, the destination data may not be accurately extracted. For example,
If a part of the printed fax number is dirty or is overwritten on part of the fax number, some characters cannot be recognized.

Therefore, during the destination data extraction processing, symbol data such as "?" Is assigned to the character that could not be recognized, and destination data is created (s31 to s33). Is extracted and stored in the memory (s34, s35). When the extraction of one destination data is completed (s36), "?"
It is determined whether or not there is symbol data such as (s3
7) If symbol data such as "?" Is present in the stored contents of the memory, a message indicating that an error has occurred in character recognition is displayed on the display (s38). When the extraction processing of all the destination data is completed (s40), it is determined whether an error has occurred in character recognition (s).
41). If an error occurs in the character recognition, the entire processing result of the character recognition processing is printed out (s4
2) The correction input by the operator is accepted on the display (s43), and the stored contents of the memory are corrected by the correction input contents.

By the above processing, even when the character recognition related to the extraction of the destination data cannot be performed due to the stain or writing of the business card, the correction of the destination data by the operator can be accepted and the image can be accurately transmitted. .

FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing a process when there are a plurality of business cards having the same company name and FAX number. When the operator places a plurality of business cards on the document table 21, it is possible to mistakenly place the business cards of a plurality of people of the same company. In such a case, if the image transmission process is performed for all the destination data extracted from the image of the business card document, the same image is transmitted to a single company multiple times, resulting in transmission time and communication cost. Waste of.

Therefore, the slave CP of the image processing controller 6
U46, when the destination data extraction processing is completed (s51
~ 55), confirm the stored contents of the memory 73 (s56),
It is checked whether or not there are a plurality of destination data having the same FAX number. When a plurality of destination data having the same FAX number are present in the memory 73, the destination data is displayed on the display (s57), and selection input of any of the destination data is accepted (s58). When any destination data is selected, the unselected destination data is deleted from the stored contents of the memory 73 (s59).

By the above processing, it is possible to eliminate the waste of transmitting the images of the same content to the same company, and to reduce the communication cost.

FIG. 9 shows the above digital copying machine .
It is a flow chart which shows a processing procedure when a plurality of FAX numbers are described in a single business card. In one business card,
For example, there are cases where the FAX numbers of both the head office and the branch office are written. In such a case, the person belongs to the address of the FAX number on the uppermost side of the horizontal writing business card and the rightmost of the vertical writing business card. In many cases.

Therefore, the slave CP of the image processing controller 6
U46, when the destination data extraction processing is completed (s6
1) It is determined whether or not a plurality of FAX numbers are extracted from a single business card (s62), and when a plurality of FAX numbers are extracted from a single business card, the FAX number on the uppermost side or the rightmost side is automatically selected. A message to that effect is displayed on the display (s63). Since it is possible that the result of this automatic selection is incorrect, a correction input by the operator is accepted (s64, s65), and the FAX number not selected by this automatic selection or correction input is deleted from the stored contents of the memory 73 ( s66).

By the above processing, even when a plurality of FAX numbers are extracted from one business card, it is possible to prevent waste of transmitting the same FAX transmission data to a plurality of transmission destinations for one transmission partner, and to perform communication. Time and communication costs can be reduced.

FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing a processing procedure when registering a plurality of destination data read from a plurality of business card originals. Depending on the work content of the operator, the work of transmitting the same image to a plurality of destinations may be performed a plurality of times for the same destination every time, regularly or irregularly. In such a case, the preliminary work of arranging a plurality of business cards on the platen has to be repeated for each transmission work for the same set of business cards, especially when there are many destinations each time. The waste of time and labor in transmission work increases cumulatively, resulting in a significant decrease in work efficiency.

Therefore, the master CPU 41 counts the number of destination data items extracted from the image of the business card document during the destination data extraction process (s71 to 74), and when the count value reaches a predetermined number. (S75), the plurality of destination data extracted this time are grouped and registered in a non-volatile memory (not shown) together with a specific calling code (s76), and the registered calling code is displayed on the display by the operator (s77).

On the other hand, when a calling code is input during fax transmission (s78), the master CPU 41 searches the nonvolatile memory for the calling code (s79), and if a matching calling code is registered, The FAX numbers included in each of the plurality of destination data included in the corresponding group are sequentially read out to automatically call, and the transmission process of the FAX transmission data is executed (s80 to 82). The predetermined number of the count value of the destination data may be preset by the operator, and the call code may be set and input by the operator each time.

With the above processing, when the operator places a large number of business cards on the document table 21 at a time, a plurality of destination data extracted from the business card image are registered in the non-volatile memory together with the call code. By inputting, it is possible to specify a plurality of destinations. For this reason, it is not necessary to arrange a large number of business cards on the document table 21 again at the time of the second and subsequent fax transmissions for a group that has once undergone the transmission processing, and the time and labor required for the transmission work can be reduced to improve the work efficiency. Can be planned.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the processing when there is a character that cannot be recognized when the destination data is extracted. If the business card is dirty or written, it may not be possible to correctly recognize the characters when the destination data is extracted. In this case, the operator accepts the correction input by the processing shown in FIG. As described above. However, when a business card that could not be recognized previously is placed on the platen again at the time of the subsequent fax transmission, the correction process shown in FIG. 7 is repeated,
Transmission work becomes long.

Therefore, the corrected destination data is registered in the non-volatile memory (not shown) as the corrected destination data, and if there is a character that cannot be recognized when the destination data is extracted, the corrected destination data registered in the memory is corrected. The destination data is displayed on the display (s91 to 94) so that the operator can select and input the current destination from the corrected destination data. Here, the selected corrected destination data is set as the result of the extraction process (s95, s96). If the corrected destination data corresponding to the destination of this time does not exist in the corrected destination data displayed on the display, the correction input of the operator is accepted by the process shown in FIG. 7 and the corrected destination data is stored in the nonvolatile memory. Register with (s97, s9
8).

By the above processing, it is not necessary to perform the correction input processing once again for the destination data that has been corrected, and it is possible to simplify the transmission processing for a business card having unrecognizable characters due to stains or writing. it can.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing an example of the embodiment of the invention described in claim 4. In FIG. The digital copying machine 1 includes an infrared communication device 11 for transmitting and receiving data to and from an external information device 12 such as an electronic notebook which is an external device of the present invention . The infrared communication device 11 is controlled by the master CPU 41 of the copying machine 1. An electronic notebook 12 which is an example of an external information device in which the copying machine 1 transmits and receives data.
As shown in FIG. 13, the control unit 13 includes a display unit 14, an operation unit 15, a character recognition unit 16, and an infrared communication circuit 17, which are controlled by the control unit 13.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the data communication processing procedure of the copying machine and the electronic notebook. When the communication mode with the electronic notebook 12 is selected, the master CPU 41 of the copying machine 1 starts scanning the business card original and the transmission original by the scanner unit 2, and then the electronic notebook 12 via the infrared communication device 11. Perform communication check with and (s
101-s103). This communication check is an electronic notebook 1
2 is performed to confirm that the transfer code is ready to be received, which is started by transmitting a communication check command from the copying machine 1.

Upon receiving the communication check command, the electronic notebook 12 starts preparation for communication (s121, s122), and when the preparation for communication is completed, it transmits a response indicating that communication is possible (s1).
23). The master CPU 41 of the copying machine 1 uses the electronic notebook 12
When a response signal indicating the completion state of the reception preparation transmitted from the slave CPU 46 is received (s104), the operation of the slave CPU 46 of the image processing control unit 6 is monitored and the slave CPU 46
The progress status of the process in is converted into a transfer code (s10
5) The converted transfer code is transmitted via the infrared communication device 11 (s106).

First, the master CPU 41 transmits a transfer code indicating "transmission document is being read" while the image processing control unit 6 receives image data of a transmission document from the CCD 25 of the scanner unit 2. Next, the master CPU 41
While the image processing control unit 6 is performing the character recognition process on the image data of the transmission document, a transfer code indicating “during transmission document recognition” is transmitted, and the character data recognized by the image processing control unit 6 is transmitted. Forward. When the character recognition processing in the image processing control unit 6 is completed and the transfer of all the character data is completed, the master CPU 41 transmits a transfer code indicating “confirmation of transmission original”.

When the transfer code transmitted from the copying machine 1 is received (s124), the control unit 13 of the electronic notebook 12 displays the received transfer code and character data on the display unit 14 (s125). When the operator confirms the content of the character data displayed on the display unit 14 of the electronic notebook 12 and operates the confirmation key (s126), the control unit 13 of the electronic notebook 12 is selected.
Sends a FAX transmission command for instructing the FAX transmission of the image of the transmission original to the copying machine 1 (s127).

When the master CPU 41 of the copying machine 1 receives the FAX transmission command transmitted from the electronic notebook 12 (s107), the F of the destination data read from the business card original is read.
The image processing control unit 6 automatically calls the AX number (s108).
Of the FAX transmission data stored in the memory 73 of the
X transmission is started (s109). At the same time, the master CPU 41 sends “FAX transmission” to the electronic notebook 12.
Is transmitted together with the FAX number data of the transmission partner (s110). After this, the master CPU 41
Completes the FAX transmission of the transmission image data (s11
1), the transfer data indicating “FAX transmission end” is transmitted to the electronic notebook 12 and the process ends (s112).

When the control section 13 of the electronic notebook 12 receives the transfer code indicating "FAX transmission in progress" transmitted from the copying machine 1 (s128), the control section 13 displays until the transfer code indicating "FAX transmission end" is received. When it is displayed that the FAX transmission is in progress (s129), and when the transfer code indicating "FAX transmission end" is received (s130), a message indicating that the FAX transmission is ended is displayed and the process is ended (s13).
1).

With the above processing, the progress of the FAX transmission processing in the digital copying machine 1 can be monitored in the electronic notebook 12, and the operator needs to wait for the FAX transmission processing to be completed near the digital copying machine 1. And the work efficiency of the operator is improved. In particular, when performing FAX transmission to a plurality of destinations, the FAX transmission process takes a long time. However, according to the present embodiment, the operator waits for the scanning of the image of the business card original to be completed, and the original table 2
After removing the plurality of business cards placed on 1 and setting the transmission original, it is possible to leave the digital copying machine 1.
You are not bound by the fax transmission process.

FIG. 15 is a flow chart showing a processing procedure for transmitting report data of FAX transmission result from the digital copying machine to the electronic notebook. The fax machine such as the digital copying machine 1 has a function of printing out a report of a fax transmission result for each destination in order to confirm and manage the fax transmission process. However, in order to confirm the FAX transmission result, the operator needs to go to the FAX machine to get the printed report in anticipation of the end time of the FAX transmission processing, and especially, it is far away from the department to which the operator belongs. If the FAX machine is installed in a different place, the time and labor required for the movement of the operator are wasted.

Therefore, the master CPU 41 of the copying machine 1
Each time the FAX transmission process for one destination is completed,
A FAX transmission result report including a transmission destination, a FAX number, a transmission start / end time, the number of transmissions, a transmission result, and the like is created (s141, s142), and this is converted into a transfer code, and the electronic notebook is transmitted via the infrared communication device 11. 12 (s143). The control unit 13 of the electronic notebook 12 receives the transfer code of the FAX transmission result report (s15
1), the contents are displayed on the display unit 14 as shown in FIG. 24 (s152).

Through the above-mentioned processing, the operator does not have to go to the copying machine 1 to check the FA contents displayed on the electronic notebook 12.
The X transmission result report can be confirmed, the time and labor required for movement can be saved, and the work efficiency can be improved.

In the FAX transmission result report created by the copying machine 1, the contents of the FAX transmission error and the confidential F
The AX transmission / reception result, registration data stored in the non-volatile memory, and the like can be included.

FIG. 16 is a flow chart showing a processing procedure for correcting an unrecognizable character in the image processing control section of the copying machine through the electronic notebook. When a business card is dirty or written, some or all of the characters in the destination data may not be recognized by the fax machine such as the copying machine 1. In this case, correction input by the operator is required. Is as described above. However, the correction input complicates the operator's work, and there is a possibility that the operator may input incorrect destination data due to an erroneous operation, resulting in erroneous transmission. On the other hand, some external electronic devices such as the electronic notebook 12 have a higher character recognition function than the character recognition function of the FAX machine such as the copier 1.
By using such an external electronic device to recognize a character that the image processing control unit 6 of the copying machine 1 cannot recognize, the correction amount by the operator can be reduced and the above-mentioned problem can be solved.

Therefore, the master CPU 41 of the copying machine 1
The accuracy of the character recognition process when the destination data is extracted from the image of the business card original by the image processing control unit 6 is obtained from, for example, the ratio of the corrected character number to the total character number (s16).
1) If the accuracy of character recognition processing is less than or equal to the reference value,
When the character recognition unit error is determined, the character recognition process in the image processing control unit 6 of the copying machine 1 is stopped (s162, s16).
3). After that, the master CPU 41 sends the image processing control unit 6
The digital image data of the business card original read from the memory 73 is converted into transfer data (s164) and transmitted to the electronic notebook 12 via the infrared communication device 11 (s16).
5). The master CPU 41 confirms the communication preparation state of the electronic notebook 12 before transmitting the digital image data.

When the control section 13 of the electronic notebook 12 receives the transfer code of the digital image data transmitted from the copying machine 1 after completion of the communication preparation (s171), the electronic notebook 1
A character recognition process of extracting destination data from the digital image data is executed via the character recognition unit 16 connected to the second control unit 13 (s172). The control unit 13 displays the destination data extracted by the character recognition unit 16 on the display unit 14 (s173), and transmits the destination data to the copying machine 1 after confirmation work by the operator (s174 to s17).
6).

The master CPU 41 of the copying machine 1 receives the destination data transmitted from the electronic notebook 12 (s16).
6), the destination data is stored in the memory 73 of the image processing control unit 6.
Is temporarily stored in (s167). After this, the master CPU4
1 reads the FAX numbers of the transmission destinations one by one from the memory and automatically calls (s168), and transmits the FAX transmission data to the FAX.
X is transmitted (s169).

By the above processing, the destination data can be extracted at high speed and accurately by using the character recognition function of the external electronic device such as the electronic notebook 12, the correction input work by the operator can be reduced, and the erroneous transmission can be prevented. It is possible to prevent the occurrence of.

[0067] Figure 17 is a flowchart showing another processing procedure in the copying machine. Master CP of copy machine 1
When the business card document mode and the destination image composition mode are selected (s181, s182), U41 scans the business card document placed on the document table 21 via the scanner unit 2 and then performs R
The transmission original set in the DF22 is scanned (s18
3) The image of the business card document and the image of the transmission document are temporarily stored in the memory 73 through the image processing control unit 6 through various image processes. Next, the master CPU 41 extracts the destination data from the image data of the business card original through the image processing control unit 6 by the character recognition process and the feature extraction process.
It is determined whether the image of the business card document is vertical writing or horizontal writing (s1).
84).

Further, the master CPU 41 determines through the image processing control unit 6 whether the transmission original is vertical writing or horizontal writing (s185). If they do not match, for example, the business card original is vertical writing and the transmission original is In the case of horizontal writing, the destination data is rotated to match the direction of the transmitted document (s186, s18
7) If the orientation of the business card original and the orientation of the transmission original are the same, the destination data is combined with the predetermined location of the transmission original while leaving the destination data in the predetermined location of the transmission original (s1).
88). The combined image data is stored in the memory 73 of the image processing control unit 6 (s189). After this, the master CP
U41 automatically calls the FAX number included in the destination data, and FAX-transmits the combined image of the transmission document (s19).
0).

By the above processing, even when the writing direction of the business card original does not match the writing direction of the transmission original, the destination data can be combined with a part of the transmission original without a feeling of strangeness.

FIG. 18 is a flow chart showing a processing procedure when the destination data is combined with a part of the transmission document.
Usually, it is necessary to describe the destination of the transmission partner in the transmission document, and the address is written on the upper part of the transmission document by handwriting of the operator. However, handwritten characters may be difficult to read after fax transmission. Further, when transmitting the same document to a plurality of parties, it is necessary to rewrite the destination for a single transmission document each time, which complicates the operation of the operator.

Therefore, the master CPU 41 of the copying machine 1
After scanning the image of the business card original and the image of the transmitted original (s
191), the area occupied by the destination data is calculated through the process of extracting the destination data (s192). Next, for the FAX transmission data read from the transmission document, the character recognition unit calculates the size of the upper margin and the size of the lower margin of the transmission document (s193). Then, the vertical area occupied by the destination data is compared with the upper margin of the transmission document (s194). If the occupation area of the destination data is larger than the upper margin of the transmission document, the occupation area of the destination data and the transmission are compared. The sum of the upper margin and the lower margin of the original is compared (s195). As a result, when the occupied area of the destination data is smaller than the upper and lower margins of the transmission document, the described content portion of the transmission document is moved downward (s196), and the destination data is combined above the described content portion of the transmission document. And store in memory (s197, s1
98).

When the occupied area of the destination data is larger than the upper and lower margins of the transmission original, the transmission image of the cover letter registered in advance is read (s199) and is pre-allocated in the read image of the cover letter. The destination data is combined with the space (s200).

Further, as shown in FIG. 19, even when the cover letter is not used, the occupied area of the destination data extracted from the image of the business card original and the blank area of the image of the transmitted original are calculated, and both areas are compared. Depending on the result (s20
1) Alternatively, the destination data may be reduced and combined in the upper margin of the transmission document (s202 to s204).

By the above processing, the destination data extracted from the business card original can be combined with the upper part of the description content portion of the transmission original, and the operator's writing operation of the destination data can be made unnecessary.

FIG. 20 is a flow chart showing a processing procedure for synthesizing destination data at an arbitrary position of a transmission document. As the format of the transmission original, it is common to write the destination data in the upper left portion, and the copying machine 1 sets such a format fixedly. However, for example, there is a format in which it is written in a position other than the upper left part such as the upper center of the transmission document, and the operator should be able to specify at which position in the transmission document the destination data should be combined.

Therefore, when the destination compositing position designation mode is selected, the master CPU 41 reads the image of the business card document and the image of the transmission document via the scanner unit 2 and the position at which the destination data should be composed. The image of the mark sheet designated by is read. When the image of the mark sheet is read, the operator places the mark sheet on the document table 21 instead of the business card after reading the image of the business card document, and operates the copy switch.

Therefore, the master CPU 41 waits for the mark sheet to be placed on the original table 21 after the scanning of the original image is completed (s211 and s212), and the business card original is set via the image processing control unit 6. Processing for extracting the destination data from the image (s213), processing for reading the composite position of the destination data from the image on the mark sheet (s214), and
A process of reading the transmission data from the image of the transmission document (s21
5) is sequentially performed. At this time, the extracted destination data and the read transmission data are temporarily stored in the memory. Further, a process of combining the destination data is performed in the area of the transmission data corresponding to the combination position read from the image of the mark sheet (s216), and the combined image data is temporarily stored in the memory as the transmission data (s217).

As shown in FIG. 21, the occupied area of the destination data extracted from the image of the business card original is compared with the area of the combined area read from the image of the mark sheet (s2
21), the destination data may be scaled up or down according to the comparison result of both areas and combined with the image of the transmission document (s222 to s227).

With the above processing, the destination data can be combined at an arbitrary position in the transmission original designated by the operator via the mark sheet.

Instead of inputting the composite area by the mark sheet, it is possible to select the composite area by using an input device such as a digitizer.

[0081]

According to the invention described in claim 1, once
For the corrected destination data, the process related to correction input
Sentences that do not need to be processed and cannot be recognized due to stains or writing
It is possible to simplify the transmission process for a business card including characters .

[0082] According to the invention described in claim 2, operator
When a printer puts many business cards on the platen at one time,
Multiple destination data extracted from the business card image is a calling code
It is registered with the storage means together with
Multiple destinations can be specified. Because of this, once
Second and subsequent FAs for the group that performed the transmission process
It is necessary to arrange many business cards on the platen again when sending X
Work efficiency by reducing the time and labor required for sending work
The improvement of it is drawing Rukoto.

According to the invention described in claim 3, horizontal writing
Of the uppermost business card and the rightmost of vertical business cards
Considering that the person often belongs to the X number address,
When extracting multiple fax numbers from a single business card
Also, the same FA can be sent to multiple recipients for one recipient.
It is possible to prevent waste of transmitting the X transmission data and reduce communication time and communication cost.

According to the invention described in claim 4, image transmission
If the destination device cannot extract the destination,
A character recognition device that is more sophisticated than the image transmission device that an external device has
Function to quickly and accurately extract destination data.
It is possible to eliminate the need for correction input work by the operator,
The occurrence of erroneous transmission can it to prevented.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic front sectional view showing the configuration of a digital copying machine having a fax function.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control system of the digital copying machine.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing details of a communication unit and an image processing control unit of the digital copying machine.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure at the time of FAX communication processing of the digital copying machine.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state in which a plurality of business cards are placed on a document table.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an image transmission processing procedure for a plurality of destinations in the digital copying machine.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a procedure for extracting a transmission destination in the digital copying machine.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a process when there are a plurality of business cards having the same company name and FAX number.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure when a plurality of FAX numbers are written on a single business card in the digital copying machine.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure when registering a plurality of destination data read from a plurality of business card originals.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a process when unrecognizable characters exist when extracting destination data.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing an example of an embodiment of the invention described in claim 4;

FIG. 13 is a block diagram of an electronic notebook which is an example of an external information device in which a copying machine transmits and receives data.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing a data communication processing procedure of a copying machine and an electronic notebook.

FIG. 15: FA from digital copying machine to electronic notebook
9 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure when transmitting report data of X transmission result.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for correcting an unrecognizable character in the image processing control unit of the copying machine via the electronic notebook.

17 is a flowchart showing another processing procedure in the copying machine.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for combining destination data with a part of a transmission original.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart of the same.

FIG. 20 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for synthesizing destination data at an arbitrary position of a transmission document.

FIG. 21 is the same flowchart.

FIG. 22 is a diagram showing a display state of report data of a FAX transmission result in an external information device.

FIG. 23 is a diagram showing a combined state of destination data in a transmission document.

FIG. 24 is a diagram showing an example of a cover letter with which destination data is combined.

FIG. 25 is a diagram showing an example of a horizontally written transmission original in which destination data read from a vertically written business card is rotated and combined.

FIG. 26 is a diagram showing an example of a mark sheet for designating a combination position of destination data.

FIG. 27 is a diagram showing a combined state of destination data using a mark sheet in an image of a transmission original.

[Explanation of symbols]

1-Digital copier 2-scanner section 3-Laser printer section 4-Operation part 5-Communication section 6-Image processing control unit 11-Infrared communication device 12-Electronic notebook 21-Document Plate 41-Master CPU 42-46-Slave CPU 71i-character recognition unit

Continuation of front page (56) Reference JP-A-6-164778 (JP, A) JP-A-7-30709 (JP, A) JP-A-5-136969 (JP, A) JP-A-3-73661 (JP , A) JP 5-328088 (JP, A) JP 7-107221 (JP, A) JP 7-162669 (JP, A) JP 5-56240 (JP, A) JP 3-69264 (JP, A) JP-A-4-367151 (JP, A) JP-A-5-328097 (JP, A) JP-A-4-92566 (JP, A) JP-A-6-152819 (JP, A) A) JP 5-136919 (JP, A) JP 1-264359 (JP, A) JP 5-91281 (JP, A) JP 6-244979 (JP, A) JP 6 −268793 (JP, A) (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04N 1/00-1/00 108 H04N 1/32-1/36 H04N 1/42-1/44

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. An image reading unit for reading images of a business card original and a transmission original placed on a platen, and a character for extracting a destination to which the image of the transmission original is to be transmitted from the image of the business card original read by the image reading unit. In an image communication apparatus including a recognition unit and an image transmission unit that transmits the image of the transmission document read by the image reading unit to the destination extracted by the character recognition unit, a character that cannot be recognized by the destination extracted by the character recognition unit. , The modified destination information stored in the storage means is displayed, and the displayed modified destination information is displayed.
If the corrected destination information for this destination exists in the information
The selected input is accepted from the
There is no modified destination information for this destination in the destination information
In this case, the correction input of new destination information is accepted, the selected corrected destination information or the corrected destination information is set as the destination of the image of the transmission original, and the corrected destination information is set as the new corrected destination information. An image communication device characterized by being stored in a storage means. 2. A business card manuscript and a transmission manuscript placed on a manuscript table.
Image reading means for reading the image of
The image of the sent original should be sent from the image of the taken business card original
Character recognition means to extract the destination and image reading means to read
The image of the transmitted original is sent to the destination extracted by the character recognition means.
And an image communication device provided with
The character recognition means reads the original image reading means at once.
Extract multiple destinations from images of multiple business card documents taken
The number of destinations extracted by the character recognition means is
Individually assign those destinations when the number is more than the specified number
A call code is added to the group and stored in a group.
An image communication device comprising storage means . 3. When the character recognition means extracts a plurality of destinations from an image of a single business card document , among the plurality of destinations,
Addresses located at the top or right of the business card manuscript
The destination of the image of the transmission original is
The image communication device according to 1 or 2 . 4. The destination recognized by the character recognition means can be recognized.
If there are unreadable characters , the document image reading means
The image information of the scanned business card document is used as a character recognition processing request.
To the external device and the character recognition processing in the external device
External address information extracted from images of business card manuscripts by
The information transmission / reception means for receiving from the device is provided to transmit the image.
The means is the information of the image of the transmission original read by the image reading means.
It can be sent to the destination related to the destination information received by the transmitting / receiving means.
The image communication device according to claim 1, wherein: