JP3522641B2 - Image forming device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, and more specifically, it is suitable as a digital copying machine capable of realizing optimum image processing for each type of document. The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a digital copying machine, a read original image is, for example, a document area, a photographic area, or a halftone dot based on density gradient, color information and the like. It is configured to determine whether or not the area is a (printed matter), perform image processing such as contour enhancement or smoothing suitable for each area, and output a formed image.

However, the above-mentioned configuration automatically determines the type of the original from the image data as in the so-called "character / photo mode", and cannot determine 100% accurately. For this reason, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-10437
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4 publication, when copying a document with only characters or images, it is proposed that the user switch to a dedicated image processing mode so that the determination result is not reflected.

However, in the above-mentioned conventional technique, the user needs to switch the mode, and the operation is complicated. For this reason, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-58068 proposes that the frequency of the copy condition is stored in the IC card and the high-frequency copy condition is set to the standard mode. The standard mode is a mode in a standby state (default) which is automatically restored when the power is turned on or after a lapse of a predetermined period from the mode setting by the user.

[0005]

However, few users are aware of the existence of the image processing mode, and even if the character mode or the image mode improves the image quality of the copy, it is often not used. In addition, it is not uncommon for the wrong mode to be selected. That is, although a mistake in the paper size can be determined immediately after copying, in the case of the image processing mode, even if a better image quality can be obtained by switching to another mode, switching may not be possible. Many. Therefore, even if the standard mode of image processing is determined from the tendency of the user's setting operation as in the above-mentioned related art, it cannot be said that it accurately reflects the type of document, and the standard mode is optimal. There is a problem that it is not always set.

An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus in which the standard mode can be optimally set without the user performing complicated operations.

[0007]

An image forming apparatus of the present invention is an image forming apparatus for reading a document image, determining the type of the document, performing image processing according to the determination result, and outputting the formed image. , A user identification unit that identifies the user who is using the image, and the determination result is input to determine the tendency of the type of the document for each user identified by the user identification unit, and the tendency of the user and the image. A tendency judging means for judging whether or not the standard mode of processing is matched, and a user who does not match the tendency of the user in response to the output of the tendency judging means and the image processing mode is changed. An image forming apparatus comprising: a notification unit that notifies a method.

According to the above arrangement, the trend determining means allows the trend determining means to implement the optimum image processing for contour enhancement, smoothing, etc. according to the type of document such as a document, a photograph, and a halftone dot. The tendency of the document type is determined for each user, that is, it is determined whether there are many document documents or photo documents. Then, when it is determined that the user's tendency up to that point does not match the standard mode of the image processing at that time, the notifying unit notifies the user of the method of changing the image processing mode.

Therefore, in the image forming apparatus shared by a plurality of people, it is possible to prevent a minority of users who do not fit in the standard mode from forming the image in the standard mode without noticing it or by mistake. However, for most users who often use the standard mode, it is less necessary to reset the image processing mode, and operability can be improved.

The image forming apparatus of the present invention is an image forming apparatus for reading an original image, determining the type of the original, performing image processing according to the determination result, and outputting the formed image for each user. Storage means for carrying the tendency of the type of the original document, and a tendency determining means for determining the tendency of the type of the original document by inputting the determination result and updating the tendency stored in the storage means. And a setting means for setting the standard mode of the image processing in accordance with the tendency stored in the storage means.

According to the above arrangement, in order to realize the optimum image processing for contour enhancement, smoothing, etc. according to the type of document such as a document, photograph, halftone dot, etc., a memory such as an IC card is stored. The means stores the tendency of the document type of the user, and when the IC card is loaded or the data is read out without contact, the setting means sets the standard mode of image processing to the tendency of the user. Automatically set to the mode adapted to. Then, the tendency of the type of the document at that time is judged by the tendency judging means, and the contents stored in the storage means are updated.

Therefore, in the image forming apparatus shared by a plurality of persons, the image processing mode can be set to the standard mode in accordance with the tendency of each user's type of document, so that the user can properly operate without noticing or erroneously. It is possible to prevent an image from being formed in a different mode, and it becomes less necessary to reset the image processing mode, so that operability can be improved.

Furthermore, in the image forming apparatus of the present invention,
When the standard mode is changed, a notification means for notifying the change is further provided.

According to the above construction, when the standard mode stored in the storage means is changed by the tendency judging means, the notifying means notifies the user of that fact.

Therefore, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the user will not be aware of the switching and form an image, and to prevent confusion due to the switching.

Further, the image forming apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that the tendency judging means judges the tendency from the area of each area of each kind.

According to the above construction, the standard mode is determined from the area of each type of area, for example, the number of dots. Therefore, the tendency is determined by a simple process of accumulating the determination results and obtaining the ratio. be able to. In addition, the memory capacity required for accumulating the cumulative total can be reduced.

Furthermore, in the image forming apparatus of the present invention,
The tendency determining means divides the total area by a predetermined period and performs the division.

According to the above configuration, since the cumulative total is divided into fixed periods, the old cumulative after a predetermined period has been deleted, or a period during which a large number of originals of different types are processed temporarily. It is possible to further reflect the usage record of an arbitrary period in the determination of the tendency, such as deleting the record of (3) later.

Further, the image forming apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that the tendency judging means multiplies the cumulative total of past periods by a small weighting factor and totals.

According to the above structure, the above-mentioned tendency is judged by
It is possible to reflect the recent usage record more.

Furthermore, in the image forming apparatus of the present invention,
The tendency determining means excludes a blank area from the determination of the tendency.

According to the above arrangement, the blank (base) area is usually treated as a photographic image in the area discrimination, but it is determined that an original including only characters includes many image portions. By excluding the blank area from the aggregation of the tendency, it is possible to determine the tendency according to the actual situation.

[0024]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Regarding one embodiment of the present invention,
The following is a description with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5.

FIG. 1 shows a copying machine 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of FIG.

The image of the original placed on the original placing table is C
The image is read by the image reading unit 2 including a CD line image sensor, an analog / digital converter, and the like,
The obtained document image data is input to the image processing unit 3. In the image processing unit 3, first in the area separating unit 3a,
From the document image data, area separation processing is performed such that it is determined to be the area of the document from the rising edge, and is determined to be the area of the halftone dot from periodic repetition of pixels. Next, color correction such as γ correction is performed in the color correction unit 3b. Subsequently, in the filter unit 3c, for example, filter processing such as edge enhancement in the document area and smoothing processing in the halftone area is performed. Further halftone part 3d
After the halftone correction is performed in (1), the image is output to the image forming unit 4. The image forming unit 4 is realized by a laser beam printer, an inkjet printer, or the like, and outputs a formed image corresponding to image data.

The operations of the image reading unit 2, the image processing unit 3 and the image forming unit 4 are controlled by a control unit 5 realized by a microcomputer or the like. The control unit 5 is connected to a user interface 6 realized by a liquid crystal operation panel or the like, a user identification unit 7 described later, a host device when the copying machine 1 is used as a printer, or the image forming unit 4. A communication unit 8 connected to a service center or the like for maintenance and a storage unit 9 realized by a memory or the like are connected.

The control unit 5 includes an area separation accumulation processing unit 5a, mode storage units 5b and 5c, a mode matching determination processing unit 5d, a standard mode setting processing unit 5e, a user ID storage unit 5f, and a message generation notification processing unit 5g. It is equipped with. The area-separation cumulative processing unit 5a includes the image processing unit 3
The separation result in the area separation unit 3a is input, and addition processing is performed with the accumulated data stored for each user in the area separation accumulation storage unit 9a of the storage unit 9 to obtain new accumulated data as the area separation accumulation. It is stored in the storage unit 9a.

The mode storage unit 5b stores the actual image processing mode in the image processing unit 3, stores the mode immediately before the copying operation changed by the user operation, and the copying operation is performed. Then, the mode is set in each part of the image processing unit 3. The mode storage unit 5c stores the image processing mode of the standard mode, and stores the mode in the standby state which is automatically restored when the power is turned on or after a predetermined period has elapsed from the mode setting by the user. .

The mode matching determination processing section 5d compares the image processing mode stored in the mode storage section 5b with the image processing mode stored in the mode storage section 5c, and when they do not match. The standard mode setting processing unit 5e sets the image processing mode stored in the mode storage unit 5b to the standard mode stored in the mode storage unit 5c after a lapse of a predetermined period from the mode setting by the user.

The user ID storage unit 5f stores the user ID identified based on the personal identification number input from the user identification unit 7. In the present embodiment, when the user ID is input from the user identification unit 7, the cumulative data corresponding to the user is read from the area separation cumulative storage unit 9a, and the mode matching determination processing unit 5d.
Compares the standard mode obtained from the accumulated data with the standard mode stored in the mode storage unit 5c,
If they do not match, the message generation notification processing section 5g is caused to read the message data stored in the message data storage section 9b of the storage section 9,
On the liquid crystal operation panel of the user interface 6,
Notify how to change the image processing mode.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the processing operation of the area separation cumulative processing unit 5a. The area separation cumulative processing unit 5a determines whether the pixel of interest is a character, a photograph, a halftone dot, or a blank from the separation result in the area separation unit 3a like the character and the blank shown in FIG. Then
Count the number of each pixel. As shown in FIG. 3, the count result is accumulated for each predetermined period (one month in FIG. 3) and stored in the area separation cumulative storage unit 9a for each user.

Then, the cumulative result is multiplied by the weight as shown in FIG. 3, and the tendency of the document type is judged. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the weights are set to 1.0 equally for this month, one month ago, and two months ago, 0.9 before March, 0.8 before April, and 0.1 before November. It is selected such that the weight of the past period is as small as 0 for the one year and earlier. That is, it is selected so as to better reflect the recent usage record. Further, this weight can be eliminated by temporarily reducing the weight in a month or the like in which a large number of originals of different types are processed temporarily.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the accumulating process. In step S1, attention is paid to the first line, and in step S2, it is determined whether or not the line is the last line. If not, the process proceeds to step S3, and the next line in the area separation unit 3a based on the density gradient, color information, etc. After waiting until the line region separation processing is completed, the process proceeds to step S4. When the line is the final line, it is not necessary to perform the next line region separation process, so the process directly proceeds to step S4.

At step S4, attention is paid to the first pixel of the line, and at step S5, it is determined which kind of area the pixel should belong to. If it is a character, the character count value SL0 is updated in step S6, if it is a halftone dot, the halftone dot count value SM0 is updated in step S7, and if it is a photograph, the photograph count is calculated in step S8. The value SP0 is updated, and if it is blank, the blank count value SB0 is updated in step S9.

In step S10, it is determined whether or not the last pixel of the line has been reached. If not, the next pixel is focused on in step S11 and the process returns to step S5. If yes, the process proceeds to step S12. In step S12, it is determined whether or not the final line has been reached. If not, the next line is focused on in step S13, the process returns to step S2, and if so, the process proceeds to step S14. In step S14, the count value is converted into cumulative data Sxm (x = L, M, P, B) which will be described later, and in step S15, cumulative data Sx of the month is converted.
0 is added to the data of the corresponding user in the area separation cumulative storage unit 9a.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart for explaining the mode matching determination processing operation in the mode matching determination processing section 5d and the notification operation of the image processing mode changing method by the message generation notification processing section 5g. Step S
In 20, the cumulative data corresponding to the user ID identified by the user identifying unit 7 is selected and read from the area separation cumulative storage unit 9a, and in Step S21, the cumulative data of the month obtained in Step S15. Sx
0 is the past cumulative data Sxm (m
= -1, -2, ..., -11) and the weight Wm (m = 0, -1, -2, ..., -11 in this case) are accumulated. In step S22, it is determined whether or not there is another area. If there is another area, the process returns to step S21. If not, that is, when the accumulated values of all the areas are obtained, the process proceeds to step S23.

In step S23, the index PL for determining the tendency of the document type is obtained by the following equation.

PL = SL / (SL + SM + SP) (1) In step S24, the optimum standard mode is determined from the index PL. When PL <α (step S25), the image mode is determined, and when α ≦ PL <β (step S26), β ≦ PL <γ (step S2)
7), and γ ≦ PL <δ (step S2
When 8), it is determined to be between the character and the image, and when δ ≦ PL (step S29), the character mode is determined. Note that α <β <γ <δ.

The current standard mode is the above step S25.
When the image mode is set in step S29, and when the character mode is set in step S29, the process proceeds to step S30, and the operation panel remains in the current standard mode and there is no need to change the mode. Notified and the process ends. On the other hand, when the character mode is set in step S25, the process proceeds to step S31, and the method of changing to the image mode is notified. When the image mode is set in step S29, the process proceeds to step S32 and the character mode is set. After being notified of the changing method of, the processing ends.

On the other hand, when the current standard mode is the character mode in the step S26, that is, the index PL is between the character and the image and is not largely deviated, the current standard mode is set. If the change is desired, the process proceeds to step S33, and after notifying the changing method to the automatic mode or the image mode,
The process ends. Similarly, when the image mode is set in step S28, the process proceeds to step S34, and after the notification of the method of changing to the automatic mode or the character mode, the process ends. When the image mode is set in step S26 and the character mode is set in step S28, that is, the index PL is between the character and the image,
If the desired mode has been set, the process proceeds to step S30.

Furthermore, in step S27, that is, when the index PL is between the character and the image and it is difficult to distinguish them, when the automatic mode is not set, the process proceeds to step S35 to switch to the automatic mode. After the notification of the changing method, the processing is ended, and when it is in the automatic mode, the process proceeds to step S30. In this way, the optimum standard mode corresponding to the index PL is notified.

In the above description, the count values SL, SM and SP are calculated for each of the characters, halftone dots and photographs, and the above equation 1 is used.
For the sake of simplification of explanation, the index PL is obtained from the ratio of only the count value SL of the characters among them, but the index PL is calculated by using a coefficient for each count value SL, SM, SP. The PL may be determined in more detail. Similarly, in FIG. 5, the determination is made to either the character mode or the image mode, but the image mode may be determined in more detail to the photo mode or the halftone dot mode.

In this way, the copier 1 of the present invention realizes the optimum image processing corresponding to the type of the original document, so that the tendency of the original document types accumulated in the area separation cumulative storage section 9a for each user is shown. When the mode matching determination processing unit 5d determines that the determination result does not match the standard mode of the image processing at that time, the message generation notification processing unit 5g reads the message data stored in the message data storage unit 9b, The liquid crystal operation panel of the user interface 6 is notified of the method of changing the image processing mode.

Therefore, in the copying machine 1 shared by a plurality of people, a minority of users who do not fit in the standard mode
For the majority of users who often use the standard mode, it is not necessary to reset the image processing mode while preventing the image from being formed in the standard mode unknowingly or by mistake. Therefore, the operability can be improved. Further, even if the user does not set the image processing mode or selects the wrong mode, the tendency of the document type is accurately determined, so that the image processing mode suitable for the user can be accurately determined. .

Furthermore, since the data accumulated for judging the tendency is area data for each kind of area, it is easy to calculate the ratio by accumulating the judgment results shown in the equation (1). It is possible to make a determination by various processes, and it is also possible to reduce the memory capacity of the area separation cumulative storage unit 9a necessary for accumulating the cumulative total.

Further, since the cumulative total of the areas for judging the tendency is divided for every fixed period, the old cumulative after the lapse of a predetermined period is deleted, or a type temporarily different from usual is deleted. It is possible to further reflect the usage record of an arbitrary period in the determination of the tendency, such as deleting the record of a period in which many documents are processed.

Further, although the blank area in the area determination is usually treated as a photographic image, it is excluded from the determination, so that it is possible to determine the tendency according to the actual situation.

When a personal computer or the like is connected to the copying machine via a network in order to use the copying machine as a printer, if the standard mode is changed, the standard mode does not match due to the change. It may be possible to notify all the users to that effect all at once.

Another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
It will be described below with reference to FIG.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining an area separation processing operation in a copying machine according to another embodiment of the present invention.
The configuration of the copying machine in the present embodiment is similar to that of the copying machine 1 shown in FIG. 1 described above, and the same reference numerals are used in the following description. In the area separation processing in FIG. 2 described above,
Although it was determined whether the target pixel is a character, a photograph, a halftone dot, or a blank, in the present embodiment, the target pixel is the boundary between them as shown in FIG. To consider.

That is, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7,
The pixel of interest is counted according to the determination result as to whether it is a character, a photograph, a halftone dot or a blank, and whether the target pixel is a character and a halftone dot, a halftone dot and a photograph, a photograph and a character, a character and a halftone dot and a photograph. Counting is also performed based on the determination result as to whether or not it is near the boundary of. Therefore, even if the number of pixels is the same, the total sum of the count values in the area separation cumulative processing unit 5a may not match depending on the type of original image.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the count value accumulating process as described above. Similar to FIG. 4 described above, corresponding parts are designated by the same step numbers, and description thereof is omitted. It should be noted that, when the counting is performed in each of the steps S6, S7, and S8, the determination result of the target pixel is the step S6.
The flag A is set in each of a, S7a, and S8a, and the boundary determination result is counted in steps S61 to S71.

That is, first, the flag A is set to 1 indicating that it is a character in the step S6a, set to 2 indicating that it is a halftone dot in the step S7a, and is set to a photograph in the step S8a. 4 indicating that there is is set. If characters are present in the flags A further near them, steps S61 and S62 are performed.
1 is added by, when the halftone dot exists, 2 is added by steps S63 and S64, and when the photograph exists, 4 is added by steps S65 and S66.

Next, in step S67, the flag A is set.
If the value is 3, it is the boundary between the character and the halftone dot when it is 3, and the count value SLM0 is updated in step S68. If the value is 5, it is the boundary between the photograph and the character, so the count value is in step S69. When SPL0 is updated and is 6, it is the boundary between the halftone dot and the photograph, so that the count value SMP0 is updated in step S70, and 7
Since the boundary is between a character, a halftone dot, and a photograph, the count value SLMP0 is updated in step S71, and then the process proceeds to step S10.

With this configuration, the boundary portion can be taken into consideration in the area separation processing. For example, a case where only a character-only original, a halftone-dot original and a photograph-only original are processed respectively. , The total of the count values SL0, SM0, SP0 is almost the same when 3y sheets of a document in which characters, halftone dots and photographs are uniformly mixed are processed, but the count values SLM0, SP of the boundary are obtained.
Since L0, SMP0, and SLMP0 are different from each other, the tendency can be determined more appropriately.

With respect to still another embodiment of the present invention,
The following is a description with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing the electrical construction of a copying machine 11 according to still another embodiment of the present invention. The copying machine 11 is similar to the copying machine 1 described above, and corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted. It should be noted that, in this copying machine 11, the standard image processing mode for each user and the area separation accumulated data are stored in the IC card 12. This IC card 12
It is detachable from the main body of the copying machine 11 and carried by each user.

The IC card 12 includes the user ID storage unit 12
f, an area separation accumulation storage unit 12a that stores the area separation accumulation data, and a mode storage unit 12c that stores the standard image processing mode for the user. Correspondingly, the control unit 15 is provided with an IC card detection processing unit 15h, and the storage unit 19 is not provided with the area separation cumulative storage unit 9a.

The IC card detection processing section 15h
When the mounting of the card 12 is detected, the mode storage unit 12
The standard mode of image processing stored in c is set in the mode storage unit 5b. Also, when the copy process is performed,
The area separation accumulation processing unit 5a displays the separation result in the area separation unit 3a of the image processing unit 3 in the area separation accumulation storage unit 1
An addition process is performed on the cumulative data of 2a, and new cumulative data is stored in the area-separated cumulative storage unit 12a. Furthermore, when the mode matching determination processing unit 5d determines that the standard mode stored in the mode storage unit 12c should be changed based on the updated cumulative data, the standard mode setting processing unit 5e stores the mode. The message generation notification processing unit 5g reads the message data stored in the message data storage unit 9b while changing the storage contents of the unit 12c, and sets the standard mode on the liquid crystal operation panel of the user interface 6 or the like. Notify you to change.

FIG. 10 is a flow chart for explaining the mode matching determination processing operation and the standard mode setting operation. The process of FIG. 10 is similar to the process shown in FIG. 5 described above, corresponding parts are denoted by the same step numbers, and description thereof is omitted.

The current standard mode is the above step S25.
When the image mode is set in, and when the character mode is set in step S29, the process proceeds to step S40, and it is determined that it is not necessary to change the mode. On the other hand, when the character mode is set in step S25, the process proceeds to step S41, it is determined that the image mode should be changed, and the step S29 is performed.
When the mode is the image mode in step S4
Moving to 2, it is determined that the character mode should be changed.

On the other hand, when the current standard mode is the character mode in step S26 and the image mode in step S28, that is, when the index PL is between the character and the image. Although it is not greatly deviated, if it is desired to change the current standard mode, the process proceeds to step S43, and it is determined that the automatic mode should be changed. Further, when the image mode is set in step S26 and the character mode is set in step S28, that is, the index PL is between the character and the image, and the desired mode is set. If so, the process proceeds to step S40.

Furthermore, in step S27, that is, when the index PL is between the character and the image and it is difficult to distinguish them, if the automatic mode is not set, the process proceeds to step S43 and the automatic mode is set. If so, the process moves to step S40. In this way, the optimum standard mode corresponding to the index PL is obtained.

The process moves from step S41 to S43 to step S44, and the standard mode stored in the mode storage section 12c is changed. After the step S40 and the step S44, the process moves to a step S45, and after the liquid crystal operation panel or the like of the user interface 6 is informed that the standard mode is changed or does not need to be changed,
The process ends.

With such a configuration, in the copying machine 11 shared by a plurality of people, the standard mode of image processing according to the tendency of the document type of each user can be achieved by simply mounting the IC card 12. Since the current mode of the mode storage unit 5b is automatically set, it is possible to prevent the user from unknowingly or erroneously forming an image in an inappropriate mode, and also to prevent image processing. There is less need to reset the mode, and operability can be improved.

Further, when the standard mode is changed, the fact is notified, so that it is possible to reduce the possibility of the user forming an image without noticing the switching, and to prevent confusion due to the switching.

The IC card detection processing section 15h and I
The C card 12 is configured to be capable of transmitting / receiving, and data in the IC card 12 is written / contactlessly at a close distance.
It may have a readable configuration.

[0069]

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY As described above, the image forming apparatus of the present invention is used in an image forming apparatus that determines the type of a document, performs image processing according to the determination result, and outputs a formed image. The user is identified, and if the tendency of the original document type of the user so far does not match the standard mode of the image processing at that time, the user is notified of the method of changing the image processing mode.

Therefore, in the image forming apparatus shared by a plurality of people, it is possible that a minority of users who do not fit in the standard mode will form an image in the standard mode without realizing it or by mistake. While preventing this, most users who often use the standard mode do not need to reset the image processing mode, and the operability can be improved.

Further, as described above, the image forming apparatus of the present invention is an image forming apparatus which determines the type of a document, performs image processing according to the determination result, and outputs a formed image,
The standard mode of image processing is set in accordance with the tendency of the type of document stored in the storage means such as an IC card carried by the user.

Therefore, in the image forming apparatus shared by a plurality of people, the image processing mode can be set to the standard mode according to the tendency of each user for the type of original document.
It is possible to prevent image formation in an inappropriate mode without noticing it or by mistake, and it becomes less necessary to reset the image processing mode, and operability can be improved.

Further, as described above, the image forming apparatus of the present invention informs the user when the standard mode is changed.

Therefore, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the user will form an image without noticing the switching.
It is possible to prevent confusion due to switching.

Further, the image forming apparatus of the present invention determines the tendency from the area of each type of area as described above.

Therefore, the tendency can be determined by a simple process of accumulating the determination results and obtaining the ratio. In addition, the memory capacity required for accumulating the cumulative total can be reduced.

Furthermore, as described above, the image forming apparatus of the present invention divides the cumulative total of the above-mentioned areas for each fixed period.

Therefore, it is possible to arbitrarily determine the tendency by, for example, deleting the old total after a predetermined period of time has passed, or deleting the results of the period in which a large number of originals of different types are processed temporarily. It is possible to more reflect the usage record of the period.

Further, as described above, the image forming apparatus of the present invention multiplies the cumulative total of past periods by a small weighting factor for aggregation.

Therefore, the recent usage record can be more reflected in the determination of the document tendency.

Furthermore, the image forming apparatus of the present invention excludes the blank area from the judgment of the tendency as described above.

Therefore, in the area discrimination, a blank area which is usually treated as a photographic image and which is judged to include many image parts even in a manuscript having only characters is excluded from the totalization. A decision can be made.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an area separation processing operation of the copying machine in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a count result of separation results in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining a cumulative processing operation of the separation result shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a mode matching determination processing operation and a notification operation of an image processing mode changing method.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining an area separation processing operation in a copying machine according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a counting result of the separation result in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining a cumulative processing operation of the separation result shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of a copying machine according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining a mode matching determination processing operation and a standard mode setting operation.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 11 Copier 2 Image reading unit 3 Image processing unit 3a Region separation unit 3b Color correction unit 3c Filter unit 3d Halftone unit 4 Image forming unit 5, 15 Control unit 5a Region separation accumulation processing unit (trend determination means) 5b mode Storage unit (current mode) 5c, 12c Mode storage unit (standard mode) 5d Mode matching determination processing unit (trend determination unit) 5e Standard mode setting processing unit (setting unit) 5f, 12f User ID storage unit 5g Message generation notification process Section (notification means, notification means) 6 user interface 7 user identification section (user identification means) 8 communication sections 9 and 19 storage sections 9a and 12a area separation cumulative storage section 9b message data storage section 12 IC card

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Claims (7)

(57) [Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus for reading a document image, determining the type of the document, performing image processing according to the determination result and outputting a formed image, a user identifying means for identifying a user who is using the image. Then, the tendency of the document type is determined for each user identified by the user identification means by using the determination result as an input, and whether the tendency of the user is consistent with the standard mode of image processing. And a notifying unit that responds to the output of the tendency determining unit and notifies the user whose tendency does not match the standard mode of the image processing mode changing method. Image forming apparatus. 2. An image forming apparatus for reading a document image, determining the type of the document, performing image processing according to the determination result, and outputting a formed image, carried by each user, and determining the type of document. Storage means for storing a tendency; a tendency determination means for determining the tendency of the type of the original document by inputting the determination result and updating the tendency stored in the storage means; The image forming apparatus includes a setting unit that sets the standard mode of the image processing according to the tendency. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising an informing unit for informing that when the standard mode is changed. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tendency determining means determines the tendency based on the area of each of the regions of each type. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the tendency determination unit divides the total area and performs the division for each fixed period. 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the tendency determination means multiplies a cumulative total of past periods by a small weighting factor to perform totaling. 7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tendency determining unit excludes a blank area from the determination of the tendency.