JP3738644B2 - Digital copying system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a copying system configured by combining a digital copying machine and an external controller.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A digital copying machine realizes a copying function by combining a scanner function and a printer function. For this reason, it is possible to connect the digital copying machine to a network so that the scanner function and printer function can be used from a client apparatus on the network. Digital copiers, unlike analog copiers, can store and reuse scanned images, providing various advanced copier functions that were not possible with analog methods such as electronic sorting. You can also.
[0003]
In recent copiers, in order to realize various product configurations at low cost, the copier is often modularized into a main body and a controller. The copying machine main body has a scanner function and a printer function, and operates as a simple copying machine by itself. The controller is an external control device that gives the copying machine main body additional functions such as a network connection function, advanced copying processing, and image processing function. By connecting a controller to the copying machine main body, it becomes a copying machine having advanced functions such as a network function and an electronic sorting function.
[0004]
The controller includes a control panel, and the user can input an operation instruction from the control panel. In this control panel, for example, instructions such as local scan, local print, and electronic sort copy can be input. A scanning interface and a printing interface are provided between the controller and the copying machine main body. When scanning is instructed from the control panel, the controller sends a scan request to the copying machine main body using the scanning interface, and in response to this, captures, for example, stores an image sent from the copying machine main body. When a print instruction is issued, the controller sends a print request and image data to the copying machine main body through the print interface, and prints it. When there is a copy processing instruction from the control panel, the controller first sends a scan request to acquire a read image from the copying machine main body. Then, the controller performs processing (for example, sorting processing or image processing) corresponding to the content of the instructed copying process on the acquired image, and sends the processing result image to the copying machine main body together with the print request.
[0005]
On the other hand, a control panel is also provided in the copying machine main body, and operations regarding functions of the main body such as a copying function can be input. When a copy instruction is input from the control panel, the copying machine main body implements a copy process by setting an image transfer path from the built-in scan function to the print function. On the other hand, when a scan instruction is issued from the controller, an image transfer path is set from the scan function to the scan interface, and when a print instruction is issued, an image transfer path is set from the print interface to the print function. .
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Conventionally, when a copy instruction is input from the control panel of the controller, the image read by the scanner of the copier main body is once sent to the controller and then sent again from the controller to the printer of the copier main body. It took. In the case of an advanced copying function such as an electronic sort that is not installed in the copying machine main body, it is inevitable that the image is once sent to the controller. However, in the case of copying without using such advanced functions, it takes only a long time to obtain the same result as when a copy instruction is issued from the control panel of the copier body.
[0007]
The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object of the present invention is to quickly obtain a copy result for a copy instruction input from an operation unit of a controller.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
To achieve the above object, a digital copying system according to the present invention comprises a copying machine main body and an external controller. The external controller includes a receiving means for receiving a copying instruction from a user, and the received copying instruction includes a copying machine. Copy instruction determination means for determining whether a simple copy instruction that can be performed only by the function of the main body or an advanced copy instruction that requires additional processing by an external controller, and if the simple copy instruction is received, When a copy instruction is issued and a high-level copy instruction is received, a scan instruction is issued to the main body of the copier, and the additional information is sent to the image sent from the main body of the copier accordingly. Copy control means for issuing a print instruction to the copier after processing, and the copier body receives the copy instruction from the external controller. The image path switching means for switching the transfer path of the image acquired by the scanner so that the image is directly transferred from the scanner to the printer, and the image is transferred from the scanner to the external controller when the scan instruction is received. wherein the copy instruction to be sent to the copying machine main body from the external controller, characterized in that the copying instruction in the same format accepted from copying instruction unit of the copying machine main body.
[0009]
In this configuration, when a copy instruction is input from the user to the external controller, if the copy instruction is a simple copy processing instruction that can be executed only with the resources of the copier body, the copy is made from the external controller to the copier body. Instructions are sent. In response to this, the copying machine main body switches the image path so as to transfer the image from the scanner to the printer without using an external controller. In this configuration, in the case of simple copying, the image is not passed through the external controller, so that the copying result can be obtained quickly. Since the copying instruction issued by the external controller has the same format as the copying instruction of the copying instruction means of the copying machine main body, the copying machine main body has an advantage that both copying instructions can be handled by the same mechanism. .
[0010]
In a preferred aspect of the present invention, the copying machine body includes a copying instruction unit that receives a copying instruction from a user, and a control unit that controls each part of the copying machine body according to the instruction received by the copying instruction unit. When receiving the copy instruction from the external controller, the image path switching means inputs the copy instruction to the control means as an instruction from the copy instruction means.
[0011]
In this aspect, since the means for receiving the copy instruction from the external controller inputs the instruction to the control means of the main body as an instruction from the copy instruction means of the copying machine main body, the copy from the external controller is adopted. Both the instruction and the copy instruction from the copy instruction means of the copying machine main body can be handled by the same control means.
[0014]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as embodiments) will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0015]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a digital copying system according to the present embodiment. In the figure, a solid line indicates an image path through which image data flows, and a broken line indicates a control path through which a control signal flows.
[0016]
The digital copying system in FIG. 1 includes a copying machine main body 10 and a controller 20.
[0017]
The copying machine main body 10 includes a scanner 11 that reads a document image and generates digital image data, and a print engine 14 that prints the digital image data on paper. The image processing unit 12 is an apparatus that performs image processing for basic image processing functions provided by the copying machine main body 10 (for example, image rotation and a plurality of documents are combined into one page). Image data obtained by the scanner 11 is input to the image path switching unit 13 via the image processing unit 12.
[0018]
Connected to the image path switching unit 13 are an image path 202 from the image processing unit 12 in the main body, an image path 204 to the print engine 14, a print image path 212 from the controller 20, and a scan image path 214 to the controller 20. Has been. The image path switching unit 13 switches the connection relationship between the paths under the control of the main body control unit 15.
[0019]
The main body control unit 15 is a device that controls the operation of each unit in the copying machine main body 10. Between the main body control unit 15 and the controller 20, a print control path 102 for a print instruction and a scan control path 104 for a scan instruction are provided. The main body control unit 15 includes an external command interface 154 for exchanging instructions and responses with the controller 20 via the control paths 102 and 104.
[0020]
The main body control unit 15 is connected to the control panel 16 of the copying machine main body 10. The control panel 16 is an operation unit for a user to input a copy instruction and the like. Various control parameters and modes such as the number of copies, paper size, single-sided / double-sided, and N-up (N-page original is copied to one page) are displayed. A mechanism to specify and a start button are provided. The main body control unit 15 includes an internal command interface 152 that accepts command input from the control panel 16.
[0021]
The controller 20 is an additional unit for giving the copying machine body 10 a network function and other advanced functions. The controller 20 is connected to the LAN 30 and has a function of receiving a scan instruction and a print instruction from a client device (not shown) via the LAN 30 and controlling the copier body 10 according to these instructions. In addition, the controller 20 has a function of accepting instructions such as printing, scanning, and copying locally from the control panel 22. Further, the controller 20 has a function of adding additional processing to the image read by the copying machine main body 10 such as electronic sort processing and advanced image processing. By using this function, advanced copying processing that cannot be performed by the copying machine main body 10 alone can be executed.
[0022]
A conventional controller can only issue a scan instruction or a print instruction to the copying machine main body 10. On the other hand, the controller 20 of the present embodiment has a function of issuing a copy mode operation instruction to the copying machine main body 10. When receiving the copy mode operation instruction, the main body control unit 15 of the copying machine main body 10 instructs the image path switching unit 13 to connect the path 202 from the image processing unit 12 to the path 204 to the print engine 14. Send. Thus, when a copy instruction is input from the control panel 22 of the controller 20, an image output from the scanner 11 can be sent directly to the print engine 14 and printed without passing through the controller 20.
[0023]
The controller 20 of the present embodiment determines whether the user instruction input from the control panel 22 is an advanced copy process that requires the function of the controller 20 or a simple copy process that is possible with the function of the copier body 10. In the former case, the process is performed by combining the scan instruction and the print instruction as in the conventional case, and in the latter case, the process is realized by using the copy mode operation instruction.
[0024]
Next, the processing operation of the system of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0025]
FIG. 2 shows a procedure when the controller 20 receives a copy instruction from the control panel 22. When the user wants to give a copy instruction at the controller 20, the user sets an original on the automatic document feeder of the copier body 10, and the control panel 22 sets the copy parameters such as the number of copies, one-sided / double-sided, and whether or not electronic sort is used. Is pressed and the start button on the control panel 22 is pressed. When detecting the pressing of the start button, the controller 20 analyzes parameters and the like input from the control panel 22 (S10). As a result, it is determined whether or not the instruction includes designation of advanced copy processing such as electronic sorting (S12). For this determination, information indicating which of the designated contents that can be designated on the control panel 22 is advanced copying processing that cannot be executed only by the copying machine main body 10 is registered in the controller 20. As a result of the determination, if the designation of advanced copying processing is included, the controller 20 first sends a scanning instruction to the copying machine main body 10 using the scanning control path 104, and in response thereto, the scanning image path 214 is sent from the copying machine main body 10. The images sent through the network are acquired and stored (S14). Then, when it is determined from the completion notification of reading from the copying machine main body 10 that the capturing of all the set original images has been completed (S16), the controller 20 uses the print control path 102 to the copying machine main body 10. A print instruction is sent, and an image to be printed is sent through the print image path 212 for printing (S18). At this time, the controller 20 performs the designated advanced copying process on the accumulated document image, and issues a print instruction according to this. For example, if the electronic sort is designated as the advanced copying process, the operation of sequentially sending the stored one set of original images to the copying machine main body 10 for printing is repeated for the designated number of copies.
[0026]
On the other hand, when the copy instruction received by the control panel 22 does not include designation of advanced copy processing, the controller 20 sends the designated contents (paper size, single side / double side, etc.) of the copy instruction to the control panel 16 of the copier body 10. (S20), and the copy command of the conversion result is transmitted to the copier body 10 (S22). This copy command may be transmitted using either the print control path 102 or the scan control path 104.
[0027]
FIG. 3 shows an operation procedure of the main body control unit 15 of the copier main body 10 when an instruction is received from the controller 20.
[0028]
An instruction from the controller 20 is received by the external command interface 154. The external command interface 154 determines whether or not the received instruction is a copy instruction (S30). If it is a copy instruction, the image path switching unit 13 is instructed to switch the image path to an internal mode (that is, a mode in which the image processing unit 12 and the print engine 14 are directly connected) (S42). Then, the external command interface 154 passes the received command to the internal command interface 152 (S44). Since the copy instruction from the controller 20 has been converted into the command format of the main body control panel 16 (S20), the internal command interface 152 is completely different from the instruction received from the control panel 16 with the copy instruction received from the external interface 154. It can be processed similarly. As a result, the main body control unit 15 controls the scanner 11, the image processing unit 12, and the print engine 14 according to the instruction content, and executes a copy process (S46).
[0029]
On the other hand, if it is determined in S30 that the incoming instruction is not a copy instruction, the main body control unit 15 (external command interface 154) determines whether or not the instruction is a print instruction (S32). If it is a print instruction, the main body control unit 15 instructs the image path switching unit 13 to switch the image path to the print mode (that is, the mode in which the print image path 212 is connected to the path 204 to the print engine) (S34). ), The print engine 14 is controlled in accordance with the contents of the instruction to execute the print process (S36).
[0030]
If it is determined in S32 that the instruction is not a print instruction, the main body control unit 15 instructs the image path switching unit 13 to change the image path to the scan mode (that is, the path 202 from the image processing unit 12 to the scan image path 214). (S38), the scanner 11 and the image processing unit 12 are controlled according to the contents of the instruction, and the scanning process is executed (S40).
[0031]
According to the procedure described above, when the user inputs a simple copy processing instruction from the control panel 22 of the controller 20, the copier body 10 switches the image path to the internal mode, and the scanner 11 transfers to the print engine 14. And can be transferred directly. Conventionally, in any copy, when an instruction is given from the control panel 22 of the controller 20, it takes time to obtain a copy result because the image is once taken into the controller 20. Therefore, in the case of simple copy processing, an image can be sent without going through the controller 20, so that a copy result can be obtained quickly. Conventionally, in order to perform the copying process, it has been necessary to give two instructions, ie, a scan instruction and a print instruction, from the controller 20 to the copying machine main body 10. In the present embodiment, copying is performed in the case of the simple copying process. It only needs to be instructed, and the overhead associated with command issuance is reduced.
[0032]
According to the method of the present embodiment, the product configuration is such that the controller 20 is built in the same housing as the copying machine main body 10, the control panel 16 of the main body 10 is omitted, and only the panel 22 of the controller 20 is used as a user interface. Even in the case of the simple copying process, a response speed equivalent to that when a copying instruction is issued from the panel 16 of the copying machine main body 10 can be realized.
[0033]
Further, in this embodiment, the copy instruction from the controller 20 has the same format as the copy instruction from the control panel 16 of the copier body 10, and when the external command interface 154 of the copier body 10 receives the copy instruction from the controller 20, Therefore, the configuration of this embodiment can be realized without changing the configuration of the main body control unit 15 other than the external command interface 154 at all.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a digital copying system according to an embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a processing procedure of the controller according to the embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a processing procedure of the copying machine main body according to the embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Copy machine body, 11 Scanner, 12 Image processing part, 13 Image path switching part, 14 Print engine, 15 Main body control part, 16 Control panel, 20 Controller, 22 Control panel, 30 LAN, 102 Print control path, 104 Scan control Path, 152 internal command interface, 154 external command interface, 202, 204 image path, 212 print image path, 214 scan image path.

Claims (2)

By copying a copying machine main body that performs a copying process using a built-in scanner and printer, and obtaining an image read by the copying machine main body, performing predetermined additional processing on the image, and issuing a print instruction to the copying machine main body A digital copying system comprising an external controller capable of executing advanced copying processing;
The external controller is
Copy instruction receiving means for receiving a copy instruction from a user;
Copy instruction determining means for determining whether the received copy instruction is a simple copy instruction or an advanced copy instruction with the additional processing;
When the simple copying instruction is received, a copying instruction is issued to the copying machine main body. When the advanced copying instruction is received, a scanning instruction is issued to the copying machine main body. A copy control means for issuing a print instruction to the copier after performing the additional processing on the image sent from the copier body;
With
The copier body is
When receiving the copying instruction from the external controller, the scanner transfers the image directly from the scanner to the printer, and when receiving the scanning instruction, the scanner transfers the image from the scanner to the external controller. Image path switching means for switching the transfer path of the acquired image;
And a copy instruction sent from the external controller to the copying machine main body has the same format as a copying instruction received from the copy instruction means of the copying machine main body . The copier body is
A copy instruction means for receiving an instruction from the user;
Control means for controlling each part of the copying machine main body in accordance with an instruction received by the copying instruction means;
With
2. The digital copy according to claim 1, wherein when the copy instruction is received from the external controller, the image path switching means inputs the copy instruction to the control means as an instruction from the copy instruction means. system.

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