JP4045609B2 - Image reading apparatus, image processing apparatus, image reading method, and image processing method - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
  The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus for processing a plurality of jobs in parallel such as copying, facsimile processing, and printing processing., Image processing apparatus, image reading method, and image processing methodAbout.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a printer or a facsimile, a technique has been proposed in which processing is controlled by assigning priorities to a plurality of jobs according to job generation sources and the number of processed sheets.
[0003]
For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-32017 discloses a printer that can interrupt a print job with a small number of pages in a print job with a large number of pages. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-103143 discloses a technique that can preliminarily set which function is preferentially processed in an image processing apparatus having copy and facsimile functions. Furthermore, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-756 discloses a technique for interrupting a copy job into a print job, or interrupting a print job page by page.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in print jobs and facsimile jobs, information such as the number of pages to be printed in advance is sent to the image processing apparatus. Therefore, it is easy to determine the priority based on this information. Since information for determining priority such as (number of copies) and urgency is not sent in advance, it is difficult to set priority with other jobs.
[0005]
For this reason, even if an attempt is made to execute a small amount of copy job between print jobs and facsimile jobs, there is a disadvantage that the user waits until the print job or facsimile job is completed.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
  The present invention is an image reading apparatus made to solve such problems. That is, the image reading apparatus of the present invention isA document placed on the platen or conveyed to the reading positionReading the image information of the originalDocument reading meansWhen,Document reading meansStorage means for storing the image information read by, and storage means,Document reading meansBetween the recognizing means for recognizing whether the access is made by information other than the image information read by the image recognition means,When reading of the image information of the document transported to the reading position by the document reading unit is started, the access process is prioritized after the process being accessed is completed by information other than the image information, and the recognition unit outputs other than the image information. If reading of image information of a document placed on the platen is started while recognizing that it is being accessed based on the information of the image, an interrupt is issued during the process being accessed by information other than the image information. Give priority to image information accessAnd priority means.
  The image reading method of the present invention includes a step of reading image information of a document placed on a document table or a document conveyed to a reading position by a document reading unit, and storing the image information read by the document reading unit. Storing in the means, recognizing by the recognition means whether the storage means is accessing by information other than the image information read by the document reading means, and by the information other than the image information by the recognition means When reading of image information of a document conveyed to the reading position by the document reading unit is started while recognizing that the document is being accessed, the process being accessed is completed by information other than the image information. Priority is given to access of image information, and the recognition means recognizes that access is being performed by information other than the image information. If reading of the image information of the document placed on the document table is started during this period, an interrupt is made during the process being accessed by information other than the image information to prioritize access to the image information And.
[0007]
  The image processing apparatus of the present invention isA placed document reading means for reading a document placed on a document table, a transported document reading means for reading image information of a document transported to a reading position, and a copy input from the placed document reading means during a job copying process When processing occurs, an interrupt is issued in the middle of the job being copied, the document input from the placed document reading unit is prioritized, and the document is input from the transported document reading unit during the job copying process. And priority means for performing a copy process on a document input from the transported document reading means with priority after the job being processed ends when a copy process occurs.
  The image processing method of the present invention is an image processing apparatus having a placed document reading unit that reads a document placed on a platen and a transported document reading unit that reads image information of a document transported to a reading position. In this image processing method, when a copy process input from the above-described original document reading unit occurs during the job copy process, an interrupt is given in the middle of the job being copied, and the above-mentioned original document reading unit is given priority. When the copying process input from the transported document reading means occurs during the job copying process, the transported document reading means is prioritized after the job being processed ends. This is a method for performing a copying process on a document input from the above.
[0008]
In the present invention, when the access to the storage means is based on information other than the image information read by the placed original reading means, an access request for the image information read by the placed original reading means is generated. In the case where an original is placed on the platen, the priority means interrupts access by information other than the image information and gives an instruction to access the image information by the placed original reading means. It is possible to automatically determine this image information processing and to prioritize this processing over other processing.
[0009]
Further, in the case of having the transported document reading means, the image information read by the transported document reading means while the access to the storage means is by information other than the image information read by the transported document reading means. When the access request is issued, the priority unit gives an instruction to give priority to access by information other than the image information over the access of image information by the transported document reading unit. After processing for information other than information, the image information read by the transported document reading means is processed.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the image reading apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an image reading apparatus according to this embodiment. That is, this image reading apparatus mainly comprises an image input means 1, a central control means 2, an image output means 3, an image storage means 4 and a job recognition means 5. The placed document reading means is used as the image input means 1. 11, a conveyed document reading unit 12, a printer image input unit 13, and a FAX image input unit 14, a recording paper output unit 31 and a FAX image output unit 32 as the image output unit 3, and a primary storage unit as the image storage unit 4. 41, secondary storage means 42 is provided.
[0011]
This image reading apparatus includes a copy job for obtaining an image from the placed original reading means 11 or the conveyed original reading means 12, a print job for obtaining an image from the printer image input means 13, and a FAX job for obtaining an image from the FAX image input means 14. It is a so-called multifunction machine that accepts
[0012]
The placed original reading means 11 scans an original placed on the platen portion of the image reading apparatus and inputs image data in response to a copy start instruction from the user. In the normal mode, one original scan is performed in response to one copy start instruction.
[0013]
The transport document reading means 12 is composed of an ADF (Auto Document Feeder) or the like, and sequentially transports a plurality of documents set in advance according to a copy start instruction from a user to a scanning position, and scans the document to scan image data. Enter. Normally, all set originals are scanned in response to one copy start instruction. The transported document reading and means 12 includes a format in which the document is sent to the inside of the apparatus without being sent to the platen portion, and image data is read by transporting the document itself.
[0014]
The printer image input means 13 receives a print request from a host computer connected via a connection cable or a network, and forms image data that can be output based on image data sent from the host computer if necessary.
[0015]
The FAX image input means 14 decodes facsimile data received via a telephone line and converts it into image data that can be output.
[0016]
The central control means 2 controls the processing of the entire job when a single job or a plurality of jobs such as copying, printing, and FAX are generated.
[0017]
The recording paper output means 31 of the image output means 3 mainly outputs image data received in a copy job or print job to a predetermined recording paper. The FAX image output means 32 encodes image data and transmits the encoded image data to a destination facsimile via a telephone line.
[0018]
The image storage unit 4 holds at least one or more image data input from the image input unit 1. The primary storage unit 41 of the image storage unit 4 is a relatively high-speed and small-capacity unit constituted by a RAM (Random Access Memory) or the like, and is used as an input / output destination of the image input unit 1 or the image output unit 3. The secondary storage means 42 of the image storage means 4 is a relatively low speed and large capacity storage means constituted by a hard disk or the like.
[0019]
When the image data input from the image input unit 1 to the primary storage unit 41 is not used immediately, the image data is held in the secondary storage unit 42. When there is no image data to be output by the image output means 3 in the primary storage means 41, the image data held in the secondary storage means 42 is transferred to the primary storage means 41 to enable image output.
[0020]
The image data is managed in units of jobs and pages, and is held in the image storage unit 4 until the requested job is completed.
[0021]
When the image input unit 1 inputs an image, the job recognition unit 5 inputs an image from any of the placed document reading unit 11, the transported document reading unit 12, the printer image input unit 13, and the FAX image input unit 14. Is determined.
[0022]
Next, an example of job information held by the job recognition unit 5 will be described with reference to FIG. That is, the job information manages the job ID, job generation order, input means, output means, number of originals, and number of output copies. For example, a job with job ID = 9 represents a job for outputting three copies of 15 originals read from the conveyed original reading means 12 (see FIG. 1) from the recording paper output means 31 (see FIG. 1). . A job with job ID = 3 represents that the number of originals has not been determined since the original input has not been completed.
[0023]
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of image data information held by the image storage unit 4 (see FIG. 1). In this image data information, information such as job ID, page ID, primary storage address, secondary storage address, and image data size is managed. For example, for a job with job ID = 9 and page ID = 1, the data size is 60 kilobytes, the storage address in the primary storage means 41 (see FIG. 1) is “200”, and the secondary storage means 42 (see FIG. 1). The storage address of “100” is “100”. Further, it is indicated that the image data of job ID = 9 and page ID = 2 is not stored in the primary storage unit 41 (see FIG. 1). Furthermore, this indicates that the image data of job ID = 3 is not stored in the secondary storage means 42 (see FIG. 1).
[0024]
Next, an outline of image data input will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In the following description, reference numerals not shown in the drawings refer to FIG. 1 unless otherwise indicated. First, the central control unit 2 receives a job start instruction and notifies the job recognition unit 5 of the job start (step S101).
[0025]
The job recognizing means 5 registers the job information as shown in FIG. 2 when receiving the job start notification. For example, the image input unit 1 is inquired as to whether image data is input from any of various reading units such as the placed document reading unit 11 and the transported document reading unit 12, and the input unit is determined. Further, the FAX image output means 32 is determined as the output means in the case of FAX transmission, and the recording paper output means 31 is determined as the output means in the other cases (Step S102).
[0026]
Next, image data is read for all originals. First, a storage area for image data is secured in the image storage means 4. That is, a request is registered in the allocation request information in order to obtain the usage allocation of the primary storage unit 41 (step S103), and an allocation request is issued to the image storage unit 4 (step S104). Thereafter, the process waits until allocation is permitted by an area allocation process described later (step S105).
[0027]
Next, the assigned image input means 1 writes the input image data for one page of the document in the assigned storage area (step S106). When the writing of the image data to the primary storage unit 41 is completed, the image storage unit 4 is notified of the completion of the image input, and the document input process for one page is terminated (step S107).
[0028]
If there is still a document to be read, the process returns to step S103 (step S108). When reading of all the originals is completed, necessary job information such as the number of read original pages is registered in the job recognition unit 5 and the input process is ended (step S109).
[0029]
Next, the image data output procedure will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, it is determined whether or not image data of a page to be output can be output (whether or not image data is held in the primary storage unit 41) (step S201). If output is possible, the process of step S206 is performed. I do. If output is not possible, a storage area for writing image data of the page is secured.
[0030]
Next, in order to obtain the usage allocation of the primary storage unit 41, a request is registered in the allocation request information (step S202), and an allocation request is issued to the image storage unit 4 (step S203). Thereafter, the process waits until allocation is permitted by an area allocation process described later (step S204).
[0031]
The image data of the page held by the secondary storage means 42 is transferred to the storage area secured here to enable image output (step S205). The image output means 3 obtains and outputs the image data of the primary storage means 41 (step S206). When the output is completed, the image output means 3 terminates the image output in order to release the storage area assigned to the primary storage means 41. 4 is notified (step S207).
[0032]
Next, it is checked whether or not output of all images of the job has been completed. If data to be output remains, the process returns to step S201 (step S208). If all image output is completed, it is determined that the job is completed, and all image data of the job held in the storage unit 4 and the job information registered in the job recognition unit 5 are deleted (step S209).
[0033]
6A and 6B are diagrams showing a configuration example of the primary storage unit 41, where FIG. 6A is a conceptual diagram, and FIG. 6B is a table holding usage status. In the example shown in FIG. 6A, small areas 411 to 413 that can hold image data for three pages of the image (1) to the image (3) are provided in the primary storage unit 41. In this example, the small area 411 starting from address 0 is job ID = 9, page ID = 1, the small area 413 starting from address 200 is job ID = 6, page ID = 5, and the small area 412 starting from address 100 is It indicates that it is not used (see FIG. 6B).
[0034]
7A and 7B are diagrams showing a configuration example of the secondary storage unit 42, where FIG. 7A is a conceptual diagram, and FIG. 7B is a table that holds usage statuses. In the example shown in FIG. 7A, the image data is divided into 300 small areas 421, 422,. In this example, the small area 421 starting from address 0 is job ID = 9, page ID = 1, the small area 42300 starting from address 29000 is job ID = 6, page ID = 5, and the small area 422 starting from address 100 is unused. (See FIG. 7B).
[0035]
Since the primary storage unit 41 has a relatively small capacity, a desired area may not be immediately assigned to the image storage area securing process in step S103 of FIG. 4 or step S202 of FIG. In this case, the image storage unit 4 records the allocation request in the area allocation request information 44 in a format as shown in FIG. 8, and suspends the processing until allocation becomes possible. While the request is pending, the processing of FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 is waited for at step S103 and step S202, respectively (or, if the assignment is not made immediately, a notification to that effect is received for each input / output. Processing may be canceled.)
[0036]
FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an outline of the area releasing process at the end of image data input. That is, the image storage unit 4 that has received the notification of the end of image input from the image input unit 1 transfers the image data held by the primary storage unit 41 to the secondary storage unit 42 (step S301). When the transfer is completed, the small area of the primary storage unit 41 used by the image data is released, and the image data information (see FIG. 3) is updated to the effect that the image data has been added to the secondary storage unit 42 (see FIG. 3). Step S302). Finally, an area allocation process described later is started (step S303).
[0037]
FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an outline of the area releasing process at the end of image data output. The image storage unit 4 that has received the notification of the end of image output from the image output unit 3 updates the image data information (see FIG. 3) to release the small area of the primary storage unit 41 used by the image data (step 3). S401). Next, an area allocation process described later is started (step S402).
[0038]
FIG. 11 is a flowchart for explaining the area allocation processing. First, let R be the earliest request for an allocation request (step S501). If R is empty, the process proceeds to step S510 (step S502). If R is not empty, it is checked whether or not R can be assigned to the primary storage means 41. If not, the process proceeds to step S509 (step S503).
[0039]
If R can be assigned and A is empty (step S504), R is set in A (step S508), and the process proceeds to step S509. If A is not empty and R and A are the same job, the process proceeds to step S509 (step S505). If R and A are different jobs and R is a job generated before A (step S506), R is set in A (step S508), and the process proceeds to step S509.
[0040]
Here, if R is an input processing request from a placed document (step S507), R is set in A (step S508), and the process proceeds to step S509 (this process is performed for one placed document). Therefore, it is assumed that there are not a plurality of jobs that require input processing from a placed document at the same time.)
[0041]
After this processing, the request generated next to the current R is set as a new R (step S509), and the process returns to step S502. After checking all the requests, if A is not empty (step S510), the assignment is permitted and the process is terminated (step S511). At this time, the item corresponding to the request in the image data information (see FIG. 3) is also updated.
[0042]
Next, a specific example of processing of the image reading apparatus in the present embodiment will be described. In the following description, the processing capability of image input by the image input means 1 and image output by the image output means 3 is 30 pages per minute, and the image transfer capabilities of the primary storage means 41 and the secondary storage means 42 are each minute. As an example, an image reading apparatus having a configuration of 60 pages and a storage capacity of the primary storage unit 41 corresponding to two pages is taken as an example.
[0043]
FIG. 12 shows an operation when a copy process (referred to as job {circle around (2)}) in which a four-page document is input from the transported document reading means 12 occurs during print processing for 20 pages (referred to as job {circle around (1)}). It is a figure explaining.
[0044]
That is, the print processing of the job {circle around (1)} having already been input with an image is started at time t = 1 (unit is seconds). The image output means 3 issues storage area allocation requests in order from the first page, and at time t = 1, the areas of the first page (page 1-1) and the second page (page 1-2) of the job (1). Are assigned to the primary storage means 41, and image transfer from the secondary storage means 42 is performed.
[0045]
At time t = 2, the image output of page 1-1 is completed, and the area (primary storage (1)) is released. At this time, an input request for job (2) is issued. Although the storage area allocation request is issued from job (1) and job (2), the request of job (1) started first is given priority, and the released primary storage (1) has page 1- 3 is assigned. At time t = 3, the image of page 1-2 is output and the image data of page 1-3 is transferred from the secondary storage means 42. After time t = 4, the processing of job {circle around (1)} is similarly prioritized.
[0046]
Since the image output of page 1-19 is completed at time t = 20 and the primary storage (1) is released, there is no storage area allocation request from job (1), so page 2-1 is allocated. . At time t = 21, the image of page 1-20 is output and the image of page 2-1 is input.
[0047]
At time t = 22, the image of page 2-1 is output and the image input start request for page 2-2 is requested. Thereafter, the copy processing for the four pages of job {circle around (2)} is completed until t = 28.
[0048]
As a result, when a copying process input from the transported document reading unit 12 occurs during the printing process, after all the print processes as the preceding job (1) are completed, the process automatically proceeds from the transported document reading unit 12. Copy processing is performed.
[0049]
FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the operation when a document is input from the placed document reading means 11. In this placed document reading means 11, since the user needs to replace the document on the platen every page, it is assumed that there is an input request, for example, once every 5 seconds.
[0050]
At time t = 1, the image data of page 1-1 and page 1-2 is transferred from the secondary storage means 42 to the primary storage means 41 as in the previous example. At time t = 2, the image output of page 1-1 is completed, and the primary storage (1) is released. Here, the next allocated page is the first page (2-1) of the job (2) by the processing of FIG.
[0051]
At time t = 3, the image input process of page 2-1 is performed together with the image output of page 1-2. At time t = 4, the image data of page 2-1 is transferred to the secondary storage means 42, and the image data of page 1-3 assigned to the primary storage (1) is transferred from the secondary storage means 42.
[0052]
From time t = 5 to t = 7, an area is allocated to each page of job (1). Since an input request for page 2-2 occurs at time t = 7, an area is allocated at time t = 8. Thereafter, similar processing is continued every 5 seconds, input processing for job {circle around (2)} is performed at time t = 19, and output processing for job {circle around (2)} is completed at time t = 29.
[0053]
By such an operation, when a copy process input from the placed document reading unit 11 occurs during the print process, the input process by the placed document reading unit 11 is prioritized over the print process, and thereafter periodically (for example, Input processing by the placed document reading means 11 is performed every 5 seconds). In other words, when a user places a document on the platen and issues a copy processing start request, the user can input the placed document without waiting for a long time for the previously executed print processing. There is no need to wait in vain at the reader.
[0054]
FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining the operation when priority is not given to the copying process as described above. In this case, the area allocation request in the case of inputting an image from the placed original reading means 11 is waited until the end of the job {circle around (1)}, so that it is the same as the operation example shown in FIG. 12 from time t = 1 to t = 21. . Then, at time t = 22, an area for page 2-1 is allocated, and image data is input. Further, an input request for page 2-2 is issued at time t = 25 after the user exchanges the original. Thereafter, an input request is issued for page 2-3 at time t = 30 and page 2-4 at time t = 35, and job {circle around (2)} is completed at time t = 37.
[0055]
As described above, if the priority processing of the placed document as in the image reading apparatus in the present embodiment is not performed, it takes about 20 seconds from the start request to the start of image input for the first page. That is, the user cannot leave the image reading apparatus for a long time until input of all the originals is completed, and spends an extra waiting time.
[0056]
On the other hand, by performing priority processing of the placed document in the image reading apparatus according to the present embodiment, the image input process of the placed document can be immediately performed even when another job is being executed. After inputting an image with a processing time similar to that in normal times, the user can leave the image reading apparatus and wait for an image output.
[0057]
In the present embodiment, the priority processing of the placed document is applied to the area allocation process of the primary storage unit 41. However, in the present invention, the image transfer process between the primary storage unit 41 and the secondary storage unit 42 is applied. It can also be applied to image output processing.
[0058]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the image reading apparatus of the present invention has the following effects. That is, when a user places a document on the platen and performs a copying process, the waiting time for the document reading process can be greatly reduced even if another job is being executed. For this reason, it is possible to perform the operation of replacing the original one page at a time without waiting.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an image reading apparatus according to an embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of job information.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of image data information.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart of image data input processing.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart of image data output processing.
FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of primary storage means.
FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of secondary storage means.
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing area allocation request information.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart (after input) of area release processing;
FIG. 10 is a flowchart (after output) of area release processing;
FIG. 11 is a flowchart of an area allocation process.
FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an operation when a job occurs.
FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an input operation from a placed document reading unit.
FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an operation when priority processing is not performed on a placed document.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Image input means 2 Central control means
3 Image output means 4 Image storage means
5 Job recognition means 11 Placed document reading means
12 Conveyed document reading means 13 Printer image input means
14 FAX image input means 31 Recording paper output means
32 FAX image output means 41 Primary storage means
42 Secondary storage means

Claims (4)

A document reading means for reading image information of a document placed on a document table or a document transported to a reading position ;
Storage means for storing image information read by the document reading means ;
Recognizing means for recognizing whether the storage means is being accessed by information other than the image information read by the original reading means ;
When reading of the image information of the document conveyed to the reading position by the document reading unit is started while the recognition unit recognizes that the access is being performed by information other than the image information, Prior to the completion of the accessing process by the information, the image information is prioritized and placed on the platen while the recognizing means recognizes the accessing by the information other than the image information. An image reading apparatus comprising: priority means for prioritizing access to image information by interrupting a process being accessed by information other than the image information when reading of the image information of the document is started . A placed document reading means for reading a document placed on a document table;
Transported document reading means for reading the image information of the document transported to the reading position;
When a copy process input from the above-described original document reading unit occurs during the job copy process, an interrupt is given in the middle of the job being copied, and the document input from the above-described original document reader unit is given priority. When a copy process is performed, and a copy process input from the transported document reading unit occurs during a job copy process, the document input from the transported document reading unit is given priority after the job being processed ends. Priority means for copying
An image processing apparatus comprising: A step of reading image information of a document placed on a document table or a document conveyed to a reading position by a document reading unit;
  Storing image information read by the document reading unit in a storage unit;
  Recognizing by the recognizing means whether the storage means is accessing by information other than the image information read by the original reading means;
  When reading of the image information of the document conveyed to the reading position by the document reading unit is started while the recognition unit recognizes that access is being performed by information other than the image information, Prior to the completion of the accessing process by the information, the image information is prioritized and placed on the platen while the recognizing means recognizes the accessing by the information other than the image information. A step of giving priority to access of image information by interrupting the process being accessed by information other than the image information when reading of the image information of the document is started;
  An image reading method comprising: In an image processing method in an image processing apparatus having a placed document reading unit that reads a document placed on a document table and a transport document reading unit that reads image information of a document transported to a reading position,
When a copy process input from the above-described original document reading unit occurs during the job copy process, an interrupt is given in the middle of the job being copied, and the document input from the above-described original document reader unit is given priority. When a copy process is performed, and a copy process input from the transported document reading unit occurs during a job copy process, the document input from the transported document reading unit is given priority after the job being processed ends. Copy process
An image processing method.

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