JP4083932B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having an electronic sort function, and in particular, performs reduction scaling at the time of sorting, stores image data in a storage means, and outputs the enlarged scaling at the time of image output. The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus capable of performing the above.
[0002]
[Prior art]
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-306064, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-184017, or the like which performs reduction / magnification to store image data when performing electronic sorting and performs enlargement / magnification upon output The invention disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-307724 is well known.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the inventions described in the above publications, when electronic sort copying is performed, no consideration is given to using memory by correlating the paper size, the remaining memory capacity, the reduction limit magnification of the document, and the like. The re-copy operation at the time of memory over processing was minimized, and the copy could not be performed efficiently.
[0004]
In addition, a difference occurs in the storage state after image formation due to the difference in the paper type due to the difference in the material of the copy paper. That is, what is called “plain paper” using very common “paper” is often handled as a copy. However, due to water absorption due to humidity or the like, its own volume change occurs, which is unsuitable for storing in a state where an accurate magnification as a long-term copy is maintained.
[0005]
On the other hand, paper called "tracing paper", "second original drawing", and "film" are not affected by humidity, etc. depending on the material and manufacturing method, and are stored in a state that maintains accurate magnification as a long-term copy. It is a “paper” that can be expected. For this reason, this type of paper is a paper that is required to have high reproducibility even in a copying operation or an image forming operation.
[0006]
When storing the memory after reading a document of the current digital copying machine, it is required to efficiently use the memory capacity. For example, when using the paper called plain paper, the reduction limit magnification is allowed between 50%, and even if the reproducibility of the original drawing is lowered, the copying operation is performed by increasing the use efficiency of the memory. For copies where the second original drawing or “film” is used again, do not reduce it for the sake of completeness, or limit the reduction ratio limit determined by the operator to the contents of the original drawing. Measures such as preserving accuracy are required.
[0007]
From this point, the present invention sets the reduction limit magnification according to the type of paper used at the time of electronic sorting, shortens the work time of the sorting time after the copy work, and allows the operator to reproduce each paper type. The purpose is to achieve without burden.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the first means includes a storage means for storing the input image data, a storage control means for storing the reduced image when storing in the storage means, and a storage means for storing. An image output unit for enlarging / magnifying the output image data and outputting the image data, and in an image forming apparatus having an electronic sort function, a detection unit for detecting a remaining storage capacity of the storage unit, Reduction limit magnification setting means for setting a limit magnification for reduction scaling according to the material, document size detection means for detecting the document size of the input image data, the remaining capacity of the storage capacity of the storage means, and the document size When the result of the comparison by the first comparison unit that compares the document size detected by the detection unit and the first comparison unit is less than the size of the document to be stored, the reduction is performed. System Second comparison means for comparing the reduction magnification set by the magnification setting means, the remaining capacity of the storage capacity, and the input possible magnification obtained from the document size, and the result of the comparison by the second comparison means, the input possible magnification Is equal to or greater than the reduction magnification, the image data is input at the reduction magnification, stored in the storage means, output by the image output means, and as a result of the comparison by the first comparison means, When the remaining amount is larger than the size of the document to be stored, the image data is input without being reduced and scaled, stored in the storage means, and the image output means outputs an image, and the second result of the comparison by the comparing means, wherein the input enabling magnification when less than the reduction ratio is provided with the control means for controlling so as not to perform an input operation of the image data To.
[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0014]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a configuration of a digital copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. The digital copying machine converts a read original image into a digital image signal by A / D conversion, and forms a copy image by, for example, an electrophotographic image forming means based on the converted digital image signal. Specifically, the digital copying machine according to this embodiment mainly includes a scanner unit 101, a memory unit 102, an operation unit 103, a control unit 104, and a plotter unit 105.
[0015]
The scanner unit 101 includes a light source, a solid-state imaging device such as a CCD, and a mechanism for performing reading. The read image is photoelectrically converted by the scanner unit 101 and sent to the memory unit 102 as a digital image signal. In this embodiment, the scanner is a type that reads an image while conveying a document, and has a function of detecting the width of the inserted document.
[0016]
The memory unit 102 stores the digital image signal sent from the scanner 101 and sends the stored image signal to the plotter unit 105 when copying. The memory unit 102 normally has a storage capacity of about A0 size. When an image signal is stored, the memory unit 102 disables the storage area, outputs the image from the plotter unit 105, and outputs the final paper. The area in which the image signal is stored when the discharge is completed is released (released). A portion other than the area that is stored and cannot be used becomes the remaining memory area. The memory unit 102 calculates the usable area when the image signal has been stored, when the area is released, and when the mode clear key is pressed on the operation unit 103 to clear the job, and the remaining memory capacity is calculated. It has a function to calculate the maximum usable size each time.
[0017]
The operation unit 103 has a function for a user to make various settings and display various information. The contents of the display and setting include a display indicating whether copying is possible, a setting relating to copy prohibition processing based on the remaining memory capacity, a cancel key, a key for canceling copy prohibition due to the remaining memory capacity, and the like. Also, setting (selection) of the remaining amount magnification conversion function and setting (selection) of the reduction limit magnification function for each sheet are performed via the operation unit 103.
[0018]
As shown in detail in FIG. 2, the control unit 104 includes elements such as a CPU 110, a ROM 111, a RAM 112, I / O ports 113 and 114, an interface, and the like, and the software (program) written in the ROM 111 is used for the digital copying machine. Controls resource operations. A memory unit 102 and an operation unit 103 are connected to the I / O port 113, and a scanner unit 101 and a plotter 105 are connected to the I / O 114, so that they can communicate with each other. The process of enabling or disabling copying is performed by turning on or off the original insertion ready display in the scanner unit 101.
[0019]
The plotter unit 105 is equipped with a plurality of paper feed stages and adopts the electrophotographic system as described above, and forms an image on the transfer paper by the image signal sent from the memory unit 102.
[0020]
Each setting switch, each display, and each motor signal, each paper signal, and the like are input to or output from the operation unit 103 and each of the scanner unit 101 and the plotter unit 105.
[0021]
This digital copying machine has a copy reservation function. In the copy reservation function, for example, the remaining amount of memory is still greater than or equal to A1 during execution of A3 size copy, and therefore, copy reservation can be made by inserting a document of A2 size. The copy of A2 is started immediately after the copy of A3 is completed. When the function of the present invention is not used, it is expected that if the A0 size document is inserted and conveyed during the A3 size copy, the memory will become full while the image is read by the scanner. A means for displaying the remaining memory capacity and warning the user is also conceivable, but the same thing can happen if the display is overlooked. When a document is inserted in such a situation, the user stops the conveyance of the document or finishes the conveyance and waits for the memory area to be released (released) by the area of the document size to be inserted, and then the document is inserted again. The work process such as insertion becomes complicated.
[0022]
In addition, this digital copying machine has an electronic sort function. When copying using the electronic sort function, there are always a plurality of originals, and a copy operation is performed after all the originals to be sorted and copied are stored in the memory unit (image memory) 102, resulting in memory over. A lot of things. Originally, the purpose of electronic sort copy is to copy and output a plurality of originals in the necessary number of copies. However, the number of originals to be processed is large, the image information to be stored increases, and the original size is large. In the case of a manuscript, the amount of information to be stored is larger than the storage capacity of the image memory installed in the digital copying machine, and it becomes easy to cause memory over. Therefore, it is necessary to divide the copy work into several times. If the copying operation is divided into several times as described above, an operation of manually sorting output copied by a plurality of operations occurs. Therefore, it is necessary to suppress the occurrence of such a situation as much as possible.
[0023]
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for dealing with such a situation during electronic sorting. At the time of sort copy, first the remaining memory capacity is checked (step 301). In this embodiment, the memory remaining amount check is such that copying is possible if there is a remaining memory of two or more A4 sizes, and the remaining amount of memory in the memory unit 102 can be read next time. Check if it exists. If the remaining amount is “1”, that is, if there is only a remaining amount corresponding to one A4 size sheet, the sort copy reading operation cannot be performed, so the processing ends without performing the reading operation.
[0024]
If the remaining memory capacity is two or more A4 size, the document size is selected in step 302. In step 303, the remaining amount of memory is calculated. In step 304, the result is compared with the memory consumption to be used according to the selected document size. If the remaining amount of memory is larger, it is read as it is in step 305. Reading is performed at the magnification set by selection, the copying operation is performed, and the process is terminated.
[0025]
On the other hand, if the remaining amount of memory is smaller, the setting of the remaining amount scaling conversion function is checked in step 306. If the function is selected, the remaining amount of memory is converted into the memory consumption (original size) in step 307. Divide by to calculate the readable magnification. The remaining amount scaling function is a function for obtaining a reduction magnification that can be read from the remaining amount of memory and the original size of the input image data and automatically setting the reduction magnification. Check whether to use.
[0026]
If this function is used, in other words, if this function is set, after the readable magnification is calculated in step 307, the setting of the reduction limit magnification function for each sheet is checked in step 308, and the function is selected. If so, the reduction limit magnification is set to the set value for each sheet in step 309. If the function is not selected, the reduction limit magnification is set to the standard setting value in step 310, and is selected by the operator in step 311. The reduction limit magnification set for each paper type is compared with the calculated reading magnification. If the reading magnification is smaller than the reduction limit magnification, the processing ends without performing the reading and copying operation. As described above, the paper-specific limit magnification is a limit set in advance for each paper type, such as plain paper, tracing paper, or the second original drawing. In this step 308, the reduction limit magnification for each paper is set. Check whether to use the function.
[0027]
If the reading magnification is larger than the reduction limit magnification in step 311, the reading magnification is set to a readable magnification in step 312, the reading operation is performed in step 313, the copying operation is started in step 314, and the processing is completed.
[0028]
In this embodiment, a reduction limit magnification is set for each paper type at the time of electronic sorting, the reduction limit magnification is compared with the document size and the remaining image memory, and a readable magnification is obtained from the remaining memory and the document size. Since reading is executed, the image memory can be used efficiently, and the re-copying operation at the time of memory over processing can be minimized.
[0029]
In other words, the reduction limit magnification based on the remaining amount of memory is determined by the operator according to the specifics of the copy and the usage, and for drawings and copy manuscripts with many detailed descriptions, the reduction limit is low and can be read. The reduction ratio may be set high for drawings or text originals of a sufficient degree. In actual copying sites, copying using plain paper is the majority, and when the reduction limit magnification is set high for the work, “tracing paper”, “ It can be generally assumed that the operation of forming an image on the “second original drawing”, “film”, etc. is interrupted or the image forming operation is continuously performed. In such a case, instead of resetting the reduction limit magnification, the reduction limit magnification can be switched to a value that matches the type of paper to be used by switching the paper type.
[0030]
By setting in this way, a digital copying machine having a function of copying a large-sized drawing not only has excellent reproducibility of the original drawing but also can be processed efficiently.
[0031]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the reduction limiting magnification set according to the type of paper to be used when sorting electronic, reducing the working time of the sorting time after copying operation, and reproducibility of the paper type for each Can be realized without burdening the operator .
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a digital copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing details of a control unit in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a control procedure in the embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
101 Scanner 102 Memory 103 Operation Unit 104 Control Unit 105 Plotter 110 CPU
111 ROM
112 RAM
113,114 I / O port

Claims (1)

Storage means for storing input image data;
Storage control means for storing the reduced scaled magnification when storing in the storage means;
Image output means for enlarging and scaling the image data stored in the storage means;
In an image forming apparatus having an electronic sort function,
Detection means for detecting the remaining capacity of the storage capacity of the storage means;
Reduction limit magnification setting means for setting a reduction magnification limit magnification according to the material of the output paper,
Document size detection means for detecting the document size of the input image data;
First comparison means for comparing the remaining capacity of the storage means and the document size detected by the document size detection means;
When the remaining amount is smaller than the size of the document to be stored as a result of the comparison by the first comparison unit, the reduction ratio, the remaining storage capacity and the document size set by the reduction limit magnification setting unit A second comparison means for comparing the input possible magnification obtained from
As a result of comparison by the second comparison means, when the input possible magnification is equal to or greater than the reduction magnification, image data is input at the reduction magnification and stored in the storage means, and the image output means If the remaining amount is larger than the size of the original to be stored as a result of the comparison by the first comparison means, an image data input operation is performed without reducing or scaling, and the result is stored in the storage means. Control means for storing and outputting an image by the image output means, and controlling the image data input operation not to be performed when the input possible magnification is smaller than the reduction magnification as a result of the comparison by the second comparison means;
An image forming apparatus comprising:

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