JP6946943B2 - Image reader, image data transmission method and program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an image reader, an image data transmission method and a program.

In recent years, network-compatible image readers have become widespread.

A network-compatible image reader can be used not only to command the execution of a scan job by operating the operation panel provided on the device itself, but also to a PC (Personal Computer) if it is connected to a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network). It is possible to receive scan job execution commands from the external terminal of the computer via the network. Further, the image reading device can transmit the image data read by executing the scan job to the external terminal via the network.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-304368

However, depending on the type or method of the external terminal, for example, when the image reading device cannot transmit the predetermined data to the external terminal within the predetermined time, the external terminal is operating normally even though the image reading device is normally reading. Communication between the terminal and the image reader may be disconnected due to a timeout.

An object of the present invention is to provide an image reading device, an image data transmission method and a program capable of suppressing a time-out of a communication connection between an external terminal and an image reading device during a normal reading operation. ..

In order to achieve the above object, the image reading device according to one aspect of the present invention is an image reading device including a reading unit for reading a document, a communication unit for communicating with an external terminal, and a control unit for control. In response to receiving a scan command from an external terminal to the communication unit, the unit controls the reading unit to cause the reading unit to read the document, and the first page of the document by the reading unit in the scanning process. The first transmission process of transmitting a part of the header of the image data related to the first page of the manuscript from the communication unit to the external terminal of the transmission source of the scan command and the reading unit in the scanning process before the scanning of the original is completed. After the reading of the first page of the manuscript is completed, the communication unit scans the remaining image data other than a part of the header transmitted in the first transmission process among the image data related to the first page of the manuscript. The second transmission process of transmitting to the external terminal of the transmission source of is executed.

According to this configuration, the scanning unit starts scanning the document in response to the scan command being received by the communication unit. After the start of scanning the document and before the scanning of the first page of the document by the scanning unit is completed, a part of the header of the image data related to the first page is transmitted from the communication unit to the external terminal to which the scan command is transmitted. Will be done. Therefore, even if the reading speed of the document by the scanning unit is slow, the time from the transmission of the scan command by the external terminal to the start of receiving the image data is short. Therefore, regardless of the type or method of the external terminal, the external terminal is external. It is possible to prevent the communication connection between the terminal and the image reader from timing out.

Then, when the scanning of the first page of the original by the scanning unit is completed, the untransmitted image data among the image data obtained by the scanning is transmitted from the communication unit to the external terminal of the transmission source of the scan command. As a result, the image data of the first page of the manuscript can be obtained on the external terminal.

The present invention can be realized not only in the form of an image reader, but also in the form of an image data transmission method executed by the image reader and a program installed in the computer of the image reader, for example. You can also.

According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the communication connection between the external terminal and the image reading device from being timed out during a normal reading operation.

It is sectional drawing of the image reading apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the system including the image reader. It is a figure which shows an example of the structure of image data graphically. It is a flowchart (the 1) which shows the flow of a transmission process. It is a flowchart (2) which shows the flow of a transmission process.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

<Image reader>
The image reading device 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes a scanner housing 2 and an ADF (Auto Document Feeder) 3. The first contact glass 11 and the second contact glass 12 are provided side by side in the width direction on the upper surface of the scanner housing 2. The ADF3 is provided so as to be openable and closable at an open position and a closed position. When the ADF3 is in the closed position, the first contact glass 11 and the second contact glass 12 are collectively covered with the ADF3. When the ADF3 is in the open position, the first contact glass 11 and the second contact glass 12 are exposed.

A first reading head 13 (an example of a reading unit) is provided in the scanner housing 2 so as to be movable in the width direction (secondary scanning direction) below the first contact glass 11 and the second contact glass 12. The first reading head 13 includes a light source 14 (see FIG. 2) and an image sensor 15 (see FIG. 2). The first reading head 13 extends in the main scanning direction orthogonal to the width direction and parallel to the upper surfaces of the first contact glass 11 and the second contact glass 12. The image sensor 15 includes, for example, a linear image sensor in which a plurality of light receiving elements are arranged in the front-rear direction, which is the main scanning direction. In the first scanning head 13, the light from the light source 14 is applied to the document sheet, and the reflected light from the document sheet is received by the image sensor 15, so that the image of the document sheet can be read for one line in the main scanning direction. Achieved. The image sensor 15 outputs the read analog image signal for one line.

The ADF3 includes a supply tray 21 and an discharge tray 22. The supply tray 21 and the discharge tray 22 are provided so as to be overlapped with each other at intervals above and below. A transport path 23 is formed in the ADF3. One end of the transport path 23 is opened on one end of the supply tray 21 in the sub-scanning direction, and the transport path 23 is folded back while being curved in a U shape. The other end is opened between the supply tray 21 and the discharge tray 22 via the first contact glass 11. Further, in the ADF3, a supply roller 24, a separation roller 25, a transfer roller 26, a reversing roller 27, and a discharge roller 28 are provided in this order from the supply tray 21 side along the transfer path 23.

A second reading head 31 (an example of a reading unit) is fixedly arranged below the transport path 23 between the transport roller 26 and the reversing roller 27. The second reading head 31 has a built-in light source 32 (see FIG. 2) and an image sensor 33 (see FIG. 2). The second reading head 31 extends in the main scanning direction. The image sensor 33 includes, for example, a linear image sensor in which a plurality of light receiving elements are arranged in the front-rear direction, which is the main scanning direction. In the second scanning head 31, the light from the light source 32 is applied to the document sheet, and the reflected light from the document sheet is received by the image sensor 33, so that the image of the document sheet can be read for one line in the main scanning direction. Achieved. The image sensor 33 outputs the read analog image signal for one line.

The image reading device 1 can read a document (image of a document sheet) by both the FB (flat bed) method and the ADF method. When reading a document by the FB method, the ADF3 is opened in the open position and the document sheet is placed on the upper surface of the second contact glass 12. After that, the ADF3 is closed in the closed position, and the original sheet is covered by the ADF3 from above. Then, in response to the scan execution command, the first scanning head 13 starts moving in the sub-scanning direction, and while the first scanning head 13 is moved in the sub-scanning direction, the document is read by the first scanning head 13. Be done.

On the other hand, when reading a document by the ADF method, the document is placed on the supply tray 21 of the ADF3. Further, the first reading head 13 is stopped below the first contact glass 11. After that, the transfer of the document sheet by the supply roller 24 is started in response to the instruction to execute the scan. The original sheets are separated one by one by the separation roller 25, and are conveyed along the transfer path 23 by the transfer roller 26 and the reversing roller 27. While the document sheet is being conveyed, the document on the back surface of the document sheet is read by the second scanning head 31, and the document on the front surface of the document sheet is scanned by the first scanning head 13.

<System configuration>
As shown in FIG. 2, the image reading device 1 is connected to a LAN (Local Area Network) 41 and executes a scan job from an external terminal such as a PC (Personal Computer) 42 in which a scanner driver is installed via the LAN 41. It is a network-compatible device that can command. There are two types of scanner drivers: a general-purpose driver (universal driver) corresponding to various types of image reading devices including the image reading device 1, and a dedicated driver manufactured corresponding to the image reading device 1.

The image reading device 1 includes an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) 51, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 52, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 53, and a network interface (I / F) 54.

The ASIC 51 has a built-in CPU 55 (an example of a control unit). The CPU 55 executes programs for various processes based on the information input to the ASIC 51, thereby causing the first read head 13, the second read head 31, and the supply roller 24, the separation roller 25, and the transfer roller 26. Controls each part of the image reading device 1, such as a drive mechanism for driving the reversing roller 27 and the discharging roller 28.

The ROM 52 includes a rewritable non-volatile memory such as a flash memory. The ROM 52 stores a program executed by the CPU 55, various data, and the like.

The RAM 53 is a volatile memory such as a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), and is used as a work area when the CPU 55 executes a program.

The network interface 54 (an example of a communication unit) is an interface for connecting to the LAN 41. The data communication method via the LAN 41 may be the wireless communication method or the wired communication method, and the network interface 54 may be an interface for connecting to the wireless LAN or for connecting to the wired LAN. It may be an interface.

Further, the ASIC 51 has a built-in changeover switch 56 and an A / D converter 57.

The changeover switch 56 switches between the input of the analog image signal from the image sensor 15 of the first reading head 13 and the input of the analog image signal from the image sensor 33 of the second reading head 31. As a result, the analog image signal from the image sensor 15 of the first reading head 13 and the analog image signal from the image sensor 33 of the second reading head 31 are serially input to the ASIC 51.

The A / D converter 57 converts the analog image signal input via the changeover switch 56 into a digital image signal.

<Data structure>
When the ASIC 51 receives a command to execute a scan job from the PC 42 (hereinafter, simply referred to as a "scan command"), the CPU 55 of the ASIC 51 controls each part of the image reading device 1 to execute a scan job for reading an image of a document. do. By executing this scan job, an analog image signal related to the image of the original sheet is generated, and when the analog image signal is converted into a digital image signal by the A / D converter 57, the CPU 55 uses the digital image signal. To create scan data to be transmitted to an external terminal such as a PC 42.

As a specific example, as shown in FIG. 3, the CPU 55 of the ASIC 51 is SOAP (SP), which is one of the specifications of a communication protocol for exchanging information using an Internet standard technology such as HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol). Create scan data according to Simple Object Access Protocol (Soap).

The first part of the scan data is an HTTP header including an address of a destination of image data and the like. In the scan data, the HTTP header is followed by an HTTP body, and within the HTTP body, a SOAP envelope consisting of a SOAP header and a SOAP body is included. The SOAP body contains image data including a digital image signal output from the A / D converter 57. The image data consists of an image header and an image body. The digital image signal output from the A / D converter 57 is included in the image body, and the size information of the document related to the digital image signal, that is, the number of pixels in one line and the number of lines in the sub-scanning direction (obtained by reading one line). The image header includes information indicating (the number of line data to be generated) and file type information (JPEG, PDF, etc.) of the image data.

<Transmission processing>
When the user operates the PC 42 and receives the scan command, which is the execution command of the scan job transmitted from the PC 42, to the network interface 54 via the LAN 41, the CPU 55 of the ASIC 51 performs the transmission process shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. Proceed (S11: YES).

In the transmission process, the CPU 55 determines the type of scanner driver used to transmit the scan command from the received scan command data structure.

When the scanner driver is a general-purpose driver (S12: YES), the CPU 55 determines whether or not the scan job related to the scan command is a scan job executed in the low-speed read mode (S13). The scan job executed in the low-speed scanning mode is, for example, a job of scanning the front and back images of the original sheet with high resolution, and the scanning of the front and back images of one original sheet is completed from the start of the job. It takes more than a predetermined time-out time to do so. Further, the document sheet whose image is read by the scan job executed in the low-speed scanning mode is set on the supply tray 21 of the ADF3.

When the scan job related to the scan command is a scan job executed in the low-speed scanning mode (S13: YES), the CPU 55 starts the scanning job to convey the document sheet in the ADF3 and the first scanning heads 13 and the second. The reading of the image by the reading head 31 is started (S14: start of scanning).

After that, the CPU 55 starts creating scan data before the scanning of the front and back images of one original sheet is completed. Then, during the creation of the surface image data including the digital image signal obtained by reading the image of the surface of the original sheet, a part of the image header of the surface image data from the HTTP header, that is, the size information in the image header (secondary scanning direction). A portion on the first side of the image (information indicating the number of lines), for example, a portion of 2 bytes from the beginning of the image header is transmitted to the PC 42 (S15). A part of the image header transmitted to the PC 42 includes the file type information of the image data.

The CPU 55 waits until the scanning of the front and back images of one original sheet is completed. When the scanning of the front and back images of one original sheet is completed (S16: YES), the CPU 55 is the surface image data including the digital image signal obtained by scanning the image of the front surface (first page) of the original sheet. And the back side image data including the digital image signal obtained by reading the image on the back side (second page) of the manuscript sheet is completed. Then, the back surface image data including the untransmitted portion of the front surface image data and the digital image signal obtained by reading the image on the back surface of the original sheet is transmitted to the PC 42 (S17).

After that, the CPU 55 determines the presence or absence of the next document (S18).

When there is a next document (S18: YES), the CPU 55 starts the transfer of the next document sheet in the ADF 3 and the reading of the image by the first reading head 13 and the second reading head 31. Then, when the reading of the front and back images of the next one original sheet is completed (S16: YES), the CPU 55 creates the front image data and the back image data, and the created front image data and the back image. The data is transmitted to the PC 54 (S17).

If there is no next document (S18: NO), the CPU 55 ends the scan job (S19) and ends this scanning process.

On the other hand, when the scanner driver used to transmit the scan command is a general-purpose driver, but the scan job related to the scan command is a scan job executed in a mode other than the low-speed read mode (S13: NO), the CPU 55 determines. The scan job is started (S20).

The scan job executed in a mode other than the low-speed scanning mode is, for example, a job of scanning the front and back images of the document sheet at low resolution, or a job of scanning the image of the front surface of the document sheet at high resolution or low resolution. .. In any case, in the scan job executed in a mode other than the low-speed scanning mode, it does not take more than a predetermined timeout time from the start of the job to the completion of scanning the image of one original sheet.

In the following, an example will be taken in which the scan job related to the scan command is a job of reading an image on the surface of a document sheet at a high resolution or a low resolution.

After the start of the scan job, when the scanning of the surface image of one original sheet (the original on the first page) is completed (S21: YES), the CPU 55 creates the surface image data and the created surface is completed. The image data is transmitted to the PC 54 (S22).

After that, the CPU 55 determines the presence or absence of the next document (S23).

When there is a next document (S23: YES), the CPU 55 starts the transfer of the next document sheet in the ADF 3 and the reading of the image by the first scanning head 13. Then, when the reading of the next one-page document is completed (S21: YES), the CPU 55 creates the surface image data, and transmits the created surface image data to the PC 54 (S22).

On the other hand, when there is no next document (S23: NO), the CPU 55 ends the scan job (S19) and ends this scanning process.

If the scanner driver used to send the scan command is not a general-purpose driver, that is, if the scanner driver used to send the scan command is a dedicated driver (S12: NO), the scan job related to the scan command is in low-speed read mode. Regardless of whether the scan job is executed in, the scan job is started (S24) as shown in FIG. 4B, and the scan data is created before the scanning of the document on the first page is completed. Start.

Then, when the surface image data of a predetermined byte is obtained (S25: YES), the CPU 55 sets the portion from the HTTP header to the image header of the first surface image data in the scan data being created and the surface image data of the predetermined byte. It is transmitted to the PC 42 (S26). Since the reading of the manuscript on the first page has not been completed, the size information of the manuscript is unknown. Therefore, temporary size information is included in the image header of the surface image data. The tentative size information may be, for example, information in which random values are arranged, or information in which specific values such as "0" are arranged.

After that, every time a predetermined byte of surface image data is obtained (S25: YES), the CPU 55 transmits the predetermined byte of surface image data to the PC 42 (S26).

When the reading of the original on the first page is completed (S27: YES), the CPU 55 transmits the untransmitted portion of the surface image data related to the original on the first page and the size information of the original to the PC 54 (S28). The portion where the surface image data of the first page manuscript has not been transmitted is a part of the header transmitted to the PC 42 in step S15 of the surface image data related to the manuscript of the first page (for example, from the beginning of the image header). Refers to the part other than the 2-byte part).

After that, the CPU 55 determines the presence or absence of the next document (S29).

When there is the next document (S29: YES), the CPU 55 starts the transfer of the next document sheet in the ADF3 and the reading of the image by the first scanning head 13, and the scan data of the scan data is started before the scanning of the next document is completed. Start creating. Then, when the surface image data of a predetermined byte is obtained (S25: YES), the portion from the HTTP header to the image header of the first surface image data in the scan data being created and the surface image data of the predetermined byte are transmitted to the PC 42. (S26).

Hereinafter, the same processing as in the case of the original on the first page is performed, and when the next original is exhausted (S29: NO), the CPU 55 ends the scan job (S19) and ends this scanning process.

<Effect>
As described above, the image reading device 1 starts reading the original in response to the scan command being received by the network interface 54. When the scanner driver used to transmit the scan command from the PC 42 is a general-purpose driver, the image of the image data related to the first page after the start of scanning the document and before the scanning of the first page of the document is completed. A part of the header is transmitted from the network interface 54 to the PC 42 to which the scan command is transmitted. Therefore, even if the scanning speed of the document is slow, the time from the transmission of the scan command by the PC 42 to the start of receiving the image data is short. Therefore, the scanner driver used to transmit the scan command by the PC 42 is a general-purpose driver. Even if there is, it is possible to prevent the communication connection between the PC 42 and the image reading device 1 from being timed out due to the specifications of the general-purpose driver.

Then, when the scanning of the first page of the original is completed, the untransmitted image data among the image data obtained by the scanning is transmitted from the network interface 54 to the PC 42 which is the transmission source of the scan command. As a result, the image data of the first page of the manuscript can be obtained on the PC 42.

A part of the image header transmitted to the PC 42 includes the file type information of the image data. Therefore, the control unit of the PC 42 that has received a part of the image header can recognize in advance the type of image data that is received thereafter.

Further, when the scanner driver used for transmitting the scan command from the PC 42 is a dedicated driver, regardless of whether the scan job related to the scan command is a scan job executed in the low-speed read mode, 1 The creation of scan data is started before the scanning of the document on the page is completed. Then, the portion from the HTTP header of the scan data being created to the image header of the first surface image data is transmitted to the PC 42. Therefore, since the time from the transmission of the scan command by the PC 42 to the start of receiving the image data is short, it is possible to suppress the time-out of the communication connection between the PC 42 and the image reading device 1.

Further, in that case, provisional size information is included in the image header of the surface image data. Then, when the reading of the image on the surface of one original sheet is completed, the untransmitted portion in the surface image data and the actual size information of the original are transmitted to the PC 42. When the PC 42 receives the size information, the PC 42 replaces the previously received temporary size information with the actual size information according to the specifications of the dedicated driver. Therefore, the image data of the first page of the manuscript can be obtained on the PC 42.

The A / D converter 57 converts the analog image signal input to the ASIC 51 from the image sensor 15 of the first reading head 13 into a digital image signal, and the analog input from the image sensor 33 of the second reading head 31 to the ASIC 51. It is shared with the conversion of image signals to digital image signals. Therefore, in a scan job executed in the low-speed scanning mode, it takes a predetermined time-out time or more from the start of the job to the completion of scanning the images on the front surface and the back surface of one original sheet. Therefore, in the scan job executed in the low-speed scanning mode, if the transmission of the scan data is started after the scanning of the front and back images of one original sheet is completed, the PC 42 starts to receive the scan data before the PC 42 starts receiving the scan data. The elapsed time from the transmission of the scan command from the PC 42 exceeds the timeout time, and the communication connection between the PC 42 and the image reading device 1 is timed out.

In a configuration in which a part of the image header of the image data related to the first page is transmitted from the network interface 54 to the PC 42 to which the scan command is transmitted before the scanning of the first page of the original is completed, the A / D converter is used. Even if 57 is commonly connected to the image sensor 15 of the first reading head 13 and the image sensor 33 of the second reading head 31, it is possible to prevent the communication connection between the PC 42 and the image reading device 1 from being timed out. can.

<Modification example>
Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention can also be implemented in other embodiments.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, the image reading device 1 capable of reading a document by both the FB method and the ADF method has been taken up, but of course, the present invention is an image reading device capable of reading a document only by the ADF method. Can be applied.

In addition, various design changes can be made to the above-mentioned configuration within the scope of the matters described in the claims.

1: Image reader 13: First read head 31: Second read head 54: Network interface 55: CPU
57: A / D converter

Claims (8)

A reader that reads the document,
A communication unit that communicates with an external terminal,
An image reader equipped with a control unit,
The control unit
In response to receiving a scan command from the external terminal to the communication unit, the reading unit is controlled to cause the reading unit to read the document.
When the scanning process is executed in a low-speed scanning mode in which the connection of communication with the external terminal is disconnected due to a timeout from the start to the completion of scanning the images on the front and back surfaces of the document, which requires a time longer than the timeout time. the prior to the take-up reads the one document by the reading unit in the reading process is completed, a part of the header of the images data of the document, said from the communication unit of the transmission source of the scan command The first transmission process to send to an external terminal and
After read-in one document by the reading section is completed by the reading process, among the image picture data of the document, the remaining image data other than a portion of the header that is transmitted at the first transmission process The second transmission process of transmitting the scan command from the communication unit to the external terminal of the transmission source of the scan command is executed.
Image reader. The image reading device according to claim 1.
A part of the header includes file type information of the image data including the header.
Image reader. The image reading device according to claim 1 or 2.
The scanning unit generates line data by scanning the document at a scanning position extending linearly in the main scanning direction.
The image reading device further includes a document transporting unit that transports the document so that the document passes through the scanning position in the sub-scanning direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction.
The header includes information on the number of sub-scanning lines representing the number of line data in the middle thereof.
In the first transmission process, the control unit transmits data from the communication unit to the external terminal of the transmission source of the scan command as a part of the header by transmitting the data of the portion heading from the information on the number of sub-scan lines to the external terminal. Send,
Image reader. The image reading device according to claim 3.
The reading unit
A first reading head including a light source that irradiates one side of the document with light and an image sensor that outputs an analog signal corresponding to the reflected light from the one side.
A second reading head including a light source that irradiates the other side of the document with light and an image sensor that outputs an analog signal corresponding to the reflected light from the other side.
A / D converter that is commonly connected to the first reading head and the second reading head and converts an analog signal input from the first reading head and the second reading head into digital data is included.
Image reader. The image reading device according to claim 3 or 4.
The control unit
Determining whether the driver of the external terminal that is the source of the scan command is a specific driver,
An image reading device that executes the first transmission process and the second transmission process when it is determined that the driver of the external terminal that is the source of the scan command is not the specific driver. The image reading device according to claim 5.
The control unit
It is determined whether the driver of the external terminal that is the source of the scan command is the specific driver.
When the driver is the specific driver, the document is not executed in the first transmission process and the second transmission process, and the document is read before the scanning unit completes scanning the first page of the document in the scanning process. The header of the image data related to the first page of the above includes temporary sub-scanning line number information, and the header is transmitted from the communication unit to the external terminal of the transmission source of the scan command, and then the first page is concerned. The body of the image data is divided, and each divided portion is sequentially transmitted from the communication unit to the external terminal of the transmission source of the scan command.
When the driver is not the specific driver, the first transmission process and the second transmission process are executed.
Image reader. A reader that reads the document,
A communication unit that communicates with an external terminal,
A method of transmitting image data of a document in an image reading device including a control unit.
The control unit
In response to receiving a scan command from the external terminal to the communication unit, the reading unit is controlled to cause the reading unit to read the document.
When the scanning process is executed in a low-speed scanning mode in which the connection of communication with the external terminal is disconnected due to a timeout from the start to the completion of scanning the images on the front and back surfaces of the document, which requires a time longer than the timeout time. the prior to the take-up reads the one document by the reading unit in the reading process is completed, a part of the header of the images data of the document, said from the communication unit of the transmission source of the scan command The first transmission process to send to an external terminal and
After read-in one document by the reading section is completed by the reading process, among the image picture data of the document, the remaining image data other than a portion of the header that is transmitted at the first transmission process , The second transmission process of transmitting from the communication unit to the external terminal of the transmission source of the scan command is executed.
Image data transmission method. A reader that reads the document,
A communication unit that communicates with an external terminal,
A program installed on the computer of an image reader equipped with a control unit.
On the computer
In response to receiving a scan command from the external terminal to the communication unit, the reading unit is controlled to cause the reading unit to read the document.
When the scanning process is executed in a low-speed scanning mode in which the connection of communication with the external terminal is disconnected due to a timeout from the start to the completion of scanning the images on the front and back surfaces of the document, which requires a time longer than the timeout time. the prior to the take-up reads the one document by the reading unit in the reading process is completed, a part of the header of the images data of the document, said from the communication unit of the transmission source of the scan command The first transmission process to send to an external terminal and
After read-in one document by the reading section is completed by the reading process, among the image picture data of the document, the remaining image data other than a portion of the header that is transmitted at the first transmission process , The second transmission process of transmitting the scan command from the communication unit to the external terminal of the transmission source of the scan command is executed.
program.

Images