JPH0389766A - Copying machine provided with communication function - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To realize picture editing process which a computer does not have by inputting/outputting picture data to/from the computer at an external part through an interface, and utilizing a picture editing function provided on a copying machine. CONSTITUTION:The picture data is read by a picture reading part 18, and simultaneously, the picture data is inputted from the external part through the interface 21. The read picture data and the inputted picture data read and inputted in such a manner are stored in storage means 23, 24. Accordingly, when the picture data read by the picture reading part 18 is stored in the storage means 23, 24, it can be stored in a state that it is edited by a picture editing device 22. Besides, the picture data stored in the storage means 23, 24 can be edited in conformity to a picture editing instruction inputted from the external part. Thus, the picture data inputted from the external part can be printed out after being edited further.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Field of Industrial Application This invention relates to a copying machine equipped with a communication function that can be used as an input/output device for a computer constituting a LAN workstation.

('b) Conventional technology In a LAN in which multiple workstations are connected via coaxial or optical fiber cables, image data can be captured from an image scanner shared by each workstation and image processing can be performed. . At each workstation, image data manually input from an image scanner is edited using an editor, and the data is transmitted to other workstations or output to a printer shared on the network for printing.

(C) Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, conventional image scanners used as image input devices in LANs can only output the image data of the scanned original to a workstation as is; Conventional printers used as devices can only print out image data transmitted from a workstation in its original state. For this reason, the range in which image data can be compiled is limited to the editing functions of the nib and ifter of the workstation, and there was a problem in that it was not possible to fully utilize the original image. Focusing on the wide range of editing functions possessed by a copying machine, by utilizing the editing functions possessed by this copying machine, the image data of the original can be imported into the workstation in an edited state, and the image transmitted from the workstation can be further edited. An object of the present invention is to provide a copying machine that can be used as an input/output device for image data that can be printed out.

(d) Means for Solving the Problems A copying machine equipped with a communication function according to the present invention has an image editing function for editing an image of a document read by an image reading section, and is capable of communicating with an external computer. An interface for inputting and outputting data, a storage means for storing image data input through the interface or image data of a document read by an image reading unit, and a storage means for storing image data inputted through the interface according to an image editing command inputted through the ink interface. The present invention is characterized by being provided with an image editing means for editing an image stored in the image using an image editing function.

te1 Effect In the present invention, image data is read in the image reading section, and the image data is inputted from the outside via the interface. The image data thus read by the image reading section and the image data input from the outside are stored in the storage means. When storing the image data read by the image reading section in the storage means, the image data edited by the image editing function can be stored. Further, the image data stored in the storage means can be edited according to an image editing command input from the outside. Therefore, it is possible to further edit and print out image data manually input from outside.

(f) Embodiment FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the usage state of a copying machine equipped with a communication function, which is an embodiment of the present invention.

The copying machine 1 is an LA consisting of a plurality of workstations 3a to 3C connected to a coaxial cable 2.
Connected to N. In addition, although the description has been made using a bus type network in the same figure, it is also possible to connect the copy [1 to a cable and use it similarly in a ring type network.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the copying machine.

The CPU II is connected to a panel controller 14, a printer controller 17, and an image reading unit 18 via an internal bus 25.
, interface 21, editing device 22, V-RAM 23
．． Input/output devices such as 24 are connected. C.P.U.I.
1 controls these input/output devices according to a program written in the ROM 12 in advance. A predetermined memory area of the RAM 13 is assigned to the working area at this time. A key switch 15 and a display LED 16 provided on the operation panel are connected to the panel controller 14 . The printer controller 17 is connected to a laser printer 19 that forms an electrostatic latent image on a photoreceptor drum by irradiating a laser beam, visualizes the image using a developer, and transfers the image onto a sheet of paper. Further, a CCD sensor 20 is connected to the image reading section 18 for scanning an image of a document. Further, the CPU I is connected to the workstations 33 to 3C shown in FIG. 2 via the interface 21.
・Connected to.

Image data read by the image reading section 18 or input from the workstation via the interface 21 is stored in the VRAM 23.

The editing device 22 includes a key switch 15 on the operation panel.
The image data stored in the V-RAM 23 is edited in accordance with the operation contents and the editing data from the human-powered device of the editing device 22 itself, and is stored in the V-RAM 24.

Editing functions performed by the editing device 22 include, for example: (1) changing part or all of an image to an arbitrary color; ■Flip any part of the image. ■Frame with any color.

■Delete any part of the image, leave only any part of the 0 image and delete the rest. 0 image is configured to be left-right symmetrical. Examples include.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of workstations forming a LAN to which the copying machine is connected.

Input/output devices such as a display controller 34, a keyboard controller 35, an interface 38, a floppy disk driver 39, a writing tool 40, and V-RAMs 41 and 42 are connected to the CPU 31 via an internal bus 43. The CPU 31 controls these input/output devices according to a program written in the ROM 32 in advance. A part of the memory area of the RAM 33 is allocated to the working area at this time. A display device 36 such as a CRT or LCD is connected to the display controller 34, and a keyboard controller 3
A keyboard 37 is connected to 5. The CPU 31 connects to the cable 2 shown in FIG. 2 via the interface 38.
A LAN is configured by being connected to the LAN. The floppy disk driver 39 writes image data and the like to the floppy disk according to control data from the CPU 31.

Image data created by operating the keyboard 37 or image data transmitted from the copying machine 1 via the ink face 38 is stored in the V-RAM 41. At this time,
The display controller 34 reads the image data from the V-RAM 41 and displays it on the display 36. The writing tool 4o writes data input manually by operating the keyboard 37 into any position of the image data stored in the V-RAM 41.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the copying machine.

When the power is turned on, the CPU II waits for a reception command from the interface 21, manual input of an editing command, or operation of a print switch (nl, n2-n4). Editing instructions are also given by operating the key switch 15 on the operation panel of the copying machine l.

When editing processing is instructed, the editing data corresponding to the editing contents is stored in the RAM 13 (n2→n3). When the print switch is operated, the image of the document placed on the document table is read by the CCD sensor 20, and the V-R
Store the read image data in AM23 (n5.n
6).

Next, check whether editing data is stored in the RAM 13 (nl). If there is no W collection data, that is, if editing processing has not been instructed, check whether transmission to any workstation has been instructed. (nlO). If the transmission of image data to the workstation is not instructed, control data is output to the printer controller 17 and copy processing is executed based on the image data stored in the V-RAM 23 (
nlo-n12). In the above, n4 to n7-=n 1
The processing of 0-n 12 is the processing of normal copying work.

If there is editing data in nl after reading the original image, that is, if editing processing is instructed, RA
Control data is output to the editing device 22 according to the contents stored in M13, and the image data in the V-RAM 23 is edited and stored in the V-RAM 24 (n8, n9). Also,
When transmission of image data is instructed by operating the key switch 15 on the operation panel, the image data is transmitted in a predetermined format (nlO-nll).

At this time, if there is no image data in the V-RAM 14, that is, if the image data has not been edited, the image data stored in the V-RAM 23 is sent, and if the editing process is performed, transmits the image data stored in the V-RAM 24.

When a reception command is input from a workstation during operation standby, the image data transmitted by that workstation is received (nl→n13). If edited data is sent along with this image data, the edited content will be RA
The image data sent from the workstation is stored in the V-RAM 23 (n16). Thereafter, the process proceeds to nl, and processing operations are executed according to the presence or absence of an instruction for editing processing and the presence or absence of an instruction for transmission processing.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a part of the processing procedure of a workstation forming a LAN to which the copying machine is connected.

Data is transmitted in a cable that connects a plurality of workstations in a LAN using packets configured in a predetermined format. Each of the workstations making up the LAN is given a unique address, and the address of the workstation that is to receive the data is written in a packet related to data transmission.

Each workstation reads the reception address of the packet and checks whether it matches the address given to that workstation (n21). If the addresses match, the data written in the packet is read and the image data is stored in the V-RAM 41 (n23, n24). Furthermore, when the operator at each workstation instructs reading of image data stored in the disk device, the selected image data is read and stored in the V-RAM 41 (n22→n3l-n24 ).

Thereafter, editing processing is executed using the writing tool 40 in response to operations on the keyboard 37, and the edited image data is stored in the V-RAM 42 (n25, n26). Furthermore, transmission to the copying machine 1 (n27
), send to fax (g (n28)), send to another workstation (n29), or send to a disk device (n30).

As described above, according to this embodiment, a copying machine can be used as an input/output device for image data of workstations making up a LAN, and the image editing function provided by the copying machine can be effectively used when outputting images. It can be utilized.

(Effects of the Phantom Invention) According to the copying machine of this invention, image data can be input/output to/from an external computer via an interface, and the copying machine can be used as an input/output device for computer image data. In both cases where image data read by a copying machine is output to a computer and when image data input from a computer is copied, the image editing function provided by a copying machine can generally be utilized. Therefore, it has the advantage of being able to perform image editing processes that are not available on general computers.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a copying machine equipped with a communication function, which is an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a LAN to which the copying machine is connected, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the copying machine. 4 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the copying machine, and FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the workstation configuring the LAN to which the copying machine is connected. FIG. - copying machine, 3-30m workstation computer), 1-interface, 3-V-RAM (storage means). (Combie

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) In a copying machine that has an image editing function that edits the image of a document read by the image reading section, there is an interface that inputs and outputs data to and from an external computer, and an interface that inputs and outputs data to and from an external computer, and an interface that inputs and outputs image data or A storage means for storing image data of a document read by an image reading unit, and an image editing means for editing an image stored in the storage means using an image editing function according to an image editing command inputted via an interface. A copying machine equipped with communication functions.