JPH0414536B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus that transmits image data and records an image based on the transmitted image data. When the image reading section and the image recording section are separated and the image signal read by the reading section is supplied to the recording section via a predetermined transmission path for recording, high-speed communication is possible and the image signal is A transmission method that reliably reproduces signals is desired. Therefore, we proposed a method in which the image signal read by the image reading section is pulse-frequency modulated, a light beam is formed based on this modulated image signal, and the image is transmitted to the recording section using this light beam. Even if a light beam is directed towards the recording section, if the recording section is located far away, the reception level of the light beam incident on the recording section will drop, making it difficult to reliably reproduce the image signal. There is a fear that it will disappear. At that time, there is a method of expanding the light-receiving area to maintain a constant light-receiving level, but this method has the disadvantage that the frequency characteristics deteriorate. The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and by making it possible to arbitrarily change the intensity of the emitted light beam so that a light beam of a predetermined level can always be received, The purpose is to successfully perform image recording based on transmitted image data, and specifically, it includes a plurality of distributed output means for converting image data into optical signals and transmitting them, and a plurality of output means from the plurality of output means. In an image recording apparatus comprising a common receiving means for receiving an optical signal and converting it into an electrical signal, and a recording means for recording an image based on the electrical signal from the common receiving means, each of the plurality of output means includes: a plurality of light emitting elements that convert the image data into optical signals; a setting unit that sets the intensity of the optical signal sent to the common receiving unit;
The present invention provides an image recording apparatus including a selection means for selecting a number of light emitting elements from among the plurality of light emitting elements corresponding to the intensity of the optical signal set by the setting means. Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show an example of an image transmission device to which the present invention is applied, and here, 100-1, 10
Reference numerals 0-2 and 100-3 are distributed reading units, which read images of sheet-like originals using one-dimensional solid-state image sensors,
For example, it is read with a CCD line image sensor and converted to time-series image data VDA. In the following description, reading units 100-1, 100-2, 10
0-3 are collectively referred to as 100. This image data
VDA is quantized, this image data VD and command data CD for operating the recording section 300 are supplied to a modulation circuit in the reading section 100, and a predetermined clock signal is transmitted to these signals (hereinafter referred to as "data signal DS").
pulse frequency modulation (or
MFM). The output signal of the pulse frequency modulation circuit, that is, the pulse FM signal FMS is transmitted to the light transmitting unit 500.
-1,500-2,500-3 (hereinafter collectively referred to as 500) to drive built-in light emitting elements 501, such as light emitting diodes and laser diodes. That is, as shown in the second diagram, the light emitted from the light emitting element 501 is condensed by a lens 502 to form a light beam Lt, and this light beam Lt is supplied to a light receiving section 700 attached to a ceiling or the like. Light-receiving element 70 built into light-receiving section 700
1. For example, an avalanche photodiode converts the intensity of this light beam Lt into an electrical signal to reproduce the above-mentioned pulsed FM signal FMS. This signal FMS is supplied to the recording section 300 via a coaxial cable 900. The recording section 300 extracts image data VD, write control clock WCK, and command data CD from the supplied pulse FM signal FMS. The recording unit 300 performs a predetermined image recording operation based on each of these signals. FIG. 3 shows an example of the reading mechanism of the reading unit 100, where 101 is a sheet-like original, 102, 10
3 is a feeding roller that feeds the original 101 in the direction of arrow B; 104 is a platen provided on the original feeding path; images on the lower surface of the original 101 passing through position A of this platen 104 are successively read; . 1
Reference numeral 05 denotes a document feed guide that functions to hold down the document 101 and form a well-focused image. Document position detection means 106 and 107 detect the paper edge of the document 101, and detect the point in time when the paper edge of the fed document 101 obstructs the progress of light from the light emitting element 106 to the light receiving element 107. This detection signal is used to control the recording section 300. Reference numeral 108 denotes a rod-shaped light source for illuminating the original, such as a halogen lamp, which illuminates the reading position A of the platen 104 from below. Reference numeral 109 is a folding mirror, and the image light reflected by the original 101 passing through the reading position A is
Fold Lr as shown. Reference numeral 110 denotes an imaging lens, which serves to form an image of the image light Lr onto the light receiving surface of the CCD line image sensor 111. This CCD line image sensor converts the formed image light Lr into time-series image data of a predetermined number of bits.
Convert to VDA. FIG. 4 shows the recording mechanism of the recording unit 300, where 301A is a first recording mechanism and 301B is a second recording mechanism. In this embodiment, the structures of the two recording mechanisms 301A and 301B are completely the same, and only the symbol "301" indicating the entire recording mechanism is distinguished by the symbol "A" or "B" which distinguishes the first recording mechanism from the second recording mechanism. ", and the same reference numerals are used for all recording mechanisms. First recording mechanism 301A and second recording mechanism 30
1B each includes two recording heads, e.g., inkjet heads 302 and 303. Each ink jet head is a full-line ink jet head in which a plurality of recording elements are arranged in a straight line in a direction perpendicular to the drawing of FIG.
Drives according to VDA. In this example,
It is assumed that the inkjet head 302 performs black normal mode recording at 16 dots/mm, and the inkjet head 303 performs red normal mode recording at 8 dots/mm. Each of the recording mechanisms 301A and 301B is vertically stacked in two stages by a support (not shown). 304 is a recording paper storage cassette, 305 is a recording paper stored in this cassette, 306 is a paper feed roller, 307 is a guide plate, 308 is a registration roller, 309 is a first conveyance roller, 310 is a large number of pores. A platen having a platen, 311, a fan, 312
is the second conveyance roller, 313 is the suspension roller, 31
4 is a conveyor belt, 315 is a paper discharge tray, and 316 and 317 are ink tanks. Next, the recording operation in the above mechanism will be explained.The two recording mechanisms 301A and 301B operate in exactly the same way except that the inkjet heads 302 and 303 are selectively used according to the signal sent from the reading section 100. Therefore, only the recording mechanism 301A will be described here. Recording paper 30 stored in paper cassette 304
5, the guide plate 3 is rotated by the paper feed roller 306.
07 to the registration roller 308, which has stopped rotating, and forms an appropriate loop.
Next, as the registration roller 308 rotates, the recording paper is held between the registration roller 308 and the first conveyance roller 309, and is transferred to the inkjet head 3.
02 and 303 directions. At this time, on the opposite side of the ink jet heads 302 and 303, there is a platen 310 having pores and a fan 3.
11 is arranged, and the rotation of the fan 311 blows air in the T direction in the figure. Therefore, the recording paper 305 that has passed the first conveyance roller 309 is conveyed over the platen 310 toward the second conveyance roller 312 while being attracted by the fan 311 . During this transfer process, a drive circuit performs recording in accordance with image data VD from the CCD line image sensor 111 supplied to the inkjet head 302 or 303. After recording, the leading edge of the recording paper 305 is transferred to the second conveyance roller 312, and then the recording paper 305 is discharged onto the paper discharge tray 315 by the second conveyance roller 312 and the conveyance belt 314. FIG. 5A shows the control circuit of the reading section 100 and the light transmitting section 500, where 111 is the CCD described above.
The line image sensor is driven by a drive circuit 113 that is controlled by a timing signal from a timing control circuit 112, and generates time-series image data VDA. A quantization circuit 114 quantizes the image data VDA.
The quantized image signal VD is supplied to the transmission control circuit 115. 116 is a central processing unit, which controls the operation of each part of the reading section 100 according to a control program written in a memory 117 consisting of a random access memory, a read-only memory, etc.
Reference numeral 118 is a reading mechanism control port, which sends a blinking signal to the halogen lamp 108, a drive signal to the brake and clutch for rotating or stopping the feeding rollers 102 and 103, and sends a signal from the document position detection devices 106 and 107. Detection signal is received. A console input port 119 receives a recording unit control signal from a control console 121 placed on the cover 120 on the top surface of the reading unit 100. The control console 121 has four push buttons 12 for selecting the recording mechanism and recording color.
1a to 121d, recording start button 121e,
It has a cancel button 121f and an intensity change dial 121g for changing the intensity of the light beam Lt irradiated from the light transmitting section 500 toward the light receiving section 700. When the push button 121a is pressed, the transmitted image data VD is supplied to the black ink jet head 302 of the first recording mechanism 301A, and recording is performed using black ink. The following table shows the relationship between each push button, recording mechanism, and recording color.

[Table] 122 is the command data boat, and the recording mechanism 3
Various command data CD for controlling the recording operations of 01A and 301B are supplied to the transmission control circuit 115. A transmission control port 123 sends a transmission control signal to the transmission control circuit 115 to control its operation. According to this transmission control signal and timing signal, the transmission control circuit 115
Image data VD supplied from the quantization circuit 114
Alternatively, it performs predetermined processing on the command data CD supplied from the command data boat 112 and supplies the output signal (data signal) DS to the frequency modulation circuit 124. In this embodiment, image data VD and instruction data
To distinguish it from a CD, as shown in Figure 6, an image header with different bit contents that also serves as a synchronization signal is placed at the beginning of the image data VD or command data CD.
Add VH or instruction data header CH.
The data signal DS added with these headers is supplied to the pulse frequency modulation circuit 124. This FM circuit 124 uses the supplied data signal DS to
The clock signal CKM supplied from the timing control circuit 112 is pulse frequency modulated. The output FMS of the modulation circuit 124 is supplied to the LED driving amplifier 125, and the output is also supplied to the light transmitting section 50.
0 light emitting diode 501 is driven. As described above, the output light of the light emitting diode 501 is focused by the lens 502 to form a light beam Lt, and this beam Lt is supplied to the light receiving section 700. Here, 500A is a light emitting diode (LED) selection circuit that selectively drives a plurality of light emitting diodes 501 arranged based on instructions from the intensity change dial 121g of the control console 121, the details of which are shown in FIG. 5B. In the figure, 503 is a decoder, 504 is a relay circuit, and the decoder 50
3 has a light beam from the intensity change dial 121g
A strength designation signal of Lt is input. Decoder 503
Then, this incoming signal is decoded and a control signal is output to the relay circuit 504. Relay circuit 504
is a switching means that performs on/off control of the light emitting diodes 501-1 to 501-n, and turns on a predetermined number of light emitting diodes according to a control signal input via the signal line S1. Therefore, as described above, the modulation signal supplied from the pulse FM circuit 124 via the LED driving amplifier 125
The FMS is supplied to the light emitting diodes turned on in the relay circuit, thereby causing a predetermined number of light emitting diodes to emit light. That is, the dial 121
A number of light emitting diodes corresponding to the intensity specified by g are driven to emit light. Therefore, the light beam Lt of a predetermined intensity is irradiated onto the light receiving section 700 via the lens 502. FIG. 7 shows a control circuit of the recording section 300 and a light receiving section 700, in which the light beam Lt from the light transmitting section 500 described above is converted into an electric signal, ie, a pulse FM signal FMS, by an avalanche photodiode 701. 702 is a preamplifier that amplifies this signal FMS, and its output signal is connected to the aforementioned coaxial cable 9.
Narrowband amplifier 320 of recording unit 300 via 00
supply to. The output signal of narrowband amplifier 320 is supplied to demodulation circuit 321 . The demodulation circuit 321 extracts a demodulated clock signal CKD and a demodulated data signal DS from the supplied signal FMS. The demodulated clock signal CKD is supplied to the timing signal generation circuit 322. This circuit 322
generates the write control clock signal CKW.
This signal CKW is transmitted to the recording mechanism 301A or 301.
It is used to control the timing of writing B. Demodulated data signal DS serial-parallel conversion circuit 3
23. This conversion circuit 323 converts a demodulated data signal which is a serial (time series) pulse signal.
DS is converted into a parallel pulse signal PS, which is sent to the image head VH detection circuit 324, the instruction header CH detection circuit 325, and the latch circuit 3.
26 and also the serial pulse signal DS
is supplied to the gate circuit 327 after a predetermined time delay. When the image header detection circuit 324 detects the image header VH shown in FIG.
VHS is supplied to the gate circuit 327 to open the gate 327, and the image data VD at that time is directly sent to the recording mechanism 301A or 301B, or the image memory 301 temporarily stores the image data.
Supplied indirectly via M. When the instruction header detection circuit 325 detects the instruction header CH shown in FIG. 6, it generates an instruction header detection signal CHS. This signal CHS is supplied to a delay circuit 328, delayed by a predetermined number of bits, and supplied to a latch circuit 326 as a latch signal. This causes the latch circuit 326
latches the command data signal CD when parallelization is completed. This instruction data signal CD is an interrupt request, a start timing, and a recording mechanism 3 to be used.
01A or 301B, the recording color, etc. is specified, and the recording mechanism is controlled according to this signal CD. The image header detection circuit 324 and the instruction header detection circuit 325 also include the OR circuit 32
A detection signal is also supplied to the dead time generation circuit 330 via the header 9 at the time when each header is detected. Dead time generation circuit 320 generates dead time signal DTS in response to this detection signal. Respective header detection circuits 324 and 3
This dead time signal DTS is supplied to 25.
While this dead time signal DTS is supplied,
Each header detection circuit 324 and 326 ceases operation. As a result, if the image data
Image header VH or instruction header CH in VD
Even if there is a part with the same bit configuration as , it is prevented from being detected as a header VH or CH. In the image transmission system of the present invention configured as described above, image information read by the image reading section 100 is transmitted as a light beam from the light transmitting section 500 to the recording section 300.
When irradiating the light beam toward the light receiving section 700 on the side, the intensity of the light beam can be changed by adjusting an intensity change dial arranged on the control console 121 of the reading section 100. Therefore, in FIG.
irradiated from 1,100-2 and 100-3,
Each reading section 100-1 to 100-3 adjusts the intensity of the light beams Lt-1, Lt-2, and Lt-3 received by the light receiving section 700 at different angles so that they are at the same level in the light receiving section 700. can do. As a result, each reading section 100-1 to 100-
The image data etc. read in step 3 can be reliably transmitted to the recording section 300 side. Furthermore, the light receiving section 70
Regarding 0, the communication distance of this light receiving section 700 is extended, and the service area of the light receiving section 700 can be expanded. Next, FIG. 5C shows another example of the LED selection circuit 500A, in which light emitting diodes 501-1 to 5
Relay circuit 5 as a switching means for 01-n
A gate circuit 505 is used instead of 04. In this embodiment, the light emitting diode 501
LED drive amplifiers 125-1 to 125-n are provided corresponding to LED drive amplifiers 125-1 to 501-n, respectively, and according to a control signal supplied from the intensity change switch 121g via the decoder 503, the gate circuit 505 selects a predetermined number of LED drive amplifiers. Close the gate. Gate circuit 50
The modulation signal FMS supplied to 5 is supplied via its closed gate to the corresponding LED driving amplifier and from this amplifier to the light emitting diode. In this way, the dial 121
A predetermined number of light emitting diodes corresponding to the intensity set by g are driven, and their output light is focused by a lens 502 and irradiated as a light beam Lt. As explained above, when the image information read by the image reading section is transmitted as a light beam to the image recording section, the intensity of the light beam can be changed, so that the distance between the image reading section and the image recording section can be changed. Regardless of the situation, the image recording unit can always receive a light beam as image information at an appropriate level, and the image data etc. read by the reading unit can be read by the image recording unit.
It is possible to reliably transmit the data to the recording unit and record it, store it, etc. As described above, according to the present invention, each of the plurality of distributed output means is provided with a plurality of light emitting elements for converting image data into an optical signal, and the optical signal set from among the plurality of light emitting elements is Since the number of light emitting elements corresponding to the intensity of the light is selected, the light can be transmitted from each of the plurality of distributed output means without using a light emitting element whose luminance can be changed or a structure for changing the directivity. The intensity of the optical signal can be changed individually, and as a result, it is possible to send an optical signal of appropriate strength to the common receiving means from each of the plurality of distributed output means. A common recording means can be efficiently used for image recording of the output means.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a layout diagram showing an example of an image transmission device embodying the present invention, Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of data transmission by spatial optical communication, and Fig. 3 is an internal diagram showing an example of the configuration of a reading section. 4 is an internal configuration diagram showing an example of the configuration of the recording section, FIG. 5A is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the control circuit and light transmitting section of the reading section, and FIG. 5B and C are LEDs. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing two examples of the selection circuit, FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the bit structure of a data signal, and FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an example of the structure of the control circuit and light receiving section of the recording section. Lt, Lt-1, Lt-2, Lt-3...Light beam, Lr
...Reflected light from the original, VDA...Image data read by CCD, T...Blowing direction, VD...Quantized image data, CD...Command data, DS...Data signal (general term for image data and command data), FMS... Output of pulse frequency modulation circuit (pulse frequency signal),
WCK...Write control clock, B...Document feeding direction, A...Document reading position, CKW...Write control clock, VH...Image header, CKM...Modulation clock signal, CH...Command header, CHS...Command header detection signal, DTS... Dead time signal, NEP...Negative edge detection pulse, 100,100-1,100
-2,100-3...Reading unit, 101...Sheet-like original, 102,103...Feeding roller, 104...Platen, 105...Document feeding guide, 106...Light emitting element, 107...Light receiving element, 108...Bar-shaped light source, 10
9... Reflection mirror, 110... Imaging lens, 111
...CCD line image sensor, 112...timing control circuit, 113...CCD drive circuit, 114
... Quantization circuit, 115 ... Transmission control circuit, 116 ...
CPU, 117...Memory, 118...Reading mechanism control port, 119...Console input port, 1
20... Reading unit top cover, 121... Control console, 121 _{a to f} ... Push button, 121g... Dial, 122... Command data port, 123... Transmission control port, 124... FM circuit, 125, 12
5-1, 125-2, ..., 125-n...LED
Drive amplifier, 300... recording section, 301A... first
Recording mechanism, 301B...Second recording mechanism, 301M...
Image memory, 302... Ink jet head (black), 303... Ink jet head (red), 3
04...Recording paper storage cassette, 305...Recording paper, 3
06...Paper feed roller, 307...Guide plate, 308...
Registration roller, 309...first conveyance roller, 3
10...Platen, 311...Fan, 312...Second
Conveyance roller, 313... Suspension roller, 314... Conveyance belt, 315... Paper ejection tray, 316, 317
...Ink tank, 320...Narrowband amplifier, 321
... Demodulation circuit, 322 ... Timing signal generation circuit,
323... Serial parallel conversion circuit, 324... Image header detection circuit, 325... Command header detection circuit, 326... Latch circuit, 327... Gate circuit, 328... Delay circuit, 329... OR circuit, 33
0...Internal clock generation circuit, 500,500-
1,500-2,500-3...light transmitting section, 501,
501-1, 502-2, ..., 501-n... Light emitting element, 502... Lens, 503... Decoder, 5
04... Relay circuit, 505... Gate circuit, 700
...Light receiving section, 701... Light receiving element, 702... Preamplifier, 900... Coaxial cable.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A plurality of distributed output means for converting image data into optical signals and transmitting the same; and a common reception means for receiving optical signals from the plurality of output means and converting them into electrical signals. , a recording device that records an image based on an electrical signal from the common receiving device, wherein each of the plurality of output devices includes a plurality of light emitting elements that convert the image data into an optical signal; a setting means for setting the intensity of the optical signal sent to the common receiving means; a selection means for selecting a number of light emitting elements from among the plurality of light emitting elements corresponding to the intensity of the optical signal set by the setting means; An image recording device characterized by being provided with.