JPH04354255A - Image communication device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an image communication device capable of easily and securely setting plural control conditions. CONSTITUTION:Whether or not an image menu key 6 is pressed is detected (Step S1) depending on the pressing of the key and the image menu key 6 is pressed, the operation of a one easy step key 7 is detected (Step S2), the combination of the control parameters of a transmission image corresponding to the pressed one easy step key 7 is selected from a memory table (Step S3), the respective parameters are copied to a flag area set by a line density key 3, concentration key 4 and intermediate tone key 5, and these transmission image control conditions are set.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image communication apparatus, and more particularly to an image communication apparatus having operating means for setting a plurality of control conditions for controlling transmitted images.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Conventional facsimile machines use a line density key to control line density such as normal/fine/super fine to control a transmitted image;
Halftone keys, etc. are provided, and these keys can be operated independently for each transmission depending on the user's wishes or whether the image to be transmitted is a text original or a photo (halftone) image. was in control.

0003

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the above conventional example, the settings are changed every time a different type of original (photo original, original with text only, original with different paper quality (blueprint, etc.)) is sent. There are problems in that the operation is complicated or that it is easy to make a mistake in the operation, making it impossible for the receiving side to obtain a satisfactory received image.

[0004] Also, if you do not understand the meaning of each key,
Since the recipient does not know how to set the image (color density, line density, etc.) to suit the original to be sent, there is also the problem that the receiving side cannot obtain a satisfactory received image. The reason why it is difficult to understand the meaning of each key is thought to be that the operation results of the keys that control the transmitted image can basically be checked only on the receiving side.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an image communication device that solves the above problems and allows each of a plurality of control conditions to be set easily and reliably.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides an image communication apparatus having an operation means for setting each of a plurality of control conditions for controlling a transmitted image. The present invention has means for presetting and storing combinations of control conditions for transmission images to be transmitted, and a configuration is adopted in which a predetermined combination of control conditions for transmission images in the storage means is selected by a predetermined operation and used for transmission image control.

[0007]

[Operation] According to the above configuration, the control conditions of a plurality of transmission images can be easily controlled by selecting a predetermined combination of transmission image control conditions stored in advance.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be explained in detail below based on embodiments shown in the drawings.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show the structure of a facsimile machine employing the present invention. Figure 1 shows the operation panel 1 of the device.
FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the control system of the device.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 2 denotes a display unit including an LCD used to display operating status and current time. Here, keys provided in known facsimile machines, such as a start key and a numeric keypad, are not shown; 3, a density key 4, and a halftone key 5.

The linear density key 3, density key 4, and halftone key 5 all toggle each time they are pressed to change the flags in the memory 9 (FIG. 2).
It operates to switch control conditions corresponding to each function.

Here, the linear density key 3 controls linear density such as normal/fine/super fine. Also,
Density key 4 controls the density of the transmitted image by controlling the threshold of scanner 16 (FIG. 2). Also,
The halftone key 5 sets reading conditions suitable for expressing halftones by controlling the dither of the scanner 16 of the density key 4 and the like.

As before, keys 3 to 5 are used to select whether the user desires or whether the transmitted image is a text document or a photograph (halftone).
It is operated on each transmission depending on whether it is an image or not.

Further, in this embodiment, an image menu key 6 is provided for appropriately combining the conditions controlled by the keys 3 to 5, storing preset control conditions, and selecting the preset control conditions. The image menu key 6 selects a preset image control condition by pressing it in combination with the one-touch key 7, as will be described later.

The one-touch key 7 has a function of directly accessing a telephone number. That is, a telephone number can be stored in the memory 9 in correspondence with each one-touch key, and a call can be made using the stored telephone number by operating each one-touch key. Further, in this embodiment, as described later, the one-touch key 7 is used to select a preset image control condition in response to pressing the image menu key 6.

In FIG. 2, the reference numeral 2 designates a display section as in FIG. 1, and the reference numeral 8 designates a key matrix of the operation panel 1. Memory 9 stores phone numbers corresponding to one-touch key 7;
It is also used to store preset image control conditions as shown in FIG. The memory 9 includes RAM, nonvolatile memory, and the like.

The key matrix 8 and memory 9 are connected to a CPU consisting of a microprocessor or the like via a bus line 11.
10. Connected to the CPU 10 is a ROM 15 that stores a control program, which will be described later, and controls input/output to the key matrix 8, memory 9, and display unit 2, as well as the scanner 16, printer 17, and line interface 18, according to this program. control and perform communication processing.

The scanner 16 is comprised of a CCD line sensor, an original conveyance system, and the like, and is used to read original images. The scanner 16 is controlled by keys 3-
5 or by the CPU 10 according to image control conditions determined by operations described below.

The printer 17 includes a thermal recording head or a laser beam printer mechanism, a recording paper conveyance system, and the like, and is used to record received images or images read by the scanner 16 when copying originals.

The line interface 18 includes a modem, N
It consists of a CU, a dialing circuit, a call signal detection section, etc., and is used as an interface with line N.

Next, FIG. 3 shows the operation of the above configuration.
This will be explained with reference to FIG.

FIG. 3 shows a memory table configured by storing the control parameters of the transmitted image corresponding to the linear density key 3, the density key 4, and the halftone key 5 in storage areas corresponding to the one-touch keys 7, respectively. It shows. This memory table is prepared in the memory 9 separately from the telephone number registration area for the one-touch key 7.

In the table shown in FIG. 3, control parameters for transmission images are stored in advance in the combinations shown in the figure at the time of shipment. Alternatively, the user is allowed to register a desired combination of control parameters for transmission images by an operation substantially similar to the registration of a telephone number using the one-touch key 7. In this registration mode, after pressing the one-touch key 7, the linear density key 3
, density key 4, and halftone key 5 to input and register control parameters for the transmitted image.

Each of the conditions arranged in the horizontal direction in FIG. 3 can be selected with one touch by pressing each one-touch key 7. To control this selection, a control program for the CPU 10 as shown in FIG. 4 may be used. The control program in FIG.
The key input control program is stored in the ROM 15 in advance.

That is, in response to the key press, step S
1 detects whether or not the image menu key 6 is pressed, and if a key other than the image menu key 6 is pressed, other known key press processing (including call control using the one-touch key 7, etc.) is performed, and the image menu is displayed. When the key 6 is pressed, the subsequent operation of the one-touch key 7 is detected in step S2.

When an appropriate one-touch key 7 is pressed, the combination of control parameters for the transmitted image corresponding to the one-touch key 7 pressed in step S3 is shown in FIG.
Select from the table and set each parameter using the linear density key 3,
Copy to the flag area set by density key 4 and halftone key 5.

In this way, the combination of control parameters for the transmitted image can be selected with a single touch by pressing each one-touch key 7, without having to perform the troublesome independent operations of the linear density key 3, density key 4, and halftone key 5. .

If the table shown in FIG. 3 is registered in advance at the time of shipment, the one-touch key 7 that corresponds to a fixed display such as "a document with low density and only small characters" can be used.
It is possible to store combinations of control parameters for the transmitted image, such as fine line density, deep color depth, and binary gradation, in the corresponding table area. Conceivable. Alternatively, fixed displays such as "newspaper" and "photo" may be attached near the corresponding one-touch keys 7, and combinations of control parameters for transmission images corresponding to these may also be stored.

[0029] As a result, even a user who is not familiar with the functions of keys 3 to 5 can easily select an appropriate combination of control parameters for transmitted images in a short time, allowing high-quality image reproduction on the receiving side. can be done. In addition, it becomes easier to understand the transmission method suitable for each document, and the device can be used more effectively. Further, since the one-touch key 7 is used, there is an advantage that it can be implemented easily and inexpensively without adding a new operation system.

Furthermore, although a one-touch key for a telephone number is used to access this image data, if a telephone numeric keypad or the like is used, it is also possible to use a facsimile machine that does not have a one-touch key.

[0031] In the above, the telephone number registration area of the one-touch key 7 and the table registration area of FIG. The registration area and the registration area of FIG. 3 may be linked, and when a telephone number is selected using the one-touch key 7, a combination of control parameters for the transmission image in the corresponding table of FIG. 3 may be selected and used. . This makes it possible to automatically select appropriate transmission image control conditions depending on the partner station. It is conceivable that such a table link is enabled/disabled by operating an appropriate control key for each or all keys of the one-touch key 7.

Furthermore, in order to select the combination of control parameters for the transmission image shown in FIG. 3, it is not necessarily necessary to press the one-touch key 7 or the numeric keypad. For example, it is conceivable to use only the image menu key 6 to cyclically select a combination of control parameters for the transmitted image each time the image menu key 6 is pressed.

Note that when the selection operation of the combination of control parameters for the transmission image shown in FIG. 3 is performed, the user can be informed of the setting contents by displaying the contents on the display section 2. If this display is performed after mapping the linear density key 3, density key 4, and halftone key 5,
You can expect a function to educate users about the functions of these keys. For example, in the configuration of FIG. 1, the display section 2, the linear density key 3, the density key 4, and the halftone key 5 are arranged side by side, so the display section directly above the linear density key 3, the density key 4, and the halftone key 5 Such an effect can be expected by displaying the setting contents corresponding to each key in the display area 2.

[0034]

As is clear from the above, according to the present invention, in an image communication apparatus having an operation means for setting a plurality of control conditions for controlling a transmission image, the transmission image set by the operation means can be controlled. comprising means for presetting and storing combinations of control conditions, and selecting a predetermined combination of control conditions for transmission images in the storage means by a predetermined operation;
Since the configuration used for transmission image control is adopted, the control conditions of multiple transmission images can be easily controlled by selecting a predetermined combination of transmission image control conditions stored in advance. It is possible to provide an excellent image communication device that can easily and reliably control transmitted images.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an operation panel of a facsimile apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control system of the device in FIG. 1;

3 is an explanatory diagram showing the structure of a table of control parameters for transmission images registered in the memory 9 of FIG. 2; FIG.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of the device in FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Operation panel 2 Display section 3 Line density key 4 Density key 5 Halftone key 6 Image menu key 7 One-touch key

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An image communication apparatus comprising operating means for respectively setting a plurality of control conditions for controlling a transmitted image, further comprising means for presetting and storing combinations of control conditions for transmitting images set by the operating means, An image communication device characterized in that a predetermined combination of control conditions for transmission images in the storage means is selected by a predetermined operation and used for transmission image control. 2. The image communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a control means that uses an operation means for performing a call operation for the predetermined operation.