JPH05162895A - Facsimile device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enhance the reliability of operation of a facsimile device by monitoring the turn-on and-off of a cut sheet sensor so as to detect the length of the cut sheet during recording, and by issuing an alarm or the like if the length of the cut sheets is shorter than the size of a cassette which is identified by an identifying means. CONSTITUTION:In a facsimile device in which recording is made on a recording sheet for every pages after a received image is once stored, the size of a cut sheet is at first determined upon signal receiving operation. That is, the time length from the time when a cut sheet sensor 29 is energized to the time when it is turned off is measured by a timer so as to obtain the cut sheet length. This cut sheet length is compared with a reference value so as to determine whether an error such as a miss in setting an identifying part for the size of the cut sheet occurs or not. When the presence of an error is determined, the size of the cut sheet which is set at present which is obtained from data from the identifying part for the size of the cut sheet. If the size of an actual cut sheet is less than the A-4 size although the identifying data indicates the A-4 size, another cassette (B-4 size) is selected.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile machine using sheet-like recording paper (hereinafter referred to as "cut paper"), for example, an electrophotographic system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional device of this type, for example,
The device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-242168 is known. This apparatus is configured to detect the length of a received image in a facsimile machine using cut sheets and, if this length is larger than the length of a recording sheet, reduce / divide the received image. It is a thing.

[0003]

In the above-mentioned prior art, the size of the cut sheet is discriminated only by detecting the identification section (magnet, identification piece, dial, etc.) of the cassette containing the cut sheet. It does not detect the actual size of the paper. Therefore, if the B4 size identification portion is mistakenly set in the cassette in which the A4 size cut sheet is set, the B4 size information is recorded in the A4 size, resulting in a loss of information. Become.
Moreover, since the device is determined to be operating normally, no error record is left. Such a cassette size setting error can occur especially when the size of the paper stored in the cassette is changed. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to solve the above problems in the related art and to receive information that requires a recording area longer than the length of a cut sheet. It is an object of the present invention to provide a facsimile apparatus which confirms this by actually detecting the length of the cut sheet and outputs an error message based on the confirmation result.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a facsimile machine having means for storing received images once and then recording the cut images page by page, one cassette containing the cut sheets. The above-mentioned cut sheet sensor is provided during the recording operation by providing the above-mentioned means for identifying the size of each cassette and the cut sheet sensor provided at the constant speed conveying portion in the cut sheet conveying path in the recording means. A facsimile apparatus, which detects a cut sheet length by monitoring ON / OFF of the switch, and outputs a warning when the detected cut sheet length is shorter than the length of the cassette size identified by the identifying means. Achieved by

[0005]

In the facsimile apparatus according to the present invention, since the actual length of the cut sheet is measured by using the cut sheet sensor, there is a mistake in setting the cut sheet or a mistake in setting the size of the cassette. Also, without missing this, a necessary error signal can be generated and information loss can be prevented. Further, in the facsimile apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, when the amount of information of the page to be recorded is larger than the cut sheet length detected by the cut sheet sensor, the difference between the two is calculated for the second and subsequent sheets. It is possible to record on cut sheets or cut sheets fed from other larger size cassettes.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 shows the internal configuration of a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a laser beam printer is used as a plotter for recording received images and the like. It is possible to make a large number of copies, and for this purpose, a paper feeding unit capable of accommodating about 1,000 sheets of recording paper (cut paper) is provided at the bottom of the apparatus main body. In FIG. 2, symbols 1 to 1
Reference numeral 2 is a scanner for reading a document, 14 to 20 are plotters for recording images, and LU is a laser unit. In the scanner, the document placed on the document table 1 is sent out by the pick-up roller 2, separated by the separation / conveyance roller 3 one by one, and sent out to the reading position by the conveyance roller 4. The document whose image has been read is reversed by the reversing unit 5 and discharged onto the document tray 6.

At the above-mentioned reading position, the image of the original is illuminated by the light source 7, and the reflected light from the image is reflected by the mirrors 8 and 9 to be guided to the lens 10 and imaged on the line image sensor 11. .. In addition, 1 on the platen 1
2 is a document sensor for detecting the size of the document,
The detection output of the document sensor 12 determines the size of the document and whether or not the document is placed on the document table 1. In the plotter, the laser unit L
The laser light modulated by the image signal corresponding to the recorded image output from U is applied to the photoconductor 14 having an endless belt shape. The photosensitive member 14 is wound around and supported by three driving rollers and is rotated, and the surface thereof is uniformly charged by a charging charger 15, and the charged surface has a laser beam output from the laser unit LU. Is exposed to form an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the recorded image (recorded information). The electrostatic latent image described above is toner-developed by the developing device 16. In addition, the back plate 17 is used for the photoconductor 14 in the exposure section.
To keep the plane flat.

On the other hand, from the paper feed cassette 21 in which cut papers attached to the main body of the apparatus are stacked to the paper feed roller 22.
The cut paper sent out by the separation conveyance roller 23
The cut sheets are separated one by one and conveyed to the registration rollers 24, and the cut sheets sent by the sheet feeding roller 26 from the sheet feeding tray 25 attached to the large-scale sheet feeding unit and having the cut sheets stacked are separated. 1 with the transport roller 27
The sheets are separated one by one, and further conveyed by the conveying roller 28 to the registration roller 24. The cut sheet conveyed to the registration roller 24 is sent to the photoconductor 14 by the registration roller 24 at the timing when the leading edge of the toner image coincides with the leading edge of the toner image. After the toner image is transferred by the transfer charger 18 to the cut paper sent to the photoconductor 14,
After being separated from the photoconductor 14, it is conveyed to the fixing device 31 by the conveying belt 30 and the toner image is fixed. The cut sheet on which the fixing is completed is discharged to the stacker 34 by the discharge rollers 32 and 33.

Further, the residual toner on the surface of the photoconductor 14 is removed by the cleaning unit 19 and is discharged to a not-shown discharge toner tank, and the residual charge on the surface of the photoconductor 14 is removed by the discharging lamp 20. In addition,
Reference numeral 29 provided between the registration roller 24 and the transfer charger 18 is a cut sheet presence / absence detection sensor (hereinafter referred to as “cut sheet sensor”). Further, the above-mentioned paper feed cassette 21 and paper feed tray 25 are provided with a paper sensor (not shown) for detecting the size of the cut paper stored therein. The sizes of the cut papers stored in the paper cassette 21 and the paper feed tray 25 are detected, and whether the cut papers are stored in the paper feed cassette 21 and the paper feed tray 25 is detected. FIG. 3 shows the configuration of the control system of the facsimile apparatus configured as described above.

In FIG. 3, a CPU 40 controls the entire facsimile apparatus, its execution program is stored in a ROM 41, and its work area is a RAM 4
2 is formed on. The character generator 43 generates various characters and the like to be displayed on the operation display unit 13 not shown in FIG. 2, the clock circuit 44 outputs time data, and the parameter memory backed up by the battery 45 is used. Reference numeral 46 stores setting data for the one-touch keys of the operation display unit 13. The image memory 47 stores image data which is uncompressed data to be recorded and output by the plotter 48 and compressed data at the time of transmission or reception. In the image memory 47, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, a portion of the recording area corresponding to the maximum size of an image that can be recorded by the plotter 48 (for example, B4 version) is recorded in the recording area of uncompressed recording data. The other area is set as the recording area of the compressed image data.

The paper feed cassette 21 of the plotter 48 described above.
And the paper sensor 4 attached to the paper feed tray 25
9. The detection signals of the original sensor 12 attached to the original table 1 of the scanner 50 and the cut sheet sensor 29 attached downstream of the registration roller 24 are configured to be sent to the CPU 40. Encoding / decoding unit 51, 52
Has a function of coding and compressing image data and a function of decoding the coded and compressed image data into original image data. The communication control unit 53 executes a predetermined facsimile transmission control procedure to execute image transmission with the partner station, and the modem 55 enables the public telephone line or the like which is an analog line network to be used as a transmission line. It modulates and demodulates digital data. Also, the network controller 5
Reference numeral 6 is for connecting the facsimile apparatus to a public telephone line network. The network control device 56 has an automatic call originating / receiving function. Each of these devices is connected via a bus line 57.

Here, the outline of the operation of the facsimile apparatus will be described. At the time of image transmission (accumulation), first, the scanner 50
The image signal read in (1) is transferred to the encoding / decoding unit 51 (or 52) by the CPU 40 and is encoded, and then stored in the compressed data area of the image memory 47. Then, when connected to the destination, the image data stored in the image memory 47 is transmitted to the destination. At this time, the transmission identification information is added to the beginning of each image, and if it is set by the operator, the fixed text is added.
At the time of receiving the image information, all the received images (compressed data) are transferred to the encoding / decoding unit 51 (or 52) via the compressed data area of the image memory 47, and the original image signal (non-compressed data) is sequentially transferred. After being decoded into, it is stored in the non-compressed data area of the image memory 47. Then, when one image is stored in the image memory 47, the images are collectively transferred to the plotter 48 and recorded and output. This operation is repeated until reception of all images is completed.

By the way, normally, in the pre-transmission procedure in facsimile transmission, the size information of the transmission original is notified from the transmission side. Therefore, in the above-described reception operation, if the cut sheet corresponding to the size information of the transmission original notified in the pre-transmission procedure is reliably set on the plotter, the reception is possible. In the facsimile apparatus according to the present embodiment, the size of the cut paper is not detected only by the identification unit (magnet, identification piece, dial, etc.) of the cassette accommodating the cut paper, but the cut paper sensor 29 described above is used. It is characterized in that it is detected by, and re-recording is performed if necessary. That is, the registration roller 2
From 4 onwards, using the fact that cut sheets are transported at a constant speed,
The time from the cut sheet detection ON to the OFF is measured by the cut sheet sensor 29 provided at the subsequent stage of the registration roller 24, and based on this, according to the operation flow shown in FIG.
It is determined whether the cut sheet size information by the initially detected cassette identification unit is accurate. The details of this operation will be described below.

When it is detected that the cut sheet sensor 29 is turned on (step 61), the timer is started (step 62), and when the cut sheet sensor 29 is turned off, the above timer is stopped, and the time interval is Measure (steps 63 and 64). This calculation is based on cutting paper transport speed v (mm / s
ec) and the timer value is T (sec), cut paper length Lp (m
m) is calculated by Lp = v * T (step 65). Then, the value of Lp is previously determined for each size and compared with the specified value Lc (mm) (step 66),
If Lp <Lc, it is considered that there is an error such as a mistake in setting the cassette size identification portion, and the error flag is set (step 67). If Lp <Lc is not satisfied, the error flag, if set, is cleared (step 68). The specified value Lc is A4, B4
It is advisable to use a value with a margin of about 10 mm from the actual value for such sizes (for example, in the case of the A4 size, 287 mm for the long side 297 mm).

Based on the above-mentioned setting status of the error flag,
As shown in FIG. 5, the operation based on the cut sheet size information by the initially detected cassette identification unit can be corrected. In the example described below, the case where the settable cut sheet size is set to either A4 or B4 will be described. First, it is determined whether or not the above-mentioned error flag is set (step 71), and if not set, this operation is ended. In this case,
It is not necessary to make a correction to the operation based on the cut sheet size information detected by the discriminating portion of the cassette that is initially detected, and the operation can proceed as it is. On the other hand, when the error flag is set, it is determined whether or not the size of the currently set cut sheet obtained from the information of the cassette size identification portion is A4 size (step 72). If the determination result is YES, it indicates that the actual cut sheet size is smaller than that even though the cassette size identification information indicates A4 size. Proceed to step 74 for selecting a cassette (here, B4 size). Then, re-recording is performed using this cut sheet (step 75).

On the other hand, in the judgment at step 72, N
O, that is, when it is determined that the size of the currently set cut sheet obtained from the information on the cassette size identification portion is not A4 size, the information on the cassette size identification portion indicates B4 size. Nevertheless, since it indicates that the actual cut paper size is smaller than that (for example, A4 size cut paper is actually set), the process proceeds to step 73, and the other cassette size is B4. It is determined whether or not the size. If the determination result is YES, the other cassette (B4 size) is selected and re-recording is performed (steps 74 and 75). If this cassette is correct, this completes the process. If the determination in step 72 is NO, that is, if the other cassette size is also not B4 size (this means A4 size), a plurality of A4 size sheets are used.
In order to record on the size cut sheet, the image information remaining after subtracting the amount of information that can be recorded on the current cut sheet is calculated (step 76), and the remaining information is recorded on the second and subsequent cut sheets. (Step 77).

In any of the above cases, the cut sheet length determination processing shown in FIG. 1 and the cut sheet length detection error flag setting processing shown in FIG. Parallel processing is performed by processing. Also, at the time of re-recording, the same check as before is performed, and the same processing is repeated within a necessary range. In FIG.
An example of the recording process will be shown. The points shown in FIG. 6 are as follows. The received data is temporarily stored in the compressed data area of the image memory 47 (step 82), then transferred line by line to the encoding / decoding unit 51 (or 52) to be decoded into the original image signal (step 83), The decoded image signal is stored in the image memory 47.
(Step 84). And 1
Each time the image signal of a line is accumulated, it is checked whether or not the number of lines that can be recorded on the cut paper set at that time is exceeded (step 85). If the result of this determination is NO, the process proceeds to step 86. Then, it is checked whether the image signals for one page are aligned in the recording data area. If not, return to step 82.

The determination result in step 86 is YE.
When S is reached, recording output is performed on the cut sheet.
(Step 87). This is repeated until the reception is completed (step 8
8). On the other hand, if the result of the determination in step 85 is YES and the processing for one page is not completed at that point, the error flag is set in FIG. 5 described above, so that the processing of FIG. (Step 8
9, 90). According to the above embodiment, since the actual length of the cut sheet is measured using the cut sheet sensor, even if there is a mistake in setting the cut sheet or a mistake in setting the size of the cassette, this is overlooked. Without this, it is possible to generate the necessary error signal and prevent the loss of information. Further, when the information amount of the page to be recorded is larger than the cut sheet length equivalent detected by the cut sheet sensor, the difference between the two is recorded on the second and subsequent cut sheets, or other larger size sheets. It is also possible to record on cut sheets fed from the cassette. It is needless to say that the above embodiment is an example of the present invention and the present invention should not be limited to this.

[0019]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, when the information which requires the recording area longer than the length of the cut sheet is received, the length of the cut sheet is actually detected. Thus, it is possible to realize a facsimile device which is confirmed and outputs an error message based on the confirmation result.

[0020]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a process in a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention for determining whether or not cut sheet size information by a cassette identification unit is accurate.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an internal configuration of a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a control system of the facsimile apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a recording area of the image memory of the facsimile apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a process of correcting an operation based on the cut sheet size information by the identification unit of the cassette in the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of reception / recording processing.

[Explanation of symbols]

21: paper feed cassette, 23: separation / transport roller, 24: registration roller, 25: paper feed tray, 27: separation / transport roller, 29: cut paper sensor.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A facsimile device having means for recording received images once on a sheet of recording paper for each page, and further comprising one or more cassettes for accommodating the recording paper, and the size of each cassette. Means to identify
A recording paper sensor provided at a constant speed conveyance portion in the recording paper conveyance path in the recording means is provided, and the recording paper length is detected by monitoring ON / OFF of the recording paper sensor during a recording operation. A facsimile apparatus, wherein a warning is output when the detected recording paper length is shorter than the length of the cassette size identified by the identifying means. 2. When the warning is output and the information amount of the page to be recorded is larger than the recording paper length detected by the recording paper sensor, the difference between the two is set to 2
The recording is performed on the first and subsequent recording sheets.
The described facsimile machine. 3. The warning output is performed, and the amount of information of the page to be recorded is larger than the recording paper length detected by the recording paper sensor, and the recording is performed in a mounted cassette. If there is a cassette containing a recording sheet capable of recording the information amount of the page, the recording sheet is fed from the cassette and the entire information of the page to be recorded is recorded on the recording sheet. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: