JPH05191592A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the picture quality of a read picture by performing the stable reading at all times in the facsimile equipment where the reading timing of an original reading section changes. CONSTITUTION:Originals are scanned by inputting an original reading command from a main CPU 47 to an image processor 34. A carrying motor is rotated by outputting a step trigger command to an original carrying motor 44 with respect to the sub CPU 46. Step time intervals of the carrying motor at the time of the original reading is detected and when the intervals exceed the set time, the carrying motor is rotated in advance to make the original carried and placed at the reading position before the original reading. The sub CPU receives transmission original carrying amount information in a step memory 48 as step number information for the step trigger command to carry originals by rotating the motor by the corresponding number of steps.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus having an improved read image quality.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional facsimile apparatus, a main CPU, an original feeding motor (hereinafter referred to as a reading motor) for reading an original, and a sub-CP for controlling the motor.
U, which is composed of an image processing unit for reading a document and performing image processing, issues a step trigger command of the motor and a step number parameter of the motor corresponding to the trigger command from the main CPU to the sub CPU, and rotates the motor. The main CPU issues an original reading command (hereinafter referred to as a scan command) to the image processing unit to scan the original.

[0003]

However, in the conventional facsimile apparatus, it is necessary to issue the step number parameter for each trigger command, even though the number of steps for the trigger command in the image density such as fine is constant. Yes, there was a waste of operation.

Further, as for the actual movement of the motor, when the time interval of the motor excitation change by the trigger is opened (hereinafter, intermittent operation of the motor) and when the motor excitation change by the trigger is continuous (hereinafter, continuous operation of the motor). )
Then there was a big difference in the operation of the motor. That is, in the case where the motor is operating intermittently, there is a delay from the occurrence of the motor excitation change due to the trigger until the actual movement of the motor.

However, in the conventional facsimile apparatus, the time interval between the step operation of the motor by the motor trigger and the scanning operation for reading the transmission original is constant without considering the operation of the motor in the continuous mode and the intermittent mode of the motor. It was However, when the motor is operating intermittently, it took some time for the motor to stand still in a stable state after the motor excitation change due to the trigger. That is, the damping operation (or vibration) of the motor occurred. When the transmission document is scanned in this state, the reading position is not fixed and the scanning is performed in a vibrating state, so that it is impossible to perform scanning at a precise target position. It has a great influence on the image quality and has been a serious problem.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks. When the step time interval of the document feeding motor at the time of reading the document is opened, the document feeding motor is rotated to feed the document in advance and read it. It is intended to perform stable scanning at a position and improve the quality of a read image.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks, in which a sub CPU selects a table according to an instruction from the main CPU, rotates the table at a step number according to the table, and stably scans at a reading position. It is intended to improve the quality of the read image.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention detects a step time interval of a document feeding motor at the time of reading a document in a facsimile apparatus in which the reading timing of a document reading unit changes, and detects the time. When the interval exceeds the set time, the document feeding motor is rotated in advance to feed the document in advance before reading the document.

The present invention also relates to a main CPU to a sub CPU.
In the facsimile apparatus that outputs a step trigger command of the document feeding motor to rotate the document feeding motor, outputs a document reading command from the main CPU to the image processing unit to scan the document, the sub CPU is When the document feed amount information is previously received as the step number information for the step trigger command, and when the document feed motor is advanced, the document feed motor is rotated by the number of steps according to the document feed amount information to send the document. The transmission document is conveyed according to the conveyance amount information.

Further, according to the present invention, in the above facsimile apparatus, the number of steps for the step trigger command periodically changes depending on the image density, and the transmission document conveyance amount information is previously stored as the substep conveyance amount information as the periodic step number information for the step trigger command. The sub CPU has a table in the CPU, and the sub CPU selects the table according to an instruction from the main CPU and rotates the table in the number of steps according to the step trigger command.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a control block diagram of the entire facsimile apparatus. In FIG. 1, 1 is an original reading unit for converting a transmission original into read image data, and 2 is a received image.
A recording unit for printing a communication result report and the like. Reference numeral 3 is a network control unit or NCU for connecting a telephone line to a facsimile. Reference numeral 4 is a modulation / demodulation device or modem for communication, 5 is a modem control unit for controlling the modulation / demodulation device 4, 6 is an operation panel, 7 is a display for displaying the state of the facsimile to the user, and 8 is an operation panel. 6 is a key provided by the user to instruct the facsimile to perform various operations. Reference numeral 9 is a sensor for detecting the state of the facsimile, 10 is a memory, and 11 is an image memory for storing received image data and the like. 12 is a system RAM (or system memory) that is backed up by a battery or the like so that data is not destroyed even when commercial power is cut off due to a power outage, etc.
13 is a ROM for determining facsimile specifications, 20
Is a central control unit that controls each unit.

FIG. 2 shows a detailed control block of the document reading unit 1 and the central control unit 20 of FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 31 is a CCD which is a photoelectric conversion element for reading a transmission document and converting it into an electric signal. 32 is an AD conversion IC for digitizing the electric signal of the CCD 31; 33 is an AD conversion IC 32
Image processing IC for performing the image processing such as the conversion of the output signal of the error signal into the error diffusion signal in the halftone and the edge enhancement, and the like.
4 is a CCD 31, an AD conversion IC 32, an image processing IC 33
An image processing unit 41 includes a coding IC for coding the image data from the image processing unit 34 into signals such as MH (Modified Huffman) and MR (Modified Read).
2 is a FIFO (first-in-first-out memory) that interfaces the encoding IC 41 and the modem 43; 44 is a reading motor that is a stepping motor that conveys a transmission document to a document reading position;
Is a driver IC for changing and driving the phase exciting current of the reading motor 44, 46 is a sub CPU for deciding a phase exciting signal to the driver IC 45, and driving the reading motor 44 by changing the signal. Is a step memory which is a memory which is included in the sub CPU 46 and which can be written from the main CPU 47, and 49 is a step flag which is a flag included in the sub CPU 46.

The image processing unit 34, the reading motor 44, and the driver IC 45 are shown in the original reading unit 1 in FIG. 1, and the coding IC 41, the sub CPU 46, and the main CPU 47 are shown in the central control unit 20 in FIG. It is what is done.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of signals of the main CPU 47 and the sub CPU 46 when the reading motor 44 is advanced. In FIG. 3, the motor trigger command is the main CP
The command is sent from the U47 to the sub CPU 46, and the main CPU 47 instructs the sub CPU 46 to rotate the reading motor 44 by the number of steps referred to in the step memory 48. The stepped flag is turned on when the reading motor 44 is advanced, and the motor trigger command is issued by the sub CPU.
It is a flag in the sub CPU 46 which is turned off when it is sent to the CPU 46. Motor step is sub CPU4
Reference numeral 6 indicates the timing at which the reading motor 44 is stepped by the change in the phase excitation signal.

The sub CPU timer indicates the timing of the timer for detecting the motor step time interval and advancing the reading motor 44 when the time interval is opened.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described with reference to FIGS.

The image processing section 34 of the original reading section 1 reads the original, the read data is encoded by the encoding IC 41, and then sent to the modem 43 via the FIFO 42.
Sent to the line. Here, when a difficult image pattern continues and encoding takes time, the scanning by the image processing unit 34 is temporarily stopped, and the transmission of the motor trigger command for bringing the transmission document to the reading position is also temporarily stopped.

Here, when a difficult image pattern continues and encoding takes time, when the image data cannot be sent to the encoding IC 41 or when the encoding data cannot be sent from the encoding IC 41 to the FIFO 42, the transmission of the modem is performed. This is when the speed is slower than that of encoding and data overflows into the FIFO 42, or when it is necessary to stop data transfer to the FIFO 42 in order to add a fill bit to protect the minimum transmission time.

On the other hand, the number of steps of the motor by the motor trigger command is selected as shown in FIGS. 4 to 7 and written in the step memory 48 of the sub CPU 46. Further, the selection of the number of steps in the step memory 48 is repeatedly selected according to the motor trigger as shown in FIG.

The operation of the main CPU 47 will be described below with reference to the flow chart of FIG.

In step S1, it is determined whether the image density at the time of reading is the standard mode. If it is the standard mode, the process proceeds to step S2. In step S2, it is determined whether the reading mode is the reduction mode. Step S
3, the table for determining the number of steps of the motor is selected in step S3. If it is determined in step S2 that the reading mode is not the reduction mode but the normal size mode, the process proceeds to step S4, and the step number of the motor is determined to be 4 steps in step S4.

When it is determined in the first step S1 that the image density at the time of reading is not the standard mode, the process proceeds to step 5, and in step 5, it is determined whether the image density is the fine mode. In step S6, it is determined in step S6 whether or not the reading mode is reduction mode. If the reading mode is reduction mode, the flow advances to step S7 to select a table for determining the number of motor steps in step S7. If it is determined in step S6 that the reading mode is not the reduction mode but the normal size mode, the process proceeds to step S8, and the step number of the motor is determined to be two steps in step S8.

If it is determined in step S5 that the image density at the time of reading is not in the fine mode, the process proceeds to step S9, and in step S9 it is determined whether the image density is in the super fine mode. In step S10, it is determined whether the reading mode is reduction mode. If the reading mode is reduction mode, the process proceeds to step S11 to select a table for determining the number of motor steps in step S11. Also, step S1
When it is determined that the reading mode is not the reduction mode but the normal size mode at 0, the process proceeds to step S12, and the step number of the motor is determined to be one step at step S12.

When it is determined in step S9 that the image density at the time of reading is not in the super fine mode, the process proceeds to step S13 and error processing is performed.

Here, in each image density, steps S2, S6, S for judging whether the reading mode is reduction or not.
When it is determined that the image is in the normal size mode in step 10, the process proceeds to step S4, step S8, and step S12. Among these, the case where the reading mode in step S4 is the normal size standard time will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. Explained.

That is, if the reading mode is the standard size, the step memory 48 of the sub CPU 46 is cleared in step S41, and the sub CPU 4 is read in step S42.
Write the number of steps as 4 in the step memory 48 of 6,
The number of motor steps is set to 4 steps.

Further, at each image density, steps S2, S6 and S1 for judging whether the reading mode is reduction or not.
When it is determined that the reduction mode is 0, step S
3, the process proceeds to step S7 and step S11, in which the reading mode of step S3 is reduction from A3 to B4 and the image density is the standard mode as an example, and the details will be described with reference to FIG.

That is, the reading mode is A3 to B4.
If the image density is in the standard mode due to the reduction to, the table having the number of steps 4, 5, and 5 is selected from the ROM 13 in step S31, and the sub CPU 46 is selected in step S32.
The step memory 48 of is cleared. Then, in step S33, the number of steps is written as 4 in the step memory 48 of the sub CPU 46, next, in step S34, the number of steps is written as 4 in the step memory 48, and further, in step S35, the number of steps is written as 4 in the step memory 48. And write. As a result, the data is written in the step memory 48 as shown in FIG. Next, the operation of the sub CPU 46 will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.

From the standby state of step S51 to step S
At 52, it is determined whether or not the motor trigger command is transmitted. If not transmitted, the process returns to the standby state. If it is transmitted, the process proceeds to step S53, and at step S53, it is determined whether or not the step flag is turned on. If it is not turned on, the built-in timer of the sub CPU 46 is stopped and cleared in step S54. Thereafter, in step S55, the motor is stepped by the number of steps according to the step memory 48. At this time, the step memory 48
If the number of steps 4 is written in, the motor is driven by 4 steps. Then, in step S56,
The pointer of the step memory 48 is advanced and step S57
Then, the built-in timer of the sub CPU 46 is started to return to the standby state again. Then, unless the next motor trigger command is sent, the process is repeated between the standby state of step S51 and step S52.

When the built-in timer of the sub CPU 46 elapses for a predetermined time, it is determined that the motor is in the intermittent operation, and the motor is advanced.

That is, a timer interrupt is performed.
The number of steps at this time is selected similarly to the motor step by the motor trigger command described above. Step S
At 61, the built-in timer of the sub CPU 46 is stopped,
clear. After that, in step S62, the step memory 4
Step the motor by the number of steps according to 8.
At this time, if the step number 48 is written in the step memory 48, the motor is driven by 5 steps. Then, in step S63, the pointer of the step memory 48 is advanced, and in step S64, the stepped flag is set and the interrupt is ended.

After that, even if a motor trigger command is sent from the main CPU, the step number for the step driving of the motor is not selected.

That is, if it is determined in step S53 that the step flag is on, the process proceeds to step S58, the step flag is cleared in step S58, the built-in timer of the sub CPU 46 is started in step S59, and step S51 is performed. It will return to the standby state. FIG. 8 shows how the step number is selected from the step memory 48 at this time.

FIG. 3 shows an example of signal timings for the motor step, scan, etc. when the motor is advanced as described above. On the motor step in the figure, the second pulse train is due to motor advance. At this time, the motor operates intermittently, but as shown in the figure, the motor step is performed before the motor trigger command is sent prior to scanning.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
3 will be described, but the same parts as those in the above-described embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In the above embodiment, the main CPU to the sub CP
The number of steps corresponding to the step trigger is written in the U memory. This is a configuration in which the motor can be rotated in any number of steps according to an instruction from the main CPU.
This requires a large amount of sub CPU memory writable by U.

In this embodiment, the step number (column) table built in the sub CPU memory is selected according to the reading mode, the processing of the main CPU is simplified, and the writable sub CPU memory is omitted. It was made possible.

The structure of this embodiment is the same as that shown in FIGS.

The image processing section 34 of the original reading section 1 reads the original, the read data is encoded by the encoding IC 41, and then sent to the modem 43 via the FIFO 42.
Sent to the line. Here, when a difficult image pattern continues and encoding takes time, the scanning by the image processing unit 34 is temporarily stopped, and the transmission of the motor trigger command for bringing the transmission document to the reading position is also temporarily stopped. Here, when a difficult image pattern continues and takes a long time to encode, when the image data is not delayed to the encoding IC 41 or when the encoding data cannot be sent from the encoding IC 41 to the FIFO 42, the transmission speed of the modem is FIFO to add a fill bit to protect the minimum transmission time when data overflows the FIFO 42 later than the FIFO
It is time to stop the data transfer to 42.

On the other hand, the number of steps of the motor by the motor trigger command is as shown in FIG.
Stored in the step memory 48 as a table.

Now, the operation of the main CPU 47 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

The reading mode is determined in step S71, and information corresponding to the reading mode is obtained in step S72.
In the sub CPU 46, and then in step S73.
The scan and motor trigger commands are sent by. In the reading mode in step S72, the image density is one of the standard mode, the fine mode, and the super fine mode, and whether the image is stored in the memory, is the same size or is reduced, and the reduction rate is A3 to A4 or A3 to B.
4, any of B4 to A4.

Here, the operation of the sub CPU 46 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

The reading mode is transmitted in step S81, and information corresponding to the reading mode is obtained in step S82.
Is selected from the step memory 48 of the sub CPU 46,
Then, in step S83, a motor trigger command is sent.

The detailed operation of the sub CPU 46 is the same as that of the above-described embodiment shown in FIGS.

As described above, in this embodiment, the main CPU
In the facsimile apparatus for outputting a step trigger command of a document feeding motor from the sub CPU to rotate the document feeding motor and outputting a document reading command from the main CPU to the image processing unit to scan the document, The number corresponding to the trigger command periodically changes depending on the image density, and transmission document transport amount information as periodic step number information corresponding to the step trigger command is held in advance in the sub CPU as a table, and according to an instruction from the main CPU. The sub CPU selects a table, and in response to the step trigger command, the read image mode information is transmitted to the sub CPU once in order to rotate the table in the number of steps according to the table. Supports step trigger command You can select the number of steps from the table, in which it is possible to simplify the processing of the main CPU. When the normal reading mode is determined and the information is transferred first, the main CPU only needs to send the step trigger command to the sub CPU, and the motor can rotate by the desired number of steps.

When the reading mode is determined, the number of steps (column) is determined, and therefore, as in the present embodiment, the number of steps (column) built in the sub CPU memory.
If the table is selected according to the reading mode, the processing of the main CPU will be simpler.

[0049]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, in the facsimile apparatus in which the reading timing of the original reading portion changes, the step time interval of the original feeding motor at the time of reading the original is detected and the time interval is set. When the time is exceeded, the original feeding motor is rotated in advance and the original is fed prior to reading the original, so that stable scanning can be performed at the target reading position, and the image quality of the read package image is improved. Can be achieved.

Further, when the motor is advanced, the motor is rotated by the number of steps in accordance with the transmitted document conveyance amount information which has been previously received.
By transferring the step number information from U to the sub CPU,
This step corresponds to each reading mode, and the main CPU
It can be changed freely on the side.

If the sub CPU is provided with a memory in which data can be written from the main CPU and a plurality of data are transferred in advance, it is not necessary for the main CPU to transfer the number of steps before each step trigger command. When the number of steps to be referenced written in the memory is the last, the number of steps can be returned to the initial number of steps. If the number of steps for one cycle of the number of steps is transferred first, the rest of the main CPU Sends a step trigger command to the sub CPU
The motor can be rotated by the desired number of steps just by sending. Further, even if the step trigger command is sent after the advance, the sub CPU ignores the step trigger command.
It is possible to simplify the program of the main CPU and reduce the restrictions on the operation of the main CPU without monitoring the command.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a control block circuit diagram of an entire facsimile apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a detailed control block circuit diagram of a document reading unit and a recording unit shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a timing chart of the control block circuit shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is an operation flowchart of the main CPU shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is an operation flowchart of the sub CPU when the read mode is the normal size standard.

FIG. 6 is an operation flowchart of the sub CPU shown in FIG. 2 when the reading mode is reduction from A3 to B4 and the image density is standard.

FIG. 7 shows how the step memory of FIG. 2 is written in according to the operation flowchart of FIG.

FIG. 8 shows how the number of steps in the step memory shown in FIG. 7 is selected in accordance with a trigger command.

9 is a sub CPU operation flowchart of FIG.
The main routine is shown.

10 is an operation flowchart of the sub CPU shown in FIG. 2, showing a timer interrupt routine.

11 is a data table stored in the step memory of FIG. 2 according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is an operation flowchart of the main CPU shown in FIG. 2 according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 relates to another embodiment of the present invention and is a sub C of FIG.
It is an operation | movement flowchart of PU.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Document Reading Section 4 Modem 20 Central Control Section 34 Image Processing Section 44 Reading Motor 45 Driver IC 46 Sub CPU 47 Main CPU 48 Step Memory 49 Stepped Flag

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. In a facsimile apparatus in which the reading timing of a document reading section changes, the step time interval of a document feeding motor at the time of reading a document is detected, and when the time interval exceeds a set time, the document feeding motor is turned on. A facsimile machine characterized by being rotated in advance and being fed in advance before reading a document. 2. A main CPU outputs a step trigger command of a document feeding motor to a sub CPU to rotate the document feeding motor, and a development reading command is output from the main CPU to the image processing unit to print a document. In a facsimile apparatus for scanning, the sub CPU receives in advance transmission document conveyance amount information as step number information with respect to the step trigger command, and when performing advance of the document conveyance motor, the sub CPU has the number of steps corresponding to the transmission document conveyance amount information. A facsimile apparatus, characterized in that a document transport motor is rotated to carry a document transport in accordance with the transmitted document transport amount information. 3. The sub CPU has a memory in which data can be written from the main CPU, and when the main CPU writes a plurality of data to the memory, the plurality of data are referred to in order and the step trigger command is issued accordingly. 3. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the number of steps for the above and the number of steps when the document feeding motor is advanced are determined. 4. When the number of steps to be referenced written in the memory is the last one, the number of steps to be referenced next is returned to the initial number of steps written in the memory, and the following steps are performed in order. 4. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the step of referring to the number of steps written in the memory is repeated. 5. The facsimile according to claim 4, wherein even if the step trigger command is output from the main CPU to the sub CPU after the advance feed, the sub CPU ignores the command. apparatus. 6. A main CPU outputs a step trigger command of a document feeding motor to a sub CPU to rotate the document feeding motor, and a document reading command is output from the main CPU to an image processing unit to scan a document. In the facsimile apparatus described above, the number of steps for the step trigger command periodically changes depending on the image density, and the transmission original conveyance amount information is stored in advance in the sub CPU as a table as the periodic number of steps information for the step trigger command. A facsimile apparatus, wherein the sub CPU selects a table according to an instruction from the main CPU and rotates the table in the number of steps according to the table in response to the step trigger command. 7. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the signal sent from the main CPU to the sub CPU includes information on whether or not image memory is stored, whether the image is scaled up or down, a reduction rate, and image density information. apparatus. 8. The facsimile machine according to claim 7, wherein even if the step trigger command is output from the main CPU to the sub CPU after the advance feed, the sub CPU ignores the command. apparatus.