JPH06311334A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain the image forming device provided with an edit function in which an upper/lower part of an original picture and the longitudinal/lateral direction of an original sentences are rearranged so that plural original pictures are printed out on one sheet. CONSTITUTION:Originals are carried one by one to a platen glass by an automatic document feeder and a read system reads the original to form digital picture data. The picture data are transferred to a memory unit 30. The memory unit 30 is controlled by a CPU 3 and is made up of a picture memory 31, a sentence direction recognition section 32, a RAM 33 generating a management table, an original direction (upper part/lower part) recognition section 34, a rotation processing section 35, and a code memory 37 or the like. The arrangement of the picture in the 2in1 or 4in1 mode is decided based on the result of recognition of the upper/lower part of the original and the longitudinal/lateral direction of a sentence included in the picture.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus having an image editing function for editing data of a read original image.

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Generally, in an electrophotographic copying machine, in order to process the Nin1 mode for copying a plurality of original images onto one sheet, the top and bottom of the plurality of original images and the vertical and horizontal directions of the sentence are aligned on the copy. There is a need. Conventionally, if an analog copy machine is equipped with an automatic document feeder (ADF),
A so-called 2 in 1 mode is known in which two originals are arranged in a DF side by side on a platen glass to be conveyed / stopped, two originals images are exposed at the same time, and copied onto one sheet. In the 2 in 1 mode, the copy is processed according to the order in which the document is stacked on the ADF document tray regardless of the top and bottom of the document and the vertical and horizontal orientation of the document. There was a need.

On the other hand, in recent years, a document image is optically read to generate image data, and various corrections and processings are applied to the image data to obtain print data, and the print data is emitted from the image print head as a light beam. Various digital copying machines for forming an image on a photoconductor have been developed. This type of digital copier can perform editing work such as rearranging and rotating digitized image data.
In addition to the modes, the 4in1 mode can be processed.

However, at present, in a digital copying machine, there is no image forming apparatus having a function of rearranging a plurality of read original images so that they can be printed on one sheet.

[0005]

It is an object of the present invention to arrange the top and bottom of a document image and the document text vertically and horizontally so that a plurality of document images can be printed on one sheet. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus having an edit function that can be performed. In order to achieve the above object, the image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a first recognition unit that recognizes the top and bottom of a document image, and a second recognition unit that recognizes the vertical and horizontal directions of a sentence included in the document image. An arrangement determining unit that determines the arrangement of the document images so that a plurality of document images are printed on one sheet based on the recognition results of the first and second recognition units.

In the above arrangement, the plurality of optically read and digitized image data are transferred to the first and second recognition means. The first and second recognition means recognize the top and bottom of each image and the vertical and horizontal directions of the text in the image from the respective image data. Based on the recognition result, the arrangement determining means arranges the original image so that the top and bottom of the image and the length and width of the text are aligned.

According to the present invention, even if the top and bottom of the original image and the vertical and horizontal directions of the original document are mixed and read in different directions, such original images can be appropriately arranged. Therefore, it is not necessary for the operator to check the top and bottom of the document or the vertical and horizontal directions of the text one by one to read the document image, and the annoyance is eliminated.

[0008]

Embodiments of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the embodiment described below, as shown in FIG.
(Hereinafter, referred to as ADF), the image of the original document conveyed on the platen glass 19 one by one is read by the reading system 10,
The laser beam scanning optical system 60 is driven based on the read image data to form an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor drum 71, and the latent image is developed and transferred onto a sheet. Then, as described in detail below, the 2 in 1 mode in which two original images are transferred onto one sheet in one image forming process and four original images in one image forming process in one image forming process. It is possible to perform processing in the 4in1 mode (both of which are collectively referred to as Nin1 mode) for transferring onto a sheet.

Specifically, this digital copying machine includes a reading system 10 for reading a document image and converting it into image data, an image data processing unit 20 for processing the image data transmitted from the reading system 10, The image data transmitted from the image data processing unit 20 is output as the print data as it is to the printer device PR or is temporarily stored in the memory, and the memory unit 30 is switched, and the print data transmitted from the memory unit 30. Print processing unit 4 that drives the optical system 60 based on
0, an optical system 60 for scanning the laser beam emitted from the semiconductor laser 61 onto the photosensitive drum 71, an image forming system 70 for developing and transferring the latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 71, and a sheet. ADF 500 having a transport system 80 and a function of transporting a document and inverting both sides in the case of a double-sided document
Including and The reading system 10, the image data processing unit 20, and the memory unit 30 are used to read the reading device IR.
The printer unit PR includes the print processing unit 40, the optical system 60, the image forming system 70, and the sheet conveying system 80.
Is configured.

The reading system 10 includes an exposure lamp 12 and a first mirror 13a attached to a first scanner 11, and second mirrors 13b and 13c attached to a second scanner 14.
The image forming lens 15, a fourth mirror 16, a line sensor 17 including a CCD, and a motor M2.
The scanners 11 and 14 are driven by the motor M2,
Immediately below the platen glass 19, they move in the direction of arrow b (sub-scanning direction). Along with this movement, the image of the document set on the platen glass 19 is displayed on the line sensor 17
Read by The line sensor 17 has a large number of elements (CCDs) arranged in a direction orthogonal to the sub-scanning direction b, and this juxtaposed direction is called the main scanning direction.

The image data processing unit 20 and the memory unit 30 will be described in detail later. The print processing unit 40 drives the optical system 60 line by line in the main scanning direction based on the print data. The optical system 60 includes a semiconductor laser 61 that is modulated (on / off) controlled by the print processing unit 40, a polygon mirror 62 that deflects and scans a laser beam emitted from the semiconductor laser 61, and distortion aberration of the deflected laser beam. Fθ lens 63 for correcting
And a mirror 6 for guiding the laser beam onto the photosensitive drum 71.
4a, 64b, 64c.

The image forming system 70 includes a charging charger 72, a developing device 73, a transfer charger 74, a sheet separating charger 75, and a residual toner around the photosensitive drum 71 which is rotationally driven in the direction of arrow c along the rotational direction. Cleaner 76,
An eraser lamp 77 having a residual charge is arranged.
The image forming process by the image forming system 70 is well known, and the description thereof will be omitted.

The sheet conveying system 80 includes automatic sheet feeding cassettes 81a and 81b in which sheets are stacked and housed, sheet feeding rollers 82a and 82b for feeding sheets one by one, a sheet conveying passage 83, a timing roller 84, and a conveying belt. 85, a toner fixing device 86, a discharge roller 87, and a discharge tray 88. The sheet conveying system 80 and the photosensitive drum 71 are driven by the main motor M1. Sheet size detection sensors SE1 and SE2 are provided close to the cassettes 81a and 81b, and a sheet detection sensor is installed at a key part of the sheet conveyance path.

The ADF 500 includes a document tray 501,
Pick-up roller 502, sorting roller 503, sorting pad 504, register roller 505, conveyor belt 5
06, a reversing roller 507, and a paper discharge tray 508. The originals placed on the tray 501 are conveyed / stopped one by one from the bottommost one on the platen glass 19, and the image is read by the reading system 10. After the reading is completed, the original is discharged onto the discharge tray 508 via the reversing roller 507. Further, in the case of a double-sided original, it is returned to the platen glass 19 by making one rotation around the reversing roller 507. Therefore, the transport belt 506 can rotate in the forward and reverse directions. Also, the original is platen glass 1
The size of the sensor SE5 is detected by the sensor SE5 immediately before it is sent to the printer.

In the copying machine having the above construction, in the normal mode, the image of one original is read, the necessary correction is added to the image data to generate the print data, and the print data is output by the optical system 60. Then, an image is formed on one sheet. In addition to this, the Nin1 mode (2in1 mode and 4in1 mode) can be selected and processed. In the Nin1 mode, two or four original images are read, the vertical direction and the text direction are recognized by the memory unit 30, and the original images are arranged so that the vertical and horizontal directions of the original images match.

As shown in FIG. 14, the image layout is 2 in.
In the case of 1 mode, each original image is reduced to 1/2, and if it is a portrait, it is arranged left and right [see (a) and (b)], and if it is a landscape, it is arranged vertically [(c), See (d)]. In the 4 in 1 mode, each original image is reduced to 1/4 and arranged as shown in (e) and (f) in the case of portrait and as shown in (g) and (h) in the case of landscape. To do.

FIG. 2 shows the operation panel 90 of the copying machine,
The operation keys and the display described below are provided. 91: Liquid crystal display, 92: Numeric keypad, 93: Clear key, 94: Interrupt key, 95: Reset key, 96: Copy start key, 97: Nin1 mode selection key, 97
a: 2in1 mode selection display LED, 97b: 4in1 mode selection display LED, 98: text direction selection key, 98a:
Automatic recognition selection display LED, 98b: Vertical writing selection LED, 9
8c: Horizontal writing selection LED The copy mode is set to the normal mode in the initial state when the power of the copying machine is turned on, and the LEDs 97a and 97b are turned off. When the Nin1 mode selection key 97 is turned on, the LED 97a is turned on and the 2in1 mode is selected. Further, when the key 97 is turned on, the LED 97a is turned off, the LED 97b is turned on, and the 4in1 mode is selected. Further, when the key 97 is turned on, the LED 97
a is turned off and the mode returns to the normal mode.

When either the 2in1 mode or the 4in1 mode is selected, the LED 98a is turned on and the automatic recognition mode of the text direction is selected. At this time, as described in detail below, the top and bottom of the image and the vertical and horizontal directions of the text are automatically recognized in the memory unit 30, and the image is arranged based on the recognition result (see FIG. 14). On the other hand, when the text direction selection key 98 is turned on, the LED 98a is turned off and L
The ED 98b is turned on, and it is input that the original document to be copied is vertical writing. Further, when the key 98 is turned on,
LED98b turns off and LED98c turns on,
It is input that the document to be copied is in horizontal writing.
Further, when the key 98 is turned on, the LED 98c is turned off and the LED 98a is turned on to return to the automatic recognition mode. The operation panel 90 has the keys 97, 98 and L.
Although keys and indicators other than the EDs 97a, 97b, 98a, 98b, 98c are provided, their illustration and description are omitted.

Next, the control section of the copying machine will be described.
3 and 4 show the overall configuration of the control unit. The control unit is mainly composed of six CPUs 1 to 6, and each of the CPUs 1 to 6 has a ROM 111 to which necessary programs are stored.
116 and a RAM serving as a work area for program execution
121 to 126 are provided.

The CPU 1 controls the input and display of signals from various operation keys of the operation panel 90. CPU
Reference numeral 2 controls each part of the image data processing unit 20 and drive control of the reading system 10. By controlling the memory unit 30, the CPU 3 performs necessary processing on the image data transferred from the image data processing unit 20, generates it as print data, and transfers it to the print processing unit 40.

The CPU 4 controls the print processing unit 40, the optical system 60, the image forming system 70, and the sheet conveying system 80.
Detection signals from the sheet size detection sensors SE1 and SE2 are input to the CPU 4 via I / O. The CPU 5 controls the overall timing adjustment of the control unit and the operation mode setting. The CPU 6 controls the ADF 500, and CPUs 1, 2, 3, 5 are connected via serial I / O.
Connected with. Instructions for feeding, conveying, discharging, etc. of the original document are issued by the CPU 5. Original size detection sensor SE
The detection signal from 5 is input to the CPU 6 via the serial I / O and further transferred to the CPU 5. Based on this information, the CPU 5 causes the manuscript management table MT described below.
(See FIG. 7).

Next, the image data processing unit 20 will be described with reference to FIG. Image data processing unit 2
0 is a timing control unit 21, an A / D converter 22,
The image processing unit 23 and the image monitor memory 24 are included. An image reading synchronizing signal is supplied from the timing control unit 21 to each part of the line sensor 17, the CPU 2 and the unit 20. The reading system 10 is driven by the CPU 2 and the original image is read by the line sensor 17. The signal read by the line sensor 17 is analog, and this analog signal is converted into digital image data by the A / D converter 22 and sent to the image processing unit 23. In the image processing unit 23, shading correction, MTF
Known image processing such as image quality correction such as correction and gamma correction and variable magnification and image editing are performed. The image monitor memory 24 is
Image data for one line is stored according to an instruction from the CPU 2. The corrected image data is transferred to the memory unit 30.

Next, the memory unit 30 will be described with reference to FIG. The memory unit 30 is controlled by the CPU 3, and includes an image memory 31 and a sentence direction recognition unit 3.
2. A RAM 33 for creating the management table MT, a document orientation recognition unit 34, a rotation processing unit 35, a compression unit 36, a code memory 37, and an expansion unit 38. The image data for one page transferred from the image data processing unit 20 is first written in the image memory 31. CPU
3 reads out this image data and cuts out a character area in the image. The cut-out character area has a character direction of 0 ° or 90 ° by the text direction recognition unit 32 and the document direction recognition unit 34.
By recognizing in the respective directions of °, 180 °, and 270 °, the text in the image is written vertically and horizontally, and the top and bottom of the image are determined. By this, it is recognized whether the image is a portrait (vertical writing image, see P-1 and P-2 in FIG. 9) and a landscape (horizontal writing image, see L-1 and L-2 in FIG. 9). The vertical and horizontal information of the text is sent to the RAM 33, and the management table MT shown below is created. The image data is rotated by the rotation processing unit 35 so as to be aligned in a certain direction, compressed by the compression unit 36, and written in the code memory 37.

The image data written in the code memory 37 is read by the instruction of the CPU 3, expanded by the expansion unit 38, and then written in the image memory 31. Nin1
When the mode is executed, two or four pieces of image data are written in the image memory 31 at the position designated by the CPU 3 by aligning the vertical and horizontal directions of the text and the top and bottom of the document, and combined as print data for one page. FIG. 14 can be understood as the print data for one page thus combined.

The print data written in the image memory 31 is transferred to the print processing unit 40, and the optical system 60 is driven to print on the photosensitive drum 71. A rotation processing unit 41 is built in the print processing unit 40 and rotates print data as necessary. By the way, the code memory 37 is managed by the management table MT stored in the RAM 33. The code memory 37 is divided into 32 Kbyte-unit memory areas, and in consideration of simultaneous control of writing and reading, image data for each page is stored in each area. Management table MT
7 is divided into memory areas 00, 01, 02, ... In 36 Kbyte units as shown in FIG. 7, and the page number, front concatenation number, rear concatenation number, length, and attribute (vertical / horizontal) of each area. ,
Information such as size is stored. The code memory 37 is managed based on the stored information. When reading and compressing the image data from the image memory 31, the CPU 3 controls the compression unit 36 while writing the information of the management table MT and writes the image data in the code memory 37. Also, C
When reading image data from the code memory 37, the PU 3 performs control opposite to the above writing. The information in the management table MT is erased when the information for one page is read from the code memory 37 by the number of copies.

Next, the determination of the top and bottom of the image, the direction of the text, and the arrangement direction thereof will be described. FIG. 8 shows these discrimination algorithms for each processing step. Step 1
And step 2 has already been described. FIG. 9 shows that when an image of document size A4 vertical (vertical means that the longitudinal direction of the document is parallel to the reading direction b of the document image) is read,
The orientation of the image based on the difference between the type of the image and the placement state of the document on the tray 501 is shown. In FIG. 9, P-1 is a portrait and the image is upward, and P-2 is a portrait and the image is downward. L-1 is a landscape and the image is facing upward, and L-2 is a landscape and the image is facing downward.

For each image data shown in FIG. 9, the image data is called from the image memory 31 in the main scanning direction a and the sub-scanning direction b, and it is determined whether each pixel is black or white. Count the number. This process corresponds to step 3 in FIG. 8 and is schematically shown in FIG.
Based on the count result, the distribution of the number of black pixels for each line is checked in step 4 to determine whether the image is a landscape or a portrait. In FIG. 10, (a ') shows the distribution state of the line a in the main scanning direction, and (b') shows the distribution state of the line b in the sub-scanning direction.

FIG. 11 shows line segmentation and counting of black pixels in the text direction in steps 5 and 6. FIG. 12 shows a method of character recognition by pattern matching in step 8. Prepare a standard pattern for each character to be read in advance. The input unknown character pattern is superimposed on this standard pattern, and black and white for each pixel are compared, and when all match, it is determined that the character of the standard pattern is the character of the input pattern. If there is no standard pattern that matches all, it is determined that the character of the standard pattern that has the largest number of matching pixels. It should be noted that if it does not reach a predetermined matching rate, it cannot be determined.

FIG. 13 shows a concrete example of determining the orientation of an image based on the result of the character recognition described above in steps 9 to 12. The direction of the image is judged from the pattern recognition and the rotation angle of each of the cut characters.

15 to 28 show processing states of image data in the Nin1 mode in each part of the control unit. The arrow attached to each image indicates the main scanning direction. Figure 15
Is ADF5 for portrait horizontal manuscript in 2in1 mode
00 indicates the case of being conveyed in the lateral direction. The original image is read by the reading system 10 in a state of being reduced to 1/2, and the image data thereof is written into the image memory 31 through the image data processing unit 20. Here, the aforementioned text direction and image direction are recognized, and the image data of pages 1 and 2 are compressed and written in the code memory 37. what if,
When the original of page 2 is conveyed upside down to the platen glass 19 by the ADF 500, the image data of page 2 is rotated 180 ° by the rotation processing unit 35 and written in the code memory 37.

Next, the image data of page 2 has the address A.
It is read from D1, decompressed, and written in the image memory 31. After that, the image data of page 1 is at address A
The data is read from D2, decompressed, and written in the image memory 31. This completes the print data for one page, and this print data is transferred to the print processing unit 40. In the print processing unit 40, in order to match the image with the transfer sheet conveyance direction, the rotation processing unit 41 adjusts the image
° Rotate. If a vertical size transfer sheet is selected, it is not necessary to rotate the image here.

FIG. 16 shows a case where a portrait horizontal document in the 2in1 mode is conveyed vertically in the ADF 500. Here, the print data transferred from the image memory 31 to the print processing unit 40 is rotated by −90 ° in order to align the image with the conveyance direction of the transfer sheet. FIG. 17
Is ADF5 for portrait vertical manuscript in 2in1 mode
00 indicates the case of being conveyed in the lateral direction. Figure 18
ADF500 portrait portrait manuscript in 2in1 mode
Shows the case of being conveyed in the vertical direction. Figure 19 is 2 in
A case where a landscape horizontal document in 1 mode is conveyed laterally by the ADF 500 is shown. The same applies to the case where the landscape vertically written original is conveyed in the horizontal direction. FIG. 20 shows a case where a landscape landscape original is conveyed in the vertical direction by the ADF 500 in the 2in1 mode. The same applies to the case where the landscape vertical document is conveyed in the horizontal direction as in FIG.

FIG. 21 shows a case where a portrait horizontal original document is conveyed laterally by the ADF 500 in the 4in1 mode. In the 4 in 1 mode, the original image is read by the reading system 10 in a state of being reduced to 1/4. The read image data is compressed and written in the code memory 37 as pages 1 to 4. At this time, the image of the original document conveyed upside down on the platen glass 19 is rotated 180 ° by the rotation processing unit 35 and written in the code memory 37, as described above.

Next, the image data of page 1 has the address A.
It is read from D1, decompressed, and written in the image memory 31. After that, the image data of pages 2, 3 and 4 are sequentially read from the addresses AD 2, 3 and 4 and written in the image memory 31. This completes the print data for one page, and this print data is transferred to the print processing unit 40 and output to the optical system 60.

FIG. 22 shows a case where a portrait horizontal original document is conveyed vertically in the ADF 500 in the 4in1 mode. FIG. 23 shows a case where portrait portrait originals are conveyed laterally by the ADF 500 in the 4in1 mode. FIG. 24 shows a case where portrait portrait originals are conveyed vertically in the ADF 500 in the 4in1 mode.

FIG. 25 shows a case where a landscape landscape original is conveyed laterally by the ADF 500 in the 4in1 mode. FIG. 26 shows a case where a landscape landscape original is conveyed vertically in the ADF 500 in the 4in1 mode. FIG. 27 shows a case where a landscape vertical document is conveyed in the ADF 500 in the horizontal direction in the 4in1 mode. FIG. 28 shows a case where a landscape vertical document is conveyed in the vertical direction in the 4in1 mode.

Next, the control procedure in the 4 in 1 mode as described above will be described with reference to the flow charts of FIGS. FIG. 29 shows a main routine of the CPU 1 which controls input and display of the operation panel 90. First, the RAM 111 is initialized in step S101, and the internal timer is started in step S102.
Subsequently, in step S103, the Nin1 mode selection key 97
Is processed, and in step S104, the input by the text direction selection key 98 is processed. Further, other inputs and displays are processed in step S105. When the end of the internal timer is confirmed in step S106, the process returns to step S102 and the above processing is repeated.

FIG. 30 shows a subroutine of the input process executed in step S103. Here, first, in step S111, it is determined whether the Nin1 mode selection key 97 is on edge. If it is not on edge, this subroutine is immediately ended. If it is on edge, step S
At 112, it is determined whether the LEDs 97a and 97b are off. If both are off, in step S113, the LED
97a is turned on and the LED 98a is turned on. That is, the 2in1 mode is selected and the automatic recognition of the text direction is selected. If either LED 97a or 97b is on (NO in step S112), step S1
In step S14, it is determined whether or not the LED 97a is on. If it is on, the LED 97a is turned off and the LED 97b is turned on in step S115. That is, the 4in1 mode is selected. On the other hand, if NO is determined in step S114 (L
ED97b is on), LE in step S116
Turn off D97b, 98a, 98b, 98c. That is,
The Nin1 mode is canceled and the selection of the text direction is not necessary either, so they are canceled at the same time.

FIG. 31 shows a subroutine of the input process executed in step S104. Here, first, in step S121, it is determined whether the text direction selection key 98 is on edge. If it is not on edge, this subroutine is immediately ended, and if it is on edge, step S12.
At 2, it is determined whether either the LED 97a or 97b is on. That is, after confirming that the Nin1 mode is selected (YES in step S122), step S122
In 123, it is determined whether or not the LED 98a is on, and if it is on, the LED 98a is turned off and the LED 98b is turned on in step S124. This selects that the text direction of the manuscript is vertical writing. N in step S123
If it is determined to be O, it is determined in step S125 whether or not the LED 98b is turned on, and if it is turned on, step S126 is performed.
The LED98b is turned off and the LED98c is turned on. This selects that the text direction of the manuscript is vertical writing. Furthermore, if NO in step S125, the LED 98c is turned off and the LED 98a is turned on in step S127. Thus, the mode for automatically recognizing the text direction is selected.

FIG. 32 shows a main routine of the CPU 3 which controls the memory unit 30. First, step S2
01 initializing the RAM, and steps S202, S
203 receives commands and status with other CPU,
Handle the transmission. Then, in step S204, the image data transferred from the image data processing unit 20 is written in the image memory 31. Further, compression control of the image data is performed in step S205, and decompression control of the image data is performed in step S206.

Next, in step S207, the image data for N sheets is written in the image memory 31 to generate the print data for one page (the control procedure here is shown in FIG. 33). Further, in step S208, the print data is stored in the image memory 31.
Read out and transferred to the print processing unit 40. Further, in step S209, other processing is performed to end one routine, and the process returns to step S202.

FIG. 33 shows a subroutine of the image memory writing control (2) executed in step S207.
Here, first, in step S211, the count value of the state is reset to "0", and in step S212, the currently selected mode (Nin1 mode and text direction) is determined. Then, in steps S213 and S214, control according to the type of mode is selected.

If the 4-in-1 mode is selected (YES in step S213), it is determined in step S214 whether the text direction is vertical writing. If vertical writing, step S215
For horizontal writing, in step S216, write start addresses AD1 and AD of the respective pages to the image memory 31 are written.
2. Determine AD3 and AD4. These addresses are, as shown in FIGS. 21 to 28, the type of document (portrait or landscape, horizontal feed or vertical feed, text direction).
Is determined in advance for each page by.

Next, in steps S217 to S220, the address WSAD that actually starts writing to the image memory 31 is set to one of AD1 to AD4 according to the count value of the state. Then, in step S221, the image data is written in the image memory 31 from the address WSAD. Further, "1" is added to the count value of the state in step S222, and it is determined in step S223 whether the count value of the state is "4". If it is "4" or less, steps S217 to S222 are repeated, and if "4", this subroutine is terminated. That is, since the state is reset to "0" in the initial stage, step S217 is processed first and writing is started from the address AD1. Next, in step S222, the count value of the state is set to "1", step S218 is processed, and writing is started from the address AD2. Similarly, the count value of the state is incremented,
Writing from addresses AD3 and AD4 is performed.

FIG. 34 shows a mode discrimination subroutine executed in step S212. First, step S
It is determined at 231, S233 whether the LEDs 97a and 97b are on. If the LED 97a is on, it is determined in step S232 that the 2in1 mode is selected.
If the LED 97b is turned on, it is 4 in step S234.
It is determined that the in1 mode is selected. LED97
If a and 97b are off, it is determined in step S235 that the normal mode is selected. If the normal mode is selected, this subroutine ends.

If the 2in1 mode or the 4in1 mode is selected, the LED 98 is selected in steps S236 and S238.
It is determined whether or not a and 98b are on. If the LED 98a is turned on, it is determined in step S237 that the recognition of the text direction is processed as the automatic recognition mode. LED98
If b is turned on, it is determined in step S239 that the text direction is vertical writing (confirmed by the operator to be vertical writing). If the LEDs 98a and 98b are off, in other words, if the LED 98c is on, the text direction is horizontal writing in step S240 (confirmed by the operator to be horizontal writing).
To determine.

As is clear from the above description, in the present embodiment, in the Nin1 mode (2in1 mode and 4in1 mode), the vertical direction of the original image and the vertical writing of the text included in the original image are automatically recognized. Based on these recognition results, the image arrangement is determined so that a plurality of (two or four) original images are printed on one sheet with the image directions aligned.

The image forming apparatus according to the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be variously modified within the scope of the gist thereof. For example, the configurations of the optical system 60, the image forming system 70, and the sheet conveying system 80 are arbitrary. In particular,
The image print head may be one that forms an image on the photoconductor by using an optical shutter element using liquid crystal or PLZT in addition to the laser beam scanning optical system.

[Brief description of drawings]

The drawings show a digital electrophotographic copying machine which is an embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention and an image data processing process thereof.

FIG. 1 is an internal configuration diagram of a copying machine.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an operation panel.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a copying machine control unit.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a copying machine control unit (continuation of FIG. 3).

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an image data processing unit.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a memory unit.

FIG. 7 is a chart showing a management table.

FIG. 8 is a chart showing an algorithm for determining the type of original image.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of types and directions of original images.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the type determination of a document image.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of the type discrimination of a document image.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of character recognition in a document image.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of top-bottom recognition of a document.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram of the layout of original images in the Nin1 mode.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing image data processing in portrait horizontal document horizontal feeding in the 2in1 mode.

FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram showing image data processing in portrait horizontal writing document vertical feeding in the 2in1 mode.

FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram showing image data processing in portrait vertical writing document horizontal feeding in the 2in1 mode.

FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram showing image data processing in portrait vertical writing document vertical feeding in the 2in1 mode.

FIG. 19 is an explanatory diagram showing image data processing in landscape horizontal document horizontal feeding in the 2in1 mode.

FIG. 20 is an explanatory diagram showing image data processing in landscape landscape document vertical feeding in the 2in1 mode.

FIG. 21 is an explanatory diagram showing image data processing in portrait horizontal document horizontal feeding in the 4in1 mode.

FIG. 22 is an explanatory diagram showing image data processing in portrait horizontal writing document vertical feeding in the 4in1 mode.

FIG. 23 is an explanatory diagram showing image data processing in portrait vertical document original horizontal feed in the 4in1 mode.

FIG. 24 is an explanatory diagram showing image data processing in portrait vertical document original vertical feed in the 4in1 mode.

FIG. 25 is an explanatory diagram showing image data processing in landscape horizontal document horizontal feeding in the 4in1 mode.

FIG. 26 is an explanatory diagram showing image data processing in landscape landscape document vertical feed in the 4in1 mode.

FIG. 27 is an explanatory diagram showing image data processing in landscape vertical document original horizontal feed in the 4in1 mode.

FIG. 28 is an explanatory diagram showing image data processing in landscape vertical document original vertical feeding in the 4in1 mode.

FIG. 29 is a flowchart showing a subroutine of a control procedure of CPU1.

FIG. 30 is a flowchart showing a subroutine of Nin1 mode selection key input processing in FIG.

FIG. 31 is a flowchart showing a subroutine of text direction selection key input processing in FIG. 29.

FIG. 32 is a flowchart showing a main routine of a control procedure of the CPU 3.

FIG. 33 is a flowchart showing a subroutine of image memory writing control (2) in FIG. 32.

FIG. 34 is a flowchart showing a subroutine for mode discrimination in FIG. 33.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 ... Image reading system 20 ... Image data processing unit 30 ... Memory unit 31 ... Image memory 32 ... Text direction (vertical writing) recognition unit 34 ... Original direction (vertical) recognition unit 35 ... Rotation processing unit 37 ... Code memory 40 ... Printing Processing unit 60 ... Laser beam scanning optical system 71 ... Photosensitive drum 97 ... Nin1 mode selection key 98 ... Text direction selection key

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Hidero Kumagi 2-3-13 Azuchi-cho, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka, Osaka International Building Minolta Camera Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus having a mode for printing a plurality of original images on one sheet, the first recognizing means for recognizing the top and bottom of the original image, and the text included in the original image. An image forming apparatus comprising: a second recognizing unit for recognizing the vertical and horizontal directions; .