JPH066520A - Copying machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To diversify area divisions of an original by dividing the original into plural areas based on a noted position designated by a position designation means so as to copy each area sequentially with magnification. CONSTITUTION:When a noted position of an original is designated by a position designation means, the original is divided so that the noted position is a center of one division area e15 or the like. Then each of division areas e11-e19 is sequentially copied with magnification and the area division of the original is diversified. Thus, copying of the original is attained while an important part in the original is arranged in the center of paper and the convenience of magnification copying is enhanced.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a copying machine capable of copying, which is referred to as enlarged continuous shooting.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a digital copying machine, enlarged continuous copying has been realized as one form of copying. Enlargement continuous copying divides the area of the original according to the copy magnification, and performs continuous partial enlargement copying on each area using multiple sheets of paper to enlarge and copy the entire original image. is there. That is, in the magnified continuous shooting, the original image is partially magnified and copied on each of a plurality of sheets, and the respective sheets are sequentially ejected.

By properly aligning the discharged sheets, the operator can obtain a large copy image that does not fit on one sheet in the form of a collective image of the images on each sheet.

A conventional copying machine is configured to divide an original into areas with one corner as a reference and perform copying using a sheet of paper for each area during continuous enlargement. For example, as shown in FIG. 29A, when the original image Gi of the original D is magnified and copied at a magnification of 1.5 times using a paper of the same size as the original size, as shown in FIG. The document D is divided into four areas e1 to e4 of the same size by the data processing in which the upper left end of the original is used as a reference and is divided for each division reference size (the maximum size that can be copied on one sheet). In this example, only the area e1 has the division reference size, and the sizes of the other areas e2 to e4 are smaller than the division reference size.

Then, these areas e1 to e4 are sequentially copied, and as shown in FIG. 29C, the partial copy image Gh corresponding to each of the areas e1 to e4 is formed on four sheets of paper P.
1 to Gh4 are formed.

[0006]

When performing continuous magnified copying, the aspect of document area division may be important depending on the information content of the document and the intended use of the copied image. For example, in copying an original image composed of a photograph of a person, it is desirable that the face portion is placed in the center of the paper and the entire copy is made on one sheet of paper.

However, conventionally, the original is uniquely divided according to the copy magnification and the paper size as described above.
For this reason, there has been a problem that an important part of the document is copied onto the edge of the sheet or is divided into a plurality of sheets and copied, which impairs the convenience of the enlarged continuous shooting.

In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention realizes a copy mode in which the area division of a document is diversified and an important part in the document is arranged in the center of the sheet, so that enlarged copying using a plurality of sheets is performed. The purpose is to improve the convenience of.

[0009]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a copying machine according to the invention of claim 1 divides an original according to a copy magnification and enlarges and copies an original image using a plurality of sheets. A copying machine having a function to perform, which comprises position specifying means capable of designating an arbitrary position in a document as a target position, and when the target position is designated during enlargement copying, the target position is one. The original is divided so that it becomes the center of the divided area, and copying is performed in order for each of the divided areas.

A copying machine according to a second aspect of the present invention comprises a tablet type editor as the position specifying means.

[0011]

In order to obtain a copied image of a size larger than one sheet, when the original image is enlarged by using a plurality of sheets (hereinafter referred to as enlarged continuous copying), the original in the original is read by, for example, a tablet editor. An arbitrary position is designated as the attention position.

The original is vertically and horizontally divided according to the sheet size and the copy magnification so that the target position is at the center of one divided area, and the divided areas are sequentially copied.

[0013]

1 is a front view showing the structure of a copying machine 1 according to the present invention. The copying machine 1 is a digital color copying machine, and the maximum reading size is A3 size (297 mm × 42).
(0 mm) image reader unit IR and maximum copy size A3 size printer unit PR.

The image reader IR is provided with a platen glass 3
The original document D placed on the document 1 is exposed and scanned (scanned) by the scanner 32, and the reflected light from the original document D is read by the one-dimensional image sensor 38 including a CCD. The image processing unit 120 generates image data corresponding to the photoelectric conversion signal of the image sensor 38, and transmits the image data to the print head control unit 130 of the printer unit PR. The scanner 32 is driven by the pulse motor 35.

The printer section PR is composed of an image forming system for forming a copy image by an electrophotographic process, a storage / conveyance mechanism for automatic sheet feeding, and the like. The image forming system includes a laser device 21 using a semiconductor laser as an exposure light source, a photosensitive drum 4 as a latent image carrier, a developing unit 6, and a transfer drum 10 for transferring a developed toner image onto a sheet. Have Photoconductor drum 4 and transfer drum 10
Rotate synchronously by the drum drive motor 22.

The developing unit 6 of the copying machine 1 includes a magenta developing unit 6M for developing with magenta toner, a cyan developing unit 6C for developing with cyan toner, a yellow developing unit 6Y for developing with yellow toner, and a developing unit with black toner. Black developing device 6K
And a toner hopper (not shown) for supplying the toner of each color (M, C, Y, K) is provided above each developing device.

The developing device unit 6 is provided so as to be movable in the vertical direction in order to selectively place each developing device at the developing position. The movement of the developing unit 6 is performed by the developing unit motor 61.

The storage / conveyance mechanism has three paper cassettes 42, 43, 4 capable of storing papers of different sizes.
4 and a sheet conveying system 40 driven by the main motor 41.

Each of the paper cassettes 42 to 44 has a storage capacity of several hundreds. In addition, the paper transport system 40 selectively selects and feeds each of the paper cassettes 42 to 44, and also transports the paper inserted from the manual paper feed port 55 to the transfer drum 10 for double-sided copying or the like.

In normal full-color copying, a sheet pulled out from any one of the sheet cassettes 42 to 44 is conveyed by a roller group including a timing roller pair 45 and is wound around the peripheral surface of the transfer drum 10. The sheet on which the toner images of the four colors have been transferred in order is separated from the transfer drum 10 by the separation claw 18 and sent to the fixing device 48 by the conveyor belt 47. The fixed sheet is discharged onto the sheet discharge tray 49.

Around the transfer drum 10, a suction charger 11, a pressing roller 12 and a transfer charger 1 are provided.
4, the separation chargers 16 and 17, and a reference position sensor 13 that outputs a rotation position reference signal of the transfer drum 10 are arranged. Further, an actuator plate 13 for operating the reference position sensor 13 is provided on the surface of the transfer drum 10.
a is attached.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the structure of the operation section OB, and FIG. 3 is a plan view of the operation panel 70 of FIG. 4 is shown in FIG.
9 is a plan view of the editor 90 of FIG. The operation unit OB is a display device 6 that displays a screen for interactive operation.
9, an operation panel 70 for key input operation, and a tablet-type editor 90 for position input,
It is arranged at the top of the copying machine 1.

The display device 69 is attached to the support base 68 via a flexible arm 68B, and the orientation of the screen can be freely adjusted. The operation panel 70 includes a print key 71, an image monitor key 72, a ten key group 73, a clear key 74, a stop key 75, a panel reset key 76,
Auto magnification key (automatic paper selection key) 77, auto scaling key (automatic magnification selection key) 78, manual key (manual setting key) 79, five function keys 81 to 8
5, an enter key 86, a reverse key 87, and a trackball 88 are arranged. The functions of these keys will be clarified as necessary in the following description.

The editor 90 comprises a flat plate-shaped main body 90A and an operation pen 98 for specifying a position. Body 9
Reference numeral 0A also serves as a document cover, and its operation surface is composed of a coordinate input area E3 capable of designating a position for a document of maximum A3 size and a function selection area E4 having buttons 91 to 97 as function options. Has been done. In the editor 90, the lower right corner of the coordinate input area E3 is set as a coordinate input reference point (origin of XY coordinates).

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control system 100 of the copying machine 1. The control system 100 has four CPUs.
(Central processing unit) 101, 102, 103, 104, and a control bus 110 connecting them are mainly configured. Each CPU is a microprocessor unit (M
PU).

First, the CPU 102 controls the image reader section IR. That is, while communicating with the image processing unit 120, the drive system 121 including a motor for scanning a document and an exposure lamp is controlled.

The CPU 103 is responsible for controlling the printer section PR, and sends a predetermined control signal to the drive system 131 including the main motor 61 and the print head control section (PH control section) 130 based on the detection signal of the sensor group 132. Output.

The CPU 104 controls the operation unit OB, performs input processing of the key group 142 of the operation panel 70 and the editor 90, and controls the address of the image memory 141 that stores thinned image data for screen display. .

The CPU 101 controls the entire control of the copying machine 1 by an MSC (Macro System Co).
controller), gives a predetermined command to the other CPUs 102 to 104 according to the copy mode, and receives data from each of the CPUs 102 to 104 as necessary.

In this way, the operation of the control system 100 is sequentially controlled by the CPU 101 in principle. However, for signals that require high-speed transfer between the image reader section IR and the printer section PR, C
Direct signal transmission / reception is performed without passing through the PU 101.

For example, the signal transmitted directly from the image reader section IR to the printer section PR includes image data VIDEO, pixel transfer clock SYNCK, signal HD representing a printable area in the horizontal direction (main scanning direction), and vertical direction ( There are a signal VD representing a printable area in the sub-scanning direction) and a print weight request signal BUSY. In addition, the printer unit P
The signals that are directly transmitted from R to the image reader unit IR include a horizontal synchronizing signal Hsync, an image data request signal I-REQ, and an image data request notice signal PRE-TRG.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the schematic arrangement of the image processing unit 120. The image sensor 38 separates and reads the original image into three primary colors (R, G, B). Then, based on the photoelectric conversion signals of the respective colors output from the image sensor 38 by the image processing unit 120, image data (print data) serving as an exposure control signal for forming a latent image.
VIDEO is generated.

The image processing unit 120 includes an input processing unit 122,
A / D conversion unit 123, shading correction unit 124, density conversion unit 125, color conversion unit 126, edit processing unit 127,
It is composed of an MTF correction unit 128 and a scaling / movement unit 129.

The photoelectric conversion signal input to the input processing section 122 is amplified to a predetermined level and then sampled at a constant cycle. The sampling value is the A / D conversion unit 12
At 3, each color is converted into 8-bit (256 gradation) image data.

The shading correction unit 124 corrects the image data according to the unevenness of the light amount of the exposure lamp 33 and the variation of the sensitivity of each pixel of the image sensor 38. After that, the image data is converted by the density conversion unit 125 from data proportional to the amount of reflected light to data (density data) proportional to the density of each color of the image, and a process of emphasizing the highlight part and the shadow part is performed. It should be noted that the respective processes for the above image data are performed in parallel for the three colors (R, G, B).

Next, the color conversion unit 126 generates image data corresponding to any of the four color toners in accordance with the values of the three color image data. At this time, a control signal indicating which color of image data is generated is given from the CPU 102 to the color conversion unit 126 in synchronization with the operation of the printer unit PR.

The edit processing section 127 performs a predetermined process when editing and copying. For example, at the time of trimming editing, a process of deleting an image outside the designated trimming area is performed. The MTF correction unit 128 also performs image quality improvement processing such as edge enhancement and smoothing processing.

Then, the scaling / moving unit 129 performs scaling processing (pixel density conversion processing in the main scanning direction) for enlarging or reducing the image according to the copy magnification, and moving the image in the main scanning direction (image shift). ) And repetition (image repeat) are processed.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the scaling / moving unit 129, FIG. 8 is a timing chart showing the operation during enlargement copying, FIG. 9 is a timing chart showing the operation during reduction copying, and FIG. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of image shift copying, and FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of image repeat copying.

The scaling / moving unit 129 includes two line memories 301A and 301B, a thinning clock generating unit 302,
Write address generator 303, read address generator 3
04 and a clock selector 305.

The image data input from the MTF correction unit 128 is stored in one line memory (for example, the line memory 30).
1A). At this time, the line memory 301A
Are controlled by the write address generator 303.

In parallel with this, the other line memory 30
The previously stored image data is read from 1B.
At this time, the line memory 301B is address-controlled by the read address generator 304.

Each of the address generators 303 and 304 generates a write address or a read address by counting the clock signal selected by the clock selector 305.

The selection input of the clock selector 305 is the pixel transfer clock SYNCK and the thinning clock R-SY.
It is NCK. The thinned-out clock R-SYNCK is generated in the thinned-out clock generation unit 302 by thinning out the pixel transfer clock SYNCK according to the magnification data MAG-DATA given from the CPU 103. For equal size copying (copy magnification is 1), clock R-SYNC
Becomes a signal having the same cycle as the clock SYNCK.

The selection operation of the clock selector 305 is C
According to the enlargement / reduction signal RE given from the PU 103. Each line memory 301A, 301B and each address generator 3
The relationship with 03 and 304 is switched every time the horizontal synchronizing signal Hsync is input. That is, each line memory 3
In 01A and 301B, writing and reading are alternately performed every time the signal Hsync is input.

The initial value of the clock count in the write address generator 303 is "0". On the other hand, in the read address generator 304, the initial value of the clock count is the read start position data FST-.
It is changed according to the POS and is counted up or down according to the signal UD. Further, the read address generation unit 304 determines that the repeat position data REP-P
The counting of a predetermined number is repeated according to the OS.

At the time of enlarged copying, as shown in FIG.
Pixel transfer clock SYNCK as a clock for writing
Is selected, and the thinned clock R-SYNCK is selected as the read clock. As a result, the same data is read from the line memory a plurality of times in synchronization with the pixel transfer clock SYNCK. In the example of FIG. 8, the data corresponding to each pixel of the original image is read twice, and as a result, the original image is doubled.

At the time of reduction copying, as shown in FIG.
Thinned clock R-SYNC as a clock for writing
K is selected, the input image data is thinned out and stored in the line memory. Then, the thinned-out image data is read in synchronization with the pixel transfer clock SYNCK. As a result, the original image is reduced. In the example of FIG. 9, the size is reduced to half.

Further, in the image shift copying, as shown in FIG. 10, the reading of the line memory starts from the value of the reading start position data FST-POS, so that the copied image is left and right with respect to the paper depending on the value. Move to. In the example of FIG. 10, the value of the data FST-POS is a positive number,
As a result, the copied image has moved to the left. Data FS
If the value of T-POS is a negative number, the copied image moves to the right.

At the time of image repeat copying, the count value (read address) of the read address generator 304
Reaches the value of repeat position data REP-POS,
It is counted from the initial value again, and a part of the original image is repeatedly copied.

Further, at the time of mirror image copying, the read address generator 304 performs a countdown operation according to the signal UD, whereby the copied image becomes a mirror image of the original image. In addition, variable magnification, image shift, image repeat,
It is also possible to obtain a copied image by arbitrarily combining the mirror images.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the printhead controller 130, and FIG. 13 is a waveform diagram of signals relating to the operation of the printhead controller 130. The print head control unit (hereinafter, referred to as PH control unit) 130 includes a pair of buffer memories 360 and 361, a write address counter 362, a read address counter 363, an LD drive circuit 364, a pixel clock generation circuit 365, and a horizontal synchronization signal generation circuit 366. And a light emission permission signal generation circuit 367
It consists of

The buffer memories 360 and 361 are provided for asynchronously writing (storing) and reading the image data VIDEO in parallel, and are targets for writing or reading alternately for each line scanning of the original. .

That is, the image data VIDEO for the first line of the Nth line transferred from the image reader unit IR.
Is stored in one buffer memory within one cycle Ths of the horizontal synchronizing signal Hsync. Also, in parallel with this,
It has already been stored from the other buffer memory (N-
1) The image data VIDEO of the line is read.

At this time, the count value of the write address counter 362 is given to the buffer memory to be written as the write address. The write address counter 362 resets the count value in response to the input of the signal Hsync, and counts the pixel transfer clock SYNCK within the subsequent active period Thd of the signal HD (see FIG. 13).

In the buffer memory to be read, the read address counter 3 is used as a read address.
A count value of 63 is given. The read address counter 363 controls the active period Th of the light emission permission signal HIA.
The pixel clock DOTCK is counted within ia.

The pixel clock DOTCK is a signal that defines the ON / OFF control timing for each pixel of the semiconductor laser LD, and is generated by the pixel clock generation circuit 365. Further, the light emission permission signal HIA is the horizontal synchronization signal Hs.
It is generated by the light emission permission signal generation circuit 367 based on the sync and the pixel clock DOTCK.

Such buffer memories 360, 361
To the LD drive circuit 364 through the image data VIDEO
Is transferred. The LD drive circuit 364 controls the image data VI.
DEO is converted into LD light emission data, and ON / OFF control of the semiconductor laser LD is performed. In the following, drawing a latent image on the photosensitive drum 4 with a laser beam is referred to as “printing”.

In the PH controller 130 of this embodiment,
By changing the timing of activating the light emission permission signal HIA, the print start timing is changed to the horizontal synchronization signal Hs
It can be arbitrarily set within the range of one cycle Ths of sync. That is, the start position of the printing on the photosensitive drum 4 in the main scanning direction can be changed to shift the position of the copied image with respect to the sheet by a predetermined length regardless of the image shift described above.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of image movement by setting the operation timing of the PH control unit 130. 14
As shown in (a), the active period Th of the signal HIA is
When ia is the first half of the period Ths, the copy image Gh is formed on the left side portion of the paper P. In addition, FIG.
As shown in (b), the active period Thia is set to the period T.
In the latter half period of hs, the copy image Gh is formed on the right side portion of the paper P.

In the copying machine 1 having the electrophotographic process mechanism and control means having the above-mentioned structure, various forms of copying can be realized, including the above-mentioned simple variable magnification copying and image shift copying.

Among these various types of copying, the enlarged continuous shooting according to the present invention and several kinds of copying related thereto will be described below. [Full Color Copy] When a mode selection operation for designating full color copy is performed and the print key 71 is pressed (turned on), the copying machine 1 scans the same document D four times in total, 4 The color toner images are sequentially transferred onto the sheet P and superposed.

At the time of superposition, it is necessary to strictly synchronize the operations of the image reader section IR and the printer section PR in the sub-scanning direction in order to prevent positional deviation of the toner images.

In order to realize such synchronization, the copying machine 1 uses the rotational position reference signal TBASE from the reference position sensor 13 and the actuator plate 13a described above. FIG. 15 shows the image reader IR and printer PR
5 is a timing chart for explaining the synchronization operation of FIG.

Referring also to FIG. 1, the CPU 103 for controlling the printer section PR makes the sheet stand by in the vicinity of the timing roller pair 45, and makes each section such as the laser device 21 and the developing unit 6 ready for image formation. After that, the generation of the rotational position reference signal TBASE is awaited.

When the signal TBASE is generated, the CPU
103 starts the time counting by the timer count. Time t
When 1 has passed, the CPU 103 sets the timing roller pair 4
The paper feed control for turning on 5 and the like is executed. As a result, the sheet is electrostatically attracted to a predetermined position on the transfer drum 10. Further, the CPU 103 sends an image data request signal I- to the image reader unit IR at the time point when time t2 elapses from the start of timing.
Output REQ.

The CPU 102 of the image reader section IR
In response to the signal I-REQ, the time t corresponding to the copy magnification
The count of the wait timer for counting w is started. After the wait timer has finished counting, the pulse motor 35 is turned on to start the acceleration movement of the scanner 32.

The scanner 32 operates at time t1 from the start of movement.
When 0 has passed, it reaches just below the leading edge of the document. Here, the time t10 is constant regardless of the copy magnification, and the time tw and the moving speed v of the scanner 32 are adjusted to satisfy this condition.

On the other hand, on the printer section PR side, the signal IR
When time t10 has elapsed from the output of EQ, the semiconductor laser LD is allowed to emit light, and the exposure of the photosensitive drum 4 is immediately started.

The latent image formed by exposure reaches a position (transfer position) facing the transfer charger 14 after being visualized as a toner image of the first color by the developing unit 6. At this time, the front end of the paper is at the transfer position, and the toner image is positioned and transferred with the front end of the paper as a reference.

After that, the four colors of toner images are superposed by sequentially switching the developing colors and repeating the electrophotographic process while the paper is adsorbed on the transfer drum 10. At this time, for the second to fourth colors, the operation control of the image reader section IR and the printer section PR is performed based on the signal TBASE as in the first color.

The movement of the developing unit 6 and the scanner 3
When the time required to return to 2 is longer than one rotation time of the transfer drum 10, the transfer drum 10 is idly rotated (idle rotation). Further, by delaying the output timing of the signal I-REQ with respect to the signal TBASE, the copied image can be moved in the sub-scanning direction of the paper.

[Partially Enlarged Copy] The operator can specify the copy magnification with the ten-key group 73. Due to the mutual relationship between the document size, the paper size, and the copy magnification (magnification ratio), when the entire document image cannot be copied onto the paper, it is only possible to enlarge and copy only a partial area of the document. It is an enlarged copy.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of partial enlargement copying. 16A shows the relationship between the original image Gi and the copy image Gh, and FIG. 16B shows the state of original scanning. In the example of FIG. 16, with respect to the document D, a length X is measured in the main scanning direction from the upper left end of the document D (starting point of document scanning during normal copying).
Copying is started from a position separated by a distance Y and a distance Y in the sub-scanning direction.

That is, in the main scanning direction, as in the case of the image shift copying described above, the scaling / moving unit 12
The read start position data FST-POS having a value corresponding to the length X is given to 9, and an image in a predetermined range is extracted by this.

In the sub-scanning direction, the scanner 3
2 from the home position P0 in the normal direction to the front side of the scanning by the length Y
The position is moved to a position P1 away from the position P1, and scanning is started at the timing described with reference to FIG. As a result, the image in the predetermined range is extracted.

The lengths X and Y are designated by the position input using the editor 90. Further, the moving speed of the scanner 32 (that is, the sub-scanning speed) is appropriately set according to the copy magnification as in the normal enlargement copying.

[Enlarged Continuous Shooting] As shown in a basic example in FIG. 17, the enlarged continuous shoot is to divide an original image and enlarge and copy each part on a plurality of sheets P. The original image referred to here means the entire image of the area desired to be copied by the operator, and usually corresponds to the entire area of the original D, but when trimming is performed, it corresponds to the trimming area.

From the viewpoint of the operation of the copying machine 1, on the other hand, basically, in the continuous enlargement copying, the above-mentioned partial enlargement copying is continuously performed a plurality of times, and the copy target area of the document D is sequentially changed at that time. To do. That is, the enlarged continuous shooting is realized by appropriately selecting the value of the reading start position data FST-POS and the position of the scanner 32 at the time of starting the document scanning.

As described above, the control of each unit associated with such enlarged continuous shooting is centralized by the CPU 101 (MSC). Therefore, as shown in FIG. 18, the CPU 101 and other CPUs 102, 103, 104 mutually communicate with each other. Is done.

Hereinafter, the operation of each unit at the time of enlarged continuous shooting will be described in detail together with the operation procedure. When the operator wants to confirm the divided state of the document before copying, the operator places (sets) the document on the platen glass 31 with its image forming surface facing downward, and then presses the image monitor key 72. Turn on.

CPU 104 for controlling operation panel 70
Indicates that the image monitor key 72 is turned on by the CPU 10
Tell 1 (MSC). The CPU 101 requests an image monitor scan from the CPU 102 of the image reader unit IR.

Upon receiving the request, the CPU 102 starts scanning and outputting the image data VIDEO without receiving the rotational position reference signal TBASE. Further, in parallel with this, the CPU 104 and the CPU 103 of the printer unit PR
Executes a process for displaying a document image on the screen of the display device 69 based on the image data VIDEO. That is, the CPU 103 generates thinned-out image data suitable for the display device 69 having a resolution lower than that of printing, and the CPU 104 stores the thinned-out image data in the image memory 141.
Write in.

The thinned-out image data is sequentially read from the image memory 141, and the original image is displayed on the display device 69. It should be noted that the CPU 104 can access the image memory 141 as necessary to superimpose a display element for operation on the image.

As shown in FIG. 19, the display device 6
The display screen HG 9 has an image area E for displaying an image.
1 and a menu area E2 for displaying messages and options for operation. In the figure, the document image Gi is displayed in the image area E1. The display content of the menu area E2 is appropriately switched from the initial screen when the power is turned on according to the operation.

In accordance with the display in the menu area E2, the operator numerically inputs the copy magnification using the ten-key group 73 and designates the paper size using the function keys 81 to 83. Note that here, the paper size option is A
3T, A4Y, and A4T. That is, in the copying machine 1 of the present embodiment, it is assumed that A3T, A4Y, and A4T sheets are stored in the three sheet cassettes 42 to 44, respectively.

The A3T and A4T papers mean A3 size and A4 size papers stored so that the longitudinal direction is the carrying direction, and the A4Y paper is such that the longitudinal direction is orthogonal to the carrying direction. It means stored A4 size paper.

When the enter key 86 for instructing the confirmation of the copy condition is turned on, the CPU 10 of the operation panel OB is
Reference numeral 4 divides the original image Gi (strictly speaking, the area corresponding to the original image Gi in the image area E1) into a plurality of blocks based on the magnification information and the paper size information.

As a dividing method, first, one block (this is referred to as a reference block) having a maximum size (this is referred to as a division reference size) that can be copied onto one sheet of a designated size is The one vertex is arranged so as to coincide with the start point of the document scanning (the upper left end of the document image Gi in FIG. 19). That is, a part of the image area E1 is divided as a reference block. Next, the image area E1 is vertically and horizontally divided so that blocks of the same size are arranged around the reference block.

At the time of division, the division reference size is uniquely determined by the paper size and the copy magnification. Then, depending on the size relationship between the division reference size and the document size, all blocks do not necessarily have the same size.

When the division is completed, the CPU 104 writes predetermined data in the image memory 141,
An image in a divided state is displayed as shown in FIG. Figure 20
In the example, the original image Gi including the block e1 corresponding to the reference block has nine blocks e1 to 9 in total.
It is divided into e9. Blocks e1, e2, e4, e
5 is a block having a division reference size, and the other blocks are smaller than the division reference size.

These blocks e1 to e9 are copied by using a sheet of a specified size, one sheet for each block. If the operator is not dissatisfied with the copy result expected from the screen display, the operator turns on the print key 71.

When the print key 71 is turned on, the CP
U 101 requests the CPU 103 to feed paper and also requests the CPU 102 to scan. In response to this, the CPU 102 repeats the scan for each of the blocks e1 to e9. Further, the CPU 103 repeats a series of processes of printing, developing, transferring, and fixing for each of the blocks e1 to e9.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 21, the partial copy images Gh1 to G9 corresponding to the blocks e1 to e9 of FIG.
h9 is formed.

In the copying machine 1, the editor 90 can change the division mode of the original image Gi, that is, the positional relationship between the partial copy image and the paper. [Operation of Editor] FIG. 22 shows the function selection area E4 of FIG.
It is a figure which shows the function of.

In the function selection area E4, a button 91 for designating a rectangular area for a document, a button 92 for designating a polygonal area, a button 93 for designating a division center point, and A button 94 for instructing the start of area designation, a button 95 for canceling one designation, a button 96 for canceling all designations on the editor,
Further, a button 97 for instructing the end of the designation operation (confirmation of the designated contents) is provided.

When designating a rectangular area as a target area for image editing, the operator touches the button 91 with the pen and successively designates two diagonal points of the desired area in the coordinate input area E3. The button 97 is touched with the pen.
When designating a polygonal area, the operator pen-touches the button 92, successively designates each vertex of the desired area, and then pen-touches the button 97.

Then, in order to obtain a copy image in which a specific position of the document is arranged in the center of the paper, the operator pen-touches the button 92, successively designates a desired point, and then touches the button 97 with the pen. To do. As a result, the designated one point is fixed as the division center point.

In order to facilitate the designation of such an area or point, the editor 90 as shown in FIG.
The operation is performed with the document D set on the front side. However, it is not always necessary to set the document D. FIG. 23
As an example, (a) shows a state in which a point near the center of the A4Y size document D is designated (pen touch) as the division center point Pc.

When the designation is completed, the operator
As shown in (b), the document cover (that is, the editor 9
0) is opened and the document D is set on the platen glass 31. At this time, the document D is set face down with the up and down orientation reversed with respect to the set state on the editor.

[Enlarged Continuous Shooting When Dividation Center Point is Specified] When the division center point Pc is specified, the CPU 104
The original image Gi is divided into a plurality of blocks based on the coordinates of the division center point Pc and the previously specified copy magnification and paper size.

FIG. 24 is a diagram showing a division method when a division center point is designated. As shown in FIG. 24B, the copyable area EC on the paper P is an area excluding a margin (margin) having a width of several mm around the paper P. The border size is constant regardless of the paper size. Here, for the copyable area EC, its main scanning direction (x direction)
Is Ax, and the length in the sub-scanning direction (y direction) is Ay.

When the copy magnification is M, the length S of the divided reference block on the original D in the main scanning direction and the sub scanning direction is S.
x and Sy are Ax / M and Ay / M, respectively. Figure 2
As shown in FIG. 4A, when the lengths of the document in the main scanning direction and the sub scanning direction are Ox and Oy, respectively, and the coordinates of the division center point Pc are (x, y), the division center point Pc is the center. A block (reference block) arranged and having a division reference size has a point Pa (x + Sx / 2, y + Sy / 2) and a point Pb (x-Sx / 2, y-Sy / 2) as diagonal vertices. It becomes a rectangular area.

After that, the coordinates of the diagonal vertices of each block are calculated by adding or subtracting the values Sx and Sy based on the coordinates of the points Pa and Pb. However, the calculated x coordinate is 0
When it becomes a value outside the range of Ox, it is replaced with 0 or Ox, and when the calculated y coordinate becomes a value outside the range of 0 to Oy, it is replaced with 0 or Oy.

If the point at the end of the document is designated as the division center point Pc and the center of the reference block and the division center point Pc cannot be made to coincide with each other, the center of the reference block is divided center point Pc. Place it as close as possible to. In that case, at least one side of the reference block coincides with a part of the peripheral edge of the document D.

FIG. 25 is a diagram showing a division state of the original image Gi when the division center point is designated. In the example of FIG. 25, the document image Gi is divided into nine blocks e11 to e19 including the block e15 corresponding to the division center point Pc. Of these blocks e11 to e19, only the block e15 has the division reference size (Sx × Sy), and the other blocks are smaller than the division reference size.

Thereafter, the blocks e11 to e19 are sequentially copied in response to the print key 71 being turned on. At this time, according to the normal control, as shown in FIG. 28, the partial copy image Gh corresponding to each of the blocks e11 to e19 of FIG.
1a to Gh9a will be formed. However, in such a copying mode, when the discharged sheets P are arranged, the partial copy images Gh1a to Gh9a are dispersed.

Therefore, in the copying machine 1, for each of the blocks e11 to e19 obtained by dividing the original image Gi, when there is a block adjacent to them, each partial copy image Gh
11 to Gh19 are formed closer to the adjacent block side ”.

FIG. 26 is a diagram showing an example of a copy result of enlarged continuous shooting with designation of a division center point, and FIG. 27 is a flowchart showing the operation of the CPU 101 corresponding to FIG. Figure 2
In the example of 6, the partial copy images Gh11 to Gh19 corresponding to the blocks e1 to e9 of the original image Gi are arranged on the respective paper sheets P so that they are adjacent to each other when the nine paper sheets P are arranged in 3 rows and 3 columns. It is arranged.

In FIG. 27, the CPU 101 fetches size information regarding a block to be noticed as the next copy target from the block information table storing the coordinates and sizes of the blocks e1 to e9 (# 11).

If the value obtained by multiplying the length Lx in the x direction of the block of interest by the copy magnification M is smaller than the paper width Px, that is, if the block size in the x direction is smaller than the division reference size, the block of interest is It is checked whether there is another block on the right side (# 12, # 13).

If YES in step # 13, the signal HIA (see FIG. 14) given to the CPU 103 of the printer section PR is delayed by the time corresponding to the difference between the paper width Px and the print width (# 14). If step # 13 is NO, the signal HIA is output at normal timing (#
15).

The value obtained by multiplying the length Ly in the y direction of the block of interest by the copy magnification M is smaller than the paper length Py,
If there is another block below the block of interest, the signal I- is sent to the CPU 103 of the printer section PR.
Instruct a delay of REQ (see FIG. 15) by a predetermined time (#
16- # 18). Note that step # 16 or step #
When the result in 17 is NO, the CPU 103 is instructed to output the signal I-REQ as usual (# 19).

In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the division center point Pc is designated by the editor 90 has been shown, but various techniques such as coordinate input by the ten-key group 73 and position designation on the display screen by the trackball 88 are used. It is also possible to configure the copying machine so as to specify the division center point Pc.

[0115]

According to the present invention, it is possible to realize a copying mode in which an important part of a document is arranged in the center of the sheet by diversifying the area division of the document, and the convenience of the enlarged copying using a plurality of sheets. Can be increased.

According to the second aspect of the invention, the position can be designated quickly and easily.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing the configuration of a copying machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a configuration of an operation unit.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a configuration of an operation panel.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a configuration of an editor.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control unit.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image processing unit.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a scaling / moving unit.

FIG. 8 is a timing chart showing an operation during enlarged copying.

FIG. 9 is a timing chart showing an operation during reduced copying.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of image shift copying.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of image repeat copying.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of a printhead controller.

FIG. 13 is a waveform diagram of signals related to the operation of the printhead controller.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example of image movement according to operation timing setting of a print head controller.

FIG. 15 is a timing chart for explaining a synchronous operation of the image reader unit and the printer unit.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of partial enlargement copying.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a basic example of enlarged continuous shooting.

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating a communication procedure between CPUs that control a copying machine.

FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a configuration of a display screen of a display device and an example of a document image.

FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating an example of division of a document image according to normal enlarged continuous shooting.

FIG. 21 is a diagram showing an arrangement relationship between a copy image and paper corresponding to FIG. 20.

FIG. 22 is a diagram showing the structure of a function selection area of the editor.

FIG. 23 is a diagram showing an operation procedure of enlarged continuous shooting for designating a division center point.

FIG. 24 is a diagram showing a method of dividing a document according to enlarged continuous shooting in which a division center point is designated.

FIG. 25 is a diagram showing an example of division of a document image according to enlarged continuous shooting in which a division center point is designated.

FIG. 26 is a diagram showing an arrangement relationship between a copy image and paper corresponding to FIG. 25.

FIG. 27 is a flowchart showing the CPU operation corresponding to FIG. 26.

FIG. 28 is a diagram showing another example of the layout relationship between the copy image and the sheet corresponding to FIG. 25.

[Fig. 29] Fig. 29 is a diagram showing a divided state of an image according to conventional enlarged continuous shooting.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Copier D Original P Paper Gi Original Image Pc Division Center Point (Attention Position) 90 Editor (Position Designating Means) e1 to e9 Blocks (Division Area)

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A copying machine having a function of dividing an original according to a copy magnification and enlarging and copying the original image using a plurality of sheets, wherein any position in the original can be designated as a target position. When the above-mentioned attention position is designated at the time of enlargement copying,
A copying machine, characterized in that a document is divided so that the target position becomes the center of one divided area, and copying is performed in order for each of the divided areas. 2. A copying machine according to claim 1, further comprising a tablet-type editor as the position designation means.