JPH0690344A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To allow a receiver side to recognize the type of a picture of a transmission original and a read coding processing method by sending a type of coding to an opposite facsimile equipment as coding information. CONSTITUTION:A central control section 20 discriminates whether or not an opposite party has a function to receive read information at a sender side based on an identification signal of the receiver of the opposite party received through a modern 4. When the opposite party has the information reception function, the transmission of data read by an original read section 1 is continued by a coding section and information such as intermediate value binary, dither/error spread, 64/16 gradation information is sent as read information. Thus, the receiver side able to intermediate tone coding such as dither method or error spread method can recognize whether the sent original results from reading of intermediate tone information or reading of binary coding and the picture quality of the recorded picture is improved.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus for reading transmission image data, transmitting encoded information, and performing proxy reception.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional facsimile apparatus, whether the transmission original is a binary image or a halftone image on the receiving side, or if the transmission original is a halftone image, the halftone image is dithered.
Alternatively, the information such as whether or not the reading and coding processing such as error diffusion is not sent. Also, with conventional facsimile machines,
A system having a thermal transfer recording system employs a method in which the image recording speed is not constant when the data received as a substitute is reduced and recorded.

[0003]

In the above-mentioned conventional facsimile apparatus, since there is no way for the receiving side to know the information such as the image type of the transmission original document and the reading / coding processing method, for example, the transmission original document has only characters. In the case of a binary image, the transmission side mistakenly reads the original with halftone encoding and sends it, or vice versa If this is done, the image quality of the received image will be significantly degraded.

Therefore, the receiving side recognizes an error in the encoding processing method on the transmitting side, prompts the transmitting side to perform the optimum reading and coding processing, and performs the optimal reading and coding processing on the original and retransmits it. It is not possible. On the other hand, even with the same halftone encoding, there is a large difference in image quality between the 16-gradation dither method and the 64-gradation error diffusion method. For example, the receiving side that receives the received image that has been read and encoded by the 16-gradation dither method is not satisfied with the halftone image quality of the received image, and the 64-tone error diffusion halftone reading and encoding method. However, even if an attempt is made to retransmit the image, it is impossible to retransmit the image in the conventional facsimile apparatus because there is no way to know what reading and coding the received image data was processed by. .

Further, in consideration of recording the received image, it is known that changing the recording control method according to the above-mentioned encoding processing information on the transmitting side is effective in improving the image quality. ing. For example, in the case of a thermal transfer printer, when the recorded image is a halftone image or a binary image, it is more effective to improve the image quality by changing the thermal control method of the thermal head that generates heat for image printing. .

As an example of this, in order to optimize the temperature of the thermal head before printing the image data, the thermal head is warmed before printing, that is, when the data for so-called preheating is changed. To be Therefore, the conventional facsimile apparatus cannot know the above-mentioned processing information, so that there is a problem that the above-described measure for improving the quality of the recorded image cannot be implemented for the facsimile apparatus.

In a facsimile apparatus which employs a thermal transfer system for a recording system, printing is performed with melted ink, so that the ink hardens and sticks to the recording paper, so-called sticking phenomenon, and melted ink does not solidify. A so-called tailing phenomenon or the like occurs, which causes a serious problem such as deterioration of the reliability of the apparatus and image quality. This phenomenon is remarkable in a so-called multi-heat transfer type facsimile apparatus in which the ink sheet is conveyed in the opposite direction to the recording paper conveyance direction and the ink sheet area is smaller than the recording paper area.

Further, it is known that the frequency of occurrence of this phenomenon varies depending on the timing of applying heat to the ink sheet by causing the heating element to generate heat, and it hardly occurs when printing is performed at a constant speed with the timing kept constant. For this reason, the facsimile apparatus is provided with an image memory, the print data encoded therein is temporarily stored, and then the signal is input to the decoder operating at high speed. Then, a device has been devised which transfers the decrypted print data to a recording unit and prints the data at this recording unit at a constant speed. When the recording unit is not in a recordable state, for example, when there is no recording paper. Is configured to perform so-called proxy reception, in which received data is recorded in an image memory and the received image is printed when the recording unit becomes recordable.

In general image reception, when the recording paper size on the receiving side is smaller than the original document size on the transmitting side, the image needs to be reduced on the transmitting side in accordance with the recording paper size on the receiving side and reduced on the receiving side. There is no. On the other hand, there are many recording paper sizes that can be inserted into the receiving side, such as A4 and B4, which can be inserted into a plurality of recording paper sizes. And
In normal reception, whether or not to reduce the size is determined on the transmission side according to the recording paper inserted at the time of reception.

However, in the case of the proxy reception, since the size of the recording paper to be inserted next has not been decided, for example, B4
When the A4 size recording paper is inserted in the state where the image data received at the same size is received by the proxy and stored in the image memory, it is necessary to reduce the received image data on the receiving side. In other words, in such a state, the processing time is longer than that of the printing of the normal intercepted reception data, which causes the same timing as the printing of the normal reception data of the constant velocity recording, the image reception, and the image recording. There is a problem that printing on the printer becomes impossible.

Further, in the case of printing the intercepted reception data which requires the reduction processing, the reduction processing time changes according to the information amount of the image data, so that the printing timing is changed according to the processing time to perform the image recording control. I am doing it. Therefore, there is a concern that the sticking or the trailing phenomenon described above may occur. On the other hand, in consideration of the reduction processing time, normal reception image printing or substitute reception image printing, which does not require reduction processing on the receiving side, uniform speed Although it is conceivable to slow down the printing speed, there is a problem that it takes too long to print the recording paper.

Further, since the transmission speed is usually set in accordance with the timing of printing the received image, the transmission speed becomes slow, and the time required for communication on both the transmitting side and the receiving side becomes great, during which the apparatus performs other processing. However, there is a problem in that it becomes inconvenient for both the transmitting side user and the receiving side user. An object of the present invention is to provide a facsimile apparatus capable of halftone coding such as a dither method or an error diffusion method when the transmitted image data is halftone read coded data,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a facsimile apparatus that can transmit the information to the receiving side and can recognize on the receiving side whether the transmission original is read in halftone or binary.

Another object of the present invention is to perform constant speed printing at a reduced printing speed in order to reduce the printing speed by distinguishing it from other received image recording when performing a reduction conversion by a proxy reception recording in a facsimile apparatus performing the proxy reception. It is an object of the present invention to provide a facsimile device which improves the reliability of the image and improves the image quality.

[0014]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention according to claim 1 is a means for reading a transmission original in halftone or binary, and encoding the read data. A means for transmitting and a means for transmitting the type of encoding as encoded information to the facsimile apparatus of the other party.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in a facsimile apparatus that stores received image data in a memory and prints the received image data in the memory as needed, the recording paper size provided in the apparatus is When the received image data is smaller than the requested recording paper size, means for reducing and converting the received image data according to the recording paper size provided in the apparatus, and means for printing and recording the reduced and converted image data. The print recording speed is slower than the print recording speed when the reduction conversion is not performed.

[0016]

With the above construction, the quality of the recorded image can be improved.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. [First Embodiment] A first embodiment according to the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a document reading unit for converting a transmission document into read image data,
Reference numeral 2 is a recording unit that prints a received image / communication result report and the like, and 201 is a thermal head that functions as a heating element included in the recording unit 2. Further, 3 is a network control unit (NCU) for connecting a telephone line (not shown) to the present facsimile machine, and 4 is a modulation / demodulation unit (modem) for communicating with the other facsimile machine via the telephone line. Is.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a modem control section for controlling the modem 4.
6 is an operation panel, 7 is included in the operation panel 6, a display for displaying the state of the facsimile apparatus to the user, and 8 is included in the operation panel 6 so that the user can perform various operations on the facsimile machine. It is a key to instruct. 9
Is a sensor for detecting the state of the facsimile machine,
Reference numeral 10 is a memory, 11 is an image memory for storing received image data in the memory 10, and 12 is backed up by a battery (not shown) or the like so that the data is not destroyed even when commercial power is cut off due to a power failure or the like. The system RAM (or system memory) 13 configured in
The specifications of the facsimile machine are determined, and the central control unit 20
Is a ROM that stores a control program and the like for controlling the above-described components.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the construction of the thermal head 201 which constitutes the recording portion of the facsimile apparatus according to this embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a drive timing chart of the thermal head. In FIG. 2, 601 converts one line of image data input serially into parallel,
A shift register for transferring it to the holding circuit 602. The holding circuit 602 includes a shift register 601.
The data from is retained and used as print data. Also, 60
Reference numeral 3 denotes a drive circuit for applying an electric current to the heating element corresponding to the black data selected by the holding circuit 602 and printing an image in accordance with the data, and 604 generates heat under the control of the drive circuit 603. , A heating element for printing an image.

In FIG. 2, TDS is transfer image data, and TDC is a transfer clock for writing TDS in the shift register 601. Further, XTLH is a latch signal for latching the image data transferred to the shift register 601 in the holding circuit 602. STB
1 to STB4 are current strobe signals for supplying current to the heating element corresponding to the black data to generate heat in order to print the selected black image data.

At the drive signal timing of the thermal head shown in FIG. 3, the recording system internal synchronizing signal is the central control unit 2.
It is an internal signal of 0 and is a timing signal for printing one line of image data. XTLO is a latch signal, which is a signal for holding the image transferred to the shift register 601 in the thermal head and making it print data. Further, TDS is transfer data, and the shift register 601
Is serially input data, and TDC is a transfer clock for writing the TDS in the shift register 601.

The thermal head holding circuit print data is print data held in the holding circuit 602 in the thermal head, and STB1 to STB4 are strobe signals. Here, for example, the heating element group of the thermal head having the print data heating element of 1728 bits per line is 4
This is a signal having a function of causing the holding circuit 602 to pass a current to the heating element portion having the "black" data in each of the divided blocks to heat the selected heating element.

The thermal head controlled in this way is
Prior to printing the received image data, so-called preheating is performed to warm the thermal head. This is because in a thermal transfer printer, the ink sheet cools down, it hardens and sticks to the recording paper, or the thermal head cools down, causing the thermal head temperature to become insufficient during image printing, causing the image to fade. This is to prevent

Next, the operation of the facsimile apparatus according to this embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a signal sequence example of a transmission / reception signal in the facsimile apparatus according to the present embodiment. The facsimile apparatus according to this embodiment is CCITT
Recommendation T. In the figure, NSF is a function identification signal, and NSS is a non-standard function setting signal.
Then, the transmission original reading information on the transmitting side is transmitted to the receiving side by these two signals.

More specifically, the function identification signal NSF
Is for transmitting to the transmitting side (calling facsimile machine) that the receiving side (callee facsimile machine) has the function of receiving the read coding method data. Also, NSS
Is transmitted to the receiving side (called facsimile machine) from the transmitting side (calling facsimile machine) to the intermediate value / 2 as read information.
Information such as value dither / error diffusion 64/16 gradation is transmitted.

FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 are operation flowcharts on the transmitting side and the receiving side of the facsimile apparatus according to this embodiment, respectively. FIG. 5 is an operation flowchart of the transmitting side of this facsimile apparatus, and here, the main part thereof is shown. In the figure, step S2
Then, the reading and coding method of the transmission original read in step S1 is stored, and the transmission operation is started in step S3.

In step S5, it is determined from the identification signal NSF of the receiver of the other party detected in step S4 whether or not the other party has a function of receiving the read information on the transmitting side. And if the other party has the information receiving function,
The transmission operation is continued (step S6), and in step S8,
As described above, information such as intermediate value / binary value, dither / error diffusion, 64/16 gradation is transmitted as the read information.

Further, FIG. 6 is an operation flowchart of the receiving side of the present facsimile apparatus, and step S12 of the same figure.
Then, the transmission side is informed by the identification signal NSF that there is a reception function of the transmission original reading and coding method. And
If it is determined in step S14 that the partner NSS has information on the transmission original reading / coding method, step S1
At step 7, the transmission encoding side receives the reading / encoding information such as the halftone / binary value and the reading / encoding method.

Regarding the display of the transmission original reading information in step S15 of FIG. 6, for example, when the receiving side receives the original reading information, the information as shown in FIG. 7 is displayed on the display 7 of FIG. , It is notified to the receiving user. Here, the case where the transmission original reading and coding method is halftone reading and 64 gradations of the error diffusion method are shown.

In the facsimile apparatus according to this embodiment, the preheat control is changed according to the above-mentioned document reading information. That is, when the image is a binary image, the total number of heating elements that generate current by passing an electric current during preheating, that is, preheat data is set to all black. In the case of halftone data, the reversed data of the printed previous line is used as preheat data. This is effective in improving the quality of recorded images.

As described above, according to this embodiment,
In a facsimile machine capable of halftone reading and coding such as dither method and error diffusion method, when the transmitted image data is halftone reading and coding data, the information is transmitted to the receiving side,
By displaying it on the receiving side so that the user on the receiving side can recognize whether the transmitted document is read in halftone or in binary, the receiving side can recognize it. In the facsimile device, the recording processing method of the received image data can be changed according to the information, and the image quality of the recorded image can be improved.

Further, in a facsimile apparatus which uses a thermal transfer printer as a recording system to perform printing by thermal control of a thermal head or the like, the thermal control of the thermal head is changed depending on the halftone read coded information, which makes thermal control difficult. In a thermal transfer printer or the like in which the quality of thermal control greatly affects the image quality of a recorded image, it is effective in improving the image quality. In addition,
In the facsimile apparatus according to the above-described embodiment, a heating element such as a thermal head is applied with an amount of heat sufficient to warm the heating element before printing image data or after image printing, even before printing (pre-scan, or The scan data for “afterscan” may be changed according to the halftone reading coded information. Thereby,
It is possible to improve the image quality.

Further, in the facsimile apparatus of the above-mentioned embodiment, the transmission original reading information is displayed on the display of the apparatus, but the information may be transmitted to the user by printing it on recording paper, for example. Good. On the other hand, the printer is not limited to the thermal transfer printer, and the same effect can be obtained as a thermal printer. [Second Embodiment] Next, a second embodiment according to the present invention will be described.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the overall construction of a facsimile apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In addition,
In the figure, the same components as those of the facsimile apparatus according to the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted here. Further, FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining image reception recording of the facsimile apparatus according to the present embodiment. Also in the figure, the same components as those in FIG. 8 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

In FIG. 9, 3 is an NCU for connecting a telephone line (not shown) to the facsimile apparatus, 4 is a modem, and 14 is received data such as an MMR (Modified Modified Read) signal received by the modem 4. Is temporarily stored and sent to the codec, the receiving buffer 201 is
A codec (CODEC) -1 (201) that functions as a code decoder that decodes the received image data once and then encodes the data to store it in the image memory. In this, for example, the data received by the MMR is converted into MR and transferred to the image memory.

The decoding unit 2011 belongs to codec 1,
The data transferred from the reception buffer 14 is decoded. R
The AM 2012 temporarily stores the data transferred from the reception buffer 14 and transfers it to the encoder. In addition, the encoding unit 2013, for example, re-encodes the data converted from MMR into raw data by the decoding unit 2011 and stored in the RAM 2012 to perform MR (Modified Read).
Convert to signal etc. Then, the image memory 11 is a memory for normally storing the received image data or the transmitted image data in the MR.

Reference numeral 202 is for decoding the data stored in the image memory 11, converting it into raw data and transferring it to the recording unit 2 as print data, or for storing the read data in the image memory 11. This is a codec (CODEC) -2 for converting into an MR signal or the like. This CODE
C-2 is an encoding unit 2021, a decoding unit 2022, and RA.
Including M2023, the encoding unit 2021 encodes the read data into an MR signal, and the decoding unit 2022 converts the MR image data stored in the image memory 11 into raw data, and stores the raw data in the recording unit. Can be transferred.

The RAM 2023 is also CODE
The MR image data included in C-2 (202) and transferred is temporarily stored and transferred to the decoding unit 2022. Alternatively, the recording data converted into raw data by the decoding unit 2022 is temporarily stored and transferred to the recording unit, or the read data is temporarily stored and transferred to the encoding unit 2021. C
The read interface unit 2024 included in the ODEC-2 (202) sends the read data to the CODEC-2 (202).
(202), and the recording interface unit 20
25 is an interface with the recording unit, RAM2
The raw data stored in 023 is transferred to the recording unit.

The image processing unit 204 performs A / D conversion on the read image signal, executes image processing such as error diffusion processing in the case of halftone, and outputs the image data as CODEC-2 ( 202). The photoelectric conversion unit 15 converts optical information into electrical information with a CCD or the like. The smoothing IC 203 is a CODEC-2 (2
02), the image data transferred from No. 02) is interpolated in the same manner as the super fine image signal in the standard mode. The thermal head 21 is a smoothing IC.
An image is printed by causing the heating element to generate heat in accordance with the print data transferred from 203.

The above-mentioned CODEC-1 (201),
CODEC-2 (202), smoothing IC203,
The image processing unit 204 is included in the central control unit 20 of FIG.
The photoelectric conversion unit 15 is provided in the original reading unit 1 and the thermal head 21.
Are included in the recording unit 2, respectively. The NCU 3 shown in FIG. 9 outputs the analog signal 3-4 to the modem 4, and the received image data (MODI) demodulated by the modem 4 is received.
NT) 4-14 is a signal encoded by MMR or the like. In the facsimile apparatus according to this embodiment, the received data is transferred to the reception buffer 14 in the image memory 11 by 8 bits in synchronization with MODINT as an interrupt signal. For example, the communication speed is 14.4 kb
In the case of ps, 556 μsec (= 8 / 14.4 kbp
Every s) is interrupted.

The received image data 14-201 is CODE.
It is encoded data such as MMR which is sent to the C-1 (201) and temporarily held in the image memory 11. Also,
The received image data 201-11 is CODEC-1 (20
An MR signal that is decoded in 1) and then encoded. The print image data 11-202 is the data stored in the image memory 11, and is the CODEC-2 (202).
Image data 202-11 is read,
The encoded data is transferred to the image memory 11.

The signals 201-11 and 11-2 described above are used.
The data transfer in 02, 202-11 is performed by DMA (dynamic memory access). The print image data 202-203 is data decoded into raw data by the CODEC-2 (202), and is synchronized with an interrupt signal PRINT, for example, for one line every 2.5 msec, and the smoothing IC 203 is collected. Transferred to. In addition, the CODEC-2 (202) operates so as to decode the print image data 11-202 stored in the RAM 2023 for one line or more and store it in the RAM 2023 again in synchronization with this interrupt signal. To do.

The print image data 203-21 is, for example, 3.85 lines / mm by the smoothing IC 203.
The image having the standard resolution of 14.4 lines / mm is interpolated and converted into the resolution of Super Fine. On the other hand, the image signal 15-204 is a signal read by the photoelectric conversion unit 15 and is transferred to the image processing unit 204. The image signal 204-202 is a signal that has been image-processed by the image processing unit 204, and is CODE synchronized with an interrupt signal called SHINT (for example, at 2.5 msec intervals).
It is transferred to C-2 (202).

As described above, in the facsimile apparatus according to this embodiment, the data received by the modem 4 is temporarily stored in the reception buffer 14 in the memory 10 in synchronization with the interrupt signal MODINT. And CODEC-1
When (201) becomes able to decode / encode this data, data transfer is performed. This CODEC-1
The image data converted into the MR signal in (201) is DMA-transferred to the image memory 11.

10 and 11 are flow charts showing the operation of the facsimile apparatus according to this embodiment.
FIG. 10 shows the proxy reception control when it is impossible to record the received image due to a recording paper shortage, a jam in the recording system, or the like. That is, when the image recording cannot be performed due to the recording paper running out or the like (determination in step S21 is NO), the image data is stored in the image memory, the recording paper is inserted, and the recording system can record the image. When the state is reached, the image is printed as a proxy reception (step S22).

Further, FIG. 11 shows the processing when the facsimile apparatus becomes in the recordable state and the image is printed after the proxy reception. The image data stored in the image memory 11 is converted into raw data by the CODEC-2 (202),
After that, it is interpolated by the smoothing IC 203 and transferred to the thermal head 21. Even when the proxy reception is not performed, the received data is once stored in the image memory 11 and then sent to the CODEC-2 (202). Then, in synchronization with the PRINT signal which is an interrupt signal, the data is transferred to the thermal head 21 via the smoothing IC 203 at a rate of one line every 2.5 msec, for example.
Printing is performed at a constant speed (step S36).

The data stored in the RAM 2023 is P
In synchronization with the RINT signal, that is, 1 every 2.5 msec
MR signals are transferred by DMA so as to be accumulated at a line ratio. Therefore, for example, when the B4 size print data is stored in the image memory 11 as the substitute reception, and when the A4 size recording paper is inserted into the facsimile device, it is transferred to the thermal head 21 via the smoothing IC 203. The data must be A4 size data. For that purpose, it is necessary to reduce the image data stored in the image memory 11.

Therefore, in the facsimile apparatus according to the embodiment, the reduction in the main scanning direction is performed by the CODEC-2 (202), and the reduction in the sub scanning direction thins out the print data which is the raw data accumulated in the RAM 2023. By doing things. When no reduction is performed (recording at the same size), RA
The data stored in M2023 is decoded at a rate of one line every 2.5 msec in synchronization with the PRINT signal. That is, the data to be sent to the recording system at a rate of one line every 2.5 msec is prepared.

On the other hand, the image data 202-203 transferred to the recording system are synchronized with the PRINT signal 2.
It is transferred at a rate of one line every 5 msec. That is,
Data is transferred to the recording system at a rate of one line every 2.5 msec and recorded. 1 for several lines when performing reduced recording
Since the lines are thinned, it is necessary to reduce the data transferred to the recording system by the number of thinned lines. For this reason,
The image data stored in the RAM 2023 is not transferred at a ratio of one line to several lines and is not recorded. When one line is input every 2.5 msec, the decoded data is thinned out and transferred to the recording system. When a thinning line occurs, one line is skipped and transferred for recording, and 5 msec. The time interval of opens. Therefore, since the constant speed printing is not performed, there is a concern that the tailing or sticking described above may occur.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, when it is necessary to reduce the substitute reception data stored in the image memory 11 by printing, the printing speed is reduced and constant velocity recording is performed. That is,
The image data transferred to the CODEC-2 (202) is
One line can be transferred every 2.5 msec, and one line is sent to the recording system every 5 msec (step S3).
4). This is one line every 5 msec (smoothing I
When the interpolation function is used in C203, it means that constant speed recording of several lines) is performed.

In addition to the thinning line, RA
Data is transferred from the image memory 11 at 5 msec intervals so that the data stored in M2023 does not overflow.
As a result, the image data 202-11 becomes 2.5 mse.
Since data is transferred at a rate of 1 line to c or 1 line to 5 msec, the RAM 2023 is arbitrated so that data does not overflow and the data to be transferred to the smoothing IC 203 does not become insufficient.

On the other hand, when the read original is copied, the data read by the photoelectric conversion unit 15 is processed by the image processing unit 204, and is once converted into MR code by the coding unit 2021 via the reading interface unit 2024. ,again,
The decoding unit 2022 makes the raw data. And, for example,
By transferring print data to the recording system at a constant speed of 2.5 msec, constant speed printing can be performed.

In this embodiment, the image data to be stored in the image memory 11 is MR code, and MMR having a high compression rate is used.
No sign is used. This is because when an IC memory is used as the image memory 11, the data may be garbled due to a software error or the like, and the reference line is 1
This is because in the case of the line MMR code, all the data after the bit in which the error has occurred becomes an error image, resulting in lack of reliability. Further, the received signal is not limited to the MMR signal, and even if the received signal is, for example, an MH code or an MR code, constant velocity recording can be performed by the same processing as the MMR signal.

As described above, according to this embodiment,
When a small size recording paper is inserted into the received image data in a facsimile machine having a proxy reception function, the image data is reduced and converted at a recording speed that matches the size of the recording paper, and the recording speed is less than when not reduced and converted. By performing the constant-speed printing after slowing down, the reliability of the recording system and the image quality can be improved especially in an apparatus having a recording system of the thermal transfer system.

The present invention may be applied to a system including a plurality of devices or an apparatus including a single device.

[0056]

As described above, according to the present invention,
There is an effect of improving the image quality of the recorded image by transmitting to the partner device whether the transmitted original is read in halftone or in binary. In addition, the image quality can be improved by performing constant-speed printing by reducing the speed at which the image data is reduced and converted according to the size of the recording paper and recorded, as compared with the case where no reduction conversion is performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a thermal head that constitutes a recording unit of the facsimile apparatus according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a drive timing chart of the thermal head according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a signal sequence example of transmission / reception signals in the facsimile apparatus according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an operation flowchart of the transmitting side of the facsimile apparatus according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an operation flowchart of the receiving side of the facsimile apparatus according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a display example of document reading information of the receiving side facsimile apparatus in the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of a facsimile apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining image reception recording of the facsimile apparatus according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the facsimile apparatus according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an operation of the facsimile apparatus according to the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Document Reading Section 2 Recording Section 6 Operation Panel 7 Display 10 Memory 20 Central Control Section 21 Thermal Head 201 CODEC-1 202 CODEC-2

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A unit for reading a transmission original in halftone or binary, a unit for encoding and transmitting the read data, and transmitting the type of the encoding as encoding information to a facsimile apparatus of the other party. And a facsimile machine. 2. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein halftone reading coded information is transmitted to a partner facsimile apparatus as the coded information. 3. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for recording the received image data according to the coded information. 4. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for visually displaying the encoded information. 5. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the recording process is thermal control of a thermal head. 6. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the amount of heat applied to the heating element of the thermal head is changed according to the coded information before or after printing the image data. 7. A facsimile apparatus for storing received image data in a memory and printing the received image data in the memory as necessary, wherein a recording sheet size provided in the apparatus is a recording sheet size required by the received image data. And a unit for reducing and converting the received image data according to the recording paper size provided in the apparatus, and a unit for printing and recording the image data after the reduction conversion. A facsimile machine characterized by being slower than the print recording speed when no reduction conversion is performed. 8. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the print recording is performed by a thermal transfer method.