JPH07111585A - Image recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To suppress the amount of image data to be recorded by reading a document with high resolution, sampling code information from the document, and recording the document by decreasing resolution. CONSTITUTION:This recorder is equipped with a document reading part 1, a judging part 2 which judges whether or not a bar code exists in read image data, and a resolution change part 4 which changes the resolution of the read image data, etc. When the bar code exists on the document, reading resolution is set at high resolution in spite of the present setting state of recording resolution. When the presence/absence of the document is detected, reading is performed by starting paper supply. When the bar code exists actually in the image data read with high resolution, decoding is performed by a decoder part 3. Thence, the image data for which decoding is completed is recorded by decreasing the resolution by the resolution change part 4.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus for reading and recording an image on a document.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image recording apparatus of this type is constructed as shown in FIG.

In the figure, a document 1 is placed on a document stacking plate 101.
Set 00 and press the start key (not shown),
Feeding starts.

First, the originals sent by the feed roller 102 are separated one by one by the paper feed roller 103 and the separation roller 104, and reach the reading section by the feed roller 105.

Here, the illumination lamps 109a and 109b are used.
The original illuminated by is electrically read by a reading unit (for example, CCD) 106 via a mirror 108 and a lens 107. Then, the read original is sent to the paper output unit 110 as it is.

The read image data is recorded in the recording unit 1.
It is used by being recorded on 12 (for example, a magneto-optical disk or the like), searched as needed, displayed on the display unit 111, or output to a printer (not shown).

The index data used for searching such recorded image data is set by inputting, for example, a document, a document name or a number from the keyboard at the time of recording a document.

An image recording apparatus as shown in FIG. 5 exists for a document (slip) such as a slip having code information such as a bar code.

In the figure, the bar code reader 120 is
When feeding a document, align the barcode scanner with the position of the barcode on the document and press the start key.The barcode will be scanned as the document is fed, and this can be automatically registered as search data. ing.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the appearance of such an image recording apparatus.

In the figure, a document 200 is loaded with a document stacking plate 20.
When it is placed at 1 and the start key is pressed, the feeding of the document 200 is started. The document conveyed into the apparatus passes through the image reading unit and is discharged to the paper discharge unit 202.

The read image is recorded on a recording medium such as a magneto-optical disk inserted through the slot 203.

When the recorded image is to be viewed, the search data (document name, number, etc., which is preset at the time of recording the image, is input from the keyboard 205 to display the image on the display unit 204.

[0014]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, there is a drawback that the scanner for exclusive use for reading the bar code is additionally required and the apparatus becomes expensive.

Further, instead of providing a dedicated scanner,
Some barcodes are decoded from the image data read from the entire original, but in this case, the code information cannot be read accurately unless the image reading resolution is high. For this reason, since the image is read at a high resolution, the amount of data as the entire read image increases, which inevitably increases the capacity of the recording means such as a magneto-optical disk, which reduces the number of originals that can be recorded. was there.

According to the present invention, the image recording apparatus can read the code information on the document together with the image and surely decode it, and can suppress the amount of image data to be recorded to obtain an efficient recording state on the recording means. The purpose is to provide.

[0017]

According to the present invention, a document is read at a high resolution of, for example, 400 dpi, code information is extracted from the original, and then the image resolution is set to, for example, 200 d.
By lowering to pi and recording, more documents can be automatically added with the search data and recorded.

[0018]

1 is a block diagram showing an outline of a control system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

In this image recording apparatus, an image reading unit 1 for reading an original and converting it into an electric signal, a judging unit 2 for judging whether or not a bar code exists on the read image data, and a bar code for existence. In this case, a decoding unit 3 that decodes the barcode, a resolution changing unit 4 that changes the resolution of the read image data, a recording unit 5 such as a magneto-optical disk that records the image data after the resolution change, The display unit 6 for appropriately displaying the images and the like recorded in the recording unit 5, the operation unit 8 for the user to give various operation instructions, and the above-mentioned units are entirely controlled, and in particular, FIG. The control unit 9 executes the processing of the present embodiment shown.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the operation of this embodiment. In this embodiment, the structure of the device is
It is assumed that it is the same as that in FIG. 4, and a description thereof will be omitted.

In FIG. 2, the user first sets whether or not there is a bar code on the document by operating a predetermined key of the operation unit 8 (S1).

For those without a bar code, it is detected as in the conventional case whether or not there is a document, and if the document is detected, paper feeding is started, and reading and recording are repeated until there is no document (S2 to S6). ).

If the barcode is on the original, the reading resolution is set to a high resolution regardless of the current setting of the recording resolution (S7). Then, the presence / absence of a document is confirmed (S8), and when the document is detected, paper feeding is started (S9) and reading is performed (S10).

Then, it is judged whether or not a bar code is actually present in the image data read at high resolution (S1).
1) When the barcode is confirmed, the barcode is decoded (S12). It should be noted that whether or not there is a bar code is determined by whether or not the start, stop character, left and right margin of the bar code are found in the image data.

Next, the decoded image data is
The resolution is reduced and recorded (S13, S14).

The method of changing the resolution during recording is as follows.
For example, when changing from 400 dpi to 200 dpi, one pixel may be simply thinned out every two pixels, or may be determined based on the relationship with another image.

In a reading system using a line sensor, generally, the recording resolution is changed by changing the document conveying speed in the document conveying direction (sub scanning direction), and the document width direction (main scanning direction). Is always read at the resolution determined by the line sensor and is changed by performing an operation such as thinning according to the resolution set by the user.

In such a system, the main scanning direction a is always constant and has a high resolution as shown in FIG. 3, so that it is not necessary to increase the resolution to read the bar code, and the sub scanning direction is Since the speed can be changed according to the resolution, the original can be recorded most efficiently without reducing the speed for reading the barcode.

For example, when the main scanning direction is read at 400 dpi, the sub-scanning direction is read at 400 dpi, and when the sub-scanning direction is set to 100 dpi, it is obvious that four times the speed can be obtained.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

In the above-described conventional image recording apparatus shown in FIG. 5, even if a reading failure occurs in the bar code reader 120, the reading is performed in the same manner as in the normal case. It was inconvenient for me to search the manuscript that I couldn't do and to input the data, because I had to input it from the keyboard one by one.

Therefore, in the second embodiment, in the image recording apparatus provided with the above-mentioned bar code reader 120, the original in which the bar code is not normally read is recorded at a high resolution to input the data later. In this case, what is displayed on the screen or printed out can be input using a barcode pen scanner or the like, so that data can be input quickly and accurately.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing the operation of this embodiment. The configuration of the device is the same as that in FIGS. 5 and 6, and the description thereof will be omitted.

In FIG. 7, first, the user specifies whether the original has a bar code and presses the start key.
The device detects this setting (S21), and when it is set that there is no bar code, the normal recording operation is started.

First, it is detected whether or not there is a document (S2
2) If a document is detected, paper feeding is started (S23),
Reading (S24) and recording are repeated until there is no more original (S25).

On the other hand, if it is judged that there is a bar code, it is first checked whether or not there is a document (S27), and if a document is detected, paper feeding of the document is started (S28) and the bar code is read. Perform (S29).

If the bar code is normally read (S30), the image is read (S31),
It is recorded (S32), and the next document is moved to.

When an abnormality occurs in the reading of the bar code (S30), the resolution of the original whose bar code cannot be read is increased and the image is read (S34, S3).
5), record (S36), restore the reading resolution (S36)
37) and move to the next manuscript.

When the original recording resolution is set to a high resolution, the resolution need not be changed in S34.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view for explaining a method of inputting data of the image thus recorded.

As shown in the figure, a document with a poor barcode reading is searched and displayed on the display unit 204, and the barcode 10 on the screen is traced by the pen scanner 11, so that the document could not be read due to the skew or the like. Scan and enter the barcode.

In this example, the displayed bar code is traced, but the pen scanner may not be able to read the image even if the image is recorded at a high resolution due to the performance of the display unit. Therefore, in such a case, the data can be surely input by outputting once with the printer and reading from the original.

[0043]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention.
According to 3 to 3, when a document with a bar code is recorded at a low resolution, image reading is performed at a high resolution, the resolution is lowered after the code is read, and then the code data is read to retrieve the search data. The image can be recorded at higher speed while being registered as.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, in the image recording apparatus in which the bar code reader is located upstream of the reading unit in the conveying direction, a document whose bar code cannot be normally read is recorded with high resolution. By doing so, efficient and accurate data input is possible by displaying on a screen that could not be done when recording at low resolution or reading the printed out with a pen scanner etc. and inputting data Becomes

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a reading direction of a document image and a barcode.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing an example of the structure of a conventional image recording apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing another example of the structure of a conventional image recording apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a conventional image recording apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating a method of inputting data of an image recorded in the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image reading part, 2 ... Judgment part, 3 ... Decoding part, 4 ... Resolution changing part, 5 ... Recording part, 6 ... Display part, 8 ... Operation part, 9 ... Control part.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A paper feeding means for feeding originals one by one, a conveying means for conveying the fed originals, a reading means for electrically reading the conveyed originals, and the read image data. Judging means for judging whether or not the above code information exists, a decoding means for decoding the code information when the existence of the code information is detected by this judging means, and a resolution of the read image data are changed. An image recording apparatus comprising: a changing unit and a recording unit that records the image data after the resolution change. 2. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the resolution changes only a main scanning direction of read image data. 3. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the code information is a bar code. 4. A paper feed unit for feeding a document, a transport unit for transporting the fed document, a reading unit for electrically reading the document being transported, and an upstream of the document reading unit from the transport path. In an image recording apparatus having a code information reading means for reading code information on a document and a resolution selecting means for selecting the recording resolution of the document, a mode for recording the document with code information at low resolution is set. If the code information reading means fails to read the code, the image recording apparatus records the original image with an increased resolution.