JPH07203225A - Picture communication equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To effectively deal with an original in which color and white-/black picture pages are mixed by providing a means indicating the presence of pages for color transmission in a transmission document and a notice section for its acknowledge signal prior to start of transmission. CONSTITUTION:A CPU 1-1 indicates the presence of a color transmission page to an opposite equipment via a MODEM 1-5 and an KCV 1-6 when a page to be sent in color processing is in existence in a transmission document read by a scanner section 1-10 prior to start of communication. Upon the receipt of an acknowledge signal including statement of no color reception capability from the opposite equipment with respect to the indication, the signal is received via the MODEM 1-5 and the NCV 1-6 and it is informed to the operator.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a color image communication apparatus capable of transmitting and receiving color images.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, color copiers, color printers, etc. have become widespread as image recording means and image display means have become more sophisticated, and color facsimiles have been developed one after another in image communication devices. ing.

However, in particular, color copying machines and color facsimiles are strongly positioned as color-only machines, and are characterized in that they are larger and more expensive than black-and-white machines.

A color facsimile communication system is currently being standardized as an ITU-T recommendation (former CCITT recommendation), and a color image encoding system such as JPEG (Joint Photographic Expart Grou) is already in use.
p) ADCT (Adaptive Discrete Cosine Transfor
m) method (hereinafter referred to as JPEG method) It is used as part of the 80 series.

Further, as a color facsimile recording system, a sublimation type thermal transfer system, a fusion type thermal transfer system, an electrophotographic system, an ink jet recording system, etc. are known.
The former three are excellent in color reproducibility for use as a dedicated color machine, but the running cost is high. Further, the inkjet method is known in the color printer field and is inferior to the former three in color reproducibility,
It is attracting attention as a method that is low in cost and is extremely easy to be compatible with monochrome recording.

[0006]

As described in the above-mentioned conventional example, colorization has progressed even in communication equipment, and various color faxes have been commercialized, but the following points have not been improved yet. Is the current situation.

1. High price and high running cost.

2. The black-and-white function with dedicated color is inconvenient.

3. It is difficult to extend the color function from the existing G3 facsimile.

4. Characters in the header information on the transmission side are deteriorated by the JPEG processing.

Next, each of the above points includes individual points, and will be described in detail below.

1. High price and high running cost.

For color facsimile, general G
The price is at least 5 to 10 times higher than that of the 3 facsimiles, and the running cost also tends to be very high. The reasons for the high price are listed below.

1) The information amount of a full-color image is 24 times the information amount of a monochrome binary image of the same resolution, and therefore the image memory requires a great deal of cost.

2) The manufacturing cost of the color recording section in the thermal transfer system or the electrophotographic system is high.

3) The color recording paper in the thermal transfer system or the electrophotographic system is a special paper, and the running cost is high.

4) In the case of the ink jet system, the recording section cost and running cost are low, but the ink capacity is often small and it is necessary to replenish the ink frequently.

2. The black-and-white function with dedicated color is inconvenient.

If the running cost in the recording section is high, the cost in using in the monochrome mode also becomes high, and the tendency to specialize as a color machine becomes strong. Therefore, a user who wants to handle a black-and-white image and a color image in the same manner needs to purchase both an inexpensive black-and-white dedicated machine and an expensive dedicated color machine, which reduces the efficiency of use in the office and imposes a purchase cost. .

There is a demand for an inexpensive color facsimile which provides a monochrome function equivalent to that of a general monochrome machine and also a color image transmitting / receiving function.

Further, generally, it is rare that all pages of a document to be transmitted are in color. For example, a cover is a black and white document message, followed by color pages, and color and black and white are page units. It is possible that they are mixed in. When all such documents are color-communicated, the transmission speed also decreases and the image quality of black and white pages is often impaired.

3. It is difficult to store the color function from the existing G3 facsimile.

The most popular G3 as a facsimile
Although it is important to be able to communicate with a facsimile, the color function of the G3 facsimile is not standardized at present, and the color communication is performed by the own machines in their own mode. That is, color communication with the other company's machine is impossible with the procedure signal in the current G3 standard.

4. Characters in the header information on the transmission side are deteriorated by the JPEG processing.

Most of the existing G3 facsimiles add header information as an image to a part of the transmitted image and transmit it. The header information referred to here is information including, for example, the telephone number and abbreviation of the terminal on the transmitting side, calendar information such as date, time, and page number of the transmitted page. They are,
On the transmitting side, the character information is expanded into image data and added to the image of the transmission page, and black and white binary compression encoding (MH code etc.) processing is performed and transmitted to the receiving side.

However, when transmitting a multi-valued color image by JPEG processing, if the header information is added to the image on the transmitting side and the JPEG processing is performed as in the above, the character portion of the received header information is JPEG. It is known that it is significantly deteriorated due to the characteristics of and becomes indistinguishable depending on the character size. Therefore, in the case of color transmission, it is necessary for the transmitting side to develop the header information as an image using large characters so that the header information can be discriminated.
Therefore, there is a drawback that the area ratio of the header information in the received image reproduced on the receiving side becomes large.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an image communication apparatus capable of effectively handling a mixed original of color image pages and monochrome image pages as described above.

[0028]

The present invention includes the following (1).
With the constructions (21) to (21), the drawbacks of the above conventional example are improved.

(1) A memory control means for processing a monochrome image via an image memory at the time of monochrome communication, and a control means for processing a color image at the time of color communication without storing the color image in the image memory are provided. It has a switching control means for controlling.

(2) In addition to adopting the ink jet system in the recording section, it has means for mounting a plurality of ink cartridges in one recording unit.

(3) As a plurality of types of ink cartridges, there is a constituent means capable of selecting any combination of black and white ink cartridges and color ink cartridges.

(4) It has an automatic selection means for identifying the operation mode and automatically selecting and operating the optimum ink cartridge.

(5) A plurality of recording paper cassettes are provided, and selection control means for differentiating the cassette selection method between the color image printing and the monochrome image printing is provided.

(6) Among documents to be transmitted, there is a selection instruction means for selecting pages to be color-transmitted and pages to be monochrome-transmitted in page units.

(7) Encoding control means for encoding the image of the page color-designated by the selection instructing means by the multi-value image compression method and encoding the image of the page black-and-white instruction by the binary image compression method. Have.

(8) It has an operation control means for making a common operation method for the resolution designation at the time of reading a color original document and at the time of reading a monochrome original document.

(9) Prior to the start of communication, instructing means for instructing that there is a page to be color-transmitted in the transmitted document, and if the instructing means instructs the existence of the color-transmitting page, the communication is performed. After the start, when the absence of the color receiving capability is detected by the response signal from the partner machine, the control means for activating the notification means for the operator is provided.

(10) When the page to be color-transmitted is selected by the instructing means according to (6) above, display means for displaying that the instruction is being executed by the visible means while color communication of the page is being executed. Have.

(11) Having a detection means for detecting the state of the recording section, the determination means for determining whether or not the color printing can be executed by the detection means, and if the determination means determines that the color printing is not possible, after the incoming call is answered. , And has communication control means for notifying the other device that it has no color receiving capability.

(12) A means for adding character information including the ID of the terminal itself, calendar information, and transmission page number to the comment marker (COM) parameter in the JPEG encoded data, and a comment marker for each page. Have means.

(13) Means for printing the content of the parameter of the comment marker in the received JPEG code corresponding to the image page including the comment marker on the same recording paper on which the image page is recorded.

(14) When sending a document in which a black-and-white page and a color page are mixed, when sending a black-and-white page by binary coding, page header information (ID of the sending side, calendar information, page number, etc.) )
Is created as an image, is added to the transmission image and is transmitted, and when transmitting a color page by multi-level encoding, a header information creation control means for transmitting without adding the header information of the page to the image data is provided. Have.

(15) ITU-T Recommendation T. It has a setting means for expanding and setting the parameters for color communication to the contents of the standard signal defined in 30.

(16) ITU-T Recommendation T. It has an identification means for extracting and identifying a color communication parameter from the content of the standard signal defined in 30.

(17) When the color communication parameter is notified from the partner terminal along with the DCS, the operation is to perform immediate recording and output without accumulating the received image in the image memory, and the color communication parameter is accompanied with the DCS. When the notification is not sent at all, the reception control means has an operation of recording and outputting while accumulating the received image in the image memory.

(18) It has a counting means for individually counting the number of pages for which color recording has been performed and the number of pages for which monochrome recording has been performed.

(19) There is a counting means for individually counting the number of pages for color transmission and the number of pages for monochrome transmission.

(20) It has a storage means for storing the count result of (18) or (19).

(21) It has display means for displaying the counting result of (18) or (19).

[0050]

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

The image communication apparatus of this embodiment is a facsimile apparatus which has a G3 facsimile function and is used by being connected to an analog telephone line and has a color image transmitting / receiving function.

In FIG. 1, a CPU 1-1 controls the entire apparatus, and a ROM 1-2 includes a CPU 1
-1 is used as a program memory for performing various controls. The RAM 1-3 is used as a work area of the CPU 1-1 and the like, and is backed up by a battery so that the stored contents do not volatilize.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the encoding / decoding unit 1-4 has a raster-to-block conversion unit 4-1, a color converter 4-2, a JPEG encoding unit 4-3, and an M as a transmission system.
The H-encoding unit 4-5 is included, and the block-to-raster converting unit 5-1, the color converter 5-2, the JPEG decoding unit 5-3, and the MH decoding unit 5-5 are included as a receiving system. ing.

When a binary black-and-white signal is input, it is MH-encoded and output, and conversely, when an MH code is input, a known MH codec which decodes and outputs a black-and-white binary signal, and RGB
When each color component signal of (Red, Green, Blue) is input as a multi-valued signal of 8 bits per pixel, it is converted into a signal component of YCrCb and then JPEG baseline encoded and output, and JPEG baseline When coded data is input, it is decoded and each 8 bi of YCrCb is decoded.
After the t multi-valued data is obtained, it is composed of a JPEG codec and a color conversion circuit for converting YCrCb into CMYK and outputting it.

The modem section 1-5 uses the ITU-T Recommendation V.50. 1
It complies with No. 7, and performs modulation / demodulation of a transmission / reception signal. The NCU (Network Control Unit) 1-6 controls the connection with the telephone network, etc., and has a clock unit 1-7.
Is a clock LSI or the like having a calendar function.

The operation panel 1-8 has various operation keys and a display unit, details of which will be described later with reference to FIG. The image memory 1-9 is composed of a semiconductor memory and is controlled to store image data in page units.

The color scanner 1-10 optically reads a document, separates it into RGB components, and divides each color pixel into 8 bits.
Is output as multi-valued data. In this embodiment, a color contact sensor is used as a reading device, and an ADF mechanism that automatically conveys a document to be read is provided.

As shown in FIG. 5, the printer interface unit 1-11 has a binarization processing unit 5-6 and an interface control unit 5-7, and is connected to the printer unit 1-12 by a general-purpose interface according to the Centronics specification. This is for control purposes. When a multi-valued signal for each color of CMYK is input, each color data is converted to binary data and sent to the printer. When black and white binary data is input, black and white binary data is sent to the printer. Is configured to control the generic interface. It also has the function of detecting the printer status via the interface and notifying the CPU 1-1.

The printer section 1-12 is capable of color recording and monochrome recording by the ink jet recording system. In addition, the communication device has a general-purpose interface 1-
13 and a CPU bus 1-14.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the outer appearance of the communication device, and FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the outer appearance of the operation panel 1-8.

In FIG. 2, a document table 2-1 for setting a document is provided on the upper surface of the apparatus casing, and an operation panel 1-8 is provided on the upper surface. A document discharge tray 2-3 is provided behind the operation panel 1-8. In addition, the recording paper discharge unit 2 is provided on the front surface of the apparatus housing.
-4 is provided, and a first recording paper cassette 2-5 and a second recording paper cassette 2-6 for setting recording papers are mounted on the lower surface thereof. For example, the first cassette 2
Paper suitable for color printing can be set in -5, and paper suitable for monochrome printing can be set in the second cassette 2-6.

In FIG. 3, the numeric keypad 3-1 is 0 to
It is composed of 12 types of keys, 9, #, and *, and is mainly used as a telephone number input means. LCD display section 3-2
Is displayed to confirm the state of the device and the input of the telephone number.

The one-touch key 3-3 is previously stored in the RAM 1-
It is used when the destination number written in 3 is read and one-touch transmission is performed. Start key 3-4
Indicates the start of transmission and the like, and the stop key 3-5 is used to stop the operation in progress.

The color key 3-6 is a key for instructing processing as a color original document, and lamps are attached to the outer frame portion and the inner side of the key 3-6, respectively. 3
Reference numeral -7 indicates a lamp inside the color keys 3-6. The color indicator lamp 3-8 is the printer unit 1.
Lights up while detecting the color recording enabled state at -12.

The resolution selection key 3-9 is a key used to switch the resolution to be read at the time of reading an original, and as shown in FIG. 20, the state changes every time it is pressed. In both black-and-white reading and color reading, the resolution selection keys 3-9 are used to control the roughness of the image to be transmitted.

In the present embodiment, due to the difference in characteristics between the full-color image and the black and white image, 8 pel × 15.4 line / mm in super fine mode and 8 pe in fine mode in black and white.
l x 7.7 line / mm, 8 pel x 3.85 li in normal mode
Set to ne / mm, 8pel x 7.7line in full color
The contents of the quantization table (DQT) used for JPEG baseline coding in each of the super fine mode, the fine mode, and the normal mode are different and associated with each other. This is because it is known that, in full-color JPEG encoding, changing the contents of the quantization table has a greater effect on the image quality than changing the reading resolution.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram for explaining the flow of transmitted image data in this embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a block diagram for explaining the flow of similarly received image data. Hereinafter, FIGS. 4 and 5 will be sequentially described.

First, at the time of transmission, the original 4-7 is read by the white light source 4-8 by the scanner section 1-10 including the color contact sensor 4-9, and each analog signal separated into the three primary colors of RGB is 8 bits for each color. Of the digital data and output from the scanner unit 1-10 onto the CPU bus.

Next, in the case of color reading, the data is input to the code decoding unit 1-4 via the CPU bus and the code decoding unit 1-
4 has a buffer memory (raster → block conversion unit 4-
In 1) raster-> block conversion is performed. In this raster-to-block conversion, 8-bit data is transferred as a raster signal from the scanner unit 1-10 in the order of R->G-> B. Therefore, this is rearranged as a block matrix of 8 pixels x 8 pixels for each component, and R Block, G block,
B-block, R-block, ... Block-sequential data is created.

Next, such block-sequential RGB data is subjected to a known color space conversion operation to obtain RGB data.
To obtain YCrCb block sequential data. JPEG encoding is performed on this data string, and the code decoding unit 1-4
To the communication buffer 4-4.

The communication buffer 4-4 is constructed by using a part of the RAM 1-3 as shown in FIG.
It is controlled as kByte × 2 double buffers 6-1 and 6-2. The JPEG encoded data that has passed through the communication buffer 4-4 is transferred to the modem unit 1-5, and the NCU1-
6 is transmitted to the line.

Therefore, the color image is stored in the image memory 1-9.
Will be sent without page accumulation. The reason why the color image page data is transmitted without being stored in the image memory 1-9 is as follows.

That is, J per page of color image
The amount of PEG-encoded data is often 500 kBytes to 2 MBytes with a resolution of 8 × 7.7 lines / mm. On the other hand, the size of the image memory 1-9 used in this embodiment is about 256 kB. Therefore, the image memories 1-9 cannot be used as page memories for color images. If the data amount of a black and white page is 256,
If it is kB, it can be sufficiently accumulated.

Next, the case of transmitting a black and white original in FIG. 4 will be described.

First, the RGB of the color scanner unit 1-10
When the output is output to the bus, the CPU 1-1 samples the output data of G (Green) only as a black and white signal while sequentially fetching it in the RAM 1-3, and the black and white binarizing unit 4-6. , And then binarizes it at a predetermined level and outputs it to the MH codec 4-5 of the sequential codec 1-4. Here, the binarized black-and-white data is MH encoded and output from the codec 1-4 to the bus.

In the black-and-white mode, normally CPU1-1
Stores the MH encoded data in the image memory 1-9 and, after storing at least one page, makes a call to the partner device and connects the line, and then from the image memory 1-9 to the communication buffer 4-4. Data transfer. That is, this is a memory transmission operation.

As in the case of the color mode,
It is also possible to send data to the communication buffer 4-4 without passing through the image memory 1-9.

Next, the flow of image data in the receiving operation will be described with reference to FIG.

The image data received from the line via the NCU 1-6 and the modem unit 1-5 is temporarily transferred to the communication buffer 5-4.
The color image is transferred to the code decoding unit 1-4 from the communication buffer 4-4.

In the code decoding section 1-4, first, the received data is J
After decoding by PEG baseline decoding to obtain YCrCb block sequential data, the color conversion unit converts it into CMY (cyan, magenta, yellow) color space block sequential data.

Next, the CMY block sequential data is sequentially block-to-raster converted into a raster data string of each color of CMY and output to the printer interface unit 1-11. The printer interface unit 1-11 calculates an input data string to extract a black component, separates each color of CMYK, binarizes each, and transfers them to the printer unit 1-12.

Among the above processes, the method of finally generating CMYK color binary raster data from YCrCb multivalued block data is well known.

As described above, even in the receiving operation, the image memory 1-9 is not used as the page memory for the color image.

When the data received in the communication buffer 4-4 is a black and white image, normally, at least one black and white page is completely accumulated while the image memory 1-9 is sequentially accumulated page by page. The data is read by the code decoding unit 1-4 and MH decoding is performed. The decoded monochrome binary image data is output from the code decoding unit 1-4 to the printer interface unit 1-11. In this case, the printer interface unit 1-11 is controlled so as not to pass through the binarization processing unit 5-6.

The received black-and-white data can be directly transferred from the communication buffer 4-4 to the MH decoder 5-5.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram for explaining the control mechanism of the communication buffer 4-4.

The communication buffer 4-4 is the same as the 64 kByte buffer 6-1 and the 64 kByte buffer 6-.
The size of each buffer is ITU-
Recommendation T. It is the size of the partial page in ECM (error correction mode) communication defined in 30.

For example, when the buffer 6-1 receives image data of 64 kBytes (one partial page),
Whether or not there is a data error is confirmed, and if there is no error, the received data in the buffer 6-1 is transferred to the codec (or image memory), and during this transfer, the buffer 6-2 receives the next partial page. Is designed to do. Then, when the reception of the buffer 6-2 is completed while the data of the buffer 6-1 is being transferred and output, by returning the RNR signal to the partner device until the transfer of the buffer 6-1 is completed, The partner transmitter can be made to wait for the start of transmission of the next partial page (see FIG. 11).

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of the printer unit 1-12.

The printer section 1-12 is the printer section 1
-12, a printer control section 7-1 which controls the control, and a cartridge switching signal 7 from the printer control section 7-1.
-3 and a motor A7-4 for moving the cartridge A7-5 along the main scanning direction of the recording paper.
And a motor B7-6 for moving the cartridge B7-7 as well. When the switching signal 7-3 is set to the “H” level, the printer control section 7-1 sets the cartridge A
By connecting the 7-5 side, the state of the cartridge A 7-5 can be detected and operated. Further, when the switching signal 7-3 is set to the “L” level, the cartridge B7-
Control on the 7th side is possible.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the cartridge A, B and the recording paper mechanical system.

Both cartridges 7 are placed on the recording paper table 8-1.
-5, 7-7 Common guide shaft 8-2 for movement
A drive belt 8-5 for driving the cartridge A along the guide shaft 8-2, a drive belt 8-6 for the cartridge B, and a retract area 8-7 for retracting and storing the cartridge A. Evacuation sensor 8-8 for detecting that the cartridge A is set to the evacuation position
A retreat sensor 8-12 for the cartridge B, a retreat area 8-13 for the cartridge B, and a pulse motor A8-14 for driving the drive belt 8-5 for the cartridge A.
And a pulse motor B8-15 for driving the cartridge B drive belt 8-6.

The cartridge A7-5 and the cartridge B7-7 are molded in the same shape of plastic package and are provided with ink ejection heads 8-4 and 8-11, respectively, and flexible cables 8-9 and 8-.
10 are connected.

There are two types of cartridges that can be mounted on the drive belt and the flexible cable. One is a monochrome cartridge for ejecting black ink, in which all the contents of the ink tank are black ink, and the nozzles of the ejection head are all black ink.
The other is a color cartridge of the same outer shape as that of the monochrome cartridge, in which the ink tank is divided and formed for cyan, magenta, yellow and black inks, and the nozzles of the ejection head are similarly divided.

It is already known in the ink jet printer market that there are two types of cartridges having a monochrome function and a color function, even though they are cartridges of the same shape as described above. Configuring the recording unit according to the embodiment is meaningful in terms of device manufacturing cost.

Furthermore, the above two types of cartridges include
Since a signal for identifying which cartridge is electrically connected is supplied onto the flexible cable, the printer controller 7-
In No. 1, by sequentially switching the switching signal 7-3, it is possible to identify whether the two cartridges A and B shown in FIG. 8 are monochrome cartridges or color cartridges.

Next, the operation of each cartridge in the printer unit 1-12 of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

Normally, both cartridges A and B are stored in their respective retracted positions. When printing is performed on the recording paper by the cartridge A, the motor A is rotated by a predetermined number of pulses from the storage position and moved to the home position for recording.

Next, with the home position as a reference, the motor A is driven in the range of, and the paper is fed and recorded while printing in the main scanning direction of the recording paper. Then, when this recording is completed, the cartridge A is returned to the once position, moved to the position and stored.

On the other hand, similarly for the cartridge B,
After moving from the retracted position to the home position, the recording operation is performed within the range.

Table 1 of FIG. 33 shows an algorithm in which the color indicator 3-8 is turned on depending on the printer status.

Next, the full-color extension of the G3 transmission control procedure signal in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

The DIS signal shown in FIG. 14 corresponds to the ITU-T recommendation T.264. A 1-byte full-color extended area is set for the DIS signal defined by 30.

In particular, the extension area bit7 "intra-document heterogeneous encoding" is set to 1 and the extension area bit1
When the "JPEG color function" is set to 1, it indicates that a document in which a JPEG-encoded full-color page and at least an MH-encoded monochrome page are mixed can be received as a receiving side capability.

On the other hand, when the bit7 is set to 0, the JP other than the JPEG full color page is transmitted during one communication.
Denotes the inability to receive image pages encoded outside of EG.

The DCS signal shown in FIG. Three
A full-color extended area of 1 byte is set for the DCS signal defined by 0.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a communication procedure of normal monochrome communication, and FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a communication procedure of color communication.

As a concrete example of use, in the case of transmitting only a normal black and white original document in one communication, even if the receiver of the other party declares the color capability in the DIS, as shown in FIG. Is transmitted without adding the color expansion area. As a result, the partner receiver can detect that there is no possibility of transmitting a color page during one communication.

On the contrary, in the case where only the intermediate page of the document to be transmitted is color-transmitted and then the monochrome transmission is performed, the color expansion area is added to the first DCS and then transmitted. In this case, the extension area bit1 “use of JPEG function” is set to 0 (“do not use”).

By receiving this DCS, the receiver of the other party (1) the first page is a monochrome page,
(2) However, it can be detected that the JPEG color page may be transmitted eventually.

FIG. 12 and FIG. 13 are explanatory views showing an example of a communication procedure of communication in which a monochrome page and a color page are mixed.

FIG. 12 shows the first DCS on the receiving side.
The following is an example of a sequence in which the presence of the color expansion area is detected and the print image is directly printed out without using the image memories 1-9 for all pages regarding the received image.

Further, in FIG. 13, all black and white pages on the receiving side are stored in the image memory 1-9, and after the reception / recording output of color pages are all completed, they are stored in the image memory 1-9. The example of a sequence which prints out a monochrome image is shown.

FIG. 16 shows J specified by the ITU-T recommendation.
It is explanatory drawing which shows the data structure of PEG baseline encoding data.

One page of data is composed of image frames sandwiched between SOI and EOI markers. This image frame includes various parameters associated with the marker code as shown in Table 2 of FIG. 34 following the SOI, and includes a baseline frame starting with SOF ₀ .
This baseline frame includes a scan frame starting with the SOS marker, and a J frame is included in this scan frame.
It is configured to include PEG-coded compressed image data.

FIG. 17 shows a comment (C
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the content of page header information created for the (OM) marker parameter.

Normally, in a monochrome G3 facsimile, page header information such as ID information, calendar information, page number, etc. on the transmission side is created as an image on the transmission side, and the page header information is added to the image on the transmission page and transmitted. As a result, the received image on the receiving side is recorded and output with the page header information included,
It's very convenient.

However, the JPEG baseline coding is a lossy coding that does not have the property of faithfully reproducing the original image, and the image quality of an image such as a character image is extremely deteriorated. If header information is created as an image and is added to a transmission image and JPEG-encoded as in the case of a facsimile, the page header information may deteriorate on the receiving side, making it difficult to read.

Therefore, in this embodiment, only when transmitting a color page, character information as shown in FIG. 17 is created as a parameter of the COM marker in the JPEG data and transmitted to the receiving side.

In the figure, (A) is an abbreviation for the transmitting side, (B) is calendar information read from the timekeeping section, and (C) is a page number. The receiving side receiving the color page prints the character information of the COM marker on the recording paper at the time of recording the received image, so that the header which is easy for the user to read is the same as the page header when the monochrome page is received. Printing of information can be provided.

FIG. 18 is a flow chart showing the operation procedure at the time of transmission. Further, as details of the transmission operation in FIG. 18, color transmission is shown in FIGS. 21 and 23 to 26, and monochrome transmission (normal transmission) is shown in FIGS.

First, in FIG. 18, when the destination dial is input with the ten keys 3-1 (S1), the dial number is registered and stored in the RAM 1-3 (S2), and then the start key 3-4 is pressed (S7). The transmission operation is started with. Even if the one-touch key 3-3 is pressed (S8),
Similarly, the transmission operation starts.

In this transmission operation, in the case of normal black-and-white transmission, as shown in FIG. 22, after documents are stored in the image memory 1-9 (S11, S12), the dial number in the RAM is read. Then, the call is issued (S13).
~).

In FIG. 22, after the original is read and stored in the image memory 1-9 (S11), if there is no next page (S12), then the call is made by the dial number stored in the RAM 1-3. And connect the line (S13),
CNG is transmitted (S14). Then, when the DIS is received (S15), the DCS in which the color expansion area is deleted as described above is transmitted (S16). Then, after transmitting the TCF (S17), by receiving the CFR (S18),
The process proceeds to transmission of a black and white image (S19).

On the other hand, in the case of color transmission, as shown in FIG. 23, after the calling operation is performed and the line is connected (S
21) Then, the reading of the original is started (S32).

In FIG. 23, first, a call is made using the dial number stored in the RAM 1-3, the line is connected (S21), and the CNG is transmitted (S22). And
When DIS is received (S23), the color receiving capability of the receiver of the other party is judged (S24). If the receiver of the other party does not have the color receiving capability, DCN is transmitted (S23), and the processing ends in error.

When the receiver of the other party has the color receiving capability, the color page lamp is referred to (S2
6) If it is turned off, 00 _h is set in the color expansion area (S28), and if it is turned on, 11 _h is set in the color expansion area (S27).

Then, the DCS is transmitted (S29), the TCF is further transmitted (S30), and the CFR is received (S31), and the image transmission of one page is started (S3).
2). After this, if there is no next page (S33), the procedure proceeds to the end procedure (S34), but if there is a next page,
In FIG. 24, it is determined whether or not there is a further mode change (S35), and if there is a mode change, P
It transmits PS-EOM (S36), waits for MCF reception (S37), and returns to S23. If there is no mode change, PPS-MPS is transmitted (S3
8) Wait for MCF reception (S39), and return to S32.

In the transmission of S9, as shown in FIG. 21, the state of the color communication lamp is checked (S4
1) When the color communication lamp is turned on, the color transmission is started (S42). When the color communication lamp is turned off, the black and white transmission is started (S43).

The one-touch key 3-3 has a data table in the RAM corresponding to each key, and the destination dial number and parameters necessary for transmission are registered in advance in each data table. Then, prior to the start of transmission, the operator selects the color mode (S3, S
4) It is possible to select the resolution (S5, S6).

Each time the color key is pressed in S3 of FIG. 18, the color communication lamp outside the color key 3-6 and the color page lamp 3 inside the color key 3-6 are displayed as shown in FIG.
The state of 7 changes. That is, the state of A in FIG.
This is the setting state for the black and white transmission described above. Also, FIG.
The B, C, and D states of 9 are the setting states for the color transmission described above.

19B and 19D are set when one page is color-transmitted during one communication but the first page is a monochrome page. 19C is set when color transmission is performed during one communication, but the first page is also a color page.

As shown in FIGS. 25 and 26, while pages are being transmitted in the states of B, C and D of FIG. 19, B and C (or C of FIG. 19) are pressed every time the color key 3-6 is pressed.
The state of the lamp is designed to change between the above and D). This is to select whether to send the next page in color or black and white in page units.

FIG. 20 is an explanatory diagram showing changes in the state of the resolution lamp (super fine, fine) when the resolution key is pressed in S5 of FIG. Here, in the present embodiment, the reading resolution changes in each of super fine, fine, and standard (when both lamps are off) in the black and white page, whereas in the color page, the resolution is fixed and the JPEG code is fixed. The contents of the quantization table at the time of conversion change. For this reason,
A plurality of types of quantization tables are registered in the ROM 1-2 in advance, the table contents of the ROM 1-2 are selected and used at the time of JPEG encoding, and as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, selected. Quantization table contents are DQT
It is transmitted to the other device as a marker parameter.

In FIG. 25, first, referring to the state of the color page lamp (S51), if it is on, page reading is started (S52), and after incrementing the continuous page counter (S53), Color data transmission is started (S54), and the color page lamp blinks (S55).

The input of the color key is accepted (S62) and the state of the color page lamp is switched (S63 to S65) until the page end is reached in S56.

When the page end is reached in S56, the color page transmission counter for counting the number of color page transmissions is incremented (S57), the color page lamp is referred to (S58), and if it is blinking, the light is turned on (S5).
9) If the light is off, the page transmission is terminated as it is (S6).
0). Then, the document of the page is ejected (S6
1) Return.

If the color page lamp is turned off in S51, page reading is started (S66), increment of the continuous page counter, header information creation (image development), MH encoding start, etc. are performed (S6).
7) The black and white data transmission is started (S68).

The input of the color key is accepted (S71) and the state of the color page lamp is switched (S72 to S74) until the page end is reached in S69.

When the page end is reached in S69, the monochrome page transmission counter for counting monochrome transmission pages is incremented (S70), and the process proceeds to S60.

FIG. 32 is a plan view showing the transition of display of the page counter in the above transmission operation. As shown in the figure, the number of consecutive pages, the number of monochrome pages, and the number of color pages are displayed.
The color communication lamp on the outside of -6 is turned on, and the color page lamp 3-7 on the inside is turned on when transmitting a color page.

Next, the reception operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
7 to 29 will be described with reference to the flowcharts.

First, in FIG. 27, in the standby state, the incoming call is mainly detected and the printer 1-12 is checked (S).
81). The contents to be checked are the mounting state of a plurality of cartridges, the presence / absence of ink in the mounted cartridges, the mounting state of recording paper cassettes and the presence / absence of recording paper in each cassette, and while sequentially storing the states in RAM 1-3, N
The incoming signal (CI) is detected by the CU 1-6 (S).
82).

When an incoming call is detected, the line is connected (S83) and the response signal DIS, which is sent to the partner machine, is transmitted. Then, at the time of this DIS transmission, Table 1 in FIG.
According to the logic shown in FIG. 1, when the printer 1-12 can perform color recording, the color indicator 3-8 is lit (S84).
The 1-byte color extended area shown in FIG. 4 is added to the DIS and transmitted (S85, S86). When the color indicator is off, the extended area is transmitted without being added to the DIS (S92, S93).

For such a DIS, D
When the CS is returned (S87, S94), the color expansion area of DCS is checked (S88, S9).
6). If you do not add the expansion area for color
When DCS for instructing a color reception command is received in the expanded area for color with respect to S (S96), the communication is interrupted and the process ends.

It should be noted that the DIS is disregarded regardless of the presence or absence of the extension area.
When the DCS for instructing the normal monochrome image reception command is received, the normal monochrome image reception is performed (S97).
~ S99).

In addition, D is added to the DIS for which the color expansion capability is added and the color reception capability is declared.
When the content of CS includes the extended area, image reception for color reception is performed (S89 to S91). In image reception for color reception, mixed reception of black and white pages and color pages is possible.

If the DCS instructs color reception in the extended area, the first page becomes color page reception. If the DCS with the extended area also does not instruct color reception, the first page is black and white. The page is received.

FIG. 29 is a flowchart showing how to receive each page in color communication.

First, the color reception command is judged (S11
1) If the page is a color page, the printer 1-12
The color is designated (S112). And the codec 1
-4 is set in the JPEG decoding route (S113), and the parameter of the received COM marker is printed (S11).
4) Then, decoding is started to perform color recording (S115).

Next, the color page reception counter is incremented (S116), the decoding is completed (S117), and the recording is completed (S118), and the process returns. If a recording abnormality occurs before the recording is completed (S119), the processing ends in error.

If the color reception command is a monochrome page in S111, the printer 1-12 is designated as monochrome (S120), the code decoding unit 1-4 is set in the MH decoding route (S121), and the decoding is performed. To start monochrome recording (S122). Then, the monochrome page reception counter is incremented (S123), and the process proceeds to S117 and thereafter.

After the image reception of each page as described above, when there is a next page, as shown in FIG. 28, when PPS-MPS is received according to the presence or absence of a mode change (S100 ), If there is a recording sheet (S106),
The MCF is transmitted (S107), and the process returns to S91. Also,
If there is no recording paper (S106), the process ends with an error.

On the other hand, when PPS-EOM is received (S101), if there is recording paper (S104), MCF is transmitted (S105) and the process returns to S85. If there is no recording paper (S104), the process ends with an error.

When PPS-EOP is received (S102), since it is the last page, MCF is transmitted (S103), and the process ends.

FIG. 30 is a flow chart showing the cartridge selecting operation of the printer 1-12. This is shown in Figure 2.
9 is a selection operation in the printer 1-12 when the control unit 1-1 designates color / monochrome to the printer 1-12.

First, it is judged whether color recording or monochrome recording is performed (S131). If color recording is performed, if any cartridge is a color cartridge (S131).
133), select the color cartridge (S13
4) If not, it ends in error.

If black-and-white recording is performed in S131, or if any cartridge is a black cartridge (S132), the black cartridge is selected (S13).
6) If not, the color cartridge is selected (S135).

FIG. 31 is a flow chart showing the recording paper cassette selecting operation.

At the time of color recording (S141), it is conceivable that paper dedicated to color recording or ink jet recording is used in order not to impair the quality of the printed image. Special paper for cassette 1, cassette 2
By loading plain paper (for example, black-and-white copy paper) on the cassette 1, the cassette 1 is automatically selected in priority in color recording (S142 to S145), and the cassette 2 is automatically selected in priority in monochrome recording. (S14
6-S149).

As described above, according to this embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

1) Switching between memory transmission control means for storing a black and white image in page memory in an image memory for processing during monochrome communication and direct transmission / reception control means for processing without storing image data in the image memory during color communication By having the switching control means for controlling by using, it is not necessary to use a memory with a huge memory capacity at the time of color communication, so that the manufacturing cost of the device can be significantly reduced.

2) One printer connected to the control unit by the interface is constituted by an ink jet type mechanism control unit and a plurality of ink cartridges, and the printer selects and operates any one of the plurality of cartridges. By having the above, it is possible to save the cost as a recording unit for both black and white and color, prevent the increase of power consumption, and also increase the ink capacity which cannot be achieved by a single ink cartridge as a printer. . Further, even if one of the plurality of cartridges is inoperable due to ink shortage or the like, by selecting an operable cartridge, operation as an apparatus becomes possible.

3) By using the same shape of the plurality of ink cartridges of the above 2) for color and for monochrome, the cartridges can be mounted in any combination.

4) It is possible to select an optimum paper at the time of color printing by the cassette selection control means having a plurality of recording paper cassettes and different at the time of color image printing and black-and-white image printing from each other. In addition to improving image quality, normal paper can be selected for black-and-white printing, so running costs can be reduced.

5) It has selection means capable of selecting color communication or monochrome communication for each communication, and selection means capable of selecting color transmission or monochrome transmission for each page of the document when color communication is selected by the selection means. As a result, the operability of sending documents with only black and white pages and sending mixed documents including black and white pages and color pages has been improved.
Furthermore, since black and white pages are not unnecessarily transmitted in color, transmission efficiency can be greatly improved.

6) In the operation control means for setting the common operation method for the resolution designation at the time of reading a color original and that for reading a black-and-white original, in the case of a black-and-white original, the resolution is switched and read, and in the case of a color original. By including a means for switching the quantization table while fixing the resolution, the effect of visually switching the resolution can be obtained without deteriorating the image quality of the color image.

7) Prior to the start of communication, when the color communication is instructed by means for instructing that there is a page to be color-transmitted in the transmitted document, it is necessary to confirm that the other device does not have the color receiving capability. When the declaration is made, the notification means works, so that it is possible to prevent unnecessary transmission in which monochrome transmission is automatically performed even though color transmission is desired.

8) In the color communication document, it can be seen that the instruction is executed by the visible means for the page for which the color transmission is being executed, so that the stress on the operator is reduced.

9) Since there is a determining means and a notifying means for detecting whether or not the color recording can be performed by detecting the state of the printer, maintenance such as ink replenishment can be performed early.

10) When it is determined in 9) that color recording cannot be executed, the other device is notified of the lack of color receiving capability after the incoming call, so that the other device erroneously transmits a color image. It is no longer being heard.

11) In color page transmission, JPE
The readability of the header information of the JPEG color image is greatly improved by the means for adding the ID of the terminal itself, the calendar information, and the transmission page number to the comment marker in the G data and the means for recording and outputting the same on the receiving side.

12) T.T. Since a color expansion area is provided for DIS and DCS, which are standard signals by 30, the color communication can be performed not only between the company's own machines but also with other companies' machines.

13) The maintainability is improved by means of individually counting the number of transmitted pages and the number of recorded pages of each of color pages and monochrome pages.

[0175]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Prior to the start of communication, when the color communication is instructed by the means for instructing that there is a page to be color-transmitted in the transmitted document, the notification means when the partner machine declares that the color reception capability is not available. Works,
It is possible to prevent unnecessary transmission in which black and white transmission is automatically performed although color transmission is desired.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the above embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an operation panel of the above embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a data flow at the time of transmission in the above embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a data flow at the time of reception in the above embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a communication buffer of the above embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the printer of the above embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a transfer mechanism of a cartridge of the printer of the above embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a front view for explaining the positional relationship of the cartridges of the printer of the above embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a sequence chart showing an example of a protocol for monochrome communication in the above-mentioned embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a sequence chart showing a protocol example of color communication of the above embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a sequence chart showing a protocol example of monochrome / color mixed communication of the above embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a sequence chart showing another protocol example of monochrome / color mixed communication of the above embodiment.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a G3 transmission control procedure signal of the above embodiment.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing another example of the G3 transmission control procedure signal of the above embodiment.

FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram showing a data structure of JPEG baseline encoded data of the above embodiment.

FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram showing the content of page header information created in the COM marker parameter of the above embodiment.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure at the time of transmission in the above embodiment.

FIG. 19 is an explanatory diagram showing states of a color communication lamp and a color page lamp in the above embodiment.

FIG. 20 is an explanatory diagram showing a reading resolution setting procedure in the embodiment.

FIG. 21 is a flowchart showing a selection operation of color transmission and monochrome transmission in the above embodiment.

FIG. 22 is a flowchart showing a monochrome transmission operation in the above embodiment.

FIG. 23 is a flowchart showing a color transmission operation in the above embodiment.

FIG. 24 is a flowchart showing a color transmission operation in the above embodiment.

FIG. 25 is a flowchart showing details of image data transmission in the above embodiment.

FIG. 26 is a flowchart showing details of image data transmission in the above embodiment.

FIG. 27 is a flowchart showing a receiving operation in the above embodiment.

FIG. 28 is a flowchart showing a receiving operation in the above embodiment.

FIG. 29 is a flowchart showing details of image data reception in the above embodiment.

FIG. 30 is a flow chart showing a cartridge selection operation in the above embodiment.

FIG. 31 is a flowchart showing a cassette selecting operation in the above embodiment.

FIG. 32 is a plan view showing the transition of display of the page counter in the transmission operation of the above embodiment.

FIG. 33 is a chart showing the relationship between the status of the printer and the indicator according to the embodiment.

FIG. 34 is an explanatory diagram showing a marker code of an image frame and various parameters used in the above embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1-1 ... CPU, 1-2 ... ROM, 1-3 ... RAM, 1-4 ... Code decoding unit, 1-5 ... Modem, 1-6 ... NCU, 1-7 ... Timing circuit, 1-8 ... Operation Panel, 1-9 ... Image memory, 1-10 ... Scanner section, 1-11 ... Printer interface, 1-12 ... Printer.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An image communication apparatus having an image signal transmitting means for connecting a line to perform image communication with a partner apparatus and a communication control procedure executing means for executing a communication procedure, prior to the start of transmission. The image communication apparatus further comprises an instruction unit for instructing that a page to be color-transmitted exists in the transmitted document. 2. When the presence of a color transmission page is instructed in claim 1 and a response signal including a declaration of no color reception capability is sent from the other device after the start of communication, that effect An image communication device, comprising: an informing unit for informing an operator of.