JPH07273966A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To decrease the margins of cut paper and to reduce cut paper consumption by outputting received image on cut paper up to a page delimiter, and further outputting a next page when there is still room so that the room is filled. CONSTITUTION:The received information is passed to a system control part 1 through an NCR and a modem, and stored in a storage part 3, page by page, together with line length and line quantity information. Size information of information on one case or the information which is received most early among pieces of received information in the storage part 3 is read out of the storage part 3 and information on one or plural pages is distributed so that the total blank quantity of the cut paper is minimized. Then information on one page or plural pages to be outputted on the 1st sheet of the cut paper is read out of the storage part 3 and expanded on a page memory for output. A document discrimination symbol and a page number are added at specific positions of each page of the information so that the document page order is correct. The 2nd and succeeding sheets of the cut paper are similarly outputted. As for the information on one case, the 2nd and succeeding sheets of the cut paper are outputted to the same paper discharge tray with the 1st sheet.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus of the type which prints out received image information on a cut sheet,
In particular, the present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus capable of reducing the number of cut sheets used when the size (image information amount) of a transmission original is smaller than the size (recordable area) of cut sheets on the receiving side.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a G3 standard facsimile apparatus, the length in the main scanning direction is A4 and B4 size paper width.
A facsimile apparatus that uses cut sheets as a recording medium for printing out the received image information is provided with cut sheets of A4 size and B4 size, and the line length (length in the main scanning direction) of the received image information is A4. If the paper width is the size, it is output to the A4 size cut paper, and if the line length is the B4 size paper, it is output to the B4 size cut paper. Therefore, for example, if the sending side sets an A5 size original in landscape orientation and sends a plurality of A4 size paper sheets, A4 size cut paper is selected as the output paper on the receiving side, and the plurality of output sheets are output. The bottom half of each of the cut sheets has a margin.

[0003]

As described above, in the prior art, when an original smaller than A4 size is transmitted, such as when an A5 size original is set horizontally and then transmitted,
On the output side, there was a problem that cut sheets were wasted.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above problems of the prior art,
An object of the present invention is to provide a facsimile apparatus that can reduce the number of cut sheets used when the size of a transmission document is smaller than the size of cut sheets to be output.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems] To achieve the above object,
According to a first aspect of the present invention, in a facsimile device that outputs received image information to a cut sheet, when the last line of one page of the received image information is output to a cut sheet of a predetermined size, it is not recorded below the cut sheet. When a margin occurs, if there is a next page as the received image information to be output, a means for controlling the next page of the received image information in the margin so as to output the page that fits in the margin is provided. And A second aspect of the present invention is, when all the image information on the next page does not fit in the margin, is a line before the final line that fits in the margin, and a region in which one line includes only a predetermined number of black pixels or less. It is characterized in that an arbitrary line in the area closest to the final line is stored in the margin and output.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in a facsimile apparatus for outputting received image information on a cut sheet, when the last line of one page of the received image is output on a cut sheet of a predetermined size, the received image information is recorded below the cut sheet. When there is a blank space that does not occur, if there is a next page as the received image information that should be output, and if the image information on the next page is all within the blank space, control to output all the image information on the next blank page to the blank space. It is characterized in that it is provided with a means for doing. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, when all the image information of the next page does not fit within the margin, and if there is a page that fits in the margin among a plurality of subsequent pages instead of the next page, the subsequent page is preceded. The feature is that the output is performed in the margin.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in a facsimile apparatus which outputs received image information to a cut sheet, the contents of the received image information of the same page are divided into different cut sheets and are not output, and a plurality of pages or one page is included. It is characterized in that it is provided with a means for controlling so that the received image information of is received within one page of a cut sheet of a predetermined size and is output to a plurality of cut sheets. A sixth invention is characterized in that it is provided with a means for determining a combination of each page of the received image information to be output to each cut sheet so that the usage amount of the cut sheet is minimized. .

A seventh invention is characterized in that the page number of the received image information is added and output.
An eighth aspect of the invention is characterized in that a line or a frame representing the page break or the document size of the received image information is output. A ninth invention is characterized in that the cut sheet is cut at a page break of the received image information. According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, when a plurality of output trays are provided, the received image information for one case consisting of a plurality of cut sheets is continuously output to the same output tray, and another received image information is continuously output. It is characterized in that the received image information for each case is output to another sheet discharge tray. The eleventh invention is
It is characterized in that a document identification code for distinguishing each image information of one case from each other is added to each output received image page or cut sheet and output. A twelfth aspect of the invention is characterized in that, when the received image information for one case is composed of a plurality of pages having different line lengths, a subsequent reception page is output in advance within a page having the same line length. And

[0009]

The function of receiving image information on a cut sheet of a predetermined size
When the page break (final line) is output and a blank space that is not recorded below the cut sheet occurs, if there is received image information for the next page to be output, the next page of the received image information is printed in the above blank space. Since the means for outputting only the portion that fits in the margin is provided, the margin of the cut sheet is reduced. In the above, when all the image information of the next page does not fit in the margin, the line before the last line that fits in the margin and the black line in one line is the most likely to be the last line in the region consisting of a predetermined number of lines or less. In the configuration in which any line in the close area is stored in the margin and output, the same line or chart does not span different pages.

When a page of the received image up to the page break (final line) is output on a cut sheet of a predetermined size, and there is a blank space not recorded below the cut sheet, there is received image information of the next page to be output. If all of the image information of the next page fits in the margin, the configuration in which the image information of the next page is output in the margin can reduce the margin of the cut sheet with a simple configuration. If there is a page that fits in the margin among a plurality of subsequent pages, the structure in which the page is output in the margin first can effectively reduce the margin with a relatively simple structure.

A plurality of cut sheets are provided so that the same page of the received image information is not output over different cut sheets, and a plurality of pages or one page of the received image information is contained in one cut sheet of a predetermined size. In the configuration including the means for determining the combination of each page of the received image information to be output to each cut sheet so that the amount of the cut sheet used is minimized, the margin of the cut sheet is It decreases more. In the above, in the configuration in which the page number of the received image information is added and output,
The page order can be recognized even if the received image pages are mixed up.

In the above configuration, in the case of outputting the page breaks of the received image information or the lines or frames representing the size of the original, even if the received image information of a plurality of pages is output on the same cut sheet, the pages of the received image information are output. I understand. In the above, in the configuration in which the cut sheet is cut at the page break of the received image information, it is possible to output the cut sheet of a predetermined size and obtain the output sheet of the same size as the original.

In the above description, the structure is such that the document identification code for distinguishing each image information of one case from each other is added to each received image page or cut sheet to be output, and a plurality of discharge trays are provided. When the is set, one received image information consisting of a plurality of cut sheets is continuously output to the same discharge tray, and the other received one received image information is output to another discharge tray. With such a configuration, even if the pages of the received image information are output one after another, the divisions of the plurality of pieces of received image information can be recognized. In the above, when one piece of received image information is made up of pages of different line lengths, in a configuration in which the subsequent received page is output first within a page of the same line length, pages with different line lengths are printed on the same cut sheet. Is not output, so there are no left and right margins.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a control circuit of a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The facsimile apparatus is provided with a storage unit having a sufficient capacity to store the received image information of a plurality of pages, and edits the image information of the plurality of pages over pages and prints out on a cut sheet. In the figure, reference numeral 1 is a system control unit for managing and controlling the entire facsimile apparatus, 2 is a communication control unit for transmitting and receiving facsimile data such as image information, and 3 is storing image information to be transmitted and received image information. A storage unit 4 is an image processing unit for processing received image information, and a discharge tray selection unit 5 is for selecting a discharge tray as an output destination.

The communication control unit 2 includes a compression / decompression means, a modem, an NCR, etc., and the received image information is NC.
It is passed to the system control unit 1 via R and a modem, and stored in the storage unit 3 together with information on the line length (A4 width, B4 width, etc.) and the number of lines (length in the sub-scanning direction) for each page ( See FIG. 2). The stored image information may be information as it is compressed or may be information expanded by the compression / expansion means. The above-mentioned stored image information is output to a cut sheet as follows when the user gives an instruction or when the capacity of the storage unit 3 becomes full (see the flowchart of FIG. 3).

First, size information about one designated received image information from the storage unit 3 or one received image information received earliest among the received image information in the storage unit, that is, the line length and the number of lines. (S1), and for each page of the received image information of the same line length, the received image information of one or more pages is output to each of the plurality of cut sheets to be output so that the total margin of the cut sheets is minimized. Allocate. That is, the combination of received image pages is determined so that the number of cut sheets used is minimized (S
2). At this time, the condition is that the same page of the received image does not span different cut sheets.

Then, the received image information of one page or a plurality of pages which is decided to be output on the first cut sheet is read from the storage section 3 and expanded in the output page memory (S3). In the above, if the image information read from the storage unit 3 has not been expanded yet, at the time of this expansion, expansion is performed via the compression / expansion means. Furthermore,
The original document identification code and the page number (original page number) which have been bitmapped are added to a predetermined position of each page of the rasterized image information (S4). The page numbers are added because the order of the original pages is switched when the combination that minimizes the number of cut sheets is performed as described above. For the same reason that the original document identification code is added, if such identification code is not added, the next received image information for one case is output after the received image information for one case. And the demarcation between the two becomes unknown. The above document identification code is, for example, every time there is one facsimile reception.
It is a received document number that is assigned (numbered) while sequentially increasing the number for each case.

Since the received image information (original) of a plurality of pages is output (printed) on one cut sheet, the cut sheet is cut at the section (the last line, etc.) in order to clarify the section between pages. Or you can add a separator line. This cut can be realized by adding a cutter known to those skilled in the art, and the delimiter line can be realized by expanding a line segment into a bitmap between pages of the image information expanded in the output page memory. Further, whether to cut the output paper or add a dividing line is determined by the system control unit 1 acquiring an instruction given by an operation unit (not shown) of the facsimile apparatus (S5).

In this way, when the plotter outputs even page breaks on the cut sheet, or after that,
While outputting to the next page, the page whose output has been completed is cut off (S6), or the dividing line is superimposed on the output page memory as described above (S7), and the expanded information is cut by the plotter. Output on paper. Then, the output paper is output to the designated paper discharge tray (S8).

Similarly, the received image information for one page or a plurality of pages is output to the second and subsequent cut sheets.
If there is one received image information, the output cut sheets after the above two sheets are also output to the same discharge tray as the first sheet. On the other hand, the other one (other) received image information is output to another paper discharge tray. At this time, even if the operator does not designate a specific paper discharge tray as the output destination, the apparatus can automatically sort the paper. In that case, the system control unit 1 manages in what order the received plurality of pieces of image information are output to each tray. In the case where the document identification code is not added as described above, when a plurality of consecutively received image information items are continuously output to the same paper ejection tray, the output image is separated into two output images. Is unknown.

Further, in the above description, instead of the dividing line, it is possible to output each page output on the same cut sheet by enclosing each page in a frame. The method is the same as the output of the dividing line. Further, instead of adding the original document identification code to each of the received image information, one place may be written on each cut sheet.

Further, as described above, when the line length of one received image information differs depending on the page, pages having different line lengths are prevented from being output on the same cut sheet. This is because a page with a short line length has a margin on the right side or the left side of the cut sheet. Therefore, the combination of the received images of a plurality of pages to be output on the same cut sheet is performed by the pages having the same line length as described above. Therefore, when image information in which pages with different line lengths are mixed in one received data is received, as described above, one or a plurality of pages each having a certain line length have a predetermined size. After outputting to a cut sheet, change the size of the cut sheet (or use the same size cut sheet), and as described above, one or more other predetermined size consisting of pages of other line lengths. Output on cut paper. Therefore, in this case, the page numbers of the cut sheets that have been printed are moved forward or backward.

In the above embodiment, the pages of the received image information (pages of the original) are moved forward or backward, but it is also possible to output the pages of the received image information in order. In this case, even if the received image information is output to a cut sheet for one page or a plurality of pages, there is still a margin below the cut sheet, and if there is a next page that fits in the margin, the margin is next to the received image information. Print the page, otherwise leave it in the margin. That is, if there is a next page that does not fit in the margin, the next page is output from the beginning of the next cut sheet. As described above, by referring to the number of lines of each page of the received image information stored in the storage unit 3, it is possible to determine whether or not the next page fits in the margin of the cut sheet.

In another embodiment according to the present invention, if the cut sheet has a blank space and the next page of the received image information is present, the next page is output as much as it fits in the blank space, and the rest is of the next cut sheet. Output from the beginning. In this case, the line spacing of the received image information and the upper and lower ends of the chart are detected so that the same line or the same chart is not divided and output on different cut sheets.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the above embodiment. In this embodiment, if the number of black pixels of the line of interest is equal to or less than a predetermined number, it is considered that the line has no valid information,
The line is judged to be a line between lines or a part of a line where a chart or the like does not continue. The reason why the black pixels are equal to or less than a predetermined number is regarded as a line with no valid information is that the black pixels are not valid information. This is to avoid making a judgment.

As shown in the figure, in this embodiment, when the cut sheet has a margin (S12) and there is a next page to be output (S13), the image information of the next page is read from the storage unit 3 (S14). ), This page may be read once at a time as shown in the figure, or may be read several times. The number of black pixels in each line is counted in order from the first line of the image information read out to the image processing unit 4. For example, if the first line is set to L1, and several lines from L1 have a predetermined number of black pixels or less, and a line having more than a predetermined number of black pixels is detected when advancing to a certain line, this is set to L
Set to 2 (S15). Then, in order to detect how many lines in which the number of black pixels exceeds a predetermined number continue from this L2,
After that, the line in which the number of black pixels is equal to or less than the predetermined number is set as the line number L3 (S16). The line numbers L2 to L3 can be regarded as lines of valid information such as lines or charts. Therefore, if the image data having a blank portion above the valid information, that is, the area L3-L1 is within the number of lines of the blank portion of the current page (S17), this image information is added to the blank portion of the current page. Yes (S18). Further, when it is desired to add only the valid information to the margin of the current page, the image information of the areas L3-L2 where the blank portion does not exist is added.

If it does not fit in the margin, the current page is output as it is without adding this image information to the margin (S1
9). In S18, after adding the image information to the blank area, if there is still a blank space in the current page, the process of replacing L3 with L1 in S20 is performed, and the process proceeds to S15. By doing the above, it is possible to reduce the margin, and it is possible to prevent the page from straddling two pages in the middle of a line or chart.

[0028]

As described above, according to the present invention,
If a blank page that is not recorded below the cut sheet occurs when the cut image is output up to the page break of the received image information, and if there is a next page of the received image information that should be output, the received image information in the blank Since a means for outputting the next page as much as it fits in the margin is provided, the margin of the cut sheet is reduced and the amount of cut sheet used can be reduced. In the above, when all the image information of the next page does not fit in the margin, the line before the last line that fits in the margin and the black line in one line is the most likely to be the last line in the region consisting of a predetermined number of lines or less. In a configuration in which any line in a close area is stored in the margin and is output, even if the portion that does not fit in the margin is output to the next cut sheet, the same line or chart does not span different pages.

Further, when a blank space which is not recorded below the cut sheet occurs and all the image information of the next page fits in the above blank space, the image information of the next page is output to the blank space with a simple structure. You can reduce the margins of the paper. If there is a page that fits in the margin among a plurality of subsequent pages, the structure in which the above page is output to the margin first can effectively reduce the margin with a relatively simple structure. The configuration is such that multiple pages of received image information are output on multiple cut sheets so that they fit on one cut sheet, and the received image information output to each cut sheet is minimized so that the amount of cut sheets used is minimized. In the configuration including the means for determining the page combination, the margin of the cut sheet is further reduced.

In the above configuration, in the configuration in which the page number of the received image information is added and output, the page order can be known even if the received image pages move forward and backward, and a line or a frame representing the page break of the received image information or the size of the document. In the configuration for outputting, the page of the received image information can be recognized even if the received image information of a plurality of pages is output on the same cut sheet. In the above,
In the configuration in which the cut sheet is cut at the page break of the received image information, it is possible to output on the cut sheet of a predetermined size and obtain the output sheet of the same size as the original.

A configuration in which the original identification code is added to each of the output received image pages or cut sheets and is output,
When multiple output trays are provided, one received image information consisting of multiple cut sheets is continuously output to the same output tray, and another subsequent received image information is output to another output tray. In the configuration of outputting to the paper tray, even if the pages of the received image information are output one after another, the boundaries of the plurality of received image information can be recognized. In the above, when the received image information is made up of pages of a plurality of line lengths, in a configuration in which the subsequent reception page is output in advance within a page of the same line length, pages with different line lengths are not output on the same cut sheet, The left and right margins do not occur, and the amount of cut paper used can be further reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a facsimile apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a control flow chart of the facsimile apparatus showing the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is another control flow chart of the facsimile apparatus showing the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a control flow chart of a facsimile apparatus showing another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... System control unit, 2 ... Communication control unit, 3 ... Storage unit, 4
... image processing unit, 5 ... paper discharge tray selection unit.

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A facsimile apparatus for outputting received image information on a cut sheet, wherein when a cut sheet of a predetermined size is output up to the last line of one page of the received image information, a margin that is not recorded below the cut sheet is generated. If it happens,
If there is the next page as the received image information to be output,
A facsimile apparatus comprising means for controlling so that the next page of received image information is output to the margin so as to output the next page. 2. When all the image information on the next page does not fit in the margin, a line before the final line that fits in the margin and in which a black pixel in one line is composed of only a predetermined number of lines or less 2. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an arbitrary line in an area closest to the last line is stored in a margin and output. 3. A facsimile apparatus for outputting received image information on a cut sheet, and when a cut sheet of a predetermined size is output up to the last line of one page of the received image, a blank space is generated below the cut sheet. When there is a next page as received image information to be output and all the image information of the next page fits in the margin, a means for controlling to output all the image information of the next page to the margin is provided. A facsimile device characterized by the above. 4. If all the image information of the next page does not fit in the margin, and if there is a page that fits in the margin among a plurality of subsequent pages instead of the next page, the succeeding page is preceded. 4. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the facsimile apparatus is configured to output in a margin. 5. A facsimile apparatus for outputting received image information on a cut sheet so that the content of the received image information on the same page is not divided and output on different cut sheets, and the received image information for a plurality of pages or one page is received. A facsimile apparatus comprising: a unit for controlling to output a plurality of cut sheets of paper so that the sheets are contained in one page of a predetermined size of cut sheets. 6. A configuration comprising means for determining a combination of respective pages of received image information to be output to each cut sheet so that the usage amount of the cut sheet is minimized. The facsimile apparatus according to Item 5. 7. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the received image information is output with a page number added. 8. A facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, 3 or 5, wherein a line or a frame representing a page break or a document size of the received image information is output. 9. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cut sheet is cut at a page break of the received image information. 10. When a plurality of output trays are provided, the received image information for one case consisting of a plurality of cut sheets is continuously output to the same output tray, and the other one received subsequently. 6. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the received image information for one minute is output to another discharge tray. 11. The structure is such that a document identification code for distinguishing each image information of one case from each other is added to each output received image page or cut sheet and output. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, 3 or 5. 12. When the received image information for one case is composed of a plurality of pages with different line lengths, a subsequent reception page is output in advance within a page with the same line length. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1,