JPH07283934A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To omit unnecessary reduction processing and division processing and to prevent the overflow of a reception buffer by omitting recording of an excess part in the case that the reception picture information volume is larger than a prescribed value and the excess part has only white lines. CONSTITUTION:When the number of lines in the subscanning direction of one- page reception picture information reaches a first prescribed value corresponding to the length in the subscanning direction of recording paper (S10:Yes), reception picture information obtained by this time is recorded (S11). When the final value of the counted value is larger than the first prescribed value and is smaller than a second prescribed value (S8: No and S14: Yes), recording of the excess part is omitted if the excess part over the first prescribed value has only white lines (S15: yes). When the counted value exceeds the second prescribed value (S8:Yes) recording is started (S9) regardless of the excess part having only white lines though recording of the excess part is interrupted to wait till then; and thereby, the reception error does not occur by the overflow of the reception buffer.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile machine, and more particularly to a facsimile machine which does not record an all white line at the final stage of a received image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when a received image is recorded on a recording paper in a facsimile machine, the length of one page of the received image in the sub-scanning direction and the length of the recording paper set in the facsimile machine in the sub-scanning direction are measured. In comparison, if the length of the received image is longer than the length of the recording paper, the technique of dividing and recording the received image of one page on two recording papers or reducing the recording on one recording paper is not available. Proposed. For example, JP-A-61-1
According to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 242168, when the length of the received image in the sub-scanning direction is longer than the length of the recording paper, reduction recording is performed at a reduction ratio corresponding to the length of the received image and the length of the recording paper. When the length is longer than a predetermined value, there is proposed a facsimile apparatus configured to record a received image by dividing it.

Among such facsimile machines, one is
If the received image information of the line is all white pixels (hereinafter,
This is called an all-white line.) In order to save the consumption of recording paper and ribbon, it is possible to omit recording of all-white lines, and the length of the receiving pixel in the sub-scanning direction is shorter than the length of the recording paper. In some cases, when the excess exceeding the length of the recording paper is all white lines, the excess is excluded from the recording target. Further, some facsimile machines have been put to practical use, which are configured to record on cut recording paper by using a ribbon having a width substantially the same as that of the recording paper.

[0004]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, CCI
TT Recommendation T. According to No. 4, it is necessary to read only 216 mm (1728 pixels) per line as the reading width of the received image reading means, and the area that can be used as image information is 205 mm at the minimum. By the way, CC
ITT Recommendation T. Since the reproducible area to be guaranteed defined by the appendix of No. 4 is only 196.6 mm in the main scanning direction, there is a received image that cannot be actually recorded even if it is received as image information.

Therefore, the length of the received image in the sub-scanning direction is longer than the length of the recording paper in the sub-scanning direction, and in the region where the length of the received image exceeds the reproducible region in the main scanning direction, there is a line in which image information exists. If so, the line cannot be discriminated as an all-white line even though there is no image information actually recorded. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, unnecessary reduction of the received image information is performed. Alternatively, there are problems that the characters are divided and recorded, and the characters become small, or the recording paper without the image information is divided and output. In particular, in a facsimile machine of a type that records with an ink ribbon having almost the same width as the recording paper, the ink ribbon is consumed even when the recording paper without image information is output. Will increase.

On the other hand, in the facsimile apparatus, the received image information is temporarily stored in the reception buffer and then
It is output to the thermal head of the recording means after undergoing processing such as binarization processing, decoding processing, parallel / serial conversion, etc.
In order to determine whether or not the excess area is all white lines, the reception image information is continuously supplied to the reception buffer while the recording by the recording unit is interrupted and waiting, while the image information in the reception buffer is supplied. Is not output to the subsequent processing, there is a problem that the reception buffer overflows and a reception error occurs. The white line is a line in which the received image information of the recordable area in the main scanning direction is all white pixels, and the all white line is also included in the white line. The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and when the information amount of received image information of one page is larger than a predetermined value, all excess lines exceeding the predetermined value are white lines. It is an object of the present invention to provide a facsimile apparatus that can avoid unnecessary reduction processing or division processing by omitting the excess recording only at times. Further, as another object, the excess amount in the received image information of one page is
It is an object of the present invention to provide a facsimile device capable of preventing the overflow of the receiving buffer by omitting the recording of the excess amount only when the excess line is less than a predetermined value and all the excess lines are white lines.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, a facsimile machine according to a first aspect of the invention is a facsimile machine having a recording means for recording received image information on recording paper, and a received image of one line. Of the information, it is checked whether the image information within the predetermined width that can be recorded in the main scanning direction by the recording means is all white pixels, and if all the pixels are white pixels, a white line determination means that determines that line as a white line. , Comparing the length of one page of the received image information in the sub-scanning direction with a preset first predetermined value and a second predetermined value, and receiving the comparison result of the comparing means, the sub-scanning direction of one page When the length is longer than the first predetermined value and shorter than the second predetermined value, the excess portion of the received image information that exceeds the first predetermined value is determined to be all white lines by the white line determination means. Has
And a control unit for recording the one-page received image information on the recording paper by removing the excess portion from the received image information.
Here, when the length of the one page in the sub-scanning direction is longer than the second predetermined value, the control means determines that an excess portion of the received image information that exceeds the first predetermined value is the excess portion. Even if all the white lines are discriminated by the white line discriminating means, the excess portion may be recorded on the recording paper as white line data (claim 2 subordinate to claim 1). When the white line discriminating means discriminates that the excess line includes a line other than a white line, the received image information is divided or reduced as necessary to be recorded on recording paper. It may be (claim 3 dependent on claim 1). According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the facsimile apparatus having a recording unit that records the received image information on a recording sheet, the received image information of one line is within a predetermined value that can be recorded in the main scanning direction by the recording unit. It is checked whether or not a certain image information is all white pixels, and if all the pixels are white pixels, a white line determination means for determining the line as a white line and the number of lines in the sub-scanning direction of the received image information of one page are counted. When the count means and the count value of the count means reach a first predetermined value corresponding to the length of the recording paper in the sub-scanning direction, the received image information up to the line of the first predetermined value is recorded in the recording means. At the same time, when the end value of the count value is larger than the first predetermined value and smaller than the second predetermined value, it is judged by the white line judgment means that all the lines exceeding the first predetermined value are white lines. When the are and control means which does not execute recording of the received image information of the excess portion.

Here, the control means is configured to cause the recording means to start recording for a line exceeding the first predetermined value when the count value of the counting means reaches the second predetermined value. (Claim 5 dependent on Claim 4).

[0009]

In the facsimile apparatus of the present invention having the above structure, the white line discriminating means is such that all the image information within a predetermined width which can be recorded in the main scanning direction by the recording means is white among the received image information of one line. It is checked whether or not the pixel is a pixel, and if all the pixels are white, the line is determined to be a white line. The comparing means compares the length of one page in the sub-scanning direction with a preset first predetermined value and a second predetermined value, and the length of one page in the sub-scanning direction is longer than the first predetermined value. When it is shorter than the second predetermined value, if the excess part of the received image information that exceeds the first predetermined value is all white lines by the white line determination means, the control means determines from the received image information. The control is performed so that the excess portion is excluded and the received image information of one page is recorded on the recording paper. Further, in the facsimile apparatus of the present invention, when the length of one page in the sub-scanning direction becomes longer than the second predetermined value, the control means exceeds the first predetermined value out of the received image information. Even if the part is determined to be all white lines by the white line determination means,
The excess portion is recorded on the recording paper as white line data. Further, in the facsimile apparatus of claim 3, when the white line discriminating means determines that the excess portion includes a line other than the white line, the control means determines the received image information as necessary. It is divided or reduced and recorded on recording paper. In the facsimile apparatus according to the present invention, the white line discriminating means determines whether all the image information within a predetermined width that can be recorded in the main scanning direction by the recording means among the received image information of one line are white pixels. If all the pixels are white, the line is determined to be a white line. The counting means counts the number of lines of the received image information of one page in the sub scanning direction. The control means causes the recording means to record the received image information up to the line of the first predetermined value when the count value of the counting means reaches the first predetermined value corresponding to the length of the recording paper in the sub-scanning direction. At the same time, when the end value of the count value is greater than the first predetermined value and less than the second predetermined value, and when the white line determination means determines that all the lines exceeding the first predetermined value are white lines, Do not execute recording of the received image information of the excess portion.

In the facsimile apparatus of claim 5,
In the control means, the count value of the counting means is the second value.
When the predetermined value is reached, the recording means is caused to start recording for the line that exceeds the first predetermined value.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an external view of the facsimile machine, and FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional side view of the same machine. Facsimile machine main body 1
Reference numeral 0 includes a container-shaped lower cover 12, an upper cover 14 that covers the lower cover 12, and a frame (not shown) arranged inside them. On the lower cover 12,
The handset 16 is attached. In the lower cover 12, a recording paper cassette 20 capable of accommodating a large number of recording papers 18 made of standard cut paper is set.

The recording papers 18 are fed one by one from the recording paper set 20 by a paper feed roller 22, and then a recording paper feeding device 28 composed of a paper guide 24, a pair of feeding rollers 26 and the like is used to make a recording device 30. Sent to the letter,
Images such as figures are recorded. The feed roller 26 is rotationally driven by the drive of a drive device (not shown). The leading edge of the recording paper 18 delivered from the recording paper cassette 20 is detected by the recording paper leading edge sensor 32, and the recording start timing of the recording device 30 is determined based on the detection signal. The recording paper size detection sensor 21 detects the type of the recording paper cassette 20 installed in the facsimile apparatus among the recording paper cassettes 20 prepared for various recording papers 18 of different sizes, and based on the detection result. The system controller 1 (see FIG. 4) controls the recording.

The recording device 30 is provided in the upper cover 14, and the recording device 30 is rotatable to a position facing the recording head 34 controlled by the recording head controller 33 shown in FIG. Platen 3 provided
6 and an ink ribbon device 38. The recording head 34 is a thermal head, has a large number of heating elements arranged in a line in a direction orthogonal to the feeding direction of the recording paper 18, and has a position determined based on a signal supplied to the recording head controller 33. The heating element is heated. Platen 3
A drive device (not shown) 6 is driven to rotate about the center line 6 to feed the recording paper 18. The ink ribbon device 38 has a thermal ink ribbon 40 having a width corresponding to the recording range of the recording head 34, and an ink ribbon feeding device 42 for feeding the thermal ink ribbon 40. The thermal ink ribbon 40 is fed in synchronization with the recording paper 18, and the recording paper 18 is fed by feeding the thermal ink ribbon 40 and the recording paper 18 and pressing the thermal ink ribbon 40 onto the recording paper 18 by the recording head 34.
The image is recorded on.

The recording paper 18 on which the image has been recorded is guided by the paper guide 52, is sent to the paper discharge tray 54, and is discharged to the outside of the apparatus. The recording paper discharge sensor 56 detects the discharge of the recording paper 18, and when a plurality of recordings are continuously performed, the recording paper discharge sensor 56 detects that the recording paper 18 on which the image is recorded is completely discharged. After that, the system controller 1 controls the conveyance of the recording paper 18 so that the next recording paper 18 starts to be fed from the recording paper cassette 20 to avoid the paper jam.

An image reading device 62 for reading an image recorded on a document 60 is provided in the upper cover 14. The document 60 is placed on a document receiver 64 which is detachably attached to the upper cover 14, and is set between a pair of document guides 66 shown in FIG. The leading edge of the set document 60 is detected by a document sensor 68 provided in the upper cover 14, and the document 60 is scanned by a document feeding device 74 including a feed roller 70, a paper guide 72, a feed roller 73, and the like. It is sent to the document reading position 62. The feed rollers 70 and 73 are each composed of a pair of rollers, and are driven by motors 78 and 80 (see FIG. 4), respectively. The motors 78, 80 are connected to the system control device 1 via drive circuits 84, 86 (see FIG. 4), respectively, and are controlled so that the rotation speeds of the motors 78, 80 are always the same.

The image reading device 62 includes a light source 88 as a light emitter, a lens 89, mirrors 90 and 92, and a plurality of charge coupled devices as light receivers.
(Hereinafter, abbreviated as CCD) 94 and the like, the original 60 is irradiated with light by the light source 88,
After collecting the reflected light from the lens 89 by the lens 89,
The image is read by the CCD 94 and received by the CCD 94, and the image on the original 60 is read line by line. A pixel is a minimum unit that constitutes an image, and is an area (area) on the document 60 read by one CCD 94.

The size of one pixel is the size of the CCD 94,
Although it is determined by various factors such as the positions and angles of the mirrors 90 and 92, the position of the lens 89 and the focal length, the size in the main scanning direction is set to 0.13 mm in the present facsimile machine, and the size in the sub scanning direction is set. The size is determined by the feed amount of the document 60 while the image reading device 62 reads one line. In this facsimile apparatus, the feeding amount of the original 60 is 0.26 mm, 0.13
mm and 0.065 mm can be selected, and the size (area) of one pixel when these feed amounts are selected
Are 0.13 mm × 0.26 mm and 0.13 mm, respectively.
mm × 0.13 mm and 0.13 mm × 0.065 mm. As the feed amount becomes smaller, the area of one pixel becomes smaller and the resolution becomes higher.

The CCD 94 is a photoelectric conversion element that outputs a voltage corresponding to the intensity of the received reflected light. Image data obtained by converting a signal representing the magnitude of the output voltage into digital data is supplied to the system controller 1. Then, the binarized image data is created from the image data. In this facsimile, which can read A4 size documents, CC
At least 1728 D94s are arranged in a line. The document leading edge sensor 96 detects the leading edge of the document 60, and the reading is started based on the detection of the leading edge of the document 60 by the document leading edge sensor 96. After reading, the document 60 is discharged to the outside through the opening 98.

FIG. 3 shows an operation panel 99 provided on the upper cover 14. Liquid crystal display 1 on the rear of the operation panel 99
00, and a keyboard 1 on the front and center
06 is provided. A numeric keypad 108 is provided on the left side of the keyboard 106, a copy key 110 and a start key 114 are provided on the right side, and various keys such as a memory key 116, a function key 118, a set key 120, and cursor keys 122 and 124 are provided at the center. Is provided. The copy key 110 is a key for instructing copying of a document and also for initiating copying, and the start key 114 is a key for instructing the start of various processing operations. The function key 118 is a key for instructing display disclosure of various functions that can be executed in the facsimile apparatus, and the selection of the function is performed by operating the ten keys 108 or the cursor keys 122 and 124. The set key 120 is a key for instructing selection confirmation, and the memory key 116 is a key for instructing selection of memory transmission.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the control system of the facsimile apparatus. The facsimile machine is controlled by the system controller 1. The main body of the system controller 1 is a CPU 2a, a ROM 2b storing a plurality of control programs for controlling the facsimile machine, and a RAM.
2c is a system control unit 2. RAM2c
Is a reading buffer for storing the image data read and binarized by the image reading device 62, a transmission buffer for temporarily storing the compression encoded image data to be transmitted, a reception buffer for temporarily storing the received compression encoded image data, and It has an area such as a recording buffer for temporarily storing image data obtained by decoding compression-coded image data.

The system control unit 2 is connected via the bus 3 to
A binarization circuit 4, a threshold value circuit 5, a parallel / serial conversion circuit 6, a coding / decoding control circuit 7 for compressing and decoding image data, and a transmission / reception for transmitting / receiving compression-coded image data. The control circuit 8 and the like are connected.
Further, an image reading device 62, an operation panel 99, a recording head control device 33, a recording paper size detection sensor 21, a line 9a, drive circuits 84 and 86, etc. are connected to the system control device 1. Further, although not shown in FIG. 4, various devices necessary for the operation of the present facsimile machine are connected, such as the recording paper leading edge sensor 32, the recording paper ejection sensor 56, the document sensor 68, and the document leading edge sensor 96.

The binarization circuit 4 converts the image data read by the image reading device 62 and converted into digital data into binary image data. Image data read by the image reading device 62 is supplied to the binarization circuit 4, while threshold data is supplied from the threshold circuit 5 to compare the image data with the threshold data. Binarized image data is created by. Binary image data is created by setting 0 (white) when the image data is larger than the threshold data and 1 (black) when the image data is smaller than the threshold data. 2 for 1 line
When the binarized image data is created, it is stored in a read buffer (not shown) of the RAM 2c. The threshold circuit 5 stores threshold data and supplies the data to the binarization circuit 4 based on a command.

The parallel / serial conversion circuit 6 converts a parallel signal into a serial signal. System control unit 2
In parallel, the signals processed in parallel are converted into serial signals and supplied to the printhead controller 33. The encoding / decoding control circuit 7 compresses and encodes the binarized image data, decodes the compression-encoded image data input from the outside, and supplies it to the RAM 2c. The transmission / reception control circuit 8 is connected to the partner device 9b when the line 9a between the sender facsimile device (own device or partner device 9b) and the recipient facsimile device (partner device 9b or partner device) is connected. To communicate with.

Next, the received image information for one page is recorded. An outline of recording processing control will be described. In the present facsimile apparatus, recording is performed using the thermal ink ribbon 40 having substantially the same width as that of the recording paper 18, and therefore the ink ribbon 40 is consumed even when the recording paper 18 is fed without recording anything in the recording operation. In order to save the ink ribbon 40 and to prevent the occurrence of the reception error due to the overflow of the reception buffer as described in the section of the above-mentioned problem, the following recording processing is performed. is there.

As shown in FIG. 8, the number of lines of the received image information for one page in the sub-scanning direction corresponds to the length in the sub-scanning direction of the recording paper 18 of A4 size, for example. When the value is Ra or less, which is the value obtained by removing the upper and lower margin amounts from the recording paper, the received image information for one page is recorded on one recording paper 18 at the same size. Further, as shown in FIG. 9, the number of lines of the received image information for one page in the sub-scanning direction is the first predetermined value Ra.
If it is larger and less than the second predetermined value Rc, for example, if it corresponds to the length of the recording paper of legal size, when the number of lines up to the first predetermined value Ra is counted, the first line to the Ra-th line are counted. When the image data up to the line is recorded on one sheet of recording paper 18 at the same size and all the lines after (Ra + 1) th line are white lines that do not include black pixels in the effective recording range in the main scanning direction, , (Ra + 1) th and subsequent lines of image data are not recorded.

Further, as shown in FIG. 10, when the number of lines of the received image information for one page in the sub-scanning direction is larger than the first predetermined value Ra and not less than the second predetermined value Rc, for example, it is of a legal size. If the length is larger than the length of the recording paper, when the number of lines up to the first predetermined value Ra is detected, the image data from the first line to the Ra-th line is recorded on one recording paper 18 at the same size. , (Ra + 1) th and subsequent lines are all white lines and include lines other than white lines, the (Ra + 1) th and subsequent lines are counted when the number of lines having the second predetermined value Rc is counted. Recording of the image data of the line is started. As a result, it is possible to prevent the reception buffer from overflowing and a reception error from occurring. However, when the (Ra + 1) th and subsequent lines are all white lines, the recording operation is started as described above, but since it is a white line, the recording paper 18 on which nothing is recorded is output as the second sheet.

Here, a counter R that counts the number of lines of the received image information for one page in the sub-scanning direction (the count value is R) and a continuous counter that counts the number of white lines continuous in the sub-scanning direction. The white line number counter W (whose count value is W) and various counters described later are provided with the R
It is provided in AM2c. Incidentally, in these counters and pointers, the reference value indicates the count value and the point value. Further, the second predetermined value Rc is
The predetermined value is larger than the first predetermined value Ra, and (Rc-
Even if recording is interrupted for the number of lines within Ra) and waiting,
It is set to an appropriate value so that the receive buffer will not overflow.

Next, the routine of the recording processing control in the facsimile apparatus thus constructed will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In the figure, the symbol Si (i = 1, 2, ...) Indicates each step.
The partner device 9b on the transmitting side and the facsimile device on the receiving side are connected by a line 9a, and the partner device 9b sends a transmission command to transmit compression-coded image data for one page, and the facsimile device receives the transmission command. Then, this recording processing control is started, and first, the RAM 2c
The reception line number counter R and the continuous white line number counter W provided in the RAM are cleared (S1).
A decoding process for converting the reception data stored in the reception buffer of 1 to pixel data for each line is executed (S
2).

Here, regarding the decoding processing of one line,
This will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. As shown in FIG.
The number of pixels for one line of the image information transmitted from the partner device 9b is 1728 pixels, and the effective recording range in the main scanning direction that can actually be recorded on the recording paper 18 is the range from the pointer P1 to the pointer P2. is there. Further, the reception data is composed of a set of codes corresponding to the black-and-white pattern of the pixel group of the reception image read by the partner device 9b, and each of these codes includes the black-and-white pattern of the pixel group and its pixel group. The number of pixels is different.

First, the color information flag LC of one line provided in the RAM 2c is all white, and the bit expansion pointer PN is 0.
Is set (S100). Next, one code of the received data is decoded (S101), and the color of the pixel and the number of pixels are set in BC and RL based on the output result (S101).
102). Next, it is checked whether or not the bit expansion pointer PN is within the range of the valid recording range pointers P1 and P2 (S103, S104), and if it is within the valid recording range in the main scanning direction (Yes in S103, Yes in S104
), If the pixel color BC is black (Yes in S105)
) Black is set in the color information flag LC of one line (S106), and the process proceeds to S107.

On the other hand, when the bit expansion pointer PN is not within the effective recording range in the main scanning direction (No in S103 or No in S104), or the bit expansion pointer PN
If the color BC of the pixel is not black even if is in the effective recording range in the main scanning direction (No in S105), the process of S106 is skipped and the process proceeds to S107. In S107, the color BC of the pixel is set to the address [PN] indicated by the bit expansion pointer PN. Next, the bit expansion pointer PN is incremented by 1 and the number of pixels RL is decremented by 1 to update PN and RL (S1
08), it is determined whether the pixel number RL is 0 or less (S10).
9). In this case, since the number of pixels RL is not 0, S1
03, until the number of pixels RL becomes 0, that is, until the decoding process of one code is completed, S103 to S109.
repeat. When the decoding process for one code of the received data is completed (Yes in S109), it is determined whether or not the bit expansion pointer PN is equal to 1728, that is, whether the decoding process for one line of the received data is completed. It is determined (S110).

In this case, since the decoding process for one line is not completed yet (No in S110), the decoding process for one line of the received data is completed in S101 to S101.
The processing of 110 is repeatedly executed. As a result, when it is determined that the decoding process for one line is completed (S1
If Yes in 10), this process ends and the process moves to S3 in FIG. When one line of recording data is obtained by the above decoding process, the reception line number counter R is incremented (S3), and it is determined whether the decoded one line color information flag LC is all white ( S4), if the color information flag LC is all white (Yes in S4), the continuous white line number counter W is incremented (S5), and if the color information flag LC is not all white (No in S4), The continuous white line number counter W is cleared (S6).

Next, it is determined whether or not the flag F set in S13 described later is 1 (S7), and the flag F is initially set.
Is not 1 (No in S7), the process proceeds to S10 and S10
In, it is determined whether or not the reception line number counter R has reached a first predetermined value Ra corresponding to the length of the recording paper 18 in the sub-scanning direction. Since the determination is No at the beginning, the process proceeds to S14. , 1 page of recorded data (that is, 1 of received data
Page)) It is determined whether or not it is finished. It should be noted that this determination is made based on whether or not the RTC command indicating the page end is included in the recording data. Since the determination is No at the beginning, the process shifts from S14 to S2, and S2 to S14 are repeatedly executed.
Becomes Ra, the determination in S10 becomes Yes and the process proceeds to S11. In S11, a divided recording process of recording the recording data from the first line to the Rath line on the first recording paper 18 is executed, and then the reception line number counter R and the continuous white line number counter W And are cleared to 0 (S12), and then the flag F is set to 1 (S1).
3).

Next, in S14, it is determined whether or not the recording process for one page of the recording data is completed, as described above.
If the recording process for one page is completed (S1
If Yes, the reception line number counter R is equal to the continuous white line number counter W (S15).
Since it is not = W, the process proceeds to S16, and if there is remaining data in the recording data for one page, the recording process of the remaining data is executed, and then the recording process control is ended. On the other hand, S1
When the determination of No. 4 is No, that is, when the recording process for one page is not completed, the process returns to S2 and S2 to S1.
4 is repeatedly executed, but in this case, since the flag F is set to 1, the process proceeds from S7 to S8, and S
8, the reception line number counter R indicates (Rc-R
Processing for determining whether or not a) is executed.

As shown in FIG. 9, the number of lines for one page is
If less than the second predetermined value Rc, S2 to S8, S1
While repeating 0 and S14, the reception line number counter R reaches the maximum value (end value), the determination in S14 is Yes, and the process proceeds to S15. In this case, when all the lines after the first predetermined value Ra are white lines, the reception line number counter R and the continuous white line number counter W become equal, so the determination in S15 is Yes, and from S15 to S1.
6 is skipped, and this recording processing control ends. Therefore, in this case, since the second recording paper 18 on which nothing is recorded is not output, the recording paper 18 and the ink ribbon 4 are not printed.
You can save 0 and.

As shown in FIG. 10, when the number of lines for one page is not less than the second predetermined value Rc, S2 to S8,
While repeating S10 and S14, the determination of S8 is Ye
s. In that case, in S9, a recording start process for starting recording of the recording data on and after the (Ra + 1) th line is executed. As described above, even if the (Ra + 1) th line to the Rcth line are all white lines or include lines other than the white line, after waiting without recording up to the Rcth line, Since the recording on the recording paper 18 is started, it is possible to reliably prevent the reception buffer from overflowing and a reception error from occurring.

After that, since the determination in S10 is No, S
After shifting from 10 to S14 and repeating S2 to S14, and when the recording process for one page of the recording data is completed, the process shifts from S14 to S15. Then, the reception line number counter R
When it is determined that the continuous white line number counter W is equal (Yes in S15), that is, when it is determined that all of the (Ra + 1) th line to the Rcth line are white lines, S9 is performed. Since it is not necessary to continue the started recording, S16 is skipped and the recording processing control ends. In this case, although recording is started on the second recording paper 18, nothing is actually recorded on the recording paper 18 and the output is made. In this case, it is possible to reliably prevent the reception buffer from overflowing and a reception error from occurring.

On the other hand, if the determination in S15 is No, it means that the lines from the (Ra + 1) th line to the Rcth line include lines other than the white line. A residual data recording process of recording the residual data of the recording data from the (Ra + 1) th line to the Rcth line is executed, and then the recording process control is ended.

The operation of the recording processing control in the above-described facsimile apparatus will be briefly described. When the number of lines of received image information for one page is larger than the first predetermined value Ra and less than the second predetermined value Rc, That is (Ra + 1)
When all the lines after the th are white lines, R
The lines up to the a-th line are recorded and output on the first recording paper 18, but recording on the second recording paper 18 is omitted, so that the recording paper 18 and the ink ribbon 40 can be wastefully consumed. Absent.

When the number of lines of the received image information for one page becomes equal to or larger than the second predetermined value Rc, even if the (Ra + 1) th and subsequent lines are all white lines, lines other than white lines Even when the number of lines is counted up to the second predetermined value Rc, recording is started on the second recording paper 18 for the (Ra + 1) th and subsequent lines, and the image received from the reception buffer is received. Since the output of the information is promoted, it is possible to reliably prevent the reception buffer from overflowing and the reception error from occurring by continuing the recording on the second recording paper 18.

As shown in FIG. 11, the first predetermined value Ra
And a second predetermined value Rc, a third predetermined value Rb is set to 1
From the third line to the line of the third predetermined value Rb,
When it is assumed that reduction recording can be performed on one sheet of recording paper 18,
When the number of lines of the received image information for one page is larger than the first predetermined value Ra and is equal to or smaller than the third predetermined value Rb, (Ra
When lines other than the white line are included in the lines after the +1) th line, the recording may be performed by reducing recording on one recording sheet 18.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the example in which the thermal transfer system is adopted as the recording means has been described, but it goes without saying that a page printer such as a laser printer may be adopted. That is, when a laser printer is used, it is generally considered that outputting blank (non-printed) recording paper wastes the recording paper. It is designed not to operate. Specifically, the recording data transmitted from the partner device 9b is temporarily stored in the receiving buffer, expanded into dot image data in the image buffer via the intermediate buffer or the like, and the recording process is performed based on the dot image data. If there is at least one data to be printed on the recording paper in the expanded dot image data area for one page of the recording paper, if the data for one page of the recording paper is expanded, the recording operation is started. After the recording operation, the data will be erased from the image buffer,
The next recording data is read from the reception buffer and expanded in the image buffer. However, if the data expanded in the image buffer is all-white data (data that is not actually printed on the recording paper), the recording operation is not started even if the data for one page of the recording paper is expanded. Therefore, even if the all-white data is continuously sent and developed in the image buffer, the recording operation is not executed, so the developed all-white data is not erased from the image buffer and is stored in the reception buffer. Since the print data cannot be expanded in the image buffer, the print data sent from the partner device 9b one after another cannot be stored in the receive buffer. That is, the receive buffer overflows and a receive error occurs. Especially, it occurs frequently when the recording capacity of the image buffer is not so large. Therefore, when the length of one page of the received image information in the sub-scanning direction becomes longer than the second predetermined value, the excess portion of the received image information that exceeds the first predetermined value is
Even if it is determined that all are white lines, the recording operation is started, the excess portion is set as white line data, and the recording paper is sent out. As a result, the recorded white line data is erased from the image buffer, the next recording data can be expanded, and the reception buffer does not overflow.

[0043]

As described above in detail, according to the facsimile apparatus of claim 1, the white line discriminating means, the comparing means, and the controlling means are provided, and the length of one page of the received image information in the sub-scanning direction is provided. Is longer than the first predetermined value and shorter than the second predetermined value, and if the excess part of the received image information that exceeds the first predetermined value is all white lines, the excess part is excluded from the received image information. Since the received image information of one page is recorded on the recording paper, it is possible to prevent the recording paper on which nothing is recorded as the second recording paper from being output and save the recording paper. Further, in the case of a facsimile apparatus of the type that uses an ink ribbon for recording, the ink ribbon can be saved. Further, according to the facsimile apparatus of claim 2, when the length of one page of the received image information in the sub-scanning direction becomes longer than the second predetermined value, even if the excess portion is all white lines, Since the excess portion is recorded on the recording paper as white line data (actually, the paper is only fed), the recording of the received image information is interrupted and waits until the length in the sub-scanning direction becomes equal to or more than the second predetermined value. As a result, it is possible to prevent the reception buffer from overflowing and a reception error from occurring. Furthermore,
According to the facsimile apparatus of claim 3, when the excess portion includes a line other than the white line, the received image information is divided or reduced as necessary to be recorded on the recording paper. The recorded image information does not become smaller than necessary, and the recording paper can be saved. According to the facsimile apparatus of claim 4,
A white line discriminating means, a counting means, and a control means are provided, and the number of lines in the sub-scanning direction of the received image information of one page has reached a first predetermined value corresponding to the length of the recording paper in the sub-scanning direction. At this time, the received image information up to the line of the first predetermined value is recorded in the recording means, and when the end value of the count value is larger than the first predetermined value and less than the second predetermined value, the line that exceeds the first predetermined value. When the white line discriminating means discriminates that all are white lines, the recording means is configured not to execute recording of the received image information of the excess portion, so that recording is not performed as the second recording paper. It is possible to save the recording paper by preventing the paper output. Further, in the case of a facsimile machine of a type that uses an ink ribbon for recording, the ink ribbon can be saved. Then, the control is executed only when the end value of the count value (which corresponds to the length of the received image information in the sub-scanning direction) is greater than the first predetermined value and less than the second predetermined value. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the reception buffer from overflowing and a reception error by suspending the recording of the received image information and waiting until the end value of the count value becomes the second predetermined value or more. it can.

According to another aspect of the present invention, when the count value reaches the second predetermined value, the control means causes the recording means to start recording for a line that exceeds the first predetermined value. Therefore, by appropriately setting the second predetermined value, it is possible to reliably prevent the reception buffer from overflowing and a reception error occurring as described above.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional side view of the facsimile device.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of an operation panel of the facsimile device.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a control system of the facsimile device.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a main routine of recording processing control.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a one-line decoding process associated with recording process control.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an effective recording range in one line of read image information.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram illustrating received image information and a recording state of the received image information on recording paper.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram illustrating received image information and a recording state of the received image information on a recording sheet.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating received image information and its recording state.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram illustrating received image information and a recording state thereof in a modified example.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram illustrating received image information and a recording state thereof in the related art.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram illustrating received image information and a recording state thereof in the related art.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 system control device 2 system control unit 2a CPU 2b ROM 2c RAM 33 recording head control device 62 image reading device

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A facsimile apparatus having recording means for recording received image information on a recording paper, wherein image information within a predetermined width that can be recorded in the recording main scanning direction by the recording means among received image information of one line. Are all white pixels, and if all are white pixels, a white line discriminating means for discriminating the line as a white line, and a length of one page of the received image information in the sub-scanning direction are set in advance. Comparing means for comparing the first predetermined value and the second predetermined value with each other, and a length of the page in the sub-scanning direction being longer than the first predetermined value and the second predetermined value in response to the comparison result of the comparing means. If the excess portion of the received image information that exceeds the first predetermined value is determined to be all white lines by the white line determination means, the excess portion is excluded from the received image information. Received image information on page 1 And a control unit for controlling the recording to be recorded on a recording sheet as a facsimile machine. 2. The excess portion of the received image information that exceeds the first predetermined value when the length of the page 1 in the sub-scanning direction becomes longer than the second predetermined value. However, even if all the white lines are discriminated by the white line discriminating means, the excess portion is recorded on the recording paper as white line data.
Facsimile apparatus described in 1. 3. The control means divides or reduces the received image information as needed when the white line determining means determines that the excess portion includes a line other than a white line. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the facsimile apparatus is configured to record on a recording sheet. 4. A facsimile apparatus having a recording means for recording received image information on recording paper, wherein among the received image information of one line, image information within a predetermined width which can be recorded by the recording means in the main scanning direction is used. A white line discriminating means for discriminating whether all the pixels are white pixels and discriminating the line as a white line when all the pixels are white pixels, and a counting means for counting the number of lines of the received image information of one page in the sub-scanning direction, When the count value of the counting means reaches a first predetermined value corresponding to the length of the recording paper in the sub-scanning direction, the received image information up to the line of the first predetermined value is recorded in the recording means, When the end value of the count value is greater than the first predetermined value and less than the second predetermined value, and when the white line determination means determines that all the lines exceeding the first predetermined value are white lines. Is a facsimile apparatus comprising: a control unit that does not record the received image information of the excess portion. 5. The control means is configured to, when the count value of the counting means reaches the second predetermined value, cause the recording means to start recording for a line exceeding the first predetermined value. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the facsimile apparatus is provided.