JPH07303166A - Color facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent deterioration in image quality in the state of image transmission by a digital still video camera by providing an interface used to enter data from a memory card and writing video data to the card. CONSTITUTION:When an operation panel 4 designates a copy mode, a control section 1 recognizes the mode and allows a memory card I/F section 8 to recognize a loading of a card. When image data processing section 6 recognizes a copy mode and uses a data coding/decoding section 3 to decode the data received after the recognition of the copy mode, the result is processed by a processing section 6 and printed out from an output section 7. Then the decoded voice signal is D/A-converted by a voice output section 9 and amplified and outputted together with amplification of the data.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a color facsimile apparatus, and more particularly to a color facsimile apparatus capable of inputting image data and audio data from a memory card and recording the data in the memory card. A color facsimile that can be applied to, especially when sending an image shot with a digital still video camera to another location, which can easily send and output an image with little deterioration in image quality without much effort. Regarding the device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Silver salt photography has the advantage that it is generally superior in terms of image quality, but it takes time to obtain an image after taking a picture, and handling of chemicals and equipment for development is troublesome. Have the problem of being. On the other hand, in recent years, digital still video cameras have been actively researched as an alternative to silver halide photography, and although this digital still video camera is not as good as silver halide photography in terms of image quality, It is attracting attention as a solution to the problems of silver halide photography, such as it takes time to obtain an image afterwards, and the handling of developing chemicals and tools is troublesome. In addition, recently, a digital still video camera capable of recording a moving image and audio for a few seconds has been announced.

[0003]

In the conventional digital still video camera as described above, as shown in FIG.
When confirming an image captured by the digital still video camera 101, the digital still video camera 101 is connected to the TV monitor 102 or the like, the image captured by the digital still video camera 101 is transmitted to the TV monitor 102, and the TV monitor 102 is displayed. By displaying
Although it is not as good as the silver salt photography in terms of image quality, it has an advantage that an image of good image quality can be easily confirmed without any trouble. However, when it is desired to send the image shot by the digital still video camera 101 to another place, the image shot by the digital still video camera 101 is output as it is on the paper 105 by the video printer 103 or the like, or is output digitally. An image taken by the still video camera 101 is recorded in the memory card 104, and the image recorded in the memory card 104 is output to the paper 105 by the video printer 103 or the like and then mailed by the mail 106 or the facsimile 1
Since the method of transmitting the image with 07 is taken, there is a problem that the image quality is deteriorated and it takes time and labor compared with the case where the image captured by the digital still video camera 101 is displayed on the television monitor 102.

Therefore, according to the present invention, when an image taken by a digital still video camera is sent to another place, a color facsimile which can easily send and output an image with little deterioration in image quality without trouble. The purpose is to provide a device.

[0005]

The invention according to claim 1 is
Image input means for inputting image data of a color original, image processing means for processing the image data input by the image input means, and a color image is formed based on the image data processed by the image processing means. Image output means for outputting,
A color facsimile apparatus having a control means for controlling the entire apparatus is characterized by having a memory card interface for performing at least one of data input from the memory card and data writing to the memory card.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the above first aspect of the invention, the image processing means processes the image data from the image input means and the image data from the memory card. It is characterized in that the processing contents are switched depending on the case. According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first and second aspects of the present invention, a voice output means is provided for processing and outputting at least one of the voice data stored in the memory card and the received voice data. It is characterized by.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the above-mentioned third aspect of the invention, the control means discriminates between image data and audio data, and the image processing means is optimal for each image data and audio data. Select and switch the processing method,
At least one of data transmission and data output is performed.

[0008]

According to the invention described in claim 1, since the color facsimile apparatus is configured to have a memory card interface for inputting data from the memory card and writing data to the memory card, the image is taken by a digital still video camera or the like. You can directly input data through the memory card interface without sending the image once recorded on the memory card to another printer and then sending it by mail or facsimile. It is possible to directly transmit to the communication partner without deteriorating without deteriorating. Further, the received data can be recorded and stored in the memory card through the memory card interface.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the image processing means can switch the processing contents between the case of processing the image data from the image input means and the case of processing the image data from the memory card. Since it is configured as described above, the parameters used for processing can be switched between the image data input from the original document and the image data input from the memory card, so that the optimum processing for each image can be performed without degrading the image quality. Can be applied.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the audio output means for outputting the audio data stored in the memory card and the received audio data is provided, the audio stored in the memory card and the received audio are output. Can be output. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the control means is configured to identify image data and audio data, and the image processing means is switched by selecting an optimal processing method for each image data and audio data. Since it is configured to transmit and output data, each data can be identified and transmitted or output from the memory card in which the image data and the audio data are recorded. Therefore, when receiving the image, the sound can be output at the same time as the image is output. Therefore, if the description of the image is recorded by voice, it can be easily understood.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a color facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG.
Reference numeral 1 denotes a control unit, and the control unit 1 includes a ROM storing an operation program of the entire apparatus, parameters such as correction coefficients and table data used for image processing, and other data used by the program, A CPU that sends commands to each part according to programs and data in ROM, and a CP
R used by U for writing and reading data temporarily
It is composed of AM and controls the operation of each part of the apparatus. A communication interface (I / F) unit 2 connects a communication line and transmits and receives data. An encoding / decoding unit 3 encodes transmission data and decodes reception data by a predetermined encoding method for efficient communication of image data and audio data. An operation panel 4 is composed of a display and various setting keys and is used to input instructions and settings from the outside and to display messages and the like. An image input unit 5 optically reads a document image, performs photoelectric conversion and A / D conversion, and inputs it as digital data. An image processing unit 6 performs processing such as correction and conversion on the image data based on the parameters stored in the ROM in the control unit 1. An image output unit 7 forms and outputs a color image with ink of each color based on the image data sent. A memory card interface unit 8 inputs data from a memory card in which image data and audio data are stored. An audio output unit 9 D / A-converts the audio data that has been sent, amplifies it, and outputs it.

Next, the processing flow of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In the present embodiment, first, a document is set in the image input unit 5, the transmission destination number and other settings are input from the operation panel 4, and then the transmission start is instructed, so that the control unit 1 is stored in the ROM. The transmission operation is executed as follows according to the stored program.
First, when performing the transmission operation (step S ₁ ), the transmission mode is set from the operation panel 4 (step S ₂ ), and when the control unit 1 recognizes the transmission mode (step S ₃ ), the communication interface unit 2 is used. The line is connected and the signal is exchanged with the communication partner (step S ₄ ). Next, when the control unit 1 recognizes that the memory card is not inserted (step S ₅ ), the image input unit 5 optically sequentially reads the images of the set original document and outputs the electrical signal by the photoelectric conversion element. Is converted to digital data by the A / D converter (step S ₆ ). Next, the image processing unit 6, the digital image data, performs correction and conversion using the various parameters stored in the ROM (step S _7). Thereafter, the image data is encoded by the encoding and decoding unit 3 (Step S _8), is sent from the communication interface unit 2 to the line (Step S _9).

Further, the memory card interface section 8
In Inserting a memory card, the control unit 1 recognizes it (step S _5), switches the memory card input mode. When entering the settings from the operation panel 4, the control unit 1 reads out the image data in the memory card accordingly (step S _10), transmitted from the communication I / F section 2 and to the line (Step S ₁₁ ). Furthermore, if there is audio data, also it sends audio data after sending the image data (step S _12).

Next, when performing a transmission operation (step
S₁), Set the copy mode from the operation panel 4, and
Step S₂), The control unit 1 recognizes that the copy mode is set.
(Step S₃), Memory in the memory card I / F unit 8
If you recognize that the card is not inserted (step
S₁₃), Input image data from the image input unit 5 (step
Step S₁₄). Then, in the image processing unit 6, the image input unit 5
Image data input from the
S₁₅), And is printed out from the image output unit 7 (step
Up S ₁₆).

Further, the controller 1 recognizes the copy mode and then
Upon recognizing a memory card into the memory card I / F unit 8 is inserted (step S _13), and inputs the data from the memory card (step S _17). Then, when the data input from this memory card is decoded by the encoding / decoding unit 3 (step S ₁₈ ), it is processed by the image processing unit 6 (step S ₁₉ ), and the image output unit 7 outputs it. It is printed out (step S _21). Furthermore, if there is audio data, the audio data decoded by the encoding and decoding unit 3 is D / A converted by the audio output unit 9 is amplified (step S _20), and output together with the image (step S _21).

On the other hand, on the receiving side, the communication I / F unit 2
When the line is connected, the control unit 1 is stored in the ROM
The receiving operation is executed as follows according to the program. Well
Without performing the receiving operation (step S₁), Communication I / F
Signal exchange with the partner device is performed through the unit 2 (step S
_{twenty two}), The control unit 1 determines that the data from the partner device is the original image.
Recognize whether it is data or data from a memory card (see
Up S_{twenty three}), The optimal image processing parameters for each image data
Data from parameters stored in ROM
(Step S_{twenty four}). Next, in the communication interface unit 2
If the received data is not recorded on the memory card
(Step S_{twenty five}, S₂₆) Is decoded by the encoding / decoding unit 3.
(Step S₁₈), To the selected parameter
Therefore, the image processing unit 6 performs optimum correction and processing (
Step S₁₉), Printed out from the image output unit 7.
(Step S_{twenty one}). In addition, if there is audio data, decrypt
The converted audio data is D / A converted by the audio output unit 9.
Amplified (step S₂₀), Along with the image as audio
Output (Step S_{twenty one}). In addition, the received data
When recording to a memory card,
And save (step S ₂₆, S₂₇). This implementation
For example, send image data and audio data in the memory card
Video printing by not only doing
Functions as a memory card and receives received data from the memory card.
It can be recorded and saved on the card.

Thus, in this embodiment (claim 1),
Memory card interface unit 8 for inputting data from the memory card and writing data to the memory card
Therefore, the memory card interface unit 8 is provided without outputting an image obtained by temporarily recording an image captured by a digital still video camera or the like on a memory card by another printer and then sending it by mail or facsimile.
Data can be directly input through. Therefore, the image data input from the memory card can be directly transmitted to the communication partner without degrading the image quality and without any trouble. Further, the received data can be recorded and stored in the memory card through the memory card interface unit 8.

In the present embodiment (claim 2), the image processing unit 6
When processing the image data from the image input unit 5,
Since the processing contents are switched depending on whether the image data from the memory card is processed, the parameters used for processing can be switched between the image data input from the document and the image data input from the memory card. On the contrary, the optimum processing can be performed on each image without degrading the image quality.

In this embodiment (claim 3), since the audio output unit 9 for outputting the audio data stored in the memory card and the received audio data is provided, the audio recorded in the memory card and the received audio data are received. Audio can be output. In the present embodiment (claim 4), the control unit 1 is configured to distinguish between image data and audio data, and the image processing unit 6 selects the optimum processing method for each image data and audio data. Since the data is transmitted or output by switching the data by switching, it is possible to identify and transmit or output each data from the memory card in which the image data and the audio data are recorded. Therefore, when receiving the image, the sound can be output at the same time as the image is output. Therefore, if the description of the image is recorded by voice, it can be easily understood.

[0020]

According to the present invention, when an image taken by a digital still video camera is sent to another place, it is possible to easily send or output an image with little deterioration in image quality without any trouble. There is an effect.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing flow of an embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows a case where an image shot by a conventional digital still video camera is output to a television monitor, and a case where an image shot by a digital still video camera is once output by a printer and then sent to another place by mail or facsimile. FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Control Section 2 Communication I / F Section 3 Encoding / Decoding Section 4 Operation Panel 5 Image Input Section 6 Image Processing Section 7 Image Output Section 8 Memory Card Interface Section 9 Audio Output Section

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An image input means for inputting image data of a color original document, an image processing means for processing the image data input by the image input means, and a color based on the image data processed by the image processing means. In a color facsimile apparatus having an image output unit for forming and outputting an image and a control unit for controlling the entire apparatus, a memory card interface for performing at least one of data input from a memory card and data writing to a memory card A color facsimile apparatus having: 2. The image processing means switches the processing contents between processing the image data from the image input means and processing the image data from the memory card. 1. The color facsimile machine according to 1. 3. A color facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a voice output means for processing and outputting at least one of voice data stored in said memory card and received voice data. . 4. The control means discriminates between image data and audio data, and the image processing means selects and switches an optimal processing method for each of the image data and audio data to switch between data transmission and data output. 4. The color facsimile apparatus according to claim 3, wherein at least either one of them is performed.