JPH08167969A - Image recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To attain memory reception recording by applying a minimum movement to a bin of a sorter. CONSTITUTION: Image information received in communication is stored in an image memory 1 and number of recording sheets is counted by a counter 3. When the communication is finished, a control section 5 reads a count of the counter 3 to decide a bin 4bN(N=1 to 10) and controls a bin drive section 4a and moves the decided bin 4bN up to a recording paper discharge position of a printer 2. The image information stored in the image memory 1 by the control section 5 is printed out with the printer 2 and recording paper by recording sheet numbers for one communication is stacked in the bin 4bN. Furthermore, the control section 5 stores number of maximum stack sheets of each bin and sheet number stacked in each bin (hereinafter called stacked sheet number) to a data memory 6.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus having a recording paper sorter.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a facsimile machine ejects recording sheets to a stacker or the like in the order of recording. Therefore, if you receive multiple messages from multiple recipients in the automatic reception mode,
After that, it was necessary to sort the recording paper for each communication.
Therefore, since the number of sheets received in one communication is different, the page is sorted by searching the page where the destination is recorded or the page information of the header to find the first page.

As a means for making this sorting work unnecessary,
A method is considered in which a sorter is installed at the recording paper discharge portion and the bin of the sorter is slid up and down for each communication to discharge the paper, thereby performing sorting for each communication.

However, the sort method for each communication by the sorter is not practical in a place where the number of communication of reception is large because the bin number of the sorter becomes the number of communication that can be sorted. Also, increasing the number of bins increases product cost,
There is a drawback that the device becomes large.

Therefore, it has been proposed to set a stacking condition for each bin of the sorter to sort more reception times with a sorter having a smaller number of bins (hereinafter referred to as condition sort).

Here, the stacking condition is considered to be, for example, the number of recorded sheets in one communication, the transmission source, the reception destination, or the like.

On the other hand, when the recording device is inoperable due to a shortage of recording paper or the like, the received image is stored in the memory (hereinafter referred to as memory reception).
When the recording device becomes operable, it is generally performed to print out in the order of reception (hereinafter referred to as memory reception recording). Also, by increasing the memory capacity, it has become possible to receive tens of communications in the memory.

[0008]

Now, consider the case where the memory reception recording is performed by the condition sort in the communication order.

For example, in a facsimile machine having a sorter having four bins called 1 bin, 2 bins, 3 bins, and 4 bins in order from the top, condition sorting is performed for each number of recorded sheets of one communication, and one sheet is binned. It is set to sort 2 sheets into 2 bins, 3 sheets into 3 bins, and 4 sheets or more into 4 bins.

Therefore, the first communication is three, the second communication is one,
The 3rd communication receives 3 sheets and the 4th communication receives 1 sheet,
When printing out in the order of reception in the memory reception record, the bin of the sorter is moved to 3 bins, the first communication is recorded, the first bin is moved, the second communication is recorded, the third bin is moved, and the third communication is recorded.
It moves to 1 bin and records the 4th communication.

As a result, the number of times the bins of the sorter are moved and the movement distance are increased, extra time is required for recording and receiving in memory, the noise of bin movement is increased, and the mechanical life of the sorter is shortened. Problems arise.

Therefore, in view of the above points, an object of the present invention is to provide an image recording apparatus capable of performing memory reception recording with a bin of a sorter set to a minimum movement amount.

[0013]

In order to achieve the above object, an image recording apparatus according to the present invention records a storage means for storing received images of two or more communications and an image stored in the storage means. A recording unit, a sorting unit having a plurality of bins for stacking recording sheets recorded by the recording unit, and a bin selecting unit for selecting a bin of the sorting unit to be stacked for each communication. is there.

Here, as the bin selecting means, a bin is selected according to the number of recordings in one communication, and as the bin selecting means, a bin is selected according to a transmission source of one communication, or the bin selecting means. As a result, it is possible to select a bin according to the receiving destination of one communication.

According to the above configuration of the present invention, it is possible to perform the memory reception recording with the minimum movement amount of the sorter bin.

Another image recording apparatus according to the present invention sorts sheets by recording the input image on a sheet and storing the sheet recorded by the recording means in any one of a plurality of storage sections. The storing means for performing, the determining means for determining the storing portion to store the sheet, the determining means for determining whether or not the sheet can be stored in the storing portion, and the storing portion determined by the determining means is the determination. And a storage unit that stores the input image when the storage unit determines that the image cannot be stored. Further, in addition to the above, it is possible to have a second storage unit for storing storage unit information representing the storage unit determined by the determination unit in correspondence with the input image stored in the storage unit.

Further, according to another image recording apparatus of the present invention, the recording means for recording the input image on the sheet, and the sheet recorded by the recording means are stored in any one of a plurality of storing sections. A storage means for sorting, a determination means for determining a storage portion in which sheets are to be stored, a determination means for determining whether the recording means is recordable, and an input image when the determination means determines that recording is not possible. And a second storage means for storing storage section information representing the storage section determined by the determination section in correspondence with the input image stored in the storage section. Is.

[0018]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the main part of a facsimile apparatus to which the present invention is applied. In this figure, 1 is an image memory for storing the received image data received by facsimile communication, 2 is a printer for recording the received image stored in the image memory 1, and 3 is the number of recorded sheets for one communication. A counter 4 for stacking recording sheets printed by the printer 2, a controller 5 for controlling each section, and a data memory 6 for the controller 5 to store data. . Reference numeral 7 is a facsimile transmission / reception unit for performing facsimile transmission and reception, and 8 is a reader for reading a document to be transmitted by facsimile.

Next, the structure of the sorter 4 will be described.
The sorter 4 is a sorter having 10 bins 4b1 to 4b10, and the bins are vertically moved to stack the recording paper output from the printer 2 by the bin driving unit 4a into one of the 10 bins. can do. Further, the stackable number of recording sheets of the tenth bin 4b10 is larger than the stackable number of the other nine bins 4b1 to 4b9, and the maximum number of recording sheets that can be set in the printer 2 can be stacked.

Next, the control when receiving a facsimile will be described. The image information received in one communication is stored in the image memory 1, and the number of recorded images at this time is counted by the counter 3.

When the communication is completed, the control section 5 reads the count value of the counter 3 and a bin 4bN (N = 1 to 10) in which the recording paper on which the received image information is recorded is stored by the method described later.
And the bin drive unit 4a is controlled to determine the determined bin 4b.
N is moved to the recording paper discharge position of the printer 2.

The control unit 5 prints out the image information stored in the image memory 1 by the printer 2 and stacks the recording sheets for one communication in the bin 4bN. Also,
The maximum number of stacked sheets in each bin and the number of sheets stacked in each bin (hereinafter referred to as the number of stacked sheets) are stored in the data memory 6 by the control unit 5.

Next, a method of selecting a bin will be described. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a bin selection procedure by the control unit 5. This process is performed after the received image information is stored in the image memory 1.

First, step S0 (hereinafter, "step")
Is omitted. ), The user-determined value U described later.
To the variable M. In S1, the number of recorded sheets P for one communication stored in the image memory 1 is compared with M, and if P is less than M, the process proceeds to S2. In S2, the number of stacks in the bin 4bP (P = 1 to M) stored in the data memory 6 is compared with the maximum number of stacks to determine whether or not stacking is possible. If stackable, the bin 4bP is determined in S3, it is determined in S13 whether there is any unrecorded recording paper, and if there is recording paper, printing is performed in S4. If it is determined in S13 that there is no recording paper, the image information is held in the image memory 1 as a memory reception in S7, and the number information is stored in the data memory 6 in association with the image information.

If stacking is not possible in S2, the process proceeds to S5, and similarly it is determined whether stacking in bin 4b10 is possible. If it is determined that stacking is possible, the bin 4b1 in S6
It is determined to be 0, the process proceeds to S13, and the same processing as described above is performed.

If stacking is not possible in S5, the process proceeds to S7, the image information is held in the image memory 1 without being printed out, and the memory is received. At this time, the number information is stored in the data memory 6 in correspondence with the image information.

If the number of recorded sheets P is larger than M in S1, S8
Proceed to. In S8, add 1 to the value of M, and in S9, M = 10
If so, the process proceeds to S5, and it is determined whether the bin 4b10 can be stacked. If M is 9 or less in S9, the process proceeds to S10, and it is determined from the data memory 6 whether or not the recording sheets are stacked in the bin 4bM (M = 2 to 9). If they are stacked, the process returns to S8 and the next bin is similarly checked.

If the bin 4bM is empty in S10, it is determined in S11 whether or not the number of recorded sheets P exceeds the maximum number of stacked sheets in this bin. If it exceeds, the bin cannot be stacked in this bin. Continue to bin 4b10
Determine if you can stack to If it is determined in S11 that the number of sheets is stackable, the bin 4bM is determined in S12, the process proceeds to S13, and the same process as described above is performed.

The user-determined value U is an integer of 1 to 9 that can be set by operating a key on an operation unit (not shown). For example, a case where U is set to 3 will be described.

According to the bin selection procedure described above, the bin 4b1 when the number of recordings for one communication is one, and the bin 4 when the number of recordings for one communication is two.
In the case of b2 and 3 sheets, they are stacked in the bin 4b3, respectively, and a plurality of communication recording sheets can be stacked in each bin. These bins are called bins for sorting the number of recorded sheets.

In the case of four or more sheets, they are stacked in the empty bins of the bins 4b4 to 4b9, and the recording paper for one communication is stacked in each bin, and a total of six communication can be stacked. These bins are called communication sort bins.

The bin 4b10 is a bin for stacking non-sortable recording papers when the number of recording sheet sorting bins exceeds the maximum number of stacks or when all the communication sorting bins are stacked. Therefore, this bin has a larger number of stacks than other bins so that even if a large amount of data is received, it can be printed out as much as possible. When the number of stacks in the bin 4b10 also exceeds the maximum number, the image information is held in the image memory 1 and the memory proxy reception is performed, and a display prompting the user to remove the recording paper from the bin and print out is displayed on the operation unit. .

When it is determined by the micro switch (not shown) attached to each bin that the recording sheets stacked in each bin have been taken out, the number of stacks of the corresponding bin stored in the data memory 6 becomes 0. Reset to. When the user performs a printout operation of the image information received in the memory, the bin is selected and the printout is performed according to the procedure shown in FIG.

When the recording paper of the printer is cut paper, even if the transmission side is sent as one page and it is longer than the cut paper, the receiving side must perform page division recording, so that the number of pages is two or more. May be Therefore, the counter 3 does not count the number of received pages, but counts the number of sheets printed by the printer 2.

Next, in the apparatus for performing the above operation, S
The printout control of the image information received in the memory due to factors such as the recording paper runout determined in 13 and the bin full determination in S5 will be described.

The image information received by one communication is stored in a predetermined area of the image memory 1. The head address of the predetermined area and the number of recorded sheets P counted by the counter 3 are stored in the buffer of the data memory 6 in a form corresponding to the image information. Remembered Until the image memory 1 overflows or all the buffers of the data memory 6 are used up, a plurality of communication memories can be received.

The control for printing out the image information received in the memory when the unrecorded recording paper is replenished or the recorded recording paper is removed from the bin will be described.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing a process of printing out the image information received by the memory in the control unit 5.

In FIG. 3, first, in S21, P is set to 0 for initialization. In S22, P is incremented by 1 (P = 1). In S23, the number-of-sheets information stored in the data memory 6 is searched in order to determine whether or not there is communication of one P-sheet (one sheet), that is, whether there is image information to be stored in the bin 4bP. To do. If yes, the process proceeds to S25 to select a bin corresponding to the number of sheets and print out.

The processing content of S25 is exactly the same as the processing of S1 to S4 or S1 to S7 of the flowchart of FIG. 2 described above. Further, the image information to be recorded can be retrieved from the image memory 1 by the head address stored in the data memory 6.

If there is no corresponding communication in the search of S23, the process proceeds to S26. The processing from S23 to S26 is repeated until the P communication is searched for all the communications, and when the search for the P communications is completed for all the communications, the process proceeds to S22.
Is incremented by 1 (P = 2), and the processing from S22 to S27 is repeated until the processing for all communications is completed.

If the process of S7 of FIG. 2 is not performed in S25 and the printout cannot be made, the image information of the image memory 1 and the contents of the buffer of the data memory 6 corresponding thereto are held and the memory reception is performed. After the recording process is completed,
In order to use the image memory 1 effectively, the printed image information is erased and the storage area of the image information that could not be printed is moved, and at the same time, the top address of the buffer of the data memory 6 is rewritten.

In this way, when printing out the image information for a plurality of communications received in the memory, first, the image information to be stored in the bin 4b1 is searched for and printed, and then the image information in the bin 4b1 is printed. Since the image information to be stored in the adjacent bin 4b2 is searched and printed, the image information is printed in the order of the bins, not in the order of reception.
It is possible to shorten the time by minimizing the moving amount of the bottle.

In the above embodiment, the printout from P = 1 is described, but of course, the printout from P = U (U is a user-determined value) may be used. In addition, depending on the position of the bin of the sorter when the memory reception recording is started, P =
It may be determined whether to start from 1 or P = U.

In the above embodiment, the condition sort is 1
Although the number of recorded communication sheets is taken as an example, the condition can be easily sorted by the sender by discriminating the sender from the sender's telephone number or sender ID information from the sender. Further, by discriminating the reception destinations from the reception destination ID information from the transmission source or the subaddress service of the exchange, it can be easily applied to the condition sort for each reception destination.

In the case of applying these, the bin information to be stored determined at the time of reception is stored in the data memory 6 in correspondence with the image information, and the bin information is searched in order from 1 at the time of printout. The same processing as described above may be performed.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the facsimile machine is explained as an example, but it is of course applicable to a recording device such as a printer of a computer terminal. in this case,
The bin information instructed by the computer is stored in the data memory 6
Then, the same processing as described above is performed.

[0049]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the memory reception recording is performed by the condition sort, the recording operation is completed in a shorter time by reducing the number of movements and the movement amount of the sorter bin. There is an effect that can be.

Moreover, the noise of the movement of the bottle is reduced, and the effect of shortening the mechanical life of the sorter can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a main part of a facsimile apparatus having a recording paper sorter according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a bin selection procedure.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of memory reception recording by a control unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Image Memory 2 Printer 3 Counter 4 Sorter 5 Controller 6 Data Memory 7 Facsimile Transmitter / Receiver 8 Reader

Claims (30)

[Claims] 1. Storage means for storing received images of two or more communications, recording means for recording the images stored in the storage means, and a plurality of bins for stacking recording papers recorded by the recording means. An image recording apparatus, comprising: a sorting means having the above; and a bin selecting means for selecting a bin of the sorting means stacked for each communication. 2. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the bin selection unit selects a bin according to the number of sheets recorded in one communication. 3. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the bin selection unit selects a bin according to a transmission source of one communication. 4. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the bin selecting unit selects a bin according to a receiving destination of one communication. 5. A recording means for recording an input image on a sheet, a storing means for sorting sheets by storing the sheet recorded by the recording means in any of a plurality of storing parts, and storing the sheets. A determining unit that determines a storage unit to be stored, a determination unit that determines whether or not a sheet can be stored in the storage unit, and a storage unit that is determined by the determination unit is determined not to be stored by the determination unit. In this case, the image recording apparatus further comprises a storage unit for storing the input image. 6. The second storage unit according to claim 5, further comprising: storage unit information representing the storage unit determined by the determination unit in correspondence with the input image stored in the storage unit. An image recording apparatus comprising: 7. The storage device according to claim 5, wherein when the input image stored in the storage unit is recorded, the storage unit stores the sheet in the storage unit according to the storage unit information stored in the second storage unit. An image recording device characterized by. 8. The storage unit according to claim 5, wherein the storage unit stores each sheet in each storage unit by moving each storage unit to a position near a sheet ejection unit of the recording unit, and stores a plurality of sheets stored in the storage unit. When recording the input images of the groups by the recording means, the recording means records the input images of each group in the arrangement order of the storage units based on the storage unit information stored in the second storage unit. Image recording device. 9. The image recording apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of storage units are arranged in a vertical direction. 10. The image recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the determination unit determines the input image of one group based on the number of sheets to be recorded. 11. The image recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the determining unit changes the storage unit for each input. 12. The image recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the input image is an image received by facsimile. 13. The image recording apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the determining unit determines based on a transmission source. 14. The image recording apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the determining unit determines based on a destination. 15. The image recording apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the determination unit changes the storage unit for each communication. 16. The image recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the input image is an image input from a computer. 17. The image recording apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the determining unit determines in accordance with an instruction from the computer. 18. A recording unit for recording an input image on a sheet; a storing unit for sorting the sheet recorded by the recording unit into one of a plurality of storing units; Deciding means for deciding a storage part to be stored, deciding means for deciding whether or not the recording means is recordable, storage means for memorizing an input image when the deciding means decides that recording is not possible, and An image recording apparatus comprising: a second storage unit that stores storage unit information representing the storage unit determined by the determination unit in correspondence with the input image stored in the storage unit. 19. The storage unit according to claim 18, wherein when storing the input image stored in the storage unit, the storage unit stores the sheet in the storage unit according to the storage unit information stored in the second storage unit. An image recording device characterized by. 20. The storage means according to claim 18, wherein the storage means stores a sheet in each storage portion by moving each storage portion near a sheet discharge portion of the recording means, and stores a plurality of sheets stored in the storage means. When recording the input images of the groups by the recording means, the recording means records the input images of each group in the arrangement order of the storage units based on the storage unit information stored in the second storage unit. Image recording device. 21. The image recording device according to claim 20, wherein the plurality of storage units are arranged in a vertical direction. 22. The image recording apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the determination unit determines the input image of one group based on the number of sheets to be recorded. 23. The image recording apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the determining unit changes the storage unit for each input. 24. The image recording apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the input image is an image received by facsimile. 25. The image recording apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the determining unit determines based on a transmission source. 26. The image recording apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the determining unit determines based on a destination. 27. The image recording apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the determining unit changes the storage unit for each communication. 28. The image recording apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the input image is an image input from a computer. 29. The image recording apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the determining unit determines in accordance with an instruction from the computer. 30. The image recording apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the determination unit determines that recording is not possible when there is no unrecorded sheet.