JPH08307622A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To effectively utilize a memory copy function and a synchronizing copy function by providing the memory copy function and the synchronizing copy function for the facsimile equipment and conducting copying through the selection of either of them depending on a designated copy number. CONSTITUTION: A microcomputer 101 discriminates a copy number designated by an operation section 115. When the designated copy number is a plural number, copying is conducted by selecting the memory copy function in which the data are outputted to a laser printer 105 after read data from a scanner 102 are stored in an image memory 112 in the unit of pages. Furthermore, copying is conducted by selecting the synchronizing copy function in which read image data are outputted to the printer 105 via a buffer memory 107 when the designated copy number is 1, while the scanner 102 reads data synchronously with the printer 105. When the residual capacity of the memory 112 is small, copying is conducted by using the synchronizing copy function to conduct copying by effectively utilizing the memory copy function or the synchronizing copy function.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a copy function in a facsimile machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a copy function in a conventional facsimile apparatus, one of (1) memory copy function and (2) synchronous copy function is provided.

The memory copy function (1) is for accumulating read data from the scanner page by page in a memory and then outputting the data to a printer. The synchronous copy function (2) outputs the image data read to the printer through the memory for several lines while the scanner reads the image in synchronization with the printer.

[0004]

However, in the memory copy function shown in (1) of the above-mentioned conventional example, it is necessary to secure a large-capacity memory area, and especially in a facsimile machine, the memory is used for transmission and reception. In, there is a drawback that it cannot be used due to lack of memory.

Further, in the above-mentioned conventional example (2), the synchronous copy function has a drawback that only one printing operation can be performed for one reading and a plurality of copies cannot be copied. . Further, this synchronous copy function has a drawback that it is difficult to reduce / enlarge the document.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a facsimile apparatus which can make a copy by effectively utilizing the memory copy function and the synchronous copy function.

[0007]

The present invention has a synchronous copy function and a memory copy function, and has selection means for selecting either the synchronous copy function or the memory copy function according to the designated number of copies, and the designated number of copies is 1 In this case, the synchronous copy function is used for copying, and when the designated number of copies is plural, the memory copy function is used for copying.

Further, it has a synchronous copy function and a memory copy function, and has a selection means for selecting the synchronous copy function or the memory copy function according to a specified scaling factor. Copying is performed, and in other cases, the memory copying function is used to perform copying.

Further, it has a synchronous copy function and a memory copy function, and has a selecting means for selecting whether to store the image data read by the scanner as a raw image in the memory or to encode and store the image data. When the copy is performed by using, the raw image data is stored in the memory, and when the copy is performed by using the memory copy function, the encoded image data is stored in the memory.

[0010]

According to the present invention, when the designated number of copies is 1, copying is performed using the synchronous copy function, and when the designated number of copies is plural, the memory copy function is used to perform copying, thereby reducing the remaining memory capacity. If the number is too small to send or receive, the specified number of copies is set to 1 and the synchronous copy function
You can make a copy.

In the case of the normal size, the synchronous copy function is used for copying, and in the other cases, the memory copy function is used for copying, so that the remaining capacity of the memory can be transmitted or received. When the number is small, it is possible to perform copying by using the synchronous copy function with the same magnification.

On the other hand, when the remaining capacity of the memory is sufficient, the memory copy function can be used to perform multi-copy and variable-magnification copy. Also, when the synchronous copy function is used to perform copying when the remaining memory capacity is sufficient, raw image data is stored in the memory to improve work efficiency, and the memory copy function is used for copying. In this case, the coded image data is stored in the memory to improve the memory efficiency.

[0013]

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

This facsimile machine includes a microprocessor 101 containing a program for controlling the entire machine.
A scanner 102 for reading a document, an operation unit 115 for performing various key inputs, a laser beam printer 105 having a recording speed of 1.25 ms for one line, and a control circuit 106 for controlling the printer 105. A decoding circuit 114 for selectively decoding image data, a buffer memory 107 capable of holding image data for 10 lines, an image memory 112 used as a page buffer for reception data, transmission data, and memory copying.
And a DMA controller 108 for transferring image data from the scanner 102 to the buffer memory 107 or the image memory 112 and transferring image data from the buffer memory 107 to the printer control circuit 105, and data compression, decompression, communication control, etc. And a facsimile communication unit 109 for performing.

The scanner 102 has a storage time of 1 ms.
The contact-type image sensor 103 that outputs 6-bit multi-gradation image data, and the reduction / binarization circuit 104 that performs thinning (reduction processing) and binarization of the multi-gradation image data according to an instruction from the microprocessor 101. And the image data from the reduction / binarization circuit 104 to the CPU 101.
Encoding circuit 113 for selectively encoding according to a command from
And a transport motor 110 for transporting the read document, and a drive circuit 111 for driving the motor 110.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the reduction / binarization circuit 104.

The portion shown in FIG. 2A is a reduction circuit,
A pixel clock generator 201 for generating a pixel clock,
A dot counter 202 that outputs a carry output 206 each time a clock for the number of pixels included in one line is counted
And a thinning counter 203 that outputs an inverted output 207 every time the carry output 206 is counted five times, and an AND of the carry output 206 and the inverted carry output 207 to output an image sensor drive pulse 208.
And a gate 204.

The portion shown in FIG. 2B is a binarization circuit, which is a simple binarization circuit 209 which binarizes multi-tone data by dividing it at a fixed slice level, a dither method, and an error. A pseudo halftone circuit 210 for binarizing while maintaining gradation by a diffusion method, and a microprocessor 10.
A selector 211 for selecting the output of the simple binarization circuit 209 or the pseudo halftone circuit 210 according to the instruction 1;
It has a serial / parallel conversion circuit 212 for converting the serial data output from the selector 211 into parallel data.

FIG. 3 is a timing chart showing the operation of each part at the time of synchronous copy in this embodiment. This will be described below with reference to FIG.

A drive pulse is given from the motor drive circuit 110 to the document feeding motor 111 so that it normally rotates in synchronization with the accumulation time 1 ms of the image sensor 103 (when transmitting, etc.), but in the case of copying, the printer 105 is used. Drive pulse is given from the motor drive circuit 110 so as to be synchronized with the printing speed of 1.25 ms / line (chart).
5).

The period of the pixel clock generated by the clock generator 201 is 1000 μs / 5000 = 0.2 μs obtained by dividing the image sensor storage time of 1 ms by the number of pixels of one line of 5000 (chart 1).

The dot counter 202 outputs a carry output 206 each time this clock is counted by the number of pixels. That is, the carry output 206 is output every 1 ms (chart 2).

The thinning-out counter 203 has a carry output 2
06 is input to the count clock, and the carry output 207 inverted every 5 counts is output (chart 3).

In the AND gate 204, the carry output 2
By taking the logical product of 06 and the inverted carry 207,
The image sensor drive pulse 208 is generated (char
t4).

The image sensor drive pulse 208 is 1 m
This is a waveform obtained by thinning out the carry output 206 of the s cycle once every five times. The average of the cycles is as shown in FIG.
It is 1.25 ms, which is the same as the motor drive pulse.

The image sensor 103 outputs multi-tone image data of 64 tones for one line to the reduction / binarization circuit 104 as a response to the drive pulse 208.

Inside the reduction / binarization circuit 104, each pixel having gradation is converted into 0 or 1 or black or white by the simple binarization circuit 209 and the pseudo halftone circuit 210. Although the conversion method is not particularly limited, in the present embodiment, in the simple binarization circuit 209, a pixel having a density higher than 30 out of the pixels input at gradation levels 0 to 63 is black (1) and lower than that. Binarization is performed with the object as white (0). Further, the pseudo halftone circuit 210 performs binarization by the error diffusion method.

The binarized data is selected by the data selector 211 from the simple binarized output or the pseudo halftone output according to the instruction of the microprocessor 101, and is passed to the serial / parallel conversion circuit 212.

This data passes through the encoding circuit 113 and is transferred to the area indicated by the input pointer of the buffer memory 107 by the DMAC 108 (chart 7).

On the other hand, on the printer side, a line synchronization signal (commonly called BD) sent from the laser printer 105 is sent.
Signal) and the decoding circuit 11 from the area indicated by the output pointer of the buffer memory 107 by the DMAC 108.
4 is passed, and the data is transferred to the printer control circuit 106 (charts 6 and 8).

In the printer control circuit 106, the DMAC1
Convert the parallel data from 08 into serial data,
Output to the printer 105 in synchronization with the pixel clock of the printer.

By performing the above-mentioned reading and printing operations at the same time at a fixed timing, which will be described later, the read data is directly recorded on the printer 105 at the same size.

Next, the timing will be described.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the control operation of the microprocessor 101 in this embodiment.

First, initial values L0 of an input pointer and an output pointer indicating a memory area for inputting / outputting image data are set in the DMAC 108 (S0). Next, a print request is issued to the laser printer 105 (S1).

Thereafter, the laser printer 105 waits until it becomes a printable state, and after detecting that it is in the printable state, the above-mentioned reading operation is started (S2, S).
3).

Then, the read image data is converted into lines L0, L1, ... Of the line buffer memory 107 shown in FIG.
When the input pointer reaches L2, a print start instruction is issued to the printer 105 (S4, S
5).

As a result, the DMAC 108 starts to transfer data to the printer 105 sequentially from the line L0 of the line buffer memory 107. The memory 107 is managed in a ring shape as shown in FIG. 4, and since the average cycles of changes of the input pointer and the output pointer match as shown in FIG. 3, the output pointer overtakes the input pointer. There is no end.

In this way, the print image is printed in synchronization with the reading of the document.

When it is detected that the reading of the original is completed, the DMAC on the reading side is stopped and the value of the input pointer at that time is read.

Next, when the output pointer reaches the input pointer, the DMAC on the printer side is stopped and the printing is terminated.

Next, the operation during memory copy will be described.

The multi-tone image data of the image sensor 103 is output to the reduction / binarization circuit 104. Inside the reduction / binarization circuit 104, each pixel having a gradation is set to 0 by the simple binarization circuit 209 and the pseudo halftone circuit 210.
Or convert to 1 or either black or white. Although the conversion method is not particularly limited, in the present embodiment, in the simple binarization circuit 209, a pixel having a density higher than 30 out of the pixels input at gradation levels 0 to 63 is black (1) and lower than that. Binarization is performed with the object as white (0). Also,
The pseudo halftone circuit 210 performs binarization by the error diffusion method.

The binarized data is selected by the data selector 211 from the simple binarized output or the pseudo halftone output according to the instruction of the microprocessor 101, and is passed to the serial / parallel conversion circuit 212.

This data is coded by the coding circuit 113 and then coded by the DMAC 108 in the image memory 112.
One page is transferred to. When processing such as reduction / enlargement is necessary, the data for one page in the image memory 112 is processed.

Next, on the printer side, the image data for one page is DMAC in synchronization with the line synchronization signal (BD signal) sent from the laser printer 105.
Decoding circuit 114 from image memory 112 by 108
After being decrypted by, the data is transferred to the printer control circuit 106. The printer control circuit 106 converts the parallel data from the DMAC 108 into serial data and outputs the serial data to the printer 105 in synchronization with the pixel clock of the printer 105.

The above printing operation is repeated a specified number of times.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the operation when the CPU 101 selects the copy method.

In the copy operation, the number of copies specified by the operation unit 115 (how many copies are to be printed for each read original) is determined (S11). If the specified number of copies is not 1, memory copy is performed (S12).

When the designated number of copies is 1, it is determined whether or not the enlargement or reduction is performed (S13). In this case, even if the operator does not specify the enlargement or reduction, the image is automatically reduced and enlarged according to the size of the read document and the size of the recording paper, and it is determined that there is reduction or enlargement.

If it is determined that there is no reduction or enlargement, synchronous copy is performed (S14). If it is determined that there is reduction or enlargement, memory copy is performed (S1
2).

[0052]

As described above, according to the present invention, even when the image memory is used for transmission, reception, etc., a buffer of several lines is used in the case of a high-magnification copy which is frequently used and the number of copies is 1. Since it operates only by itself, it is possible to make a copy without being affected by other operations.

On the contrary, in the case of a copy of the same size and one copy,
Since it does not occupy the image memory area, it can be transmitted during copying.
The image memory can be used for other operations such as reception, and restrictions on other functions and operations can be significantly reduced during copying.

On the other hand, when the image memory is not used for transmission, reception, etc., it is possible to carry out variable magnification and copy a large number of parts, thus providing a convenient system.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a reduction / binarization circuit in the above embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a timing chart showing an operation at the time of synchronous copy in the above embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of an image buffer in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation at the time of synchronous copy in the above embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation when a copy method is selected in the above embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference numeral 101 ... Microprocessor, 102 ... Scanner, 103 ... Image sensor, 104 ... Reduction / binarization circuit, 105 ... Laser beam printer, 106 ... Control circuit, 107 ... Buffer memory, 108 ... DMA controller, 109 ... Facsimile communication unit, 110 ... Original transport motor, 111 ... Drive circuit, 112 ... Image memory, 113 ... Encoding circuit, 114 ... Decoding circuit, 115 ... Operation part.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A synchronous copy function for outputting the read image data to a printer through a memory while reading the image with a scanner in synchronization with the printer, and after storing the read data from the scanner page by page in the memory. , A memory copy function for outputting to a printer, and a selection means for selecting the synchronous copy function or the memory copy function according to the designated number of copies. When the designated number of copies is 1, the synchronous copy function is used to perform copying. A facsimile machine, which performs a copy using the memory copy function when the designated number of copies is plural. 2. A synchronous copy function for outputting the read image data to the printer through the memory while the scanner reads the data in synchronization with the printer, and after the read data from the scanner is stored in the memory in page units. , A memory copy function for outputting to a printer, and a selection means for selecting a synchronous copy function or a memory copy function according to a specified scaling factor.
A facsimile machine characterized by making a copy using a synchronous copy function, and making a copy using a memory copy function in other cases. 3. A synchronous copy function for outputting the read image data to the printer through the memory while the scanner reads the data in synchronization with the printer, and after storing the read data from the scanner page by page in the memory. It also has a memory copy function that outputs to a printer, and has a selection unit that selects whether to store the image data read by the scanner as a raw image in the memory or to encode and store it, and copy using the synchronous copy function. If you do
A facsimile apparatus, which stores encoded image data in a memory when the raw image data is stored in the memory and copying is performed using the memory copy function.