JPH09154005A - Digital copying machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform retrieval through simple operation with expensive configu ration when storing many routine formats. SOLUTION: The routine formats read by an image reading part 3 are registered in an HDD 15. The images of plural routine formats registered in the HDD 15 are reduced in size by a system controller 10 and memory unit 11, epitomized and printed out on one piece of paper together with registration numbers. Besides, only the registered images are printed out while skipping non-registered columns.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a digital copying machine for reading an image of a standard format as a document, storing it, and printing it out.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional digital copying machine that reads and stores a standard format image as a document and prints it out is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1-172865.

[0003]

However, in such a function, it is desirable that the number of standard formats that can be registered be large. However, if a large number of standard formats can be stored, a large-screen liquid crystal display or a display device such as a CRT is required in order to allow the user to easily search for a desired standard format, which is expensive. There is a problem that

In view of the above conventional problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a digital copying machine which can be searched with a cheap structure and a simple operation when storing a large number of standard formats.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a first means stores a reading means for reading a standard format image as a document and a plurality of standard format images read by the reading means. It is characterized by comprising a storage means and a printing means for reducing the images of a plurality of standard formats stored in the storage means, consolidating them on one sheet, and printing out.

The second means is characterized in that when a plurality of standard format images are put together on one sheet by the first means, they are printed out together with the registration number.

The third means skips an unregistered column and prints a registered image in the column when a plurality of standard format images are combined on one sheet in the first or second means. Characterized by being out.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a digital copying machine according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing the digital copying machine of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a modification of the digital copying machine of FIG. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing in detail the document feeder of FIG. 2, FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the human body detection sensor of FIG. 1, and FIG. 6 is an image forming apparatus management including the communication control apparatus of FIG. FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the system, FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation unit of FIG. 2, FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram showing a detection circuit of the touch panel of FIG. 7, and FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing detection logic of the detection circuit of FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing the operation control unit, FIG. 11 is an explanatory view showing a display screen during preheating, FIG. 12 is an explanatory view showing a display screen during preheating while reading the original, and FIG. 13 is after reading the original. 14 is an explanatory view showing a display screen in which there is residual heat, FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram showing a display screen during copying, FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing a standard format registration screen, FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram showing a standard format output screen, FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of standard format output paper, and FIG. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing another example of standard format output paper.

The copying machine shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 has a document feeder (ADF) 1, an operating section 2, an image reading apparatus 3, an image forming apparatus 4 (or an image writing section), a duplex unit 5, and a discharge unit. Paper sorting device 6, three-stage paper feed cassette 7, extended function 8, user-restricted device 9, system controller 10 having CPU 10a, memory unit 11,
The human body detection sensor 12, the clock module 13, the communication control device (CSS) 14 and the like are roughly configured. The memory unit 11 is a DRAM block 11a
And a compression block 11c and a DMA block 11d, and a HDD (hard disk drive device) 15 as a large-capacity image storage device is connected.

In the modification shown in FIG. 3, the image reading unit 3, the image writing unit 4, and the memory unit 11 are provided with CPUs 3a, 4a, and 11e, respectively, and commands from the system controller 10 to the CPUs 3a, 4a, and 11e are supplied via control signal lines. Is configured to communicate via.
Therefore, with this configuration, the hardware configuration of the system is free.

Hereinafter, each component and various terms used in this embodiment will be described in detail. The ADF 1 shown in FIG. 2 has two DC servomotors, a transport motor and a paper discharge motor, and the paper feed unit and the paper discharge unit are independent. The reversing / paper ejecting unit has a reversing mechanism for reversing the front and the back of a document, and can copy a double-sided document on one side.

The structure of the ADF 1 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. The original is placed on the original table 401 and inserted until the tip of the original touches lightly. When the original set detection sensor 402 detects the original, the original insertion display (not shown) is turned off, and in this state, the start key 205 (FIG. 7) is pressed. When the button is pressed, a calling solenoid (not shown) and a feed spring (not shown) are turned on, the transport motor is turned on, the transport belt 408 and the like start moving, and document feeding is started.

In this case, the separation belt 403 and the separation roller 4
Only the lowermost original on the original table 401 is fed by 04, and the original that has passed through the separation roller 404 has registration detection sensors 405 and 406 at the front and rear ends, an original width detection sensor and a pulse generator (not shown), The size is detected by the document length detection sensor 407.

When the trailing edge of the document passes the trailing edge registration detecting sensor 406, the registration detecting sensors 405 and 406 are turned off, and when the conveyance motor reaches a predetermined pulse number, it is turned off. This stops the conveyor belt 408,
The document stops in place. When the document image is read and a document replacement signal is sent from the copying machine, the transport motor and the paper discharge motor are turned on, and the document is discharged and the next document is fed at the same time. Further, in the case of a double-sided original, the original once passes over a contact glass (not shown), the front and back sides are reversed in the reversing / paper ejecting unit 409, and the document returns to the reading position on the contact glass.

The ADF 1 is connected to the power source of the copying machine via a communication line for transmitting and receiving commands, and operates based on commands from the copying machine (feeding, discharging commands, etc.). Send status information such as to the copier. Here, the number of originals that can be set on the original table 401 is limited by the opening of the insertion portion, the separating mechanisms 403, 404, and the like, and if the allowable number of sheets or more is set, a paper feed jam or double feeding occurs.

1 to 3, the image reading device 3 illuminates an original with a light source, converts the reflected light into an electric signal by a solid-state image pickup device (CCD), and performs "necessary image processing". Here, as "necessary image processing", C
Quantization that converts the analog electrical signal converted by the CD into binary or multi-valued digital data, shading correction that corrects the irradiation unevenness of the light source that illuminates the original, and sensitivity variations of the CCD, and blurring by the optical system To M
TF correction and scaling processing for changing the image reading density by performing data interpolation using the read image data are performed.

The image forming apparatus 4 records an image of an electric signal format on plain paper or thermal paper by an electrophotographic system, a thermal system, a thermal transfer system, an inkjet system or the like, and naturally records it on a plain paper in the case of PPC. Here, the electric signal of the image converted by the image reading device 3, the electric signal of the image input to the image forming device 4, and the signal for synchronizing with the electric signal of the image are collectively referred to as a “video signal” or This is called "image data". The information transmitted for exchanging this video signal between the image reading device 3, the image forming device 4, and the application (= extended function 8) is called a "control signal" or a "command".

A major feature of the digital PPC is that
The image of the original is converted into an electric signal by the image reading device 3 and read, and is restored by the image forming device 4 based on the electric signal. Therefore, it can be applied to fields other than the conventional analog copying machine, such as FAX, page printer,
Functions such as a scanner and a file system can be realized, and recently, read image data is temporarily stored in the DRAM block 11a of the memory unit 11 and the HDD.
By storing the data in 15 storage devices and reading it out as needed, it is possible to realize a function of copying a plurality of sheets in one scan or composing a plurality of originals on a single transfer sheet and printing. . These functions are referred to as “extended functions” or “applications”, and in the present embodiment, the memory unit 11 is used as a buffer means when transferring image data between digital copying machines on the network. There is.

The system controller 10 executes a copy mode so that the image writing unit 4 can form an image such as a paper conveyance process, an electrophotographic process process, an abnormal state or a paper feed cassette state (paper presence or absence). The scanner operation and the turning on / off of the light source are controlled so that the in-machine monitoring and the image reading unit 3 can read the image. Here, recent digital PPCs are configured not only to have one extended function 8 but also to have a plurality of applications.

The functional unit unit shared by a plurality of applications is expressed as "resource" or "resource", and the system controller 10 controls the system in this resource unit. The resources managed by the digital PPC of this embodiment are the image reading device 3, the image forming device 4, the operation unit 2, the memory unit 11, and the peripheral device (= ADF).
1, sorter 6, double-sided unit 5, etc.). Note that, especially when the image forming apparatus 4 is an electrophotographic system, the amount of paper consumption is large. Therefore, if the user does not want to permit unlimited use, a coin rack and a key are used to identify, limit, and manage users. A user-restricted device 9 such as a counter, a key card, a prepaid card, or a recitation code is used.

When the system becomes complicated, it is necessary to individually cope with each user, but it is impossible to satisfy all of these correspondences at the time of factory shipment. Therefore, it is usually equipped with a non-volatile RAM to enable system setting according to the customer's request, and this function is called "user setting". A state in which no user operation is performed continues for a certain period of time is expressed as an “idle state”, and other states are expressed as a “busy state”. The time from the “busy state” to the “idle state” can be set by “user setting”. For example, the "user setting" can be made so that the "idle state" is not transitioned to during the copying operation or when the user does not continue to operate for a certain period even after the copying operation ends.

The human body detection sensor 12 has an infrared light emitting diode, an optical system for limiting the emitting direction of the infrared light to a fixed direction, and an infrared light receiving sensor for detecting the reflected light of the emitted infrared light. An object (operator) therein is detected and a signal is sent to the main body control plate of the system controller 10 as shown in FIG. Further, a detection distance changeover switch is provided in the sensor 12, and the detection distance can be changed over in two steps, for example. Therefore, by arranging the sensor 12 on the front surface of the machine, it is possible to control the "preheat" by checking whether or not there is a person in front of the machine.

The clock module 13 is used to realize a weekly timer function for turning on / off the power according to the on / off time set for each day of the week. This function requires the operation of setting the time of the clock module 13 and the operation of setting the on / off time for each day of the week.

In the "preheating mode", the fixing temperature is controlled by lowering it by a constant temperature (for example, 10 ° C), and the display of the operation unit 2 is turned off to save the power consumption. This mode is set by a key input through the operation unit 2, or is automatically set after a certain period of time has passed since no operation or operation depending on the setting of the machine. Also,
This set mode is released by a key input through the operation unit 2 or when the human body detection sensor 12 detects that a person is standing in front of the machine.

The "interrupt mode" is a mode for temporarily interrupting the copy operation or the like during the copy operation and the operation to perform another copy. By setting this mode, the previous copy mode and the information on the progress of the copy mode during copying are stored in the nonvolatile RAM block 11a.
Then, the setting mode is initialized. It is possible to cancel the interrupt mode after completion of another copy operation, restore the mode stored in the non-volatile RAM 11a and the intermediate progress to restore the state before setting the interrupt mode, and restart the mode before the interrupt mode. it can. Further, setting / cancellation of this mode can be performed via the keys of the operation unit 2.

FIG. 6 shows an image forming apparatus management system constituted by the communication control device 14, and the communication control device 14 is one or more P installed on the user side.
The PC 20 and the management device 21 installed at the remote service base are connected via the public line network 22. The communication control device 14 includes a telephone 23 and a facsimile 23.
Can be connected and can be installed by inserting it into the user's existing line. The PPC 20 may be of the same model or of a different model, and devices other than the PPC can be connected.

The communication control device 14 and the PPC 20 are multi-drop connected according to the RS-485 standard, for example. Communication control is a basic type data transmission control procedure,
By establishing a data link by the polling / selecting method of centralized control using the communication control device 14 as a control station, communication with an arbitrary PPC 20 is possible. A unique address can be set to each PPC 20 by an address setting switch, and the polling address and selecting address of each PPC 20 are determined by this unique address.

Next, the configuration and display contents of the operation unit 2 will be described with reference to FIGS. In FIG. 7, a mode clear key 201 is for returning various modes to the standard mode. By operating the mode clear key 201, the number of repeats is “1”, the density is “automatic density”, and the paper feeding is “automatic feeding”. Paper selection ”and the scaling factor are set to“ actual size ”, and other functions such as double-sided are canceled. The operation unit 2 also includes an interrupt key 202 for performing an interrupt copy, a program key 203 for selectively registering and calling a mode frequently used by the user, and a call screen for displaying basic operations and function explanations. Guidance key 204 and a print key (start key) 20 for starting a copying operation
5 are provided. The print key 205 has an LED for ready / weight display, and the green LED lights up when ready and the red LED lights up when waiting.

The clear / stop key 206 has the function of a clear key during standby and the function of a stop key during copying. The clear key is pressed to cancel the set number of copies, the stop key is pressed to interrupt the copying operation, and the machine is stopped when the copying operation is finished at that point. The ten-key pad 207 is used to set the number of copies and to input numerical values such as zoom magnification and binding margin. The display unit 208 is an LCD display (may be a CRT) and displays various functions, states, and messages. The touch panel 2 is provided on the surface of the display 208.
10 are arranged and used as soft keys for selecting various modes.

Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, the touch panel 21
The detection circuit of 0 will be described. The controller 212 sets the detection terminals to the high state, and the terminals X1 and X of the touch panel 210.
2, Y1 and Y2 are set as shown in FIG. The terminals Y1 and Y2 of the touch panel 210 are pulled up by a resistor R, and when the touch panel 210 is off, Y1 is +5.
It becomes V, and when it is on, it becomes 0V.

The controller 212 detects this voltage via the A / D converter 211, and switches to the measurement mode when detecting the ON state. In the X direction, X1 becomes + 5V, X2 becomes 0V, the potential at the input position is Y1, and the A / D converter 21
The X coordinate is captured by the controller 212 via 1. The coordinates in the Y direction are similarly detected by switching the circuit, and therefore the touch panel 21
The XY coordinates of the pressed position of 0 are detected.

Next, the operation control section will be described with reference to FIG. The CPU 284 of the operation control unit exchanges commands with the system controller 10 by serial communication via the optical transceiver 285, and the system controller 1
When a command from 0 is received, the content to be displayed on the LCD 283 is determined, a code for selectively reading a large number of bit patterns stored in advance in the CGROM 285 is expanded in the VRAM 281, and the read bit pattern is stored in the LCD controller 282. It is displayed on the screen of the LCD 283 via.

The bit pattern expansion area in the VRAM 281 is divided into several areas, and the bit pattern of a screen different from the screen currently displayed can be expanded, and by changing the address of the VRAM 281. The screen can be rewritten in an instant. The LCD controller 282 exchanges addresses and data among the CPU 284, the CGROM 285, the touch panel 210, the keyboard 287 driven by the LED driver 286, the address decoder 288, the address latch 289, and the like. The CPU 284 is an address latch 289, ROM2
Addresses and data are exchanged between the address decoder 288 and the like via the system 90 and the system reset unit 292.

Next, referring to FIGS. 11 to 16, the LCD 28
The display screen of No. 3 will be described. 11 to 14 are displayed on the standard screen.
As shown in, a message area 301 in which messages such as "You can copy" and "Please wait" are displayed,
On the right side, a copy set number display section 302 showing the number of copy sets is displayed.

Further, as a soft key, an automatic adjustment key 303 for setting a process for automatically adjusting the image density,
An automatic paper selection key 304 for automatically setting the transfer paper selection process, an equal size key 305 for setting the copy magnification to the same size, and a staple for setting a process for closing the sorted copy paper bundle. A key 306, a stack key 307 for setting a process for sorting copy sheets in page order, a sort key 308 for setting a process for aligning copy sheets part by page, and a fixed format as shown in FIGS. Print key 309 for printing the registered image of, the erase / move key 310 for setting the binding margin mode and the like, the double-sided key 311 for setting the double-sided mode, and the change key for setting the magnification at the time of enlargement / reduction. The double key 312 is displayed. When this soft key is touched and selected, a knitted pattern is displayed.

Here, since the capacity of the image data can be normally compressed to 6 MB for the A4 size and 12 MB for the A3 size, the capacity of the DRAM block 11a may be 12 MB. Further, when reading a plurality of originals and storing them in the HDD 15, if 50 double-sided originals can be set in the ADF 1, the capacity of the HDD 15 is 12 MB × 100 =
1.2 GB is sufficient. Further, since the standard format used in the office is usually A4 size, when registering 16 sheets, for example, a capacity of 6 MB × 16 = 96 MB may be secured. As a method of storing in the HDD 15, a fixed format is registered in the innermost circumference of the disc,
Ordinary documents may be sequentially stored from the outermost periphery of the disc.

On the standard format registration screen shown in FIG. 15, a message "Select a number and press the start key." Is displayed in the message area 301, and a soft key indicating the standard format number is displayed as a soft key. “1” to “16” and an “End” key 321 are displayed. When the operator reads the standard format and registers it in the HDD 15 according to this guidance, the pressed soft keys "1" to "16" are highlighted (hatched in the figure) and, if registered, indicate that. The mark "re" is displayed on the soft keys "1" to "16". Further, when the registered number is designated, the newly read image is overwritten on the registered image.

An "image confirmation" key 322 is added to the standard format output screen shown in FIG. Further, the soft keys “1” to “16” are displayed separately when registered (solid line) and not registered (broken line). And
When the "image check" key 322 is pressed, for example, as shown in FIG. 17, eight images are reduced and printed in a 4 × 2 column of one sheet, and a total of two sheets are printed. In this case, the image number is added and printed, and the user can print the desired format by designating the number.

In the print example shown in FIG. 17, since the unregistered column is blank, it is possible to easily identify the registered and unregistered numbers, but since the paper is printed on two sheets, the sheets are wasted. become. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 18, the unregistered column is skipped, and the registered format image is printed in the column, whereby the paper can be saved. Anyone can print out a desired format by printing out such aggregated sheets at the time of registration or renewal of registration and sticking them on a wall or the like.

[0040]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, images of a plurality of standard formats are reduced and
Since the printouts are collected on a single sheet of paper, when a large number of standard formats are stored, the search can be performed with an inexpensive configuration and a simple operation.

According to the second aspect of the invention, when the images of a plurality of standard formats are put together on one sheet, they are printed out together with the registration number. Therefore, it is possible to retrieve them with an inexpensive structure and a simple operation. Also, a desired fixed format can be designated.

According to the third aspect of the invention, when a plurality of standard format images are combined on one sheet, the unregistered column is skipped and the registered image is printed out in that column. It is possible to search with an inexpensive configuration and a simple operation, and it is possible to save paper.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a digital copying machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the digital copying machine of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a modification of the digital copying machine of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a detailed configuration diagram of the document feeder of FIG.

5 is a configuration diagram showing a human body detection sensor of FIG. 1. FIG.

6 is a block diagram showing an image forming apparatus management system configured by the communication control apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation unit of FIG.

8 is a circuit diagram showing a detection circuit of the touch panel of FIG.

9 is an explanatory diagram showing the detection logic of the detection circuit of FIG.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an operation control unit.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a display screen during residual heat.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing a display screen during reading of an original document during preheating.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a display screen during preheating after reading a document.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing a display screen during copying.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing a standard format registration screen.

FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram showing a standard format output screen.

FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of standard format output paper.

FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram showing another example of standard format output paper.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 image reading device 4 image forming device (image writing unit) 10 system controller 11 memory unit 15 HDD (hard disk drive device)

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A reading unit for reading an image of a standard format as a document, a storage unit for storing a plurality of images of a standard format read by the reading unit, and a plurality of images of the standard format stored in the storage unit. And a printing unit that prints out on a single sheet by reducing the size. 2. A digital copying machine according to claim 1, wherein when a plurality of standard format images are put together on one sheet, they are printed out together with a registration number. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein when a plurality of standard format images are put together on one sheet, an unregistered column is skipped and a registered image is printed out in the column. The described digital copier.