JPH0918690A - Image processing unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To reduce the entire recording time by reducing a carrying time of recording paper. CONSTITUTION: A sorting page discrimination section 42 discriminates a predetermined sorting page in advance. Then a tray selection section 43 selects a tray containing recording paper in a direction matching carrying direction of the lengthwise direction of recording paper for recording sorted pages. Furthermore, the section 43 elects a tray containing recording paper whose lengthwise direction is orthogonal to the carrying direction for other pages than the sorted pages. An image rotation section 34 conducts rotation processing to match the direction of the image with a direction of the recording paper contained in the selected recording paper tray. The rotated image is fed to an image transfer section 3 and recorded onto the recording paper.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, and more particularly to image processing suitable for improving recording efficiency and arranging recorded images by selecting one from a plurality of recording paper trays. Regarding the device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an image forming apparatus such as a digital copying machine, a facsimile machine or a printer, a plurality of kinds of recording papers having different sizes and vertical and horizontal orientations are used so that a large number of images having different sizes can be recorded. Those stored in trays are known. In such an image forming apparatus, it is common to detect the size of a document and select a recording paper tray corresponding to the size, and use the recording paper tray. There are some cases.

For example, the image forming apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-122168 preferentially selects a recording paper tray that matches the size of a document in the automatic paper selection mode, while it is oriented in the same direction as the document. If there is no recording paper, the image is turned and recorded. Also,
The image forming apparatus described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 4-166857 selects a recording paper tray that has the same size as the original but has a different orientation when one recording paper tray runs out, and rotates the image. It is configured to record.

[0004]

In the above-mentioned conventional apparatus,
There were the following problems. That is, the above-mentioned image forming apparatus selects the recording paper tray so as to fit the image or rotates the image so as to fit the recording paper, but the image forming apparatus devised from the viewpoint of improving the recording efficiency. is not. For example, when the longitudinal direction of the image is the same as the conveyance direction of the recording paper, in order to record the image, the recording paper tray accommodating the recording paper is selected with the longitudinal direction aligned with the conveyance direction. Hereinafter, the recording paper tray that accommodates recording paper with the longitudinal direction aligned with the transport direction is referred to as the SEF tray, and the recording paper tray that contains recording paper with the width direction, that is, the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction aligned with the transport direction, is the LEF tray. Say.

When there are many images whose longitudinal direction is the same as the recording paper conveyance direction, the SEF tray is often selected. Comparing the time required to convey the recording paper of the SEF tray and the recording paper of the LEF tray, SEF
Obviously, the time for transporting the recording paper in the tray is longer. Therefore, when the SEF tray is often selected, the entire recording time becomes longer than when the LEF tray is selected, which is a problem in terms of efficiency particularly when a large amount of documents needs to be processed at high speed. Becomes

Further, since the recording paper trays are generally arranged in multiple stages, the distances between the image transfer section and the respective recording paper trays are also variable. Therefore, if a recording paper tray far from the image transfer section is often selected, the entire recording time also becomes long.

The present invention solves the above problems and provides an image processing apparatus capable of recording an image by selecting a recording paper tray according to a more efficient selection criterion in consideration of the recording paper conveyance time. To aim.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To solve the above problems and to achieve the object, the present invention provides image storage means for accumulating images, and tray selection for selecting a LEF tray from a plurality of recording paper trays. Means for determining whether or not the orientation of the image to be processed accumulated in the image storage means matches the orientation of the recording paper of the selected recording paper tray; and The first point is that an image rotating means for rotating the images so as to match their orientations with each other when not provided and a printing means for recording the rotated image on the recording paper supplied from the recording paper tray are provided. There are features.

Further, the present invention selects the SEF tray when recording a predetermined page as a sorting page among the last and first pages of images of a plurality of pages.
When recording other pages, a selection instruction means for outputting an instruction to select the LEF tray is provided, and the tray selection means selects the SEF or LEF tray according to the instruction from the selection instruction means. The second feature lies in the point that it is configured as described above.

Further, according to the present invention, among the recording paper trays,
The tray selection means for selecting the recording paper tray having the shortest recording paper transport distance to the image transfer portion for recording an image and the orientation of the image to be processed are the same as the orientation of the recording paper of the selected recording paper tray. Orientation determining means for determining whether or not,
Image rotation means for rotating the images so that they are in the same direction when the two directions do not match, and printing means for recording the rotated images on the recording paper supplied from the recording paper tray. There is a third feature in that point.

[0011]

According to the first feature, the LEF tray is selected, and the image is rotated by the image rotating means so as to match the orientation of the recording paper accommodated in the tray. Further, according to the third feature, the recording paper tray having the shortest distance to convey the recording paper to the image transfer portion is selected, and the image is rotated by the image rotating means so as to match the orientation of the recording paper accommodated in the tray. Is done. As described above, according to the first and third characteristics, as a result, the recording paper conveyance time can be minimized.

Further, according to the second feature, only the pages which are scheduled as the sorting pages among the plurality of images are SEF.
The tray is selected and the image is recorded. That is,
The recording paper tray can be selected so that only the sorted pages are output in a different orientation from the other pages.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a copying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The copying machine is a multi-function peripheral having a facsimile communication function. In the figure,
The copying apparatus 1 includes an image reading unit (hereinafter, simply referred to as “reading unit”) 2, an image transfer unit 3, a recording paper storage unit 4, and a recording paper discharge unit 5. The detailed configuration of the reading unit 2 will be described later with reference to FIG. The recording paper storage unit 4 has a plurality of recording paper trays 4a, 4b, 4 so that recording papers of different sizes can be stored.
c and 4d are arranged in multiple stages. In the example of FIG. 2, a large-capacity recording paper tray is arranged at the uppermost stage for the case where it is scheduled to be used frequently. In addition, the recording paper discharge unit 5 has a plurality of trays 5 for a so-called sorting function.
-1 to 5-n are provided.

Next, the reading section 2 will be described with reference to FIG. In the figure, a document 6 to be copied is placed on a document tray 50. A document sensor 7 for detecting the presence or absence of a document is provided on the downstream side of the document tray 50 in the document transport direction. At the downstream end of the document tray 50, there is provided a pull-in roller 8 for sequentially pulling the document placed on the document tray 50 from the lowermost one into the transport path. Guide rollers 90, 91, 92 to be formed are arranged. Guide roller 9
The conveying path 10 is formed by 0 and 91, and the conveying path 11 is formed by the guide rollers 91 and 92.

Particularly, the conveying path 11 is for reversing the original for double-sided reading. A width sensor 12 and a registration sensor 13 are provided on the transport path 10. The width sensor 12 detects the width of the document passing through the conveyance path 10, and the registration sensor 13 detects the position of the document to obtain the operation timing of the image sensor 14.

A conveyor belt 15 and a platen glass 16 are arranged in the rear stage of the conveyor path 10 so as to face each other, and a conveyor path 18 for guiding a document to the discharge roller 17 is formed in the latter stage of the conveyor belt 15 and the like. I am A discharge sensor 19 for detecting the discharge of the document is provided on the conveyance path 18.
Further, a document discharge tray 20 is provided at the subsequent stage of the discharge roller 17, that is, outside the case of the reading unit 2.

Below the platen glass 16 is provided a carriage 23 on which an image sensor 14 and a fluorescent lamp 22 for illuminating an original with light are mounted.
As the image sensor 14, for example, a CCD type sensor can be used. The carriage 23 is fixed to a wire 26 stretched between shafts 24 and 25. The shafts 24 and 25
Is driven by a step motor (not shown) to wind or rewind the wire 26 around the shafts 24 and 25, thereby reciprocating right and left as indicated by an arrow 21. The carriage 23 has a home position 28 determined with the home position sensor 27 as a reference.

With the above structure, the document 6 is pulled in by the pull-in roller 8.
And is guided to the conveyance path 10 by the guide rollers 90 and 91 between the conveyance belt 15 and the platen glass 16. After that, the conveyance belt 15 conveys it to a predetermined reading position and stops. The reading position is set to a position where the document 6 has been conveyed for a scheduled time after the rear end of the document 6 is detected by the registration sensor 13. When the document passes through the conveyance path, the width of the document is detected by the width sensor 12 and
The length of the document is detected based on the time when the document passes through the registration sensor 13 and the known transport speed. Further, the detection signal of the discharge sensor 19 detects the completion of the document discharge.

When the document stops at the reading position, the carriage 2
3 moves from the home position 28 to the right in the drawing, and the original is read. When the document is read, the carriage 23 returns to the home position 28 and stops. On the other hand, the document that has been read is passed through the transport path 18 and the document discharge tray 20
Is discharged on top.

Next, the structure of the control device of the copying apparatus 1 will be described. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a main part of a control device of a copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the configuration of the reading unit 2 is as described above. The image storage unit 29 is for storing image information of a document read by the reading unit 2 and received image information, and is a large-capacity storage device including a DRAM, a hard disk, and the like. The encoder 30 compresses and encodes the image information, and the decoder 31 expands and decodes the image information. The read image information is compressed by the encoder 30 and stored in the image storage unit 29. The image recording unit 33 prints out the image information read from the image storage unit 29 and expanded by the decoder 31. The image rotation unit 34 has a function of rotating the image information read by the reading unit 2 or the image information accumulated in the image storage unit 29 by a designated angle, and includes a page memory for that purpose.
The copying apparatus further has a modem 35 and a line controller 36 as a facsimile communication function.

Each of the above components is connected to the data bus 37, and is controlled by the operation of the CPU 39 according to a program stored in the ROM 38 in advance. RAM40
Is used as a work area for storing control data for control by the CPU 39. The operation unit 41 includes an input unit including a key for an operator to input an instruction and a display unit for displaying a result processed by the CPU 39 according to the instruction and the like. The display unit can be configured by a known display means such as a liquid crystal panel.

Next, the operation of the facsimile apparatus according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart. In FIG. 5, each parameter is initialized in step S1. That is, the variable J and the variables K [0], K [1], K
“2” and K [3] are set to “0”. Step S2
Then, the image size is acquired from the width and length of the document based on the size of the document and the orientation in the vertical and horizontal directions. The length of the original is detected by the time from the on-off of the registration sensor 13 and the conveying speed of the original, and the width of the original is detected at the time of reading the original by the detection output of the width sensor 12, and is stored in the RAM 40. is there.

In step S3, the image size is determined.
If the document size is A3 or B4, the process proceeds to step S4. If the document size is A4 or B5, or A5, the process proceeds to step S4.
Go to 5. The reason for determining such a size is as follows. In other words, it is impractical to prepare two types of relatively large recording paper such as A3 or B4 having different vertical and horizontal orientations in separate recording paper trays. If there is a recording paper of the same size regardless of the orientation of the paper, it will be recorded on it.

Therefore, in step S4, the recording paper tray accommodating the recording paper of the same size as the image is selected and the image is recorded. If a recording paper tray accommodating a desired recording paper is not mounted, it is preferable to give a warning such as an error display on the display unit of the operation unit 41.

In step S5, the lowermost recording paper tray 4
The recording paper size of d and the image size are compared. If they match, the process proceeds to step S6, the variable K [J], that is, K [0] here is set to "4", the variable J is incremented (+1), and then the process proceeds to step S7. If the recording paper size and the image size of the recording paper tray 4d do not match, the process directly proceeds to step S7, and the recording paper size and the image size of the second lowest recording paper tray 4c are compared. If they match, the process proceeds to step S8, the variable K [J], that is, K [1] here is set to "3", the variable J is incremented (+1), and then the process proceeds to step S8. If the recording paper size of the recording paper tray 4c and the image size do not match, the process directly proceeds to step S9, and the same applies to step S9.
To the step S12 are performed.

Then, in step S13, it is determined whether or not the variable J is "0". If the variable J is "0", it is determined that there is no recording sheet having the same size as the image size, and the process proceeds to step S17 to display an error. If the variable J is not "0", the process proceeds to step S14, and it is determined whether the variable J is "1". If the variable J is "1", it is determined that there is only one recording paper tray that accommodates the recording paper of the same size as the image, so the process proceeds to step S4.

If the variable is not "1", it is determined that there are two or more recording paper trays containing recording paper of the same size as the image, and the process proceeds to step S15. Recording is performed in step S15, and details thereof will be described later with reference to FIG. In step S16, it is determined whether or not there is a next page. If there is a next page, the process proceeds to step S1. If there is no next page, the process ends.

Next, the recording operation (step S15) when there are a plurality of selectable recording paper trays will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In the figure, in step S150, an image is read from the image storage unit 33. In step S151, it is determined whether or not to sort. As for sorting, an image is recorded by selecting the SEF tray on either the cover page or the last page. Then, by selecting the LEF tray and recording an image on the other page, the document can be sorted from the preceding and following documents by the cover or the last page. It is decided in advance whether the cover page or the last page will be the sorting page. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the recording sheets sorted and output. As shown in the drawing, the recording paper is selected and recorded so that the final page Df, which is a sorting page, of the recorded recording paper D is different in 90 ° direction from the other pages.

When sorting is performed, the process proceeds to step S152, and it is determined whether the page is a sorting page. If it is the scheduled sorting page, the process proceeds to step S153. In step S153, it is determined whether the image orientation is the same as the LEF tray orientation. If it is not in the same direction as the LEF tray, the process proceeds to step S154, and the recording paper tray accommodating the recording paper in the same direction as the image is selected. In step S155, the recording paper is pulled out from the selected recording paper tray and printing is performed.

If the direction of the image is the same as that of the LEF tray, the flow advances to step S156 to select a recording paper tray accommodating recording paper whose direction differs from that of the image by 90 °. In step S157, processing for rotating the image by 90 ° is performed. If the image is rotated 90 °, printing is performed in step S155.

On the other hand, if sorting is not performed, step S
The flow proceeds from step 151 to step S158, and the image direction is LE.
It is determined whether it is in the same direction as the F tray. Image orientation is L
If it is in the same direction as the EF tray, the process proceeds to step S154,
A recording paper tray containing recording paper in the same direction as the image, that is, the LEF tray is selected. If the image direction is not the same as that of the LEF tray, the process proceeds to step S156,
A recording paper tray, that is, a SEF tray, which contains recording paper whose direction differs from that of the image by 90 ° is selected. In this way, the LEF tray is selected except for the cover sheet or the last page to shorten the transportation time.

The description of FIG. 6 is for the case where two recording paper trays containing recording paper of the same size as the image are detected and the LEF tray is included. However, the LEF tray is not always included. Therefore, after the step S150, the process for determining the presence / absence of the LEF tray is performed (step S159), and the LEF tray is processed.
If there is no tray, the one closest to the image transfer section 3 is selected from the plurality of selectable recording paper trays (step S160). In the example of FIG. 5, the recording paper tray of the variable K [J-1] is selected. In this case, since the SEF tray is selected, it goes without saying that the original is rotated accordingly.

Next, the image rotation processing will be described. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a page memory provided in the image rotation unit 34. The image is read from the image storage unit 29 to the page memory, and the rotation angle of the image is determined by the order of reading the image information from the page memory. In the figure, the address of the page memory is shown by XY coordinates. When the image is rotated 90 ° in order to match the orientation of the document vertically and horizontally, the image information is written and read from the address (0, 0) to the page memory as shown in FIG. At this time, image information is read from the address (0, Y) as shown in FIG.

Next, the functions of the main parts for carrying out the operation of the present embodiment will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG. In the figure, when there is a print instruction of the image stored in the image storage unit 29, the sorting page determination unit 42 determines whether the processed page is a sorting page. Whether the sorting page is the final page or the top page is set in advance in the sorting page determination unit 42. If it is a planned sorting page, a detection signal is output to the tray selection unit 43. When the tray selection unit 43 is supplied with the sorting page detection signal, the tray selection unit 43 outputs a selection instruction for selecting a recording paper tray accommodating recording paper in a direction in which the longitudinal direction matches the conveyance direction. On the other hand, when the page to be processed is not the sorting page, the sorting page detection signal is turned off. Then, in that case, the tray selection unit 43 outputs a selection instruction for selecting the recording paper tray that contains the recording paper in the longitudinal direction orthogonal to the transport direction.

The image orientation storage unit 44 stores the vertical and horizontal orientations of each page of the image stored in the image storage unit 29. This orientation is detected and stored at the time of reading by the reading unit 2 or at the time of reception. The rotation selection unit 45 determines whether or not the rotation is required to match the orientation of the image with the orientation of the recording paper, based on the orientation of the image and the orientation of the recording paper of the selected recording paper tray. The result of this determination is input to the image rotation unit 34. The image rotation unit 29 sets a rotation angle of 90 ° when the image needs to be rotated, and sets a rotation angle of 0 ° when the image does not need to be rotated. The image rotation unit 34 rotates the image at the set angle. The image transfer unit 3 records the rotated image on the recording paper pulled out from the recording paper tray of the recording paper storage unit 4.

[0036]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the first and third aspects of the present invention, the recording paper tray is selected so that the recording paper conveyance time can be minimized. Therefore, it is possible to shorten the total time for recording an image. In particular, when recording images of many pages, it is possible to significantly reduce the time.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the recording time can be shortened, and only the last page or the first page is output in a different direction from the other pages. Sorting becomes easier when documents are recorded continuously.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of essential parts of a copying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a copying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of a control device of a copying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an image reading unit.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the copying apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a document recording processing procedure.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing recording sheets sorted and output.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a memory for explaining the principle of image rotation.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 ... Image reading unit, 3 ... Image transfer unit, 4 ... Recording paper storage unit, 5 ... Recording paper discharge tray, 6 ... Original document, 12 ... Width sensor, 13 ... Registration sensor, 29 ... Image storage unit,
34 ... Image rotation unit, 42 ... Sorting page discrimination unit, 4
3 ... Tray selection unit, 44 ... Image orientation storage unit, 45 ...
Rotation discriminator

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of recording paper trays for accommodating recording papers, an image storage unit for accumulating images, and a recording paper for accommodating recording papers in a longitudinal direction of the recording paper trays in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction. Tray selection means for selecting a tray; orientation determination means for determining whether or not the orientation of the image to be processed accumulated in the image storage means matches the orientation of the recording paper of the selected recording paper tray; Image rotation means for rotating the images so that they are in the same direction when the two directions do not match, and a printing means for recording the rotated image on the recording paper supplied from the recording paper tray. An image processing device characterized by the above. 2. When recording a predetermined page as a sorting page among the last and first pages of images of a plurality of pages, a recording paper tray containing the recording paper in a direction in which the longitudinal direction coincides with the transport direction is used. When selecting and recording other pages, a selection instructing unit that outputs an instruction to select a recording paper tray accommodating recording paper in a direction in which the longitudinal direction is orthogonal to the transport direction is provided. 2. The image processing according to claim 1, wherein the means is configured to select a recording paper tray accommodating recording paper in a direction in which the longitudinal direction coincides with or is orthogonal to the transport direction in accordance with an instruction from the selection instructing means. apparatus. 3. A plurality of recording paper trays for accommodating recording paper, an image storage unit for accumulating images, and a shortest recording paper conveyance distance to an image transfer unit for recording the image among the recording paper trays. Tray selecting means for selecting a padding recording paper tray, and orientation determination for determining whether or not the orientation of the image to be processed accumulated in the image storage means matches the orientation of the recording paper of the selected recording paper tray. Means, an image rotating means for rotating the images so that they are in the same orientation when the orientations of the both do not match, and a printing means for recording the rotated image on the recording paper supplied from the recording paper tray. An image processing apparatus comprising: