JPH10190917A - Image reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a user able to effectively use the read time of an original by computing the time required, until read completion for an original group from an original sheet number and an original size and displaying information relating to the computed time. SOLUTION: The original sheet number set to the original stacker of an original feeder is inputted from an operation panel in an original sheet number input routine, and the original size is detected in an original size detection routine. The time required for reading a sheet of the original is set, corresponding to the original size detected in the original size detection routine (S51), and the time until the read of all the originals is completed is calculated and displayed in a time display routine (S52). The other display processings are performed (S53). Thus, without lowering the working rate of an image-forming device, the user effectively uses the time corresponding to the displayed read time.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus, and more particularly to an image reading apparatus having a display unit for displaying the completion time of a reading process.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an image forming apparatus having a function of displaying a time for image forming processing, for example, an image forming apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 1-52752 is known. In this image forming apparatus, since the completion time of the copying operation for a plurality of originals can be displayed,
After confirming this display, the user can temporarily leave the image forming apparatus and return at a time when the copying operation is completed. That is, the user can effectively use the time until the image forming apparatus completes the copying operation.

[0003]

However, at the time of daily use of an image reading apparatus (a part of an image forming apparatus or an apparatus for reading an image independently), a user takes out the read original and takes out the image. Leave. In such a case, if the number of documents is very large, the user must wait for all documents to be read close to the image reading device, and use the document reading time effectively. Can not.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus which allows a user to effectively use an original reading time.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image reading apparatus for reading image data of a group of plural originals, a means for inputting the number of originals and the size of the originals, And a calculating means for calculating the time required to complete reading of the document group from the document size, and a display unit for displaying information on the time calculated by the calculating means.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the number of documents and the size of the documents are input, and the time required until reading of the document group is completed is calculated and displayed. This allows
The user can act in accordance with the time required to complete the reading, and the user can effectively use the document reading time.

[0007]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view showing an entire configuration of a digital copying machine 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The digital copier 1 is mainly composed of an original feeding device AD.
F, image reader IR, page printer PRT
And the operation panel OP (installed on the upper surface of the digital copier 1 /
Perpendicular to the paper). These are controlled by a control unit 200 that controls each unit or the whole.

The copying operation will be briefly described. An operation is input to the digital copying machine 1 via the operation panel OP. The document feeder ADF sets documents one by one at the reading position of the image reader IR. Thereafter, the image reader IR reads the image of the set document and generates image data. Next, the page printer PRT
Receives image data from the image reader IR,
Print the image on paper.

The document feeder ADF is a digital copier 1
It is attached to the upper part of the printer such that one end can be opened and closed with a fulcrum and also serves as a document cover. The document feeder ADF includes a feed roller 501, a separating roller 502, and a separating pad 50.
3, intermediate roller 504, register roller 505, transport belt 506, reversing roller 507, paper discharge roller 508, document stacker 509, document discharge tray 510, document sensor SE51, document size sensor SE52, discharge sensor SE
53 and the like.

A plurality of originals are stacked on the original stacker 509 with the image to be copied facing upward. The placed document is fed by the feed roller 501 one by one from the bottom layer while being separated by the separating roller 502 and the separating pad 503. The original is subsequently processed by an intermediate roller 504 and a register roller 505.
The image reader IR is accurately set at the reading position on the original table glass 17 by the conveyor belt 506.

In the case of a single-sided original, the original after the image is read by the image reader IR is fed to a discharge roller 508.
And is discharged onto the document discharge tray 510 such that the image surface faces upward. In the case of a two-sided original, the original whose front side is read in the same manner as the one-sided original,
7, the platen glass 17 is again turned upside down.
After returning to the upper reading position and reading the back surface, the document is discharged onto the document discharge tray 510. The document sensor SE51 detects the presence or absence of a document, the document size sensor SE52 detects the size of the document, and the discharge sensor SE53 detects the presence or absence of the document being discharged.

The image reader IR is a scanning system 10 for reading a document by separating the original into pixels, and an image signal for performing quantization of a photoelectric conversion signal output from the scanning system 10 and signal processing in accordance with various image forming modes. It comprises a processing unit 20 and a memory unit 30 for storing image data transmitted from the image signal processing unit 20.

The scanning system 10 is a line scanning type image reading mechanism. The document irradiating lamp 11 and the mirror 12 are held by a scanner 18 and a scan motor M
2 drives the scanner 18. The document set at the reading position on the platen glass 17 is exposed by the document irradiation lamp 11. The reflected light from the original is
After passing through the fixed mirrors 13a and 13b and the condenser lens 14, C
It is input to an image sensor 15 using a CD array.
The signal obtained here is sent to the image signal processing unit 20. The document scale 16 is set on the side of the platen glass 17 and indicates a reference when the user manually sets the document at the reading position.

The image signal processing section 20 performs binarization processing, image quality correction, scaling, and the like on the signal input from the scanning system 10.
Image processing such as image editing is performed.
In, these image data are temporarily stored.

The page printer PRT prints a copy image by an electrophotographic process based on the image data transferred from the image reader IR. The page printer PRT has a print processing unit 4 that outputs an exposure control signal.
0, an optical system 60 for irradiating a laser beam according to an exposure control signal from the print processing unit 40, and an image forming system 7 for performing an image forming process on a sheet of the laser beam irradiated by the optical system 60
0, a paper transport system 80 for transporting the paper to the image forming system 70, and a re-feed unit 600 for re-feeding the paper if necessary
It is composed of

The print processing unit 40 controls a laser beam emitted by the optical system 60 based on image data from the memory unit 30 of the image reader IR.

First, the semiconductor laser 61 is connected to the print processing unit 4.
A laser beam is emitted under the control of 0. The laser beam is deflected in the main scanning direction by a polygon mirror 62 rotated by a polygon motor, and is deflected by a main lens 64 and mirrors 63a, 63b, 63c disposed at various positions.
Is guided to the exposure position of the photosensitive drum 71 in the image forming system 70.

In the image forming system 70, first, the photosensitive drum 71
Is uniformly charged by the charging charger 72, the laser beam from the image forming system 60 is irradiated as described above, and an electrostatic latent image is formed on the photosensitive drum 71. Subsequently, toner is placed on the electrostatic latent image by the developing device 73,
The electrostatic latent image becomes a toner image. The toner image thus formed is separated from the photosensitive drum 71 by the transfer charger 74 at the transfer position, and is transferred to a sheet conveyed by the sheet conveyance system 80. Also, the post-transfer photosensitive drum 7
The toner remaining on the surface 1 is scraped off by a cleaner (not shown) and then collected in a bottle 75.

In the paper transport system 80, a paper feed cassette 81
The paper from a and 81b is sent to the transfer position by the timing roller 83 in synchronization with the toner image on the photosensitive drum 71. The sheet after the transfer is conveyed to the fixing roller pair 85 by the conveying belt 84, and the toner image is fixed on the sheet by heat and pressure. Each part of the paper transport system 80 and the photosensitive drum 71 are driven by a main motor M1.

In this embodiment, the paper feed cassette 81a stores A4Y size (A4 horizontal size) paper, and the paper feed cassette 81b stores B5Y size (B5 horizontal size) paper.

A re-feed unit 600 is a page printer PRT as an additional device for automating a duplex copying operation.
It is installed on the side. The sheet re-feed unit 600 is driven by the discharge roller 86 of the sheet transport system 80 to cause the page printer PR
It has a function of temporarily storing the paper discharged from the T main body, performing switchback conveyance, and sending it back to the page printer main body. The re-feed unit has a staple unit 604 and a staple tray 605, and has a function of automatically binding the copied paper by staples as necessary.

When performing a copying operation on one side, the sheet is discharged onto a discharge tray 607 through the sheet re-feeding unit 600. When a copying operation is performed on both sides, the left end of the switching claw 601 is moved upward by a solenoid coil (not shown). The sheet discharged from the discharge roller 86 reaches the forward / reverse roller 603 via the transport roller 602.
When the trailing edge of the sheet is detected by the sheet sensor SE61, the forward / reverse roller 603 is inverted. By this reversal, the paper is returned to the main body of the page printer PRT. The returned paper is
After passing through the horizontal transport rollers 87a, 87b, and 87c, it is sent to the timing roller 83, and after being synchronized with the photosensitive drum 71, it is transported to the transfer position.

Here, when a plurality of sheets are continuously fed, the sheets are successively sent to the re-feeding unit 600 at predetermined intervals so as not to overlap each other.
Since the length of the paper transport path is constant, the re-feed unit 600 and the horizontal transport rollers 87a, 87b, 87c
, The number of sheets N per cycle (the most circulating sheet number) N depends on the sheet size.

FIG. 2 shows an operation panel O of the digital copying machine 1.
It is a top view showing composition of P. The operation panel OP includes a liquid crystal touch panel LCD 91, a numeric keypad 92, a clear key 9
3, a panel reset key 94, a stop key 95, a start key 96, a document number setting key 97, an LED 98, a copy mode key 99, a document designation key 100, and an interrupt key 101.

A liquid crystal touch panel 91 is used to display status and designate various modes, a numeric keypad 92 is used to input numerical conditions (such as the number of copies and a magnification) of a copying operation, and a clear key 93 is used to input numerical conditions. Is used to return to the standard value.

A panel reset key 94 is used to initialize a copy mode, a stop key 95 is used to instruct a stop of a copy operation, and a start key 96 is used to instruct a start of a copy operation.

An original number setting key 97 is used for inputting the number of originals placed on the original stacker 509 of the original feeder ADF. It is. When the number-of-documents setting key 97 is pressed, a document size is input on the liquid crystal panel 91. The copy mode key 99 is used to switch between single-sided copying and double-sided copying, and the document designating key 100 is used to specify whether the document is a single-sided document or a double-sided document. Interrupt key 10
1 is used to input an interrupt activation and return.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are block diagrams showing the configuration of the control unit 200 of the digital copying machine 1. FIG.

The control unit 200 comprises eight CPUs 201 to 2
08, and these CPUs 201 to 208
Are connected to ROMs 211 to 218 storing programs and RAMs 221 to 228 serving as work areas, respectively. These CPUs 201 to 204 and CPU 20
6 to 208 are serial I / O2s centered on the CPU 205;
40, and necessary command information is exchanged as needed by interrupt processing from the CPU 205.

The CPU 202 and the CPU 203 are connected and exchange necessary command information. In addition, CPU
206 is provided in the memory unit 30.

Further, the following are connected to each CPU. The CPU 201 has an I / O interface 2
Various operation keys 92 to 9 on the operation panel OP via the
7, 99 to 101 are connected, and I / O interface 2
The liquid crystal touch panel 91 of the operation panel OP and the like are connected via the interface 32. The CPU 201 controls various operation keys 92 to 9 on the operation panel OP via the I / O interface 231.
7, 99 to 101 to control the signal input,
The liquid crystal touch panel 91 via the O interface 232
And so on.

An image signal processing section 20 having the image sensor 15 is connected to the CPU 202. CPU 202
Controls each unit of the image signal processing unit 20.

The CPU 203 is connected to the document irradiation lamp 11 of the scanning system 10, the scan motor M2, and the like. CP
U203 controls the drive of the scanning system 10.

The CPU 204 is connected to the print processing unit 40 having the semiconductor laser 61. Also, the CPU 204
Is connected to an imaging system sensor via an I / O interface 233, and is connected to a drive circuit of the imaging system 70 via an I / O interface 234. The CPU 204 performs overall control of the page printer PRT including the print processing unit 40.

The CPU 205 performs processing for adjusting the overall timing of the control unit 100 and setting the operation mode. In order to execute these processes, the CPU 205
Performs serial communication with each CPU connected to the CPU 205 via the serial I / O 240, and transmits and receives commands and reports necessary for control.

The CPU 206 is provided in the memory unit 30 and controls storage and reading of image information. In the memory unit 30, the image signal processing unit 20 and the print processing unit 40 are connected. Image data D2 is sent from the image signal processing unit 20 to the memory unit 30, and image data D3 is sent from the memory unit 30 to the print processing unit.

Each sensor of the document feeder ADF is connected to the CPU 207 via an I / O interface 235, and a drive circuit of the document feeder ADF is connected via an I / O interface 236. The CPU 207 executes I /
The input of signals from the sensors SE51, SE52, SE53 of the document feeder ADF is controlled via the O interface 235, and the document feed of the document feeder ADF is controlled via the I / O interface 236.

Each sensor of the re-feed unit 600 is connected to the CPU 208 via the I / O interface 237, and a driving circuit of the re-feed unit 600 is connected via the I / O interface 238. The CPU 208
Re-feeding unit 6 via I / O interface 237
The input of the signal from the sensor 00 is controlled, and the re-feeding of the re-feeding unit 600 is controlled via the I / O interface 238.

Hereinafter, a control procedure executed by the CPU 201 and the CPU 204 particularly relating to the present invention will be described with reference to flowcharts.

First, the CPU 20 operates the operation panel OP.
1 will be described.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a main routine showing a control procedure executed by the CPU 201.

When the power is turned on, the CPU 201 first sets the RA in step 11 (hereinafter, step is abbreviated as S).
Initialize M221, registers, etc., and set an internal timer that defines the length of one routine in S12. next,
At S13, a key input process for accepting a key operation is performed, at S14, a panel display process for performing display according to the operation, and at S15, other processes are performed. Key input processing in S13, S
The panel display processing at 14 is performed in a subroutine, which will be described later.

Subsequently, in S16, it is determined whether or not the internal timer set in S12 has expired. If the internal timer has expired (YES in S16), one routine ends, and the processing from S12 is repeated. If the internal timer has not expired (NO in S16), S
At 16 the end of the internal timer is awaited.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a procedure of the key input processing routine of S13 shown in FIG.

First, the number of documents set in the document stacker 509 of the document feeder ADF is input from the operation panel OP in the document number input routine in S21, and the document size is detected in the document size detection routine in S22. . Subsequently, after other key input processing is performed in S23, this routine ends.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the processing in the document number input routine of S21 shown in FIG.

First, in S31, it is determined whether or not it is time to press the number-of-documents setting key 97. (In the figure, the timing at which the key is pressed is indicated by detecting the on-edge of the key.) If the key is the timing at which the number-of-documents setting key 97 is pressed (YE at S31).
S), L indicating that the number of documents is being input in S32.
It is determined whether the ED 98 is on. LED98
Is on (YES in S32), in S33,
The LED 98 is turned off. Thus, the document number input mode is released. If the LED 98 is not on (NO in S32), the LED 98 is turned on in S34 to indicate to the user that the mode is the document number input mode. If it is not the timing at which the document number setting key 97 is pressed (NO in S31), S32 to S34 are skipped.

Next, in S35, it is determined whether or not it is the timing at which the ten key 92 is pressed. If it is the timing at which the ten key 92 is pressed (YES in S35),
In S36, it is determined whether or not the LED 98 is on. If the LED 98 is on (YE at S36)
S), the data input by the ten keys 92 in S37 is stored as the number of documents, and this routine ends.

If the timing is not the timing at which the ten key 92 is pressed (NO in S35), or if the LED 98 is not lit (NO in S36), the process proceeds to S37.
Is skipped, and this routine ends as it is.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the processing in the document size detection routine of S22 shown in FIG.

First, in S40, it is determined whether or not the number of documents has been input. If the number of documents has not been input (NO in S40), this routine ends as it is. If the number of documents has been input (Y in S40,
ES), in S41, it is determined whether or not it is time to press the paper selection key on the liquid crystal touch panel 91 in the operation panel OP as input of the document size. If it is the timing when the paper selection key is pressed (YE in S41)
S) In S42, it is determined whether the document size is A4Y size. If the document size is A4Y size (YES in S42), the document size is B5Y in S43.
This size is detected, and this routine ends. If the document size is not A4 size (NO in S42), S44
The document size is detected as A4Y size, and this routine ends. If it is not the timing at which the sheet selection key is pressed (NO in S41), the present routine ends as it is.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the processing in the panel display routine of S14 shown in FIG.

First, in S51, the time required to read one document is set according to the document size detected in the document size detection routine of FIG. 8, and reading of all documents is completed in the time display routine of S52. The time required to do so is calculated and displayed. In S53, other display processing is performed.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the procedure of processing in the unit time setting routine of S51 shown in FIG.

First, in S61, it is determined whether or not the upper paper feed port in which the document size detected in the document size detection routine of FIG. 8 is set to the A4Y size is being selected. If the document size is A4Y size (YES in S61), a reading time of 5 seconds per A4Y size document is set in S62. Document size is A4Y
If it is not the size (NO in S61), B5 in S63
A reading time of 4 seconds per one Y-size document is set.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the processing in the time display routine of S52 shown in FIG. In this routine, the reading time is calculated and displayed on the liquid crystal touch panel 91.

First, in S71, it is determined whether or not it is time to press the start key 96. If it is the timing when the start key 96 is pressed (Y in S71)
ES), in S72, the reading time per document set in the unit time setting routine shown in FIG. 10 is multiplied by the document number set in the document number input routine shown in FIG. Is calculated. Then S7
At 3, the reading time, which is the calculation result, is displayed on the liquid crystal touch panel (LCD) 91, and the present routine ends.

If the timing is not the timing at which the start key 96 has been pressed (NO in S71), this routine ends.

As described above, the digital copying machine according to one embodiment of the present invention displays the time when reading of all the originals in a certain original group is completed. Thus, the user can effectively use the time according to the displayed reading time without lowering the operation rate of the image forming apparatus.

In this embodiment, the reading time per sheet is set to several seconds in the unit time setting routine shown in FIG. 10, but the reading time per sheet takes several minutes. It is of course possible to apply the present invention to the device.

In the above-described embodiment, the number of originals is input from the operation panel as shown in the original number input routine of FIG. 7, but the original thickness is detected by detecting the thickness of the original. It is also possible to detect the number. By using this technique, it is possible to obtain information indicating the number of documents in the present embodiment.

A technique for detecting the number of originals from the thickness of the original will be described below. FIG. 12 shows a control unit 200 of the digital copying machine 1 including a change necessary for detecting the thickness of the document.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of FIG. FIG. 12 corresponds to FIG. 4, and the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals.

In addition to the components shown in FIG. 4, a document amount detection sensor 1000 is connected to CPU 207 for controlling document feeder ADF. The document amount detection sensor 1000 includes an infrared LED 1001, an LED driver 1002, a light receiving element 1003, and an arithmetic circuit 1004. Infrared L
The ED 1001 is a CPU via an LED driver 1002
The light receiving element 1003 is connected to the arithmetic circuit 100
FIG. 13 which is connected to the CPU 207 through FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the document amount detection sensor 1000.
FIG. 13 is a diagram of the document viewed from the transport direction.

From the infrared LED 1001 at the top of the original, infrared light is transmitted through the projection lens 1005 to the original 1008.
It is projected toward. The infrared light is reflected by the original 1008,
Light reflected from the original 1008 is received by the light receiving element 1003 through the light receiving lens 1006.

At this time, the reflected light from the original 1008 enters different positions on the light receiving element 1003 according to the thickness of the original 1008. For example, when the document amount is small, the light enters the position near the A terminal of the light receiving element 1003, and when the document amount is large, the light enters the position near the B terminal of the light receiving element 1003.

When the reflected light enters the light receiving element 1003,
Due to the characteristics of the light receiving element 1003, an output proportional to the incident position of light is output from the A and B terminals. When the original is not set on the original tray 509, the light from the infrared LED hits the anti-reflection film coating portion 1007 of the original tray 509 and is not reflected, and the light receiving element 1003 does not detect the light incidence. Thus, it is detected that the document is not set. Instead of the anti-reflection film coating portion 1007 of the document tray 509, the document tray 50
9 simply having a hole can be used.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an entire configuration of a digital copying machine 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a configuration of an operation panel OP of the digital copying machine 1.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a control unit 200 of the digital copying machine 1;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a control unit 200 of the digital copying machine 1;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a main routine showing a control procedure executed by a CPU 201;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a procedure of processing in a key input processing routine of S13 shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a procedure of processing in a document number input routine of S21 shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a process in a document size detection routine of S22 shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a process in a panel display routine of S14 shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a process in a unit time setting routine of S51 shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a process in a time display routine of S52 shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a control unit 200 of the digital copying machine 1 including a change necessary for detecting a thickness of a document.

FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the operation of a document amount detection sensor 1000;

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Digital Image Forming Apparatus ADF Document Feeding Device IR Image Reader PRT Page Printer OP Operation Panel 200 Control Unit

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An image reading apparatus for reading image data of a group of documents composed of a plurality of sheets, means for inputting the number of documents and the size of the documents in the group of documents, and An image reading apparatus, comprising: a calculating unit for calculating the time; and a display unit for displaying information on the time calculated by the calculating unit.