JPH10190929A - Image communication equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide image communication equipment that easily sends page description data (PDL) generated by a computer with an original image read by a scanner. SOLUTION: Cover page data are generated in advance on a computer, stored in a nonvolatile memory or the like as PDL data of a macro form, a desired cover page is selected at facsimile transmission and expanded as images, and the image is sent with an original image by a facsimile equipment. Furthermore, a cover page is laid out by adding transmission information, such as a transmission destination or a fox number later, a font and a point number of characters added later are generated by a designated macro form, then transmission information entered by an operation section or the like is added to a selected cover page in the case of facsimile transmission and the resulting information is expanded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for inputting image information expressed in, for example, a page description language (hereinafter referred to as PDL) and expanding the image information into a visible image. The present invention relates to an image communication apparatus that performs facsimile transmission of an input document image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a method has been proposed in which image information created on a computer is converted into PDL, which is converted into a visible image and transmitted by facsimile in the same manner as when a document image is read by a scanner and facsimile transmitted. Have been.

In an apparatus for forming an image by inputting PDL data, a frequently used image such as a fixed format is stored in a nonvolatile memory or the like as macro-format PDL data to which layout information of data to be added later is added. After that, a method has been proposed in which, when PDL data in the macro format is designated thereafter, when data to be added to the PDL data is input, the data is developed into an image and output.

[0004]

However, when image information created on a computer is converted into PDL data, and this is developed into an image and facsimile transmission is performed,
-All the image information is PD created on computer
Must be L data.

That is, for example, the cover page is PDL
If the transmitted document was created using data and the transmitted document was a document image scanned by a scanner, it was necessary to print out only the cover page, and then input this together with the transmitted document from the scanner.

In order to save the trouble of creating and printing out a cover page on a computer each time, a fixed form cover page on which destination information or the like is not entered is printed out and prepared in advance. It is also possible to write the destination information and the like by handwriting and read it later. However, in this case as well, there is trouble in handwriting, and when compared with a document laid out neatly in PDL, There was an obvious problem of poor quality.

An object of the present invention is to provide an image communication apparatus that can easily transmit code data created by a computer together with a document image.

[0008]

According to the present invention, code data input means for inputting code data such as PDL, image input means for inputting an original image, and code data input from the code data input means are made visible. Image developing means for developing an image, and transmission control means for transmitting the image developed by the image developing means and the image input by the image input means based on a predetermined communication procedure. .

The present invention also provides a first data input means for inputting image information represented by code data, and a storage means for storing the image information input by the first data input means. Selecting means for selecting desired image information from the image information stored by the storage means; second data input means for providing additional information to the image information selected by the selecting means; Image expansion means for expanding the image information selected by the above and the additional information input by the second data input means into a visible image, an image input means for inputting a document image, and an image input means defined by the ITU-T recommendation. Communication means for transmitting an image according to a predetermined procedure, and transmitting the image developed by the image development means and the image input by the image input means in a predetermined procedure. And butterflies.

Further, the additional information is constituted by destination information input from an operation unit. Further, as the additional information, transmission destination information previously input from the operation unit is stored in the second storage unit, and is stored in the second storage unit.
The selection is provided by selection means.

[0011] Further, the invention is characterized in that a counting means for counting the number of document images is provided, and the counted value is included in the additional information.

In the present invention, for example, cover page data is created in advance on a computer, and this is
By storing the data as L data in a non-volatile memory or the like and selecting a desired cover page at the time of facsimile transmission, this can be developed into an image and transmitted by facsimile with the original image.

[0013] Also, the cover page can be sent to the destination or FA later.
By laying out and creating so that transmission information such as X number can be added, and creating it in a macro format that specifies the font and point number of characters to be added later,
At the time of facsimile transmission, transmission information input from the operation unit or the like can be added to the selected cover page and developed.

Further, it is possible to count the number of document images read from the scanner, and to add this number information to the cover page as additional information.

[0015]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an image communication apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

The reader unit 1 reads an image of a document, and outputs image data corresponding to the document image to the printer unit 2 and the image input / output control unit 3. The printer unit 2 includes the reader unit 1
Further, an image corresponding to the image data from the image input / output control unit 3 is recorded on a recording sheet. The image input / output control unit 3 is connected to the reader unit 1 and includes a facsimile unit 4, a file unit 5, a computer interface unit 7, a formatter unit 8, an image memory unit 9, a core unit 10, and the like.

The facsimile unit 4 decompresses the compressed image data received via the telephone line, transfers the decompressed image data to the core unit 10, and compresses the image data transferred from the core unit 10. The compressed image data is transmitted via a telephone line. Further, a hard disk 12 is connected to the facsimile unit 4 so that the received compressed image data can be temporarily stored.

The file unit 5 is connected to a magneto-optical disk drive unit 6. The file unit 5 compresses the image data transferred from the core unit 10, and outputs a magneto-optical signal together with a keyword for searching the image data. The data is stored on a magneto-optical disk set in the disk drive unit 6.

The file section 5 searches compressed image data stored in the magneto-optical disk based on the keyword transferred via the core section 10, reads out the searched compressed image data, and decompresses the read image data. The decompressed image data is transferred to the core unit 10.

The computer interface unit 7 includes a personal computer or a workstation (PC)
/ WS) 11 and an interface between the core unit 10, and the formatter unit 8 develops code data representing an image transferred from the PC / WS 11 into image data that can be recorded by the printer unit 2.

The image memory unit 9 temporarily stores data transferred from the PC / WS 11 or stores the data in the reader unit 1.
And the image transferred from the formatter unit 8 or
Further, the stored image and the image transferred from each unit are combined and output to another unit.

The core unit 10 controls the flow of data among the reader unit 1, facsimile unit 4, file unit 5, computer interface unit 7, formatter unit 8, and image memory unit 9.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the structure of the reader unit 1 and the printer unit 2.

The document feeder 101 of the reader unit 1 feeds a document one by one sequentially from the last page onto the platen glass 102, and after the reading operation of the document is completed, the platen glass 10
2 is for discharging the original. When the document is conveyed onto the platen glass 102, the lamp 103 is turned on, the movement of the scanner unit 104 is started, and the document is exposed and scanned. The reflected light from the original at this time is transmitted to a CCD image sensor (hereinafter referred to as CCD) 109 by mirrors 105, 106, 107 and a lens 108.
Led to.

As described above, the image of the scanned document is C
The image data output from the CCD 109 and read by the CD 109 is subjected to predetermined processing and then transferred to the printer unit 2 and the core unit 10 of the image input / output control unit 3.

The laser driver 221 of the printer unit 2
It drives the laser light emitting unit 201, and the reader unit 1
Causes the laser light emitting unit 201 to emit laser light corresponding to the image data output from. The laser beam is applied to the photosensitive drum 202, and a latent image corresponding to the laser beam is formed on the photosensitive drum 202. A developer is attached to a portion of the latent image on the photosensitive drum 202 by a developing device 203.

Then, at a timing synchronized with the start of the laser beam irradiation, a recording sheet is fed from one of the cassettes 204 and 205 and conveyed to the transfer section 206 to record the developer attached to the photosensitive drum 202. Transfer to paper. The recording paper on which the developer is loaded is generally sent to the fixing unit 207, and the developer is fixed on the recording paper by the heat and pressure of the fixing unit 207.

The recording paper that has passed through the fixing section 207 is discharged by discharge rollers 208, and the sorter 220 stores the discharged recording paper in each bin and sorts the recording paper. When no sorting is set, the sorter 220 stores the recording paper in the uppermost bin.

When double-sided recording is set,
After the recording paper is conveyed to the discharge roller 208, the rotation direction of the discharge roller 208 is reversed, and the flapper 209 is rotated.
Leads to the general paper feed path. When multiple recording is set, the recording paper is guided to the re-feeding conveyance path by the flapper 209 so as not to be conveyed to the discharge roller 208. The recording paper guided to the re-feed conveyance path is fed to the transfer unit 206 at the above-described timing.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the reader unit 1. The image data output from the CCD 109 is
The A / D / SH unit 110 performs analog / digital conversion and performs shading correction. A / D
The image data processed by the SH unit 110 is transferred to the printer unit 2 via the image processing unit 111 and to the core unit 10 of the image input / output control unit 3 via the interface unit 113.

The CPU 114 controls the image processing unit 111 and the interface 113 in accordance with the settings set on the operation unit 115. For example, when a copy mode in which the trimming process is performed by the operation unit 115 to perform copying is set, the image processing unit 111 performs the trimming process and transfers the image data to the printer unit 2.

When the facsimile transmission mode is set on the operation unit 115, the interface 113
To transfer the image data and the control command corresponding to the set mode to the core unit 10. Such a CPU 114
Is stored in the memory 116,
The CPU 114 performs control while referring to the memory 116. The memory 116 is also used as a work area of the CPU 114.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the core unit 10. As shown in FIG. The image data from the reader unit 1 is transferred to the data processing unit 121, and the control command from the reader unit 1 is transferred to the CPU 123. The data processing unit 121 performs image processing such as an image rotation process and a scaling process. Image data transferred from the reader unit 1 to the data processing unit 121 is converted into a control command transferred from the reader unit 1. Accordingly, the data is transferred to the facsimile unit 4, the file unit 5, and the computer interface unit 7 via the interface 120.

The computer interface unit 7
Is transmitted to the data processing unit 121 and then transferred to the formatter unit 8 to be expanded into image data. The image data is transferred to the data processing unit 121 and then transmitted to the facsimile. It is transferred to the printer unit 4 and the printer unit 2.

The image data from the facsimile unit 4 is transferred to the data processing unit 121 and then to the printer unit 2, the file unit 5, and the computer interface unit 7.

The image data from the file unit 5 is
After being transferred to the data processing unit 121, the data is transferred to the printer unit 2, the facsimile unit 4, and the computer interface unit 7.

The CPU 123 performs such control according to a control program stored in the memory 124 and a control command transferred from the reader unit 1. Also,
The memory 124 is also used as a work area of the CPU 123.

As described above, the processing combining the functions of reading the original image, printing the image, transmitting and receiving the image, storing the image, inputting and outputting data from the computer, and the like can be performed centering on the core unit 10. It is possible.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a processing unit in the formatter unit 8 from data input to image development output.

The data input / output processing unit 502 performs input / output of various data (commands) with the core unit 10 in order to input code data and output a developed image. When code data is input from the core unit 10, the code analysis unit 5
03, the code is analyzed, and the result is rendered by the drawing processing unit 504.
Pass to.

The drawing processing unit 504 creates a page table 510 containing various information necessary for forming a one-page image based on the analyzed result, and develops drawing data into a raster image. Is transferred to the intermediate code creation unit 505 which converts the data into the data.

When the drawing data is converted to an intermediate code by the intermediate code creating unit 505, the intermediate code is passed to a raster developing unit 506, and is sequentially developed into a bit map image, and is temporarily stored in a page raster memory 507.

The page control unit 509 assembles a sequence for image output based on the information of the page table 510, and instructs the image output control unit 508 on a page output order, an image output destination, and the like.

The image output control unit 508 extracts and outputs the image stored in the page raster memory 507 according to the instruction of the page control unit 509. The job control unit 5
At 11, the operation of these series is controlled.

Next, a function (hereinafter referred to as a macro function) for registering a series of PDL data for performing a standard drawing process in advance and extracting and drawing the PDL data when necessary. explain.

The macro-format PDL data is created by a tool that converts an image created on a computer into PDL data.

The PDL data in the macro format is different from PDL data for performing normal printout, and may include layout information (character points, fonts, etc.) such as character data transmitted later. It is possible.

As an example of a general printout using PDL data in a macro format, an image composed of ruled line data such as a book is registered in a printer in a macro format in advance.
By instructing the execution of the macro function later and giving numerical data to be added to the book, the ruled line data and the numerical data are combined and formed and output as one image.

The operation of registering macro data and developing and outputting an image in the macro function will be described below.

When the result of analyzing the input data indicates that the contents indicate macro registration, the drawing processing unit 504
The subsequent PDL data (macro data) is passed to the macro control unit 512.

The macro control unit 512 stores the received macro data in a medium 513 provided in a form such as a nonvolatile memory. At the same time, the management number, name, size, paper direction, etc. of the stored macro are recorded in the macro management table 514.

Next, as a result of analyzing the input data, if the content indicates that a macro is to be executed, the macro controller 5
Reference numeral 12 refers to the macro management table 514, extracts the designated macro, passes it to the intermediate code creation unit 505,
The data is developed to the page memory 507 through the raster developing unit 506. If expansion of data to be added later is instructed by a macro, raster expansion is performed together with data input from the data input / output processing unit 502.

The page control unit 509 instructs the image output control unit 508 to transfer the created page image to the output destination specified by the core unit 10,
08, the image developed on the page raster memory 507 is output.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the procedure of each function in this embodiment.

First, after the power is turned on, initialization is performed (S6).
01). Next, when each function is selected from the operation unit 115, the process shifts to each function process (S601).
To S605).

When the facsimile function is selected, FIG.
, A facsimile transmission initialization process is first performed (S701), and a transmission condition setting for setting a facsimile number of a transmission destination is performed.

At this time, if a function of designating and transmitting a registered cover page (hereinafter referred to as a cover page mode) is specified (S703), the process shifts to a cover page mode process shown in FIG. 8 (S703). S708). The cover page mode processing will be described later.

If the cover page mode has not been selected, or after the cover page mode processing has been completed, an instruction to start reading the original image is awaited (S704).
When reading of a document image is instructed, the document is read from the reader unit 1 (S705), and the image data is transferred to the facsimile unit 4.

When the end of reading the original image is instructed,
The facsimile unit 4 sequentially facsimile-transmits the images stored in the hard disk according to a predetermined procedure (S707).
Then, after the transmission is completed, the steps shown in FIG. 6 (S701)
Return to

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing processing in the cover page mode of the facsimile function.
FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram illustrating a flow of data between the respective functional units in a cover page mode of the facsimile function.

Hereinafter, the processing in the cover page mode will be described in detail with reference to these drawings.

First, when the facsimile function is selected and the cover page mode is selected, the facsimile unit 4 notifies the core unit 10 of the selection (S90).
1, S902).

The core unit 10 that has received the notification requests the formatter unit 8 to transfer the registered cover page information to the facsimile unit 4 (S903).

Upon receiving the request, the formatter unit 8 transfers the information of the cover page, that is, the information of the macro management table 514, to the facsimile unit 4 (S801, S90).
4).

The facsimile unit 4 converts the received information into browsing information of the registered cover page as the operation unit 11.
5 is displayed.

When the cover page to be used is selected and the input of the transmission information to be added to the cover page is completed, the facsimile unit 4 transfers the information to the core unit 10 (S905).

The core unit 10 waits for the completion of the input (S8).
03) When the cover page selected by the facsimile unit 4 and the input information are received, first, the formatter unit 8
Is instructed to execute the selected cover page, that is, the selected macro function (S804, S906).

If the designated macro function can be executed, the formatter unit 8 notifies the core unit 10 of the execution (S907). When the core unit 10 is notified from the formatter unit 8 that the macro function can be executed (S
805) Then, the transmission information to be added to the cover page received from the facsimile unit 4, that is, the data to be added to the macro is transferred to the formatter unit 8 (S80).
6, S908).

If it is not possible to execute the macro function,
The process moves to the step (S703) shown in FIG. 7, and a process is performed again to determine whether to select the cover page mode.

At the time of instructing the macro function to the formatter unit 8 and transferring data to be added later, the core unit 10 converts these into PDL data that can be interpreted by the formatter unit 8 and transfers them. Therefore, the formatter unit 8 normally outputs the PD from the computer interface unit 7.
Processing can be performed in the same procedure as when receiving and interpreting L data.

The formatter unit 8 develops an image of the attached data sent from the core unit 10 according to the previously designated macro, and creates a one-page cover page image.

When the development of the cover page image is completed, the formatter unit 8 notifies the core unit 10 of the completion (S807, S909).

Subsequently, the facsimile unit 4 instructs the core unit 10 to transfer the cover page image as it is to the facsimile unit 4 for facsimile transmission or to transfer it to a printer for printing out. (S808, S910).

When the output destination of the developed image is the facsimile unit 4, the core unit 10 instructs the formatter unit 8 to transfer the developed cover page image to the facsimile unit 4 (S809, S911). The formatter unit 8 transfers the cover page image developed according to the instruction of the core unit 10 to the facsimile unit 4 (S912).

When the image transfer to the facsimile unit 4 is completed, the process proceeds to the step (S704) shown in FIG. 7, and the reading process of the original image is performed.

If the output destination is the printer unit 2, an instruction is given to transfer the cover page image similarly developed to the printer unit 2 (S810). In this case, after the image transfer to the printer unit 2 is completed, that is, after the printout, the process proceeds to the step (S703) shown in FIG.

FIG. 10 is an example of a facsimile cover page used in this embodiment. This cover page is created on the computer 11, converted into macro-format PDL data by a tool that converts the layout into PDL data, and registered in advance.

The information added to the cover page described above includes the destinations 1001 and 1002, the telephone number 100
3, a facsimile number 1004, a transmission source 1005, a number 1006, and a text 1007.

When the book cover page is created on the computer 11, the font, the number of points, and the like of the characters of the information to be added later are specified in advance.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation procedure on the operation unit 115 in the cover page mode. The operation unit 115 includes a touch panel type display (not shown), and performs an operation instruction by touching each key area displayed on the display.

The "copy" key, "FAX" key, "printer" key, and "file" key displayed on the right side of the screen are keys for switching the operation screen of each function. The "FAX" key is selected, and a screen for operating the facsimile function is displayed.

The operation procedure in the cover page mode will be described below with reference to FIG.

First, the screen (a) is a screen for performing the facsimile function facsimile transmission setting. When the “cover page” key is selected and the “OK” key is pressed, the screen (b) is displayed. You. When the normal mode is selected, a screen (e) for starting reading of the document image is displayed.

The screen (b) is a screen for selecting a cover page to be used from the registered cover pages. The displayed cover page information is information of the macro management table transferred from the formatter unit 8 to the facsimile unit 4 as described above.

Here, a cover page to be used is selected,
When the "OK" key is pressed, a screen (c) is subsequently displayed. Screen (c) is a screen for inputting transmission information to be added to the selected cover page.

When each item key of the displayed transmission information is selected, a character input screen (not shown) is displayed, and the information of each item is set when the user inputs an arbitrary character. .

After the input of each item is completed, when the “OK” key is pressed, the selected cover page and transmission information are converted into predetermined data by the core unit 10 and transferred to the formatter unit 8, and the formatter unit 8 , The image development of the cover page is started.

Subsequently, a screen (d) is displayed on the operation unit 115. This screen (d) is a screen for selecting the output destination of the cover page image that has been developed by the formatter unit 8. The cover page image created by the formatter unit 8 is transferred to the facsimile unit 4 as it is and transmitted by facsimile. If so, select the "FAX transmission" key. Or-If you want to confirm by printing out every time, select the "Printout" key.

When the "OK" key is pressed, the selected result is notified to the core unit 10, and the core unit 10 instructs the formatter unit 8 to output the expanded cover page image according to the selected result. Image transfer is started from step 8.

When the transfer of the cover page image from the formatter unit 8 to the facsimile unit 4 is completed, or when the normal mode is selected on the screen (a), the screen (e) is subsequently displayed.

The screen (e) is a screen for instructing the start and end of reading of the original image from the reader section 1. When the "read start" key is selected and the "OK" key is pressed, the reader section 1 is displayed. Is transferred to the facsimile unit 4. Also, "Reading completed"
When the key is selected and the “OK” key is pressed, the facsimile unit 4 ends the input processing of the transmission image, and subsequently shifts to the transmission processing.

As described above, according to the present embodiment,
It is possible to designate pre-stored PDL data, add additional information to the PDL data afterwards, perform image expansion, and transmit the expanded image and the image read from the scanner in a facsimile sequence. Become.

Therefore, for example, when the cover page is a document created on a computer and the transmission document is a document image read by a scanner, a cover page to which transmission information such as a destination is added is created on the computer every time. Then, without having to print it out every time and read it from the scanner together with other original images, simply select the cover page stored from the operation unit and enter the transmission information, The page is formed as an image and can be transmitted by facsimile.

Further, in order to register the cover page image as PDL data, layout information (font, number of character points, etc.) such as how to draw transmission information (characters) such as a destination to be added later is specified. It is possible to register in the form. Therefore, a character to be added later can be freely laid out, and a beautiful output can be obtained as compared with a case where additional writing is performed by handwriting or the like.

The function of designating an image stored in PDL data as described above, giving additional information to the image, developing the image, and outputting the developed image is not limited to the facsimile function, but may be a file function such as a file function. The present invention can be applied to the image input / output function, and can maximize the advantages of the apparatus having a plurality of image forming / outputting means.

In the above embodiment, the transmission information to be added to the cover page is configured to be input each time. However, in the screen (c) of FIG. Is stored in the facsimile unit 4 so that the transmission information can be designated by the operation of selecting the stored transmission information set from the next time.

In the above embodiment, the number of originals of the transmission information to be added to the cover page is specified by the user's input. However, before the formatter unit 8 develops the cover page image, the facsimile unit 4 By reading a document image and counting the number of documents at this time and using this as document number information 1006 to be passed to the formatter unit 8, it is possible to eliminate the need for the user to specify the number of documents. .

[0098]

As described above, according to the present invention,
There is an effect that code data by PDL or the like created by a computer can be developed and transmitted easily together with a document image read by a scanner.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a structure of a reader unit and a printer unit in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a reader unit in the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a core unit in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a processing unit from data input to image development output in the formatter unit of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing each function processing procedure in the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing facsimile function processing in the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing processing in the cover page mode of the facsimile function in the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a sequence diagram showing a flow of data between the respective functional units in the cover page mode of the facsimile function in the embodiment.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a facsimile cover page used in the embodiment.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation procedure of the operation unit in the cover page mode in the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Reader part, 2 ... Printer part, 3 ... Image input / output control part, 4 ... Facsimile part, 5 ... File part, 6 ... Magneto-optical disk drive unit, 7 ... Computer interface part, 8 ... Formatter part, 9 ... Image memory Part, 10 ... core part.

Claims (6)

[Claims] A code data input unit for inputting code data; an image input unit for inputting a document image; an image expanding unit for expanding the code data input from the code data input unit into a visible image; An image communication device, comprising: transmission control means for transmitting an image expanded by expansion means and an image input by the image input means based on a predetermined communication procedure. 2. First data input means for inputting image information represented by code data; storage means for storing the image information input by the first data input means; Selecting means for selecting desired image information from the image information stored by the above; second data input means for providing additional information to the image information selected by the selecting means; and selecting by the selecting means Image expanding means for expanding the image information and the additional information input by the second data input means into a visible image; image input means for inputting a document image; and an image according to a procedure defined by the ITU-T recommendation. Communication means for transmitting; transmitting the image developed by the image development means and the image input by the image input means in a predetermined procedure. Communication device. 3. The image communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the code data is data expressed in a page description language. 4. The image communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the additional information is constituted by information input from an operation unit. 5. The storage device according to claim 2, wherein the additional information stores destination information previously input from an operation unit in a second storage unit, and selects the destination information by a second selection unit. An image communication device characterized by the following. 6. The image communication apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a counting unit for counting the number of document images, wherein the counted value is included in the additional information.