JPH1023200A - Image input and output device and its control method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image input/output device which can obtain image data having a prescribed margin when the data are recorded or transmitted via a facsimile by controlling the position of the image data based on the attribute information showing the horizontal and vertical margins that are designated according to the output destination. SOLUTION: The code data given from a personal computer or a work station (PW/WS) 11 are expanded into the image data via a formatter part 8 of an image input/output control part 3. The image data include no prescribed margin to the recording paper. A core part 10 holds the attribute information showing the horizontal and vertical margins that are designated according to the output destination. Then the part 10 controls the image data based on the attribute information when they are outputted to a communication circuit 13 via a reader part 1 serving as the output destination, a file part 5 and a facsimile part 4. Thus, it's possible to absorb the position slippage of the image data and to obtain the image data having a prescribed margin.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to, for example, PDL (Pa
The present invention relates to an image input / output device that develops code data such as ge description language) into image data and directly transmits the image data without facsimile transmission or storage in a storage medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, electronic documents exist in the form of image data and code data representing characters and the like. First, image data is input by, for example, an image reading device such as a scanner, or handled in facsimile transmission / reception.On the other hand, code data is created by a word processor or a text editor, and is recorded, displayed, and printed as predetermined code data. ing. In particular, when printing, a predetermined PDL (Page Descrip
The language is transferred to a printer, transferred to a printer, developed into image data based on the PDL received by the printer, and an image is formed on recording paper.

In recent years, with the digitalization of copiers, multifunction machines having a plurality of functions such as facsimile transmission / reception, PDL printers, and electronic filing using scanners and printers of copiers have been put to practical use. . Such a multifunction device includes a copying function, a facsimile function, a PDL,
In addition to a single function such as a print function and an electronic file function, the apparatus can be operated between a plurality of functions such as direct facsimile transmission of image data recorded in an electronic file.

[0004]

However, in the above conventional example, when printing as a PDL printer,
The area where the font data is actually expanded for the paper size is the area excluding the top, bottom, left and right margins from the paper size area, and the printer adds the margin offset when printing and prints out on paper. doing. Therefore, in the case of directly facsimile transmitting the image data developed in PDL without printing on paper or recording the image data in an electronic file, a margin is not added, and only the actual developed area is transferred. I have.

That is, when a PDL expanded image is received by facsimile or recorded on a recording medium such as an electronic file, and then the image data is printed out, a correct margin is not added to the paper size and the image data is relatively displaced. There was a problem that would.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, and it is intended to absorb a position shift of image data at the time of recording or facsimile transmission of PDL-decompressed image data and to provide image data having a predetermined margin. It is an object to provide an obtained image input / output device.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, an image input / output device according to the present invention has the following arrangement. That is, in an image input / output device having at least an image input / output function and a communication function, an addition unit for adding attribute information corresponding to each function to image data, and an image based on the attribute information added by the addition unit. Control means for controlling each function for data.

In such a configuration, attribute information corresponding to each function is added to the image data, and each function for the image data is controlled based on the added attribute information.

In order to achieve the above object, a method for controlling an image input / output device according to the present invention has the following steps.

That is, in a control method of an image input / output device having at least an image input / output function and a communication function, an additional step of adding attribute information corresponding to each function to the image data, Controlling each function for the image data based on the attribute information.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image input / output device according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a reader unit which reads an image of a document and outputs image data corresponding to the document image to a printer unit and an image input / output control unit described later. Reference numeral 2 denotes a printer unit, which records an image on recording paper in accordance with image data from the reader unit 1 and an image input / output control unit described later. Reference numeral 3 denotes an image input / output control unit, which is connected to the reader unit 1 and has a facsimile unit 4,
It comprises a file section 5, a computer interface section 7, a formatter section 8, an image memory section 9, a core section 10, and the like.

Next, each section of the image input / output control section 3 will be described. First, the facsimile unit 4 decompresses compressed image data received via the telephone line 13, transfers the decompressed image data to the core unit 10, compresses the image data transferred from the core unit 10, and compresses the compressed image data. The data is transmitted via the telephone line 13. Facsimile unit 4
Is connected to a hard disk 12, and can temporarily store the received compressed image data. A magneto-optical disk drive unit 6 is connected to the file unit 5. The file unit 5 compresses the image data transferred from the core unit 10 and, together with code data for searching for the image data, includes a magneto-optical disk drive unit 6.
Is stored in the magneto-optical disk set in. The file unit 5 searches compressed image data stored on the magneto-optical disk based on the code data transferred via the core unit 10, reads out the searched compressed image data, decompresses the image data, and extracts the decompressed image data. Transfer to core unit 10.

The computer interface unit 7
Personal computer or workstation (PC
/ WS) 11 and the core unit 10. 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. Image memory unit 9 is PC / W
The data transferred from S11 is temporarily stored. Although the core 10 will be described later, the core 1
Numeral 0 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. In the reader unit 1, the document feeder 101 scans the document one by one in the final order on the platen glass 1.
The original is fed onto the platen 02, and after the original reading operation is completed, the original on the platen glass 102 is discharged. 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 reflected by mirrors 105, 106, 107 and lens 108.
CCD image sensor (hereinafter referred to as CCD) 1
09. The image of the document thus scanned is read by the CCD 109, output as image data from the CCD 109, 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. You.

On the other hand, in the printer section 2, the laser light emitting section 201 is driven by a laser driver (not shown) and emits a laser beam corresponding to the image data output from the reader section 1. 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 the latent image portion of the photosensitive drum 202 by a developing device 203. Then, at the timing synchronized with the start of the laser beam irradiation, the cassette 2
The recording paper is fed from either one of the cassette 04 and the cassette 205, transported to the transfer unit 206, and the developer attached to the photosensitive drum 202 is transferred to the recording paper. The recording paper on which the developer is loaded is transported 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 unit 207 is discharged by discharge rollers 208. The sorter 220 stores the discharged recording paper in each bin, sorts the recording paper, and staples the sorted recording paper.

When no sorting is set, the sorter 220 stores recording paper in the uppermost bin. If double-sided printing is set, the recording paper is conveyed to the discharge roller 208, the rotation direction of the discharge roller 208 is reversed, and the re-feeding conveyance path 21 is
Lead to zero. Further, when multiple recording is set, the recording paper is guided to the re-feeding conveyance path 210 by the flapper 209 so as not to be conveyed to the discharge roller 208. Then, the recording paper guided to the re-feeding conveyance path 210 is supplied to the transfer unit 206 at the above-described timing.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the reader unit 1 described above. First, the image data output from the CCD 109 is subjected to analog / digital conversion by the A / D / SH unit 110 and is subjected to shading correction.
Next, the image data processed by the A / D / 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. Will be transferred. CPU114
Controls the image processing unit 111 and the interface 113 according to the setting contents set by the operation unit 115.

For example, when a copy mode in which a copy is performed by performing a trimming process with the operation unit 115 is set,
The image processing unit 111 performs a trimming process and transfers the image data to the printer unit 2. When the facsimile transmission mode is set by the operation unit 115, the image data and a control command corresponding to the setting mode are transferred to the core unit 10 via the interface 113.

Such a control program for the CPU 114 is stored in the memory 116, and the CPU 114 performs control while referring to the memory 116. Also, the memory 11
Reference numeral 6 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 described above. Here, the image data from the reader unit 1 is transferred to the data processing unit 121 and the reader unit 1
Is transferred to the CPU 123. The data processing unit 121 performs image processing such as image rotation processing and scaling processing.
The image data transferred to 21 is transferred to facsimile unit 4, file unit 5, and computer interface unit 7 via interface 120 according to the control command transferred from reader unit 1. The code data representing the image input through the computer interface unit 7 is transferred to the data processing unit 121,
The data is transferred to the formatter unit 8 and expanded into image data.
After this image data is transferred to the data processing unit 121,
The data is transferred to the facsimile unit 4, the printer unit 2, and the file unit 5.

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 transferred to the data processing unit 121 and then 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, memory 1
Reference numeral 24 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 / receiving the image, storing the image, and inputting / outputting the data from / to the computer can be performed centering on the core unit 10. It is possible.

Next, in the image input / output apparatus according to the present embodiment, the operation when the image data expanded in PDL by the formatter unit 8 is output from the data processing unit 121 to the file unit 5 and recorded on the magneto-optical disk will be described. 5 will be described.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the combined operation of the image input / output device according to this embodiment. First, in step S501, search code data for a series of image data developed by the formatter unit 8 is set. This is set in the file unit 5 by notifying the file unit 5 of the code data for search from the formatter unit 8. The code data for search is PD
A configuration that can be added during L or a configuration that is generated on the image input / output device side like date data or time data may be used. Next, in step S502, an image file for recording image data on the magneto-optical disk,
Open a database file. Then, in step S503, the image data is transmitted from the formatter unit 8 to the file unit 5 via the data processing unit 121 of the core unit 10.
Are temporarily stored in an image memory (not shown), and the attributes of the image data, for example, the resolution, the number of pixels, and the gradation are notified to the file unit 5.

FIG. 6 shows that the formatter section 8 and the core section 10 and the core section 10 and the file section 5 in step S503.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an image input / output control sequence in FIG.
As shown in the drawing, first, the formatter section 8 to the core section 10
The core unit 10 that has received the image output command converts the command into an image input command and transfers the command to the file unit 5.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of an image input / output command packet according to the present embodiment. As shown, the image input / output control command packet includes an image input / output request command code 2000, an image input / output management parameter group 2020, an image attribute information management parameter group 2030,
It is composed of an image processing management parameter group 2040 and the like. Each parameter group is further configured as follows.

That is, the image input / output management parameter group 202
0 indicates an image request unit ID 2001 serving as an identification code for determining the requested unit, an image transfer source unit ID 2002 serving as an identification code for determining the unit serving as the image transfer source, and a unit serving as the image transfer destination. It is composed of an image transfer destination unit ID 2003 serving as an identification code for determination. In the present embodiment, the request unit ID 2001 described above corresponds to the formatter unit 8 and the image transfer source unit ID 20
02 corresponds to the formatter unit 8, and the image transfer unit corresponds to the file unit 5.

The image attribute information management parameter group 20
Reference numeral 30 denotes a delay amount 2004 in the horizontal scanning direction that defines an offset of image information, a delay amount 2005 in the vertical scanning direction, the number of pixels 2006 in the horizontal scanning direction, and the number of pixels 2 in the vertical scanning direction.
007, a horizontal resolution 2008 of the image, a vertical resolution 2009, and the like.

Further, an image processing management parameter group 2040
Is composed of an image copy parameter 2010, a rotation angle parameter 2011 for requesting rotation, a resolution conversion parameter 2012, and the like.

As shown in FIG. 6, the command packet thus configured is transmitted from the formatter unit 8 to the core unit 1.
After the image data is transferred to the file unit 5 via the “0”, the image data is transferred from the formatter unit 8 to the file unit 5 via the core unit 10. At this time, the number of pixels represented by the horizontal scanning direction delay amount 2004 and the vertical scanning direction delay amount 2005 shown in FIG. 7 is added to the image data in the data processing unit 121 of the core unit 10 and transferred to the file unit 5. You.

FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram showing image data and its margin. FIG. 8A shows image data transferred from the formatter unit 8 to the core B 10, and FIG. 8B shows image data transferred from the core unit 10 to the file unit 5.

Returning to FIG. 5, in step S504, the image data of FIG. 8B stored in the image memory of the file unit 5 in accordance with the above-described procedure together with the image attribute data notified in step S503. It is recorded on a magneto-optical disk. Thereafter, when the recording of the image data is completed, the process proceeds to step S505, where the number of recorded image data is counted up, and the process proceeds to step S506.

In step S506, the CP of the core unit 10
U123 notifies the CPU of the file unit 5 whether all the documents to be processed have been input as image data. Here, if there is a document that has not been processed, the process returns to step S503. If all documents have been processed, the process proceeds to step S507.

In step S507, various management information for managing the recorded image data as a set of documents is written as a database file in the magneto-optical disk. The management information here is configured based on search code data, image attribute data, information on the number of images in the document, date, and time.

Then, in step S508, the image file and the database file opened in step S502 are closed, and the process ends.

The case where the image data expanded by the formatter unit 8 is output to the file unit 5 via the data processing unit 121 has been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and is expanded by the formatter unit 8. When outputting image data to the printer unit 2 via the data processing unit 121, the image data developed by the formatter unit 8 is output to the data processing unit 1
Also, in the case of outputting to the facsimile unit 4 via the facsimile unit 21, the control is performed in the same manner as the procedure described for the file unit 5, except that the output destination from the data processing unit 121 of the core unit 10 is changed to the printer unit 2 and the facsimile unit 4, respectively. It is possible to

As described above, according to the embodiment, the number of pixels or the number of lines corresponding to the delay amount specified according to the output destination of the PDL expanded image is controlled so as to be added to the image data. Print, facsimile transmission,
There is an effect that image data having a predetermined margin can be obtained by image filing or the like.

Further, since a delay amount is added to the control unit for controlling a plurality of functions such as a printer, a facsimile, and an image filing, the whole system can be configured at a low cost.

The present invention can be applied to a system including a plurality of devices (for example, a host computer, an interface device, a reader, a printer, etc.), and can be applied to a single device (for example, a copier, a facsimile). Device).

Further, an object of the present invention is to supply a storage medium storing software program codes for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or an apparatus, and to provide a computer (CPU or MP) of the system or apparatus.
It goes without saying that U) can also be achieved by reading and executing the program code stored in the storage medium.

In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium implements the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a floppy disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD
-R, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, a ROM, or the like can be used.

When the computer executes the readout program code, not only the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized, but also the OS (Operating System) running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. ) May perform some or all of the actual processing, and the processing may realize the functions of the above-described embodiments.

Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written into a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, based on the instructions of the program code, It goes without saying that the CPU included in the function expansion board or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.

[0046]

As described above, according to the present invention,
For example, it is possible to absorb a position shift of image data when recording or facsimile transmitting image data expanded from code data such as PDL, and to obtain image data having a predetermined margin.

[0047]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image input / output device according to an embodiment.

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

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a reader unit 1;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a core unit 10;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a combined operation of the image input / output apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an image input / output control sequence.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image input / output command packet according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram showing image data and its margin.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Reader part 2 Printer part 3 Image input / output control part 4 Facsimile part 5 File part 7 Computer interface part 8 Formatter part 9 Image memory part 10 Core part 11 PC / WS

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An image input / output device having at least an image input / output function and a communication function, comprising: an adding unit for adding attribute information corresponding to each function to image data; and an attribute information added by the adding unit. Control means for controlling each function for image data based on the image data. 2. The image input / output apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the attribute information includes information indicating horizontal and vertical margins. 3. The image input / output apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said control means controls the margins in the horizontal and vertical directions to have predetermined values in recording and facsimile transmission of image data. 4. A method for controlling an image input / output device having at least an image input / output function and a communication function, wherein: an adding step of adding attribute information corresponding to each function to the image data; A control step of controlling each function of the image data based on the attribute information. 5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the attribute information includes information indicating horizontal and vertical margins. 6. The control of the image input / output apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the control step controls the horizontal and vertical margins to have predetermined values in recording and facsimile transmission of image data. Method.