JPH11136442A - Double side reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a transmission error due to the setting error of an original and to shorten read time. SOLUTION: A front surface read sensor 12 and a back surface read sensor 14 for reading images from both surface sides of the original are provided by separating the read position A of the front surface read sensor 12 and the read position B of the back surface read sensor 14 for a distance L. Then, in a one-side read mode, whether or not the images are present on the front surface of the original is detected based on image data read by the front surface read sensor 12 while the leading edge of the original is moved from the read position A to the read position B and image read by the back surface read sensor 14 is stopped when the images are detected. Also, in the case that the front surface of the original is blank and the images are detected on a back surface and in the case that both surfaces of the original are blank, an operator is made to confirm a set state.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is applied to a scanner, a copying machine, a facsimile machine and a multifunction machine including them, and reads an image at an image reading position while moving an original, and is capable of reading both sides. It relates to a reading device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional technique of this kind, there is a facsimile apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-74463 filed by the same applicant. This gazette relates to a facsimile apparatus having a double-sided reading function for reading from both sides of a document, and reads an image from both sides of a document before starting transmission even when reading one side, and sets the selected transmission mode. It is described that by checking whether or not a document conforms to a document, transmission errors are prevented from occurring, reliability is improved, and waste is eliminated.

[0003]

In the conventional document transport type reading apparatus, depending on the model, when reading a single-sided document, the document surface (image surface) may be set as an upper side or a lower side. In some cases, the wrong side of the original may be read due to a mistake in setting the original.

Therefore, as in the facsimile apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-74463, even in the case of single-sided reading, an image is read from both sides of a document before transmission is started, and the selected transmission mode is set. There is a method to prevent transmission errors from occurring and to improve reliability and eliminate waste by checking whether the originals conform to the original.However, in this configuration, even if the Therefore, there is a problem that a long reading time is required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a double-sided reading apparatus which solves such a problem, prevents transmission errors due to an error in setting a document, and shortens the reading time.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a first reading section for reading an image on one side of a document while conveying the document, and a second reading section for reading an image on the opposite side. A double-sided reading device capable of selecting a mode for reading an image on one side of the document and a mode for reading images on both sides of the document, wherein the both sides of the document are read based on image data from the first reading unit and the second reading unit. A determination unit for determining the presence or absence of an image is provided, and the first reading unit and the second reading unit are separated by a fixed distance between a first reading position of the first reading unit and a second reading position of the second reading unit. (2) when the reading unit is disposed, and the determination unit determines that there is no image on the document surface being read by the first reading unit before the leading end of the document reaches the second reading position from the first reading position; Only the second reading Characterized in that a control means for starting an image reading by. With this configuration, when the mode for reading the image on one side of the document is set, the presence or absence of the image based on the image data read by the first reading unit until the leading edge of the document reaches the second reading position. As a result of the determination by the determination unit, when it is recognized that there is an image, it is not necessary to start reading by the second reading unit, and thus the reading operation can be omitted.

Further, according to the present invention, the judging means comprises the first
If the reading unit determines that there is no image on the original surface being read and the second reading unit determines that there is an image on the original surface that is being read, the user is notified to confirm the setting state of the original. Informing means is provided. Also, the present invention is characterized in that, after the image reading by the second reading unit is started, when the determination unit determines that there is an image on the original surface being read by the first reading unit, the second reading unit The image reading is stopped, and the image reading by the first reading unit is continued.
Also, according to the present invention, after the image reading by the first and second reading units is completed, when the determination unit determines that there is no image on both sides of the document, the user is notified to confirm the setting state of the document. A notification means is provided. With such a configuration, an appropriate recovery process can be performed by causing the operator to check the set state.

[0008] The present invention also relates to the present invention, wherein the predetermined distance is 30 mm
It is characterized in that it is set within a range of 60 mm. With such a configuration, it is possible to reduce the frequency at which the second reading unit reads an image without increasing the size of the apparatus.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of a facsimile apparatus equipped with a two-sided reading apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing the internal structure of FIG. Is a document discharge table, 3 is a liquid crystal display panel, 4 is a pickup roller, 5 is a feed roller, 6 is a separation roller that contacts the feed roller 5, 7 is a first transport roller, and 8 is a contact with the first transport roller 7. First
A pressure roller, 9 is a second transport roller, 10 is a second pressure roller that contacts the second transport roller 9, 11 is a paper detection sensor, 12
Denotes a front reading sensor, 13 is disposed at a position facing the front reading sensor 12, and is a white pressure plate serving as a white reference, 14 is a back reading sensor, and 15 is disposed at a position facing the back reading sensor 14 and serves as a white reference. A white pressure plate, 16 is a third transport roller, 1
Reference numeral 7 denotes a third pressure roller that contacts the third transport roller 16;
Is a marker, 19 is a paper discharge roller, 20 is a paper discharge roller 19
Shows a pressure roller in contact with. Here, the surface reading sensor 1
The reading position A of No. 2 and the reading position B of the back surface reading sensor 14 are separated by a distance L.

In the case of a document having an image surface on only one side, the document is set on the document set table 1 so that the image surface faces upward and the first page of the document is at the top, and the top is set by the pickup roller 4. Is conveyed to the feed roller 5 side. Hereinafter, the upper side of the original on the original set table 1 in the original is referred to as the front side, and the lower side of the original is referred to as the back side. That is, the image surface becomes the front surface. Then, when the start button is pressed, document conveyance is started. At this time, when a plurality of sheets are simultaneously moved to the feed roller 5 side, the sheets are separated one by one from the upper document at the nip between the feed roller 5 and the separation roller 6 and are conveyed to the first conveying roller 7 side. Then, the document is moved to the second transport roller 9 side while being guided by the first transport roller 7 to be inverted. Then, the presence of the document that has passed through the second transport roller 9 is detected by the paper detection sensor 11, and further passes from the reading position A to the reading position B. The document that has passed through the backside reading sensor 14 is marked by a marker 18 and then discharged onto the document discharge table 2 by a discharge roller 19.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control system of the facsimile apparatus shown in FIG. 1. Reference numeral 21 denotes a CPU which controls various parts in accordance with a basic program and executes various processing programs, and 22 denotes a basic program and various processing programs. A ROM 23 stores various information such as driving conditions and transmission destination information of each part of the apparatus and a RAM for storing data necessary for operation, and 24 stores various information such as the state of the apparatus using a liquid crystal or a light emitting diode. And an operator for inputting designations, instructions, and the like using various keys and buttons. An NCU (Network Control Unit) 25 performs a predetermined line control when making and receiving calls to disconnect the telephone line. ), 26 are NCU 25
A modem 27 that modulates and demodulates image data and various procedure signals to be transmitted and received and transmits and receives image data, a DCR that compresses and encodes image data to be transmitted, and decompresses and decodes received image data. (Data Compression
and Reconstraction), 28 is a so-called buffer R for temporarily storing read image data line by line.
An AM line buffer 29 stores SAF (Store And Forw) for storing read image data and received image data.
ard) and 30 indicate a data bus connecting these devices.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining processing before transmission in the facsimile apparatus shown in FIG. When transmitting an image, a single-sided transmission mode for transmitting only one-sided image data of a document and a two-sided transmission mode for transmitting both-sided image data are selected. Select one of the modes.

When the operator selects the one-sided transmission mode and presses the transmission start button on the operation panel 3 (S1), if a document is set on the document set table 1 (Yes in S2), the document set table is set. The document set to 1 is conveyed (S4). If the document is not set on the document set table 1, the operation panel 3
Is pressed (No in S2), the operator is notified by screen or voice that a document is not set (S3). When the document conveyed from the document set table 1 is detected by the paper detection sensor 11, the image reading of the document by the front face reading sensor 12 is started at a predetermined timing (S
5). Further, based on the number of white or black data (or the ratio of white and black data) of the read image data,
The CPU 21 determines whether or not there is an image on the surface of the document being read, that is, whether or not the document is blank (S7). If it is determined that the document is not blank (No in S7), the image reading of the document by the front surface reading sensor 12 on the document is performed to the end (S8), and the read image data is stored in SAF2.
9 is stored. If it is determined that the sheet is blank (Ye in S7)
s) The determination as to whether or not the document is blank is repeated until the leading edge of the document reaches the second reading position B (S9). When the leading edge of the document reaches the second reading position B (Yes in S9), The image reading of the document by the back surface reading sensor 14 is started (S10).

After the reading of the image of the original by the back side reading sensor 14 is started (S10), the CPU 21 determines whether or not the original side being read by the front side reading sensor 12 and the back side reading sensor 14 is blank (S11). When it is determined that the front surface is not blank (No in S11),
At that time, the back side reading is stopped and the front side reading is performed to the end (S12). If it is determined that the front side is a blank sheet (Yes in S11), but it is determined that the back side is not a blank sheet (No in S13), the conveyance of the document is temporarily stopped, and then the operator checks the set state. Thus, the operator is prompted to confirm the document surface and the transmission conditions of the transmission mode by the LCD display of the operation panel 3, the speaker, the buzzer and the like (S14). Then, the liquid crystal display panel 3 stops the image reading by the front surface reading sensor 12 and the back surface reading sensor 14, discards the image data of both sides, and discharges the document. The image reading on the front side is stopped and the image data is discarded, the image reading on the back side alone is restarted, and the next processing such as transmission or printing of the image data on the back side is performed. The image reading on the back side is stopped, the image data is discarded, the image reading on the front side is resumed, and the next processing such as transmission or printing of the image data on the front side is performed. Is displayed and the operator responds.
For example, if the user wants to cancel the image reading operation and set the original again, the user selects. If the operator has confirmed that the set on the front and back is incorrect, then select. If the operator has confirmed that there is no mistake in the setting of the original, the operator selects.

If it is determined that the back side is also blank, the determination of whether or not the back side is blank is repeated until the front side reading sensor 12 and the back side reading sensor 14 finish reading the original side (S15). If the reading of the document surface is completed without detecting the image on the front and back surfaces of the document (Yes in S15), the LCD display of the operation panel 3, the speaker, and the like are displayed so that the operator can confirm the setting state.
The operator is prompted by a buzzer or the like to check the document surface and the transmission conditions of the transmission mode (S16). And the operation panel 3
Discard the image data on both sides of the LCD display. The image data on the back side is discarded, and the next processing such as transmission or printing of the image data on the front side is performed. The image data on the front side is discarded, and the next processing such as transmission or printing of the image data on the back side is performed. Is displayed and the operator responds. For example, if you want to set the original again, select.
If the operator has confirmed that there is no mistake in the setting of the original, the operator selects. If the operator has confirmed that the set on the front and back is incorrect, then select.

According to the above-described control, the presence or absence of an image is detected in parallel with the image reading. May be made to check the set state.

If the distance L is too short, double-sided reading will be performed in almost all cases.
There is a problem that it takes a long time to read, as in the invention described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 3 (JP-A) No. 3 (1998) -313. On the other hand, if the length is too long, there is a problem that the device becomes large and the reading time is further increased. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the distance L is set in a range of 30 mm <L <60 mm. That is, since the margin at the leading end of a normal document is about 15 mm to 25 mm, if the document is set correctly, if the information read by the front reading sensor 12 at the first reading position A is determined, Most documents are recognized as having images. Therefore, the distance L is set to 30 mm
By setting the distance in the range of <L <60 mm, the reading by the back surface reading sensor when correctly set is not started, and the probability of simultaneous double-sided reading is reduced. As a result, reading can be performed in a shorter time as compared with the facsimile apparatus described in JP-A-9-74463.

According to the apparatus of this embodiment configured as described above, when the original is correctly set, the front surface reading sensor 12 operates until the leading end of the original reaches the second reading position B. As a result of judging the read information,
If it is recognized that there is an image,
Since it is no longer necessary to start reading by using the method, the reading time can be reduced. When the original is set correctly, the reading time is longer by the time required for the distance L than in the facsimile apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-74463. Can be predicted to be greater than the probability of being set incorrectly, and even if it takes some time (about 1 to 2 seconds) for recovery when a wrong setting is made, there is almost no problem.

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention, as described above, if the original is set correctly, the first reading section is required until the leading end of the original reaches the second reading position. As a result of the determination unit determining the presence or absence of an image based on the image data read by the second unit, when it is determined that there is an image, it is not necessary to start reading by the second reading unit, and thus the reading time is reduced. be able to. If the document is not set correctly, the operator can check the setting state to perform an appropriate recovery process.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of a facsimile apparatus equipped with a duplex reading apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the internal configuration of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control system of the facsimile apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing reading control of the facsimile apparatus of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 document set table 2 document discharge table 3 liquid crystal display panel 7 first transport roller 8 first pressure roller 9 second transport roller 10 second pressure roller 12 front reading sensor 14 back reading sensor 21 CPU 24 operation port

Claims (5)

[Claims] A first reading unit that reads an image on one side of the document while transporting the document; and a second reading unit that reads an image on the opposite side.
A double-sided reading device that includes a reading unit and that can select a mode for reading an image on one side of the document and a mode for reading images on both sides of the document, based on image data from the first reading unit and the second reading unit. Determining means for determining the presence / absence of an image on both sides of the document; providing a predetermined distance between the first reading position by the first reading unit and the second reading position by the second reading unit; And a second reading unit, wherein the determination unit determines that there is no image on the document surface being read by the first reading unit before the leading edge of the document reaches the second reading position from the first reading position. A double-sided reading apparatus, further comprising a control unit that starts image reading by the second reading unit only when the determination is made. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining unit determines that there is no image on the original surface being read by the first reading unit and determines that there is an image on the original surface being read by the second reading unit. 2. The double-sided reading device according to claim 1, further comprising a notifying unit that notifies a user to confirm a setting state of the document. 3. After starting the image reading by the second reading unit, when the determining unit determines that the image of the original being read in the first reading unit is present, the second reading unit performs the image reading. Stop the image reading and
2. The double-sided reading device according to claim 1, wherein the reading unit continues reading the image. 4. After the image reading by the first and second reading units is completed, when the determination unit determines that there is no image on both sides of the document, the user is notified to confirm the setting state of the document. 2. The double-sided reading device according to claim 1, further comprising a notification unit. 5. The double-sided reading device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined distance is set in a range of 30 mm to 60 mm.