JPH11225229A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the image forming device from misunderstanding an entered telephone number as a copy number in the case the user is going to make facsimile transmission and enters the telephone number regardless of the image forming device set to the copy mode in the image forming device provided with the facsimile mode and the copy mode. SOLUTION: When the image forming device is set to the copy mode, the user enters a telephone number starting at, e.g. '0'. The image forming device recognizes the '0' of the entered telephone number (ST2) and shifts to the facsimile mode (ST3). Furthermore, the image forming device recognizes an entered numeral as a telephone number, dials the telephone number and sends image data thereto (ST5).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement in the operability of an image forming apparatus in which a copy function and a facsimile function are combined, that is, a so-called multifunction machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a copy function and a facsimile function,
Further, multifunction peripherals having a printer function are commercially available. Such a multifunction peripheral includes a scanner for scanning a document to obtain image data, and a printer for forming image data from the scanner or image data received from a telephone line or the like on a recording sheet as an image.

When operating as a copy, that is, in a copy mode, image data of a document read by the scanner is recorded on recording paper by a printer. When operating as a facsimile, that is, in a facsimile mode, image data read by a scanner is compressed and modulated, and transmitted over a telephone line. Regarding the facsimile reception, regardless of the copy mode or the facsimile mode, if there is a reception, the printer is operated and the received image data is recorded on the recording paper.

In this multifunction peripheral, a user operates a key on an operation panel to switch between a copy mode and a facsimile mode. For example, a mode key is provided on the operation panel, and each time the user presses the mode key, the mode is alternately switched between the copy mode and the facsimile mode. Then, in order to confirm which mode the user is currently in, a liquid crystal display or a light emitting diode (LE) is used.
The current mode is displayed by D) or the like.

Further, the multifunction peripheral has a numeric keypad for inputting numerical values. The numerical value input from the numeric keypad is recognized as the number of copies in the copy mode.
Further, in the facsimile mode, it is recognized as a telephone number of a transmission destination.

[0006]

In the conventional multi-function device, the user must confirm which mode is the current mode, and if the operation is different from the operation to be performed, the user must change the mode by pressing the mode key. is there. For example, when the multifunction peripheral is set to the copy mode, the user needs to press the mode key to switch from the copy mode to the facsimile mode in order to transmit a facsimile. After that, enter the phone number and press the start key,
The document set on the scanner is read and transmitted.

In this case, if the user inputs a telephone number and presses the start key in order to perform facsimile in the copy mode, the multifunction device recognizes the input telephone number as the number of copies and makes unnecessary copies. For example, it is assumed that the telephone number 0123456789 has been input in the copy mode when the number of copies can be set up to 999. The first 0 is ignored, but 2 to 4 digits are the number of copies 1
It is recognized as 23 and an unnecessary copy is made.

[0008] Therefore, when performing facsimile transmission, the user needs to look at the display and check the current mode before inputting the telephone number, which is inconvenient. The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of recognizing a telephone number as a telephone number and performing facsimile transmission even when a telephone number is input in a copy mode.

[0009]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to claim 1 comprises: an image reading means for reading an image of a document; an image recording means for recording the image on a recording medium;
Communication means for communicating image data, numerical value input means for inputting a numerical value, and controlling the apparatus to any one of an image recording mode and an image communication mode, based on a numerical value input from the numerical value input means, Control means for changing from the recording mode to the image communication mode.

[0010] In the second aspect of the present invention, when the control unit changes the image recording mode to the image communication mode, the control unit recognizes a numerical value input from the numerical value input unit as a telephone number, and the transmitting unit controls the control unit. The means transmits the image data to the recognized telephone number.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a circuit configuration of an image forming apparatus (hereinafter, referred to as a multifunction peripheral) according to the present embodiment.

A microprocessor (MPU) 1 controls the operation of the entire MFP. The MPU 1 includes a modem 3, a scanner 4, a printer 5, an operation panel 6, a read only memory (ROM) 7, a random access memory (RAM) 8, an image memory 9, and a codec 1 via a bus 1a.
0 is connected.

The modem 3 is an international telecommunications union (ITU)
-T Recommendation T. 30, V.I. Function for transmitting and receiving facsimile procedure signals based on ITU-T Recommendation V.8 17, V.I.
27ter, V.I. 29, a function of modulating and demodulating an image signal based on V34, a function of generating a push button dial signal (DTMF), and the like.

The modem 3 is connected to a telephone line L via a network control circuit (NCU) 2. The NCU 2 has a function of controlling connection between the telephone line L and the modem 3, a function of detecting a call signal from the telephone line L, a function of generating a dial pulse signal, and the like. In the following, description will be made assuming that dialing is performed using a push button dial signal.

The scanner 4 is, for example, a flatbed scanner having an automatic document feed function (ADF), reads image information of a document, and transfers binary image data to a bus 1a.
Output to the top. The printer 5 is, for example, a laser or an LE.
D is an electrophotographic printer that takes in image data from the bus 1a and forms an image on recording paper. Note that the scanner and the printer are not limited to this example, and only the ADF or the flatbed scanner is used as the scanner, and the inkjet, the thermal transfer recording, and the printer are used as the printer.
A thermal recording method or the like can be adopted.

The operation panel 6 includes a mode key 6a, a numeric keypad 6b, a start key 6c, and a liquid crystal display (LCD) 6d.
Is provided. The mode key 6a is a key for switching between a facsimile mode and a copy mode. The ten keys 6b are keys for inputting a telephone number in the facsimile mode and inputting the number of copies in the copy mode. The start key 6c is a key for instructing the start of facsimile transmission or copying. In addition, various keys such as a density adjustment key, a stop key, and a one-touch dial key are provided on the operation panel 6, but they are omitted because they are not related to the present invention.

The LCD 6d displays various information indicating the operation state of the apparatus in addition to the input telephone number and the input number of copies. Note that a plasma display, a CRT, an LED, or the like can be used instead of the LCD.

The ROM 7 stores an operation program of the MPU 1 and data such as fonts. The RAM 8 is a battery-backed static RAM or the like, and stores data that fluctuates, such as one-touch dial information. The image memory 9 stores a compressed image data to which a dynamic RAM is applied. The compressed image data includes image data demodulated by the modem 3 or image data read by the scanner 4 and compressed by the codec 10.

The codec 10 compresses (encodes) the binary image data or decompresses the compressed image data to restore the original binary image data (decoding). As an encoding method, ITU-T Recommendation T. Modified Huffman (MH) system, Modified RE
An AD (MR) system and a modified MR (MMR) system are employed. In FIG. 1, the codec 10 is 1
Although only one is shown, it is also possible to use a codec for each of a scanner, a modem, and a printer, or to perform encoding / decoding processing with an MPU without using a codec.

Next, the operation of the MFP according to this embodiment will be described. First, an outline of the operation in the facsimile mode will be described. In the facsimile mode, the user sets a document on the scanner 4 and inputs a telephone number of a transmission destination from the numeric keypad 6b. The entered phone number is L
Displayed on CD 6d. The user checks the telephone number displayed on the LCD 6d and presses the start key 6c.

When the MPU 1 detects that the start key 6c has been pressed, it operates the scanner 4. Scanner 4
Reads the original and transfers the binary image data of the original to the bus 1.
output to a. The codec 10 takes in the binary image data on the bus 1a and compresses it by, for example, the MMR method.
Output to the bus 1a again. The MPU 1 writes the image data on the bus 1a into the image memory 9.

Next, MPU1 gives a command to NCU2,
The NCU 2 connects the telephone line L to the modem 3. MPU1
Converts the telephone number input from the numeric keypad 6b into the MPU1
Is transferred to the modem 3. The modem 3 sends a push button dial signal based on the telephone number to the telephone line L.

When the line is connected to the partner device, the MPU 1 controls the modem 3 to exchange procedural signals, and determines a resolution, a coding method, a modulation method, a modulation speed, and the like. And M
The PU 1 reads out the data in the image memory 9 and sends the data to the bus 1a.
Through to the modem 3. The modem 3 modulates the transferred image data and sends it to the telephone line L. When the resolution and the encoding method need to be converted, the MPU 1 sends the image data to the codec 10 once, and
0 performs image data conversion processing.

Next, the operation of the MFP in the copy mode will be described with reference to FIG. The user sets a document on the scanner 4 and inputs a numerical value from the numeric keypad 6b (step (hereinafter referred to as ST) 1). The MPU 1 determines whether the first digit of this numerical value is “0” (ST2).
If this determination is NO, MPU 1 recognizes that the input numerical value is the number of copies (ST6).

When the start key 6c is pressed, the MPU 1
Is detected (ST7), the MPU 1 starts copy processing for a predetermined number of copies (ST8). The MPU 1 first activates the scanner 4, reads a document, encodes it with the codec 10, and stores it in the image memory 9. Further, the MPU 1 decodes the image data in the image memory 9 by the codec 10 and transfers it to the printer 5 via the bus 1a. The printer 5 records the transferred image data on recording paper.
The MPU 1 controls the operation of the printer 5 until a predetermined number of copies are obtained.

On the other hand, if the determination in ST2 is YES,
The MPU 1 branches to ST3, and switches from the copy mode to the facsimile mode using the input numerical value as a telephone number (ST3). When the MPU 1 detects that the start key 6c has been pressed (ST4), the MPU 1 transmits the telephone number data to the bus 1
a, and instructs the NCU 2 to connect to the line to start the transmission process (ST5).

The modem 3 sends a push button dial signal to the telephone line L. When the line is connected to the partner device, M
The PU 1 exchanges procedural signals via the modem 3 and determines a resolution, an encoding method, a modulation method, a modulation method, a modulation speed, and the like. Then, the MPU 1 reads the data in the image memory 9 and transfers the data to the modem 3 through the bus 1a. The modem 3 modulates the transferred image data and sends it to the telephone line L. When the resolution and the encoding method need to be converted, the MPU 1 once sends the image data to the codec 10, and the codec 10 performs the image data conversion process.

Normally, when a call is made to an external line when the telephone is connected to an extension exchange, "0" is first dialed. Also, even if the call is directly connected to an outside line, "0" is first dialed when calling outside the city or overseas. On the other hand, in the case of copying, it is unlikely that "0" is input as the number of sheets first. Therefore, when "0" is first input as a numerical value, it is possible to switch to the facsimile mode assuming that it is a telephone number.

When a call is made to an extension and is connected to an extension exchange, or when a call is made directly to the outside but is directly connected to an outside line, a telephone number without "0" is input first. You. However, the number of copies is usually about three digits, but the telephone number is often four or more digits. Therefore, the number of digits may be used to determine whether the number is a telephone number or a number, together with the determination whether the first number is “0”.

In this embodiment, "0" is used as a criterion for determination, but other numerical values "1" to "9" are used.
If "#" and "*" are input first, the mode may be switched from the copy mode to the facsimile mode. In this case, it is desirable to determine the number of digits in order to clearly distinguish between the telephone number and the number of copies.

In this embodiment, a multifunction device connected to a public telephone line (PSTN) is described. However, the present invention is similarly applied to a multifunction device connected to an integrated digital communication network (ISDN). Can be applied to

[0032]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, when a numerical value for communication is input when the image forming apparatus is in the image recording mode, the image forming apparatus automatically operates in the image communication mode. To be convenient without accidentally recording unnecessary images.

Further, according to the present invention, when the mode is switched from the image recording mode to the image communication mode based on the input numerical value, the input numerical value is treated as a telephone number, and the image data is stored in the telephone number. Is transmitted, the image data can be transmitted as it is, which is convenient.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a circuit configuration of a multifunction peripheral according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an operation in a copy mode of the decoder.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 microprocessor (MPU) 3 modem 4 scanner 5 printer 6 operation panel 6b numeric keypad

Claims (2)

[Claims] An image reading means for reading an image of a document;
Image recording means for recording an image on a recording medium, communication means for communicating image data, numerical value input means for inputting numerical values, and controlling the apparatus to one of an image recording mode and an image communication mode, An image forming apparatus comprising: a control unit that changes from an image recording mode to an image communication mode based on a numerical value input from a numerical value input unit. 2. The control means according to claim 1, wherein when the mode is changed from the image recording mode to the image communication mode, the numerical value input from the numerical value input means is recognized as a telephone number, and the transmitting means is a telephone number recognized by the control means. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image data is transmitted to the image forming apparatus.