JPS58200661A - Picture image processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To use efficiently the surface of a recording paper by reading out picture information out of a memory for a line in the same place read out by each time operation of a hand scanner in the order of constituting one line on the recording paper. CONSTITUTION:Picture information read by operating a hand scanner is written in a memory 29 for editing picture information in the order of reading out. A bit counter 32 outputs a carry signal to the enable input of a page counter 34 for every counting of W pieces of clock signals (g) and improves the counter by adding 1. If the counter 34 counts up to N, it outputs the carry signal to the enable input of a line counter 33 and improves the counter 33 by adding 1. As a result, a picture image data is read out of the memory 29 in the order so that the data constitutes one line on a recorded picture. The read picture information is arranged in the recording width direction of the recording paper and recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides image information obtained by reading a document with a hand scanner that performs sub-scanning by manually moving the document in the sub-scanning direction. The present invention relates to an image processing method when printing is performed using a printing apparatus in which the number of pixels corresponding to the recording width is twice or more larger than the number of pixels corresponding to the reading width.

Conventionally, it has been difficult to read manuscripts such as books and newspapers with general facsimile machines, so when transmitting these manuscripts to a remote location using a facsimile machine, the manuscript is first copied using a copying machine, and then the copied manuscript is It was necessary to have the facsimile machine read the information.

Further, even when only a portion of the manuscripts such as the above-mentioned books are to be stored as materials, it is necessary to copy these manuscripts using a copying machine.

However, when the necessary portion of the document is smaller than the size of the copying machine's recording paper, unnecessary portions are copied, which is not only inefficient but also requires a lot of effort to scrap. there were.

In view of these circumstances, a non-on-the-scan scanner has been proposed that reads a document in a narrow scanning width by manually moving the document in the sub-scanning direction. According to such a hand scanner, it is possible to read only the necessary parts of the manuscript such as the book, but
This conventional heel hand scanner records the scanned image information using a dedicated recording device, and does not have a communication function.

Furthermore, if the above-mentioned non-nand scanner is connected to an ordinary facsimile machine via an interface device, and the image information read by the above-mentioned non-nand scanner is recorded as is on the general facsimile receiver, The reading width is narrower than the recording width.
The problem arises again that there is a lot of blank space in the e-roku+i, and it takes time and effort to scrap it.

The present invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and
If the number of pixels corresponding to the recording width of the recording device is 21 or more larger than the number of pixels corresponding to the original reading width of the hand scanner, the image information read by the hand scanner can be transferred efficiently to the paper surface. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing method that can be easily used and recorded.

The image processing method according to the present invention processes the image information read in each operation of the hand scanner in the order of reading.
Then, the image FM information is stored in the memory, and then the image FM information is stored in the memory in the order that the same line of image information read in each operation of the scanner constitutes one line on the record stack. By reading out the read image information and recording the read image information in the recording device, the image information read in each operation of the hand scanner is recorded side by side in the recording width direction of the recording paper.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in more detail based on the embodiments shown in the drawings. Note that this embodiment shows an example in which image information read by a hand scanner is recorded in a general facsimile receiver.

1 in FIGS. 1 and 2 indicates the hand position in this embodiment.
The scanner body 2 includes a light source 3. Lens 4. -Dimensional image sensor 6. Main wheel 6. Training wheels7. a rotary encoder 9 connected to the main wheel 6 via a gear 8; and a microswitch 1o are provided.

Here, the rotational axes of the main wheel 6 and the auxiliary wheel 7 are parallel to the direction in which the pixels of the image sensor 5 are aligned. Also,
The front rotary encoder 9 has a main wheel 6 at a predetermined angle 1.
degree (the angle at which the scanner body 2 moves by a distance corresponding to the reversal of the predetermined scanning line density) rotates 1σ,
It is designed to output one zrus.

The microswitch 1o is turned on when the scanner body 2 is placed on the document 11L via the main wheel 6 and the auxiliary wheel, but it is turned off when the scanner body 2 is held on the document 11 as well. It looks like this.

When the scanner body 2 is placed on the document 11 as described above, the light emitted from the light source 3 and reflected by the document 11 is transmitted through a slit (not shown) provided at the bottom of the scanner body 2 and a lens. 4 to form an image on the receiving surface of the image sensor 6. Therefore, by manually pushing the scanner body 2 and rotating the main wheels 6 and auxiliary wheels 7, the scanner body 2 can be moved in the sub-scanning direction over the document, and the document 11 can be scanned at a predetermined scanning width. (In FIG. 1, arrow P indicates the 1E scanning direction, and Q indicates the sub-scanning direction).

Note that the output of various signals from the circuit in the scanner body 2 to the external circuit, and vice versa, the manual input of various signals from the external circuit to the circuit in the scanner body 2, is performed by the scanner body as shown in FIG. This is done through a plug 12 removably attached to 2.

FIG. 3 shows a buffer memory into which image data obtained based on the output of the image sensor 6 is input and its control circuit. In this circuit, the scanner 1 is
This is provided in consideration of the fact that the sub-scanning speed is unstable since the document is moved manually.

Next, the circuit shown in FIG. 3 will be explained along with the timing diagram shown in FIG. 4. Reference numeral 13 denotes a continuous request signal input terminal to which a readout request signal d obtained by waveform shaping the output of the rotary machine/coder 9 is inputted, and 14 an image 1 which is amplified and binarized to the output of the image sensor 5. A data input terminal 15 inputs the image data p, and a clock input terminal 15 manually inputs a clock signal q that is synchronized with the image data p.

Reference numerals 16 and 17 denote buffer memories constituted by RAM, each having a capacity of n bits or more of the pixels of the image sensor 5. As will be described in detail later, image data p input from the data input terminal 14 is alternately written into these buffer memories 16 and 17 line by line. Further, the outputs of the buffer memories 16 and 17 are connected to a take output terminal 18.

19 is a buffer memory 16. ．． This is a write counter that gives an address when writing the image data p to the terminal 17, and counts the clock borrowed q input from the terminal 16.
The count result is output as a signal r, and the clock signal r is at a high level (hereinafter referred to as I
(abbreviated as IHII), the clock signal r,
It outputs a main scanning synchronizing signal a that repeats a cycle of being at a low level (hereinafter abbreviated as -11L) for m intervals. Here, n is the number of pixels of the image sensor 6, and m is a blanking interval. corresponds to the number of bits.

Note that the image data p has a main scanning synchronization signal a of “H”.
is input to the data input terminal 14 during a certain period.

20 is a read counter that provides an address when reading the image data p from the buffer memory 16.17;
Reference numeral 1 designates a read enable generator, and when the generator 21 receives a read request signal d, its output becomes "H".

The read counter 2o counts the clock signal qe while the output of the generator 21 is 'H', outputs the count result as a signal t, and when it counts n clock signals q, it outputs a carry signal θ. Further, when the generator 21 inputs the carry signal e, its output becomes °゛L''. Note that the output of the generator 21 is also output to the terminal 22 as a valid data synchronization signal S indicating the timing at which a valid take is output to the terminal 18.

23 and 24 are selectors which take the signal r output from the write color/receiver 19 as one input and the signal t output from the read counter 20 as the other input, and their outputs are It is given to the address input of the rough memory 16 and 17.

26 is a decoder, and 26 is a flip-flop, both of which operate writing and reading to and from the buffer memory 16 and 17 using three signals: the main scanning synchronizing signal a1, the read request signal d, and the carry signal e of the read counter 19. Specifically, the image data p is written to the buffer memos 1716 and 17 alternately line by line, while the read request signal d, which appears independently of the L-scan synchronization signal a, is input. , buffer memory 16.17
The image data is controlled to be read out from the image data written immediately before the signal d is input.

When performing control such as L, IS, the buffer memory 16
．． The 17 control states are as follows:

[State 0]...Write to the buffer memory 16.

State 1]...Writing to the buffer memory 16 and reading from the buffer memory 17.

[State 2]...Waiting state (next writing to buffer memory 16 or reading from buffer memory 17).

State 3]... Read from the buffer memory 17.

[State 4] Waiting state (next, reading from the buffer memory 16, or writing to the buffer memory 17).

[State 6]... Read from the buffer memory 16.

[State 6]...Writing to the buffer memory 17, [State 7]...Reading from the buffer memory 16 and writing to the buffer memory 17.

FIG. 4 mainly shows state transitions in the case of the timing example in the same figure.

Here, the decoder 25 and the flip-flop 26
constitutes a status counter that controls state transitions between the eight states described above. And the flip
In order to instantly change the state in synchronization with the clock signal q, the flop 26 receives a clock signal U having a frequency four times that of the clock signal q from a terminal 27 to its clock input terminal. Still, the decoder 26 outputs from the three input signals a, d, e a write enable signal WEm, which is a control signal for the buffer memory 16.17, VIE! 11 Chip select signal CS, 08m, select signal /B (
Here, 1m is a signal to the buffer memory 16, and ``indicates a signal to the buffer memory 17'' is decoded so as to correspond to each of the eight control states. Note that the select signal M/B is the signal for the selectors 23+24. Input to the select input terminal.

The five control signals outputted from the decoder 26 realize the control of writing and reading from the buffer memories 16 and 17 as described above.

That is, while the image data p is written to the buffer memories 16 and 17 alternately line by line, the output request signal d
is input to the terminal 13, the output signal t of the read counter 2o is
Image data whose writing was completed immediately before the manual input of the read request signal d is input through the selector 23 or 24 to the address input, and the image data written in the buffer memory is sequentially read out to the data output terminal 18. h indicates the image data output to the data output terminal 18 in this way (in h of FIG. (When the image data is not output, the data output terminal 18 is in a high impedance state.)

7 and 8 show a circuit for editing the image data h obtained at the data output terminal 18, and FIG. 7 shows a circuit for editing the image data h obtained at the data output terminal 18. 8 shows a circuit for reading image data from the memory 29. FIG.

Still, FIG. 5 schematically represents the memory space of the image editing memory 29. This memory space is divided into N pages, with a memory area having a width of W bits and a length of L bits as one page, and has a minimum total capacity of W×L×N bits.

Here, the document reading width of the hand scanner 1 is WO, the pixel density is Dw, and the length of the recorded image of the receiver is l.

When the scanning line density is DI and the width of the recorded image (recording width) is Wl, the W, L, and N are expressed by the following equations.

W2WOXDw L=lxDI N≦INT1w1/wol However, in the above formula, INT represents an integer.

Next, in order to facilitate understanding, the above-mentioned FIGS.
First, an outline of the operation shown in the figure will be explained.

The circuit of FIG. 7 writes the image data h obtained by the first operation of the hand scanner 1 into the first page of the memory space, and then writes the image data h obtained by the first operation of the hand scanner 1 to the first page of the memory space, and then writes the image data h obtained by the first operation of the hand scanner 1 to the first page of the memory space. The obtained image data h is written in the second page of the memory space, and in the same manner, the image data h obtained by the third to Nth operations of the second to Nth scanner 1 are written in the second page of the memory space. Write to pages 2 to N in the order in which they are read.

e in FIG. 6 (i, j> - indicates each line of image data h stored in the memory space as described above, and is stored from the first address of the memory space in reading order, where: i in parentheses indicates a page number, and j indicates a line number.

Also, the image ('I
The data are read out by the circuit shown in FIG. 8 in the order in which the pages of the memory area are lined up in the recording width direction on the recording stack as shown in FIG. That is, first, the first row of image data e (1s 1 ) of each page is
l (L 1 ) is read out sequentially, then the second line g (1+2) to e (Nt 2) of each page is read out, and in the same way, the image is read out for each same line on each page. The data is read out, and finally the image data l (1, L) to l (It
L) is read out.

Next, the configuration and operation of the circuit shown in FIG. 7 will be explained in more detail.

3o is a data input terminal to which image data h is inputted from the data output terminal 18 shown in FIG.

31 is a reset signal input terminal, and by placing the hand scanner 1 on the document surface,
The reset signal X (
A clock signal q1 (having a width of 11 clocks) is input. 32 is a bit counter, 33 is a line counter, and 34 is a page color. These counters provide an address when writing to the memory 29.

The 1-pivot counter 32 counts the clock q input through the terminal 36, and inputs the count result as a signal X to the F position side of the address input of the memory 29. Further, this bit counter 32 outputs a carry signal when it counts W clock signals q, that is, one line. Note that this bit counter 32 receives input from terminal 22 to terminal 36 in FIG. the force using the valid data synchronization signal S as an enable signal;
Runt.

The line counter 33 is the bit counter 32.
The carry signal output from is used as an enable signal,
The clock signal q is counted, and the count result is output as a signal Y to the middle address input of the memory 29 and one input of the comparator 37. Therefore, this counter 33 is incremented by 1 for each line of image data h. Also.

This line counter 33 outputs a carry signal to the alarm circuit 38 every time it counts L clock signals q (that is, every L lines). This alarm circuit 3
8 generates an alarm or the like when the carry signal is input.

An initial set circuit 39 inputs a predetermined set value to the other input of the comparator 37. The comparator 37 uses the reset signal X as an enable signal, so that the output signal Y of the line counter 33 and the ? Compare the set value of fJ initial seven-node circuit 39, and if Y is larger than the set value, the output is set to "H", and if Y is equal to the set value or the same set value When it is smaller, the output is set to "L".

Therefore, when Y is larger than the set value,
While the comparator 37 outputs a pulse, when Y is equal to or smaller than the set value, the comparator 37 does not output a pulse.

The page counter 34 counts the number of pulses output from the comparator 37, inputs the count result as a signal Z to one of the address inputs of the memory 29, and inputs the pulse output from the comparator 37 as a signal Z. When counted, a carry signal is output. 4o
is a write enable gate, and when the switch 41 is turned on, its output signal rf: ``H'',
Thereafter, when the carry signal of the page counter 34 is input, the output signal f is set to "L". and.

The signal f is input to the enable input of memory 29 and the clear input of page counter 34.

Since the circuit shown in Fig. 7 has the above configuration, first of all, when the scanner 1 is placed on the document,
A reset signal X is output, and the bit counter 32 and line counter 33 are brought into an initial state (at this time, the page counter 34 is in an initial state because the signal f is L'').

Next, when the switch 41 is turned on, the signal f becomes 11H'', and the memory 29 enters the write state.

Subsequently, the valid data synchronization signal S is sent to the bit counter 32.
bit counter 32 by enabling the bit counter 32
starts counting, and in turn the line counter 33 starts counting, and the first page of said memory space ``
Image data h is written starting from the first address.

Then, the first hand scanner operation is completed,
When the hand scanner is lifted once and placed again on the next spot on the document to be read, a reset signal X is generated, and the bit counter 32 and line counter 33 enter the W-phase state. Further, the output signal Y of the line counter 33 when the reset signal X is generated is the set value of the initial set circuit 39.

If it is larger, a pulse is output from the comparator 37, and the page counter 34 is incremented by one.

If the hand scanner 1 is subsequently operated for the second time, the image data h is written into the second page of the memory space in the same manner as described above.

However, even if the reset signal X is generated as described above after the first operation of the hand scanner 1 is completed, at that time,
If the output signal Y of the line counter 33 is smaller than the set value of the initial set circuit 39, the comparator 37 does not output a pulse, so the page counter 34 is not incremented by one. 'However, since the focus counter 32 and line counter 33 are initialized by the reset signal X as described above, the address of the memory 29 returns to the beginning of the same first page.

Therefore, if the length of the document read by the hand scanner 1 is less than the predetermined length corresponding to the set value, h((The data read at that time will be invalid. In this embodiment, for example, even if the hand scanner 1 is placed on the document F, but the position is inappropriate, the hand scanner 1 is placed again on the document F. It is possible to prevent the inconvenience of the memory 2901 page being occupied by unnecessary data read at an inappropriate position.

In addition, the 11111 [1]...nd scanner 1
When the reading length exceeds the L line in the operation.

A carry signal is output from the line counter 33 to an alarm circuit 38, which generates an alarm or the like to notify the operator that one page of the memory space has become full. At this time, if the operator wishes to continue reading, the operator raises the hunt scanner 1 and then places it again on the document surface to generate a reset signal is written to the next page as described above.

From then on, when the hand scanner 1 is operated for the Nth time over the predetermined reading length υ in the same manner as described above, the image data b is loaded into the Nth page of the memory space. It will be done. Then, when the scanner 1 is placed on the document again and the reset signal X is generated, the carry signal of the page counter 34 is inputted to the write enable gate 40. The output of the gate 4o becomes "L'", writing to the memory 29 is stopped, and the page counter 34 is brought to its initial state.

Next, the configuration and operation of the circuit shown in FIG. 8 will be explained in more detail. Note that in the circuit of FIG. 8, the bit counter 32. Line counter 33 and page-
Counter 34 is used in common with the circuit of FIG. The connections between these colors 32, 33 and 34 and the memory 29 are also the same as in the circuit shown in FIG. 7, so that the read address of the memory 29 is given by these counters. Therefore, in reality, only the connection parts that are different from the circuit in FIG. 7 are switched by a selector. 43 is a read enable counter, 44 is an output enable counter, and these counters 44
A clock signal g for synchronizing with the receiver is applied to the clock inputs of the three counters 32, 33 and 34 through a terminal 42, and the clear input is
The output of start/stop gate 46 is provided.

Initially, when the switch 46 is off, the gate 45 sets its output to 'H' and controls each counter 43s.
441 32 La 33 and 34 are held in the initial state. However, when the switch 46 is turned on when it is desired to read image data from the memory 29, the output of the start/stop φ gate 45 becomes 'L', and the holding of the initial state of each of the counters is released.

The read enable counter 43 outputs a read enable signal k as shown in FIG. This signal first becomes 'L' for a period corresponding to the B bit set by the initial set circuit 47]1, and then becomes H++ for a period corresponding to the number of pixels W read in one line of the hand scanner.
This cycle is repeated N times, and finally, only the section corresponding to the B bit becomes 1L''.This signal includes the chip select input of the memory 29 and the enable input of the bit counter 32. Note that the B bit section is used to create a blank space in the recording, and B takes a value that satisfies the following formula.Here, M is the number of recording pixels of the receiver. .

The output enable counter 44 receives a clock signal g
is frequency-divided and a recording main scanning synchronizing signal j as shown in FIG. 9 is output to the enable input of the read enable counter 43. After the main scanning synchronization signal becomes "H" only in an interval corresponding to the recording pixel number M bits of the receiver,
This is a signal that repeats a cycle of being low only during the blanking interval of the R bit.

The bit counter 32 increments the page counter 34 by one by outputting a carry signal to the enable input of the page counter 34 every time it counts W clock signals g. When the page counter 34 counts up to N as described above, it outputs a carry signal to the enable input of the line counter 33, thereby increasing the line counter 33 by one.
do.

As a result, the image data is read from the memory 29 in the order described above (in the case of FIG. 8, the memory 29 is always given a read enable signal).

When the line counter 33 counts up to L, it outputs a carry signal to the start/stop gate 45. Then, the gate 46 sets its output signal to "L" again, and the six counters 32 y 3
3 e 34 p All 43 and 44 are brought to the initial 1jJl state, and the read operation from the memory 29 is completed.

48 is a data gate, which outputs the output of the memory 29 to the data output terminal 49 only while the read enable signal k is at °'H°°. Therefore, if the image data obtained at the data output terminal 49 is input to the receiver,
A record is obtained in the format shown in FIG. 6 above.

As described above, according to the present invention, image information scanned by a hand scanner is efficiently used on the recording paper.
The excellent effect of being able to record can be obtained.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hand scanner according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the hand scanner, FIG. 3 is a circuit configuration diagram of a buffer memory control circuit according to the embodiment, and FIG. The figure shows the signal timing diagram of the circuit in Figure 3, and the signal timing diagram in Figure 6.
6 is a schematic diagram of the memory space of the image editing memory according to the embodiment, FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the image editing operation according to the embodiment, and FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram of the image editing memory write control circuit according to the embodiment. FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram of a memory read control circuit for editing one image according to the above embodiment;
9 is a timing diagram of the recording main scanning synchronization signal and read enable signal in the circuit of FIG. 8. 1 1...Hand scanner, 14...Image data input terminal, 16 ......Clock input terminal, 16.17...Buffer memory, 19...
...Write counter, 20...Read counter, 21...Read enable generator, 23.24...Selector, 26...
...Decoder, 26...Flip-flop,
29... Image editing memo 1c 32...
・Pit counter, 33... Line Kara/
34...Page counter, 40...
...Write enable gate, 42...Clock signal input terminal, 43...Read enable counter, 44...Output enable counter, 46... ...Start/stop gate, 46...Switch, 48...Data gate, 49...Data output terminal. Name of agent: Patent attorney Toshio Nakao and 1 other person! [
Figure 1-1-4 Satoshi J (U)

Claims (1)

[Claims] The original is scanned by a scanner that performs sub-scanning by manually moving the original in the sub-scanning direction. When recording with a recording device that has more than twice the number of pixels corresponding to the recording width, the image information read in each operation of the hand scanner is temporarily stored in the memory in the order of reading, and then - The same line of image information read in each operation of the scanner constitutes one line in the recording process. Image information is read from the memory, and this read image information is transferred to the recording device. An image processing method in which the image information read in each operation of the scanner is recorded side by side in the recording width direction of the recording paper.