JPS61294963A - Original reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To allow one reader to read an original in both color modes by using a filter drive means to vary the position of a color separation filter to the optical path and switching selectively the full-color mode and the mono-color mode. CONSTITUTION:A flip-flop circuit 29 is set at the initial state when a power switch 19 is turned on, and when a start button 20 is depressed, an output from an AND gate 33 is inputted to a filter motor control circuit 26 to form a full-color mode command thereby reading the original by the full-color mode. On the other hand, when the mono-color button 21 is depressed, the flip-flop circuit 29 is reset and a flip-flop circuit 30 is set. Then a filter motor 14 is driven at a low speed to turn the color separation filter 12 and when a green sector 13G detects that it is present in region 15, the filter 12 is stopped at the state to attain original reading by the green mono-color mode.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Technical Field The present invention relates to document reading devices such as facsimile machines and digital scanners.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In recent years, some document reading apparatuses of this type are capable of reading color documents in color, and various methods have been proposed. For example, JP-A-58-3027
As shown in Publication No. 1, a disk-shaped color separation filter in which R, G, and H color separation filters are arranged in sectors is provided between the original and the light source for illuminating the original, and this color separation filter There is a device that sequentially outputs color-separated signals by rotating the
As shown in Japanese Patent No. 0965 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59-101962, there are systems in which color separation filters as described above are rotated within the imaging optical path to output color-separated signals.

However, the color reading methods exemplified above have the following disadvantages. In other words, when reading a document, it is desired to read not only a color document but also a normal black and white document, or to obtain a monochrome signal output for any one of R, G, or B even if the document is a color document. There are cases. In the method described above, the color separation filter is not rotated when reading a black-and-white document or in monochrome mode, but which color portion of the color separation filter, R, G, or B, is in the optical path when the previous reading is completed? It is uncertain whether it exists inside. In this color separation filter, a light shielding portion is provided between each of the R, G, and B filters to avoid color mixing. Therefore, if the stop state of the color separation filter is not known and, for example, this light shielding part is stopped in the optical path, the image light rays will enter the line sensor at all or only a part of it, making it difficult to read the image. cannot be done.

In the case of the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 59-101962, the reading length of one line of the line sensor is 0.
1! The original is fed one by one and stopped, and when the original is stopped, the color separation filter is rotated to output three color separated signals, and the original is sent again by 0. II send and stop, and 3
The process of outputting color signals is repeated. In this case, starting and stopping the feeding of the document in 0.1 increments is good when the mass is small, such as a sheet document, but starting and stopping the feeding of the document in 0.1-step increments is good when the mass is small, such as a sheet document. This is difficult and unsuitable for high-speed image reading.

Additionally, there is a method called a field sequential reading method that is different from these methods. This method scans the original by exposing it three times.For example, the first time is R, the twelfth time is G, and the third time is B, and the monochrome mode is repeated three times. It can be said. However, in this method, the paper must pass through the print head three times on the printer side that receives the output signal, which increases the time required and tends to cause color misregistration.

On the other hand, if the number of operation buttons for switching color separation filters increases to set a monochrome mode, etc.

Operability may deteriorate, such as an increase in erroneous operations.

In this regard, as an example of a copying machine, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 54-42156
As shown in the above publication, after a color copy is made in a color mode other than the standard color copying machine, there is a color copying machine that automatically returns to the standard color mode after copying is completed or the next time the power is turned on. . Also, JP-A-52-1
As shown in Japanese Patent No. 9540, some variable-magnification copying machines are configured to automatically return to the same-size copy mode after a certain period of time has elapsed after the variable-magnification copy is completed. In other words, these methods set a specific one among multiple modes that exist in the same order as the standard mode, and automatically return to this mode.If there is weighting in the order of the modes, This will result in an inadequate response.

Purpose The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and is capable of arbitrarily performing full-color reading using signals separated into at least three types of colors and monochrome reading using one of the colors with a simple configuration. It is an object of the present invention to provide a document reading device that can improve operability in this case.

Structure In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a document reading device that images an image beam reflected from an illuminated document onto a line sensor using an optical system including an imaging lens, etc., and reads an image. A color separation filter provided in an optical path to separate image rays into at least three types of colors; a filter drive means for moving the color separation filter in a direction in which the filter portion of each color sequentially traverses the optical path; and a filter drive means. A full color mode in which the color separation filter outputs signals sequentially separated by the color separation filter within the reading time of one line by the line sensor by continuously energizing the filter driving means, and a selected color separation mode by energizing or deenergizing the filter drive means. A control means is provided for selectively controlling a monocolor mode in which a filter portion of a specific color of the filter is kept stationary in the optical path and a signal separated by color is output by the filter portion of the specific color. It is something.

A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. First, a schematic configuration of a color document reading device will be explained with reference to FIG. An original 2 set on a contact glass 1 is exposed and illuminated by an exposure light source 3. The image rays reflected from this original 2 are the first to third rays.
An optical system 8 including mirrors 4 to 6 and an imaging lens 7 forms an image on a line sensor 9 such as a CCD, and the image is read. Here, the exposure light source 3 and the first mirror 4
The second and third mirrors 5 and 6 are used as a second scanner 11 and scan in the same direction at half the speed of the first scanner 10. It is meant to move to.

That is, the image of the original 2 is sequentially read two-dimensionally by the sub-scanning by the running of the first scanner 10 and the main scanning by the self-scanning of the line sensor 9, photoelectrically converted, and output.

A color separation filter 12 is provided in the optical path of the optical system 8, specifically located between the imaging lens 7 and the line sensor 9.

As shown in FIG. 2, this color separation filter 12 is formed into a disk shape, and is divided into six sectors 13 each having a fan shape. These sectors 13 include a red sector 13R colored red, a green sector 13G colored green, and a blue sector 13e colored blue, which are formed every other sector and serve as filter parts for each color. , each sector 13 n y 13
c + 13 s A light-blocking sector 13. It is said to be s. Such a color separation filter 12 has a filter motor 1 as a filter driving means.
4, and the color separation filter 12 is rotationally driven by this filter motor 14, and the color separation filter 12 is connected to six sectors 13.
can sequentially cross the optical path of the optical system 8. In FIG. 2, a region 15 indicates the effective area when the light beam emitted from the imaging lens 7 and directed toward the line sensor 9 passes through the color separation filter 12.

Further, first and second sensors 16 and 17 are provided for detecting the state of the color separation filter 12 when it is stopped. Here, the first sensor 16 includes, for example, a green sensor 16a including a light-emitting diode that emits green light and its light-receiving element, and a red sensor 16b that includes a light-emitting diode that emits red light and its light-receiving element. A red sensor 17 includes a light emitting diode that emits red light and a light receiving element thereof.

The six sectors 12 are each equally divided into 60'' sections, and the first and second sensors 16 and 17 are located at positions wider apart than the width of one sector 13, as shown in FIG. That is, the first and second sensors 16, 1.7 are arranged so that they do not face the same sector 13.

In this embodiment, in this embodiment, the full color mode and the monochrome mode can be arbitrarily selected under the control of a control means which will be described later with reference to FIG. First, full color mode will be explained. In this full color mode, the color separation filter 12 is connected to the filter motor 1.
4 continuously rotates in the direction shown by arrow A in FIG.
e is sequentially moved into the optical path, and the line sensor 9 reads and outputs the color-divided signals in the order of R, G, and B. Such a reading operation is similarly repeated for each line. Here, now.

Calculating the rotation speed of the color separation filter 12 6 For example,
Assuming that an A4-sized document with a length of 297 m in the longitudinal direction is read at a speed of 30 seconds, the reading density of 1 line by the line sensor 9 at that time is 12 lines/mm (12 dots/mm).
mm), the reading time T per line is T = (1000X 30) / (297X 1
2) = 8.4 m5ec. If the color separation filter 12 is rotated once within this time, the speed will be 118.8 rps (= 1000
m5ec/84 m5ec), which is 71 in 1 minute.
It becomes 28 rpm. As in this calculation example, when reading in full color mode, the reading time per color is 8,4
It is less than 1/3 of m5ec, and the effective time of the line sensor 9 is actually the value obtained by subtracting the shaded sector - 13 seconds. As mentioned above, if the six sectors 13 are equally divided at 60°, then 8,4 risec
1/6 of the time, that is, 1.4 m5ec. On the other hand, when reading in monochrome mode, which will be described later, the color separation filter 12 is moved to the area 15 as shown in FIG.
Since it is possible to stop the rotation of this color separation filter 12 and read the color while it is applied to the red sector 13R,
In this case, the sub-scanning speed can be increased to six times that of the full color mode. In other words, the length in the longitudinal direction of A4 size 297 mm is 5 seconds (= 30 seconds
c/6).

Next, a monochrome mode in which a monochrome signal is output will be explained. This monochrome mode is used, for example, for dropout color output to obtain a signal with ruled lines erased, or for output for display on a non-color CRT display. When reading in this monocolor mode, a predetermined one is selected from among the red sector 13R1, the green sector 13G, and the blue sector 138, and is positioned and stopped in the area 15 (that is, in the optical path). In order to control the position of the color separation filter 12 as described above, the state when the color separation filter 12 is stopped is determined by the first and second sensors 16 . ．． 1
Detected by 7. Therefore, this state detection will be explained. For example, in the state shown in FIG. 2, a green sensor 1-13G is located at the position of the first sensor 16, and the output of the green sensor 16a is at H level and the output of red sensor 16b is at L level. Moreover, the blue sector 13B is located with respect to the second sensor 17, and the sensor output is L.
level. That is, green sensor 16a, red sensor 1
6b, the output of the second sensor (red sensor) 17 is H, L
, the red sector 13R is located in the region 15 when the signal is at the L level. Therefore, when this state is not present, by rotating the color separation filter 12 until it reaches this output state and then stopping it, it is possible to obtain a red monocolor signal output color-separated by the red sector 13R.

Moreover, in order to locate the green sector 13G in the area 15,
A blue sector 13B is located at the position of the first sensor 16, and the outputs of the green sensor 16a and red sensor 16b are
It becomes L level. Since the red sector 13R is located with respect to the second sensor 17, the second sensor 17 outputs an H level. In this way, when the output levels are L and H, the green sector 13G is selected as the area 15, and by stopping the color separation filter 12 in this state, the color separation is performed by the green sector 13G. A green monochrome signal output can be obtained.

In order to locate the blue sector 13B in the area 15, the red sector 13R is located at the position of the first sensor 16, and the outputs of the green sensor 16a and red sensor 16b become H level. Since the green sector 13G is located with respect to the second sensor 17, the output of the second sensor 17 is at L level. Like this, H,
When the output level reaches L, blue sector 13 is selected as area 15, and by stopping the color separation filter 12 in this state, blue sector 1 is selected.
In detecting the state of the color separation filter 12 by the first and second sensors 16 and 17, which are capable of outputting blue monochrome signals color-separated by 3B, the light-shielding sector 138 is
, 2 sensors 16 and 17 are never shielded from light at the same time. In other words, the light shielding sector 133 does not stop at the position of the area 15, and a portion of the image light beam is not shielded. In this way, in monochrome mode, the required color sectors 13 for R, G, B
8, 13c, and 13a are reliably selected in the region 15, and a monochromatic signal output separated by that color is obtained. In other words, in this embodiment, there is a full color mode in which the color separation filter 12 is rotationally driven to obtain a full color signal output, and a mode in which specific sectors 13R, 13ay 13B are selected and the area 15 is
A monochrome mode in which a monochromatic signal of a specific color is obtained by keeping the scanner stationary can be selectively implemented under the same configuration, and document reading can be performed according to the user's purpose.

Next, the configuration of the control means 18 will be explained with reference to FIG. First, a power switch 19, a full color button 20, a monocolor button 21, a start button 22, a green button 23, a bronze button 24, and a red bronze button 25 are provided as operation buttons for executing the above-described reading operation. The filter motor control circuit 26 controls the filter motor 14 by operating these operation buttons 19 to 25 and detecting signals from the first and second sensors 16 and 17.
, to continuously rotate the color separation filter 12, and to control rotation/stopping of the color separation filter 12. Further, in parallel with this control, the mirror scanning motor 27 for the first scanner 10 and the like is controlled by the mirror scanning motor control circuit 28. Flip-flop circuits 29 to 32 are provided for instructing the filter motor control circuit 26 to select full color mode, G monocolor mode, B monocolor mode, and R monocolor mode, respectively. The start button 22 is used to instruct the first scanner 10 etc. to start running (therefore, the start button 22 is
(can also be substituted by a command from a host machine connected to a printer or a personal computer, etc.) is input to the control circuit 26, 28 through the AND gate 33 together with the output from the flip-flop circuit 29, and the filter motor A together with the output from the control circuit 26
Mirror scanning motor control circuit 28 via ND gate 34
has been entered.

As the number of operation buttons increases, the number of erroneous operations increases, making it difficult for beginners to use. In this point,
This embodiment also takes into consideration the improvement of operability. First, the operation buttons 19 to 25 are divided into two groups, an upper group and a lower group, and the full color button 2o and the monochrome button 21 are the power switch 19 and the start button 22.
Together with the operation buttons of the upper group, 23 green buttons and 2 bronze buttons.
4. Shakudo 25 is a lower group operation button. and,
In the upper group, the full color mode is given priority when selecting the full color mode and selecting the monochrome mode. That is, in this embodiment, in the initial state after the power is turned on by the power switch 19, the full color mode is automatically set. Therefore, the power switch 19 and the full color button 20 are selectively input to the OR gate 35, and the flip-flop circuit 29 is set by the output of the OR gate 35. Then, by the output of this OR gate 35, each OR
The flip-flop circuit 3 via gates 36 to 38
It is connected to reset 0 to 32. On the other hand, the monochrome button 21 is connected to the reset terminal of the flip-flop circuit 29. Here, in the lower group, priority is given to green, and the monocolor button 21 and the green button 23 are selectively input to the OR gate 39, and the output of this OR gate 39 is sent via the OR gate 40. It is input to the reset terminal of the flip-flop circuit 29. And this OR gate 39
The output of the flip-flop circuit 30 is input to the set terminal of the flip-flop circuit 30.

The output of this flip-flop circuit 30 is input to an OR gate 41 together with the signal of the previous recording button 23. Further, this green button 23 is connected to the flip-flop circuit 31 through the OR gates 42 and 43 and the OR gates 37 and 38, respectively.
．． 32 reset terminal. Furthermore, the bronze 24 and the red bronze 25 each have a flip-flop circuit 31.
．． 32, and is also connected to the reset terminals of flip-flop circuits M29 and M30 via an OR gate 44, etc.).

As a result, the flip-flop circuit 29 is set in the initial state when the power switch 19 is turned on, and the start button 2 is pressed.
By pressing 2, the output from the AND gate 33 is input to the filter motor control circuit 26 and is used as a full color mode command. As a result, the filter motor 14 rotates at high speed (7128 rpm according to the above calculation example) to rotate the color separation filter 12, and the output from the filter motor control circuit 26 is applied to the mirror scanning motor control circuit 28. The first scanner 10 and the like are driven by the mirror scanning motor 27 to read the original in full color mode. Of course, such full color mode operations are performed in the same way when the full color button 20 is pressed.

On the other hand, when the monocolor button 21 is pressed, the flip-flop circuit 29 is reset and the flip-flop circuit 3o is set.

As a result, the filter motor control circuit 26 is instructed to perform a monocolor mode, more specifically, a green monocolor mode. As a result, the filter motor 14 is driven at a low speed to rotate the color separation filter 12, and the outputs of the first and second sensors 16 and 17 reach a predetermined level, and the green sector 1
When it is detected that 3G is located in the area 15, the filter motor 14 is stopped and the color separation filter 12 remains in that state. At this time, the output from the filter motor control circuit 26 is A along with the signal from the start button 22.
Mirror scanning septa control circuit 28 via ND gate 34
The mirror scanning motor 27 is rotated to scan and move the first scanner 10 and the like at high speed. In this way, by simply pressing the monochrome button 21, the original is read in the green monochrome mode. In this case, the green monochrome mode is also set by pressing the green button 23, and the winning result is also achieved. Furthermore, if you wish to perform reading in the blue monocolor mode or the red monocolor mode as the monocolor mode, you can press the bronze 24 or the red copper 25 and press the start button 22.

In any mode, the mode command is continuous and is maintained unless another operation button is pressed. Here, in the lower group, priority is given to the green monocolor mode, and this is because the spectral wavelength band of green G is in the middle among R, G, and B.

In this way, the operation buttons 19 to 25 are divided into two levels, the upper group and the lower group, so in normal use, the power switch 19, full color button 20, monocolor button 21, and start button belonging to the upper group are 22 is all that is needed to perform the reading operation, and the operability is good, preventing erroneous operations and allowing even beginners to use the device. In particular, the most common full color mode may be set by consciously pressing the full color button 20, but according to this embodiment, when in use, the power switch 1 is pressed.
You can set this full color mode by simply pressing 9, which requires fewer button presses. This also applies to the green monochrome mode, which is the most common monochrome mode, and can be set preferentially by simply pressing the monocolor button 21 belonging to the upper group. In this case, in order to notify the operator that the operation buttons 19 to 25 have been divided into an upper group and a lower group, the operation buttons 19 to 22 belonging to the upper group are replaced by the operation buttons 23 to 23 of the lower group.
Make it larger than 25, or press the operation button 23 of the lower group.
If 25 is made into a hidden button, the operability will be further improved.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. In this embodiment, a angular color separation filter 45
is used. This color separation filter 45 has S-th
As shown in the figure, five sectors 46 divided into rectangular strips are formed. These nine sectors 46 are a red sector 46R colored red, a green sector 46G colored green, and a blue sector 46 colored blue.
B is formed every other sector, and each sector 4
A light-shielding sector 46s is formed between 6R and 46G and 46G and 46B so that no light passes through.

Here, these sectors 46 are all formed to have the same width, and the width is slightly larger than the width of the region 15. The bottom side of the color separation filter 45 is a bobbin 47.
A coil 48 serving as a filter driving means is wound around the bobbin 47, and a magnet 49 is provided around the coil 48. This causes the coil 48 to
When C current is applied, the color separation filter 45 moves up and down (in the direction of arrow B) in accordance with the frequency of this AC current.
The red sector 46R, the green sector 46G, and the blue sector 46s sequentially cross the optical path and are located in the region 15. The vertical movement period of this color separation filter 45 is 30~
The frequency is approximately 150 Hz. In this way, color separation filter 4
By continuously moving up and down 5 to cross the optical path, full color mode reading can be performed as in the first embodiment.

On the other hand, in this embodiment, when reading in monochrome mode, DC current is applied to the coil 4 instead of AC current.
Just run it to 8. For example, if the state in which the green sector 46G is located in the area 15 is 0■ as shown in FIG. On the contrary-
By applying DC, the color separation filter 45 is lowered so that the red sector 46R covers the region 15. At this time, in positioning the region 15, the position (movement amount) of the color separation filter 45 is determined in proportion to the applied voltage, so that target positioning can be achieved by managing the applied voltage. Under such control, reading can be performed in monochrome mode.

In this embodiment as well, the reading operation in full color mode and monochrome mode can basically be controlled by the control means 18 as shown in FIG. However,
In this embodiment, the filter motor 1 in FIG.
4 is replaced with a coil 48, and the filter motor control circuit 26
However, the first and second sensors 16 and 17 are not required to detect the state of the color separation filter 45, and the configuration of this coil control circuit can be greatly simplified. In other words, the main components are the power supply section, which includes a transformer, rectifier, etc., and the coil 4
This is because it is sufficient to adopt a configuration in which the AC or DC voltage flowing to the circuit 8 is directly switched. Also, the AND gate 34 in FIG.
The mirror scanning motor control circuit 28 can also be omitted.
Alternatively, a signal may be given directly to the button by operating the button.

Effects As described above, in the present invention, the positional state of the color separation filter with respect to the optical path is varied by the filter driving means under the control of the control means to selectively switch between the full color mode and the monocolor mode. A single reading device can optionally read originals in full color mode and originals in monochrome mode, making it possible to perform reading according to the operator's requests, increasing the value of use. Being able to select a mode increases the number of operation buttons, but in the initial state after the power is turned on, full color mode is prioritized, and monochrome mode is prioritized to a monochrome mode with a specific color, for example green. This means that the multiple operation buttons are divided into priority groups and auxiliary groups, and normally you only need to operate the priority operation buttons, which reduces erroneous operations and makes it easier for even beginners to use. This improves operability.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
3 is a block diagram, FIG. 4 is a side view showing a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a front view of the color separation filter portion. 2... Original, 7... Imaging lens, 8... Optical system,
9... Line sensor, 12... Color separation filter,
13R... Red sector, 13G... Green sector, 13B... Blue sector, 14... Filter motor (filter driving means), 18... Control means, 45.
...Color separation filter, 46R...Red sector, 46
G...green sector, 46B...blue sector, 4
8... Coil (filter driving means)

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. In a document reading device that images an image beam reflected from an illuminated document onto a line sensor using an optical system including an imaging lens and reads an image, a a color separation filter provided to separate the image beam into at least three types of colors; a filter driving means for moving the color separation filter in a direction in which the filter portion of each color sequentially crosses the optical path; a full color mode in which the color separation filter sequentially outputs the color-separated signals within the reading time of one line by the line sensor; A control means for selectively controlling a monocolor mode in which a filter portion of a specific color of the color separation filter is made to stand still in the optical path and a signal separated by color by the filter portion of the specific color is output. Document reading device. 2. The document reading device according to claim 1, wherein the control means automatically sets the full color mode in an initial state after power is turned on. 3. The control means controls the monochrome mode according to the priority order so that when the monochrome mode is set, a signal from a filter portion of a specific color specified in advance is output. The document reading device according to scope 1. 4. The document reading device according to claim 3, wherein the prespecified color is green.