JPS6175670A - Picture forming system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make the number of times of forming the picture different in unit time and to improve through-put at the time of the plural number of times of forming the picture when a storing means of a picture signal is used or not. CONSTITUTION:A retention memory unit RMU has a function to transfer the picture signal from a reader 1 directly to a printer 2 without passing through built-in memories 85 and 86, and for example, when copying is executed by one sheet each for respective originals, the function is used. In the action mode using RMU, for the first sheet, a video signal from the reader 1 is accumulated in the memories 85 and 86 and for the second sheet and after, a picture is reproduced by the output from the memories 85 and 86. A control action of the reader and printer for the first copy is almost the same when RMU is not used. Next, when the second copy is executed, at this time, the printer records and operates with the picture signal not from the reader but from the memories 85 and 86.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an image forming system that handles images as electrical signals and forms images on paper or the like.

Conventionally, an image forming system of this type has been proposed that forms an image based on an image information signal obtained by optically reading a document. Also, in order to make multiple copies of the same image.

A system has also been proposed in which a memory for storing image signals is provided and images are formed based on the image signals read from the memory without scanning the second and subsequent documents.

However, as in the latter system, even when a large number of copies are made using a memory, the image forming speed is the same as when no memory is used, and therefore no improvement in image reproduction throughput can be expected.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to improve the throughput of image formation and enable efficient copying operations.

The present invention will be explained in more detail below based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of an embodiment of an image processing system to which the present invention is applied. 1 is a reader that photoelectrically reads a document image; 2 is a printer that records an image on a recording material such as paper based on the input image information; 3 is installed between the reader l described in # and the printer 2; This is a retention memory unit (hereinafter referred to as RMU) that stores at least one page of image information to be output and outputs it to the printer 2.

Note that the image information from the reader 1 can also be supplied directly to the printer 2, bypassing the RMU 3.

Next, using FIGS. 2 to 4, read the reader 1.
, retention memory unit (RMU) 3, printer, etc. will be explained in detail.

FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b) are block diagrams showing an example of the internal configuration of the reader 1. FIG. In this example, in order to achieve high-speed, high-density reading, the original image is
The method is to read the image using a CD, and then combine it into a single signal to generate a 1-line image signal.

First, the description of FIG. 2(a) will be given.

The optical lens 10.11 is used to form an image of a document placed on a document table (not shown) onto the C0D 12.13. The original image is sequentially scanned by being mechanically moved in a direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction of the COD by an optical system (not shown).
Detailed explanation will be omitted.

C0D12.13 converts the a-light of the original image into an electrical signal. This electrical signal is amplified by an amplifier circuit 14, 15, and then sent to an analog-to-digital converter (A/D converter) 16, 17.
Each pixel is converted into a multi-value digital signal.

Furthermore, the digital signal is transmitted to the shading correction circuit 18.
19: uneven light emission of the light source, uneven luminous intensity distribution of the optical system, CC
After removing noise caused by uneven sensitivity of D, the ternary digital image signals VDI-A signal, VDI-B signal, VO2- are sent to the ternarization circuit 20.21.
The A signal and the VO2-B signal are respectively converted.

Ternarization is to perform binarization using two stages of binarization levels, but there are two methods: using a constant binarization level given by the launch circuit 26, and using dither ROMs 24 and 25 within a predetermined matrix φ size. Selectors 22 and 23 are used to select between two types of ternarization processing, which is a method using periodically changed z-value levels, the so-called dither method.

The dither method uses a binary signal to reproduce halftones in a pseudo manner, and is widely used in facsimiles and the like.

In this embodiment, it is possible to obtain an optimal copy image by selecting a method that gives a constant binary level for text documents, etc., and a dither method for documents that require gradation, such as photographs. It has become.

Also, in the method of giving a certain level, the two of ternarization
You can also choose to set the two levels to the same value.

The dither patterns stored in the dither ROM 24 and 25 are sequentially read out at the addresses given by the counter 27 that counts the number of lines in the sub-scanning direction and the counter 28 and 29 that counts the number of pixels in the main scanning direction. . still,
In order to prevent the dither pattern from being disturbed at the joint when combining the electrical signals read by the CCD 12 and CCD 13 into one line, a latch circuit 30 provides preset data of the optimum count to the counter 29.
is connected.

This latch circuit 30 and other latch circuits in FIG. 2 are connected to the CPU /< bus of the CPU 38,
The data is latched by the CPU 38. CPU38
is operated by a control program written in ROM 39, and is operated by RAM 40, I10 port 41. timer circuit 42
．． Serial circuit 43. A key display drive circuit 44 is used to control the entire reader.

The CPU 38 performs control for adjustment and operation confirmation based on the value set by the dip switch 46.

The key display drive circuit 44 is a circuit for scanning the key matrix of the operation unit 45 and driving a display such as an LED. In addition, the serial circuit 43 sends the RMU signal, DR548, PRS signal, which will be described later, to the printer and RMU.
This circuit is used to give control commands such as VSYNC signals and DRT signals, and conversely to receive information such as PRQ signals and VH5 signals from printers and RMUs.

The oscillation circuit 32 provides timing to the COD drive circuit 31 that drives the CCDs 1 2 and 13 and other parts that handle image signals. The oscillation signal is counted by the counter 33.
4 and various timings are generated.

A synchronization signal BD sent from the printer 2 is input to the counter 33, and the count is reset thereby. The BD double signal H5BD signal is also used as a synchronization signal in the sub-scanning direction.

The counter 33 outputs the original clock of the write clock when writing the VDI signal and VD2 signal of the image signal to the memories 60 to 63, which will be described later.
This becomes the LK signal. The rate multiplier 36 divides the frequency of the input clock signal according to the value of an externally applied control signal (in this embodiment, the latch circuit 37) and outputs the divided clock signal.

In this embodiment, it is used to change the magnification of an image in the scanning direction.

Next, FIG. 2(b) will be explained.

The latch circuits 50, 51, and 52 increment the preset data of the write counter 53 and read counters 54 and 55, respectively. The write counter 53 is
The memory address when inputting the VDI signal and VD2 signal to ~63 is WCL from the rate multiplier 36.
Generated by K signal. On the other hand, the read counters 54 and 55 set the memory address RCL when reading the MDI signal and VD2 signal stored in a3 from the memories 60 to 63.
It is generated by the K signal (described later).

The memory address signals output from the write counter 53 and the read write counter 54.55 are output from the selectors 56 to 55.
59 and selects either the write counter 53 or the read write counter 54.55, and the memory 60~
Give to 63.

The memories are a pair of memories 60, 61 and memories 62, 63, and when one is performing a write operation, the other is performing a read operation, thereby realizing signal speed conversion.

- The memories of the set repeatedly perform write operations and read operations, and receive signals from the write counter 53 during the write operation and signals from the read counters 54 and 55 during the read operation from the selectors 56 to 59. Operate. The repetition control of the above-mentioned loading operation and reading operation is performed by the above-mentioned H5BD signal.

VDI-A signal and V read out from memories 60 to 63
Dl-E signal, VD2-A signal.

The VD2-B signal is input to the selector 70 and synthesized, and further undergoes editing processing such as image inversion and trimming processing in the image processing circuit 71, and then is sent to the printer 2 or RMU.
Sent to 3.

The oscillator circuit 66 has a reference voltage during the read operation. k t+= + X a j4
It is output to a printer, etc. as I + video clock VCLK. The control circuit 67 is a circuit for performing input control using the H3BD signal, and controls the left margin counter 6 at a predetermined timing (described later).
8. Bit 9 Controls the operation of counter 69.

The mid-rate multiplier 64 and latch circuit 65 generate a read clock RCLK signal in the same way as the rate multiplier 36 and latch circuit 37 described above. It also outputs a video enable signal vE, which will be explained in FIG. 5, to a printer or the like.

Next, a control circuit diagram of the retention memory unit 3 will be explained using diagram i3. 75 is a microcomputer, which is connected to the CPU 8s by ROM 76, RAM 77, I10 port 78. It is connected to a timer circuit 79 and a serial communication circuit 80, and the operation of each part is the same as that of the league part.

The I10 boat 78 is connected to each director of the memory section. The serial communication circuit 80 is connected to the reader side interface and the printer side interface, and is capable of sending and receiving the various signals described above.

The memory section consists of memory A85 and memory B86,
Each image can contain the image information of one A3 size sheet. In image No. 4g, the original signal of the ternary signal is A
, B, so selector 97.98 selects memory A8.
5. Oldness can be stored in either memory B86. The image signal A is input into the shift register 1A32 by the video clock VCLK from the reader 1,
It is written into the memory A85 in synchronization with the address generated by the address generation circuit 83. Image signal B is similarly written into memory B86 through shift register IB.

Writing of the two image signals is performed by a common video clock. Further, the memory address generation circuit 83 is synchronized with the video clock and the video enable signal. The video clock input to this address generation circuit 83 is determined by the selector 81 to be the one communicated from the beam reader 2 when writing an image signal, and the one generated by the internal generation circuit 91 when reading one image signal. selected.

Further, as for the video enable signal inputted to the address generation circuit 83, the one communicated from the reader 2 at the time of writing and the one generated by the internal generation circuit 87 at the time of reading are selected by the selector 88. Further, the H3 signal generated by the VE generation circuit 87 is sent to the reader 3 instead of the BD (i) by the selector 74 when the image signal is not output to the printer 2 but only stored.

This address generation circuit 83 is also used when reading data to the memory. Note that writing to and reading from memories A and B 85° and 86 starts.

The data is output to the CPU 75 via the J:r10 port 78.

Addresses of the image information in the memories A, B 85, 86 are generated by the address generation circuit 83, and the image information is converted into serial data by the shift registers 2A, 2B 89°90 and synchronized with the video clock generated by the internal generation circuit 91. is output. The video enable generation circuit 87 is a circuit that generates a VE multiplied signal in place of the reader 1 when reading data from the memory, and generates the signal at the timing shown in FIG. The image signal generated from the memory is selected by selectors 92 and 93 to be output to either line A or B, and is ORed with the plain image signal by OR circuits 94 and 95 and output. Also, the output of both memories A and B,
Gates 72 and 73 are provided to enable ORing of the transparent signals. Also, the video clock is set to selector 9.
6, when an image signal is sent directly from the reader 1 to the printer 2, the image signal communicated from the reader 1 is also sent to the printer when the image signal is read from the memory. When sending the signal to the internal generating circuit 91, the one generated by the internal generating circuit 91 is selected.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the printer 2. As shown in FIG. The explanation will be given using FIG.

The above-mentioned DRS input from RMU2 or reader 1
Serial signal lines such as RS output and VSYNC signals are
It is input to the serial circuit 201 and processed by the CPU 200. Further, a PRQ signal and a VSR signal are output from this serial circuit 201. The CPU 200 is the ROM 203
It operates according to the control program stored in the RAM 20.
4. The timer circuit 202 and I10 port 205 are used to control the entire printer.

The input interface 207 performs input processing of sensor signals such as paper detection in the printer. Drive circuit 208
is a circuit for driving a motor, high voltage transformer, etc. (not shown).

The display circuit 206 is used to display printer status such as no printing paper or occurrence of paper jam.

VDA signal sent from RMU3 or reader 1,
The VDB signal (image signal) is converted into three-value (V
D signal) is input to the laser driver 209, and is converted by the semiconductor laser 210 into laser light based on the VD signal. The laser beam is focused by a collimator lens 210, and scanned by a polygon mirror 212 in a direction substantially parallel to the rotation axis of a photosensitive drum 214, which is rotating a predetermined amount. The scanned laser beam passes through the f-θ lens 2
At step 13, the amount of light is corrected, and the photosensitive drum 214 is irradiated to form a latent image based on the VD signal.

Image formation in printers uses a so-called electrostatic recording method, in which a necessary portion of the charge applied to the photosensitive drum 214 is removed using a laser beam, and then developed using a developing agent to print on print paper. This is done by transferring and fixing. Since the electrostatic recording method is a well-known technique, detailed explanation will be omitted.

Now, the laser beam scanned by the polygon mirror 212 is incident on the optical fiber 215 before being irradiated onto the photosensitive drum 214, and when the photodetector 216 detects the incident, it outputs an electric signal (BD double signal. As can be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3, the laser beam from the league or RMU 3 is applied to the photosensitive drum 214 after the BD double signal is generated.
If the VD signal is output after waiting for the time to reach , a latent image will be formed at an appropriate position on the photosensitive drum 214.

The fifth section specifically shows the output timing of this VD signal.
FIG.

In Figure 5, an example of a league is shown, but R
The same applies to MU.

In FIG. 2(b), from the generation of the H3BD signal by the generation of the BD signal, the left margin counter 68 starts counting, and when the count up corresponds to the above-mentioned time, the bit counter 69 is operated, and the memory 60, 61 or .

Reading of the VD signal from the memories 62 and 63 is started.

The bit counter 69 stops operating after outputting the VD signal over the image forming area of the photosensitive drum 214.
Prepare for the input of the <H5BD signal based on the next BD double signal input.

The VE multiplied signal is an interval signal indicating the operating period of the bit counter 69, ie, the output period of the image signal.

FIG. 6 shows a timing chart of image signals in the image signal synthesis circuit 217 of FIG. 4.

The image signal VDA is synchronized with the video clock VCLK.
, VDB are sent, and the synthesis circuit outputs VDO synthesized at twice the frequency of the video clock.

FIG. 7 shows the appearance of the operating section provided on the reader I connected to the system in this embodiment. The operation sections include a standard operation section 252 and a preset operation section 251. A special operation section 250 including a liquid crystal display section 256 and soft keys 257 is provided. The standard operation section 252 includes a number keypad 254 for setting the number of copies, a set number display section 255, a copy start key 253, etc., and is used in the same way as a commonly used copying machine.

The special operation section 250 is for the user to create any copy mode, and includes soft keys on a liquid crystal display section 256.1-6W that can display labels corresponding to the soft keys, copy mode, data, and various messages. 25f8
- When you want to select the content displayed on the hidden item display section 256, you can create a copy mode or the like by pressing the soft key corresponding to the lower part of the display you want to select.

For example, a desired paper size can be selected from among the paper sizes sequentially displayed on the liquid crystal display using a soft key below the size display.

The preset operation section 251 is capable of registering copy modes (conditions) set by the standard operation section 252 or the special operation section 250.

That is, the frequently used copy mode is registered in advance in the RAM 40, and the copy mode can be changed to the special operation section 25 with a single key operation.
By reading from the memory without using 0, copying in a desired mode can be easily performed.

As mentioned above, the RMU 3 also has a function to directly transmit the image signal from the reader 1 to the printer 2 without going through the built-in memory. function is used.

In addition, in the operation mode using the retention memory unit (RMU) 3, the image signal from the league is stored in the retention memory unit 4 for the first image, and from the second image onwards, the image is played back by the output from the retention memory unit 4. I do.

FIGS. 8, 9, and 1O are flowcharts showing the respective operating procedures of the leak 1, printer 2, and RMU 3 related to transmission and reception of image signals. The operation of this system will be explained with reference to this flowchart.

First, the image signal of League I is not stored in RMU3,
A case where the data is simply passed through and sent to the printer 2 will be explained.

Incidentally, FIG. 11 is a time chart showing the generation timing of various signals in this case.

When the operator presses the leak copy start key in step 801, it is first determined in step 802 whether or not the RMU is in use mode. In this case R
Since this is a mode in which no MU is used, League immediately outputs a drum start signal DR5 to the printer in step 803 instructing the printer to start rotating the drum. As a result, the printer starts rotating the photosensitive drum in steps 901 and 902, and initializes a series of process conditions.

When the printer finishes initializing the process conditions at time T1 and becomes ready to copy at step 903, the printer proceeds to step 904 and sends a paper feeding start request signal to the league to feed paper from the cassette. A print riknis)
Output PRQ. If the league receives the PRQ signal, it proceeds from step 805 to step 806 and immediately outputs a print start signal PR5 instructing the start of copying. The printer that receives this PRS signal performs step 905.
The process then advances to 906 to start feeding paper. The printer starts a timer in step 907 when paper feeding starts, and at a certain time T3 after paper feeding starts, a timing signal is generated to align the leading edge of the image drawn on the photoreceptor drum with the leading edge of the paper using the image signal VIDEO from the league. The request VH3 is output in steps 908 and 909, and - the waste paper is stopped. The printer, which receives the VH5 signal from the printer, proceeds from step 807 to 808, and when it detects that the reading optical system has moved a certain distance in front of the leading edge of the document, it generates a VSYNC signal in step 809, and then , in step 810, the original image signal is output.

Note that the VSYNC signal is turned off at the time when the output of the image signal is finished. When the printer detects the rising edge of the VSYNC signal in step 910.

In step 911, the registration rollers are driven to restart the paper that had been stopped for a moment, and the image on the photosensitive drum is transferred to the paper. If the copying is completed at this point, the leak proceeds from step 812 to step 813, and the drum stop signal DRTj +4i →-I+ '口 +-A n u 'T' If 0
+-BT, L&J--511+.

The operation stops at step 914.

On the other hand, when performing multi-copy, the printer starts the timer when the first sheet of paper is started by the VSYNC signal (step 912). After the early time T5 has elapsed (step 913), the next PRQ signal is output (step 904). In response, the league outputs the PR5 signal in the same manner as the first sheet (step 806), and the printer also outputs the VR3 signal (step 909). However, when the VSR signal is input from the printer, the printer has just finished scanning the original for the first recording.
Since the optical system cannot perform the next exposure scan immediately, it is not possible to output the VSYNC signal after time T4 from the same VSR signal as the first one. After a period of time, the VSYNC signal is output at T6.

The 1st image is transferred to the rice cake using the same I-sequence as this 26m 1st millet, and finally the copy sequence is completed by the DRT signal from the league. The sequence described here is for the case of copying two copies, but in the case of copying a larger number of copies, the sequence for the second copy will be repeated.

FIG. 12 shows the timing of generation of various signals when the image signals from the league are stored in the retention memory 4, and the image signals are transmitted from the retention memory to the printer for copying.

In this case, the RMU receives an instruction signal from the league about the usage mode of the RMU, and upon determining the human power of the RMU, steps 701 to 7
Proceed to step 02 and set the memory to the write state. After that, in steps 703 to 713, when various signals are input from the printer or league, a pseudo signal having the same function as that signal is supplied to the league or printer, and the league and the printer execute the above-described first printing sequence. Along with storing the image signal from the league in its own memory. That is, the image signal of the first image read and outputted by the league is supplied to the printer to record the image of the first image, and is simultaneously stored in the memory of the RMU.

In this way, the control operations of the league and the printer for copying the first sheet are almost the same as in the case without using the RMU in Figure 11. Next, when copying the second sheet, the printer is This is greatly different from the case shown in FIG. 11 described above, since the recording operation is performed using image signals from the RMU rather than from the RMU.

In other words, when the above RMU is not used, the optical scanning system of the League has just finished scanning the image of the first copy, and it takes time to output the VSYNC signal from the VSR signal input from the printer. With retention memory, there is no such time delay in the optical system, and it is only necessary to re-output the image signal stored in the memory from the beginning, which takes almost no time (T'4). When using this method, the interval between copies of the first and second sheets can be minimized in the printer sequence, and the copying speed can be increased while maintaining the same copying process speed.

Once the RMU finishes storing the image signal from the league and inputs the DRT signal from the league in step 714,
In preparation for copying the first sheet, the memory is set to a read state in step 715. Then, when the PRQ signal is input from the printer to the printer in step 716, the PR5 signal is output to the printer in step 717. P
The printer that has input the R3 signal executes step 9 as described above.
The process advances from 05 to 906 to start feeding paper, and then to step 907.
Start the timer with . Then, the printer uses timer T3
After the elapse of time, the VR3 signal is output in step 9'09. V
Upon receiving the H5 signal, the RMU immediately outputs a VSYNC signal to the league in step 718. That is, in the above-mentioned FIG. 11, the generation of this VSYNC signal was conditioned on the optical system of the league being in a predetermined position, but the R
Image signals are read from the MU using the printer's VSR.
As soon as a signal is input, the VSYNC signal is generated without any waiting time related to the optical system. Upon generation of the VSYNC signal, the RMU reads out the image signal in step 720 and outputs it to the printer. The printer drives the registration rollers in step 911 by inputting the VSYNC signal to transfer the image to paper.

If more printing is required using the read image signal from the RMU, the RMU returns to step 716, waits again for a PRQ signal from the printer, and repeats the operations described above.

On the other hand, if the desired number of prints (copies) have been completed, R
The MU proceeds from step 721 to 722 and sends a DR to the printer.
Outputs T signal. Upon receiving this DRT signal, the printer stops the rotation of the drum, etc., and stops the printing operation.

As described above, in multi-copying using RMU, since the second and subsequent copies do not require document scanning, high-speed printing is performed by eliminating the return time of the league's optical system.

That is, by using the retention memory, copies can be made with the minimum paper spacing allowed by the printer sequence.

In this embodiment, a system having one league and one printer has been described, but the system is not limited to this number.
Input image signals from the league and at the same time! A plurality of printers may be provided to record the image A, and
The league is not limited to one car either.

Furthermore, the league may be one in which the original platen moves instead of the optical system, and the printer may be of a type such as an inkjet printer or a thermal printer.As explained above, according to the present invention, the image signal storage means is Since the number of times of image formation per unit time is made different depending on whether it is used or not, it is possible to improve the throughput when forming images a plurality of times and provide an efficient image forming system.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of an image forming system according to the present invention, FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b) are block diagrams showing an example of the configuration inside the reader, and FIG. ), FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the printer, FIG. 5 is a timing chart regarding image signals, FIG. 6 is a timing chart for combining image signals, and FIG. The figure is an external view of the operation section of the league, Figure 58, Figures 9 and 10 are the league,
FIGS. 11 and 12 are flowcharts showing the control procedures of the printer and RMU, respectively, and timing charts showing two types of copy sequences, l is league,
2 is the printer, 3 is the RMU, 12.13 is the COD, 85
．． 86 is a memory, and 214 is a drum.

Claims (1)

[Claims] means for optically reading a document and at least one image signal;
It has a means for storing pages and a means for forming an image based on the image signal, and when forming an image based on the image signal from the reading means of the forming means and when forming an image based on the image signal from the storing means. An image forming system characterized in that the number of times of image formation per unit time is made different.