JPS63204868A - Reader/recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain a high-speed recording by providing a means to detect a blank line preceding to the read of an image, and making an image reader means and an image recording means pass through the detected blank line when the blank line is detected. CONSTITUTION:During the read-scanning of an original, whether the line ahead of the line a first sensor part 12-1 is being reading is blank or not is detected by second and third sensor parts 12-1, 12-3. In case a blank line is thus detected, the read and the recording of this blank line is not instructed, but instead, a CPU unit 11 instructs a scanner 2 and the paper feeder mechanism of a printer 7 to carry a paper to skip the blank line. In such a way, a reader/recorder capable of high-speed printing without changing its read speed can be obtained.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a reading and recording device that reads image data such as characters and images from a document and records the read data.

[Prior Art] A reading device called an image scanner that digitally reads image data on a document to be inputted in the form of dots has been considered as a peripheral device for an image processing device. Similarly, printers that record read data (image data) that has been subjected to image processing are also considered.

FIG. 6 shows an example of the circuit configuration of an image processing apparatus to which these peripheral devices are connected.

In FIG. 6, 1 is a central processing unit (CPU),
A CPU that performs image processing and consists of random access memory (RAM) and read-only memory (ROM).
It is a υ processing unit.

Reference numeral 2 denotes an input device such as an image scanner that reads image data on a document.

3 is an external storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a floppy disk drive (FDD) for storing read image information.

Reference numeral 5 is a communication modem unit constituted by a modem or a network control unit (NCU), such as a communication modem unit connected to a telephone line, and 6 is an input unit, typically a keyboard or mouse, for inputting image processing information.

7 is an output unit such as a printer that outputs image-processed information.

Since the CPU processing device 1 as an image processing device requires many of the peripheral device units mentioned above, it would be different if it was mounted on a rack (shelf), for example, but it requires a large area to place the image processing device and peripheral devices, Providing separate housings and power sources for housing these devices would increase manufacturing costs. Therefore, attempts have been made to integrate various peripheral devices or to integrate peripheral devices together. Although there is a difference in manuscript paper or recording paper between Hitokaninit 2 and Dekaninit 7, many similar machine elements can be seen in that they have a paper feeding mechanism, and they share these similar elements. Therefore, reading/recording devices that are housed in the same housing are being considered.

An example of the configuration of a conventional reading/recording device of this type is shown in FIG.

In FIG. 7, an example of a printer that performs thermal transfer recording is shown as the output means 7. Reference numeral 21 denotes a cartridge containing a thermal transfer tape 22, which has a positioning shaft 23 and a winding shaft 24. The reading unit 25, which includes a light source and a sensor, is set on a carriage 26 that moves in the sub-scanning direction. It has a thermal head section 27 for recording inside the thermal transfer tape 22,
It faces a flat platen 28 that comes into contact with the recording paper. Recording paper (omitted) is inserted in the direction of the arrow A and the rubber roller 30
and is sent to the flat platen 28 by the pinch roller 31.

The carriage 26 is scanned along the guide shaft 39 and the guide rail 40 in the direction of the front and back of the paper in the example shown in FIG. A document to be read is inserted in the direction of arrow B and ejected in the direction of arrow C.

Here, rotational driving force is transmitted to a rubber platen 30 and a document paper feed roller 36 by a gear 32 connected to a paper feed drive source (abbreviation) such as a pulse motor, a gear 33 for feeding the recording paper, and a gear 35 for feeding the reading document paper. . Here, the gears 33 and 34 have the same number of teeth and provide the same rotational feed pitch to the rubber roller 30 and the feed roller 36.

Therefore, the reading document paper and the recording paper advance at the same feeding pitch. Insertion of the document sheet to be read is detected by a sheet sensor 43, and the guide roller 37 connected to the feed roller 36 by the rubber belt 3a passes through the reading sensor section 5 and is ejected in the direction of arrow C.

Since the reading and recording apparatus has the reading section and the recording section separated in this way, the read image information can be copied at the same time by using both mechanisms simultaneously.

However, in recent years, there has been a demand for high-speed printing, and in order to increase the recording speed of the above-mentioned reading/recording device, the reading speed must be correspondingly increased, which causes the problem that the reading sensor 25 makes false detections. A dot had appeared.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve these problems and provide a reading/recording device that can print at higher speed without changing the reading speed.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve these problems, the present invention provides a reading means for reading a document, a recording means for recording the read contents on a recording medium, and a reading scanning method of the reading means. The present invention is characterized by comprising a detection means for detecting the existence of a blank area in a document in advance, and a control means for instructing the reading means to read and the recording means to record in accordance with the blank detection output from the detection means. shall be.

[Function] In the present invention, when the detection means detects a blank area before the reading means, the blank area is passed through according to an instruction from the control means to perform reading by the reading means and recording by the recording means, so that high-speed recording is possible. becomes possible.

C Embodiment] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an example of a circuit configuration in an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, the same parts as in FIG. 6 are given the same reference numerals.

11 is CPt111-1. ROMll-2, RAMll
-3, and CPUll-1 executes the control procedure shown in FIG. 3 stored in ROM 11-2.

Note that it is also possible to store CPUll-1 in the input unit.

RAMll-3 is a counter M, which will be described later, that stores variables executed in the above-mentioned control procedure and blank detection outputs sent from the second and third sensors, which will be described later, via a latch circuit and a binarization circuit; It plays a role as PCR, CR, etc.

Reference numeral 12 denotes a scanner that reads image information from a document in the form of dot information. The human crab knit 12 may have almost the same configuration as the conventional device shown in FIG. 7, and only the configuration of the reading sensor of the reading section 25 shown in FIG. 7 is different.

The reading section in the human crab unit 12 includes a light source and a first sensor section 12-1 that uses, for example, a solid-state image sensor CCD, etc., to read image information from a document. In addition, a second method using a light receiving element or the like for detecting blank lines of a document according to the present invention. It is composed of a third sensor section 12-2, 12-3 and a latch circuit 12-4, 12-5 that holds and outputs its output signal. Even small sensors such as cco have 12
828 pixels (typically 1024 to 2048 pixels) can cover an area many times longer than the 24 or 32 pixels of a print head.

The first sensor 12-1 has pixels that sufficiently cover one column of 32 dots in the sub-scanning direction for one line of character information to be read. The second sensor unit 12-2 is positioned so as to read the next line after the line read by the first sensor 12-1.
1 to perform reading scanning. Second sensor section 12-2
detects whether the document to be read is blank within a reading width of one line.

The third sensor section 12-3 is positioned so that the second sensor section 12-2 reads the next line after the line to be read, and detects whether the line to be read is a blank line or not. Note that the third sensor section 12-3 is on the same sensor as the second sensor section 12-2.

Next, the operation of the reading/recording apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

In the embodiment of the present invention, during scanning of a document, the second and third sensor units 12-2 determine whether or not the line ahead of the line being read by the first sensor unit 12-1 is blank.
．． 12-3, and if a blank line is detected, the CPU unit 11 instructs the paper feed mechanism of the scanner 2 and printer to skip the blank line and feed the paper without instructing to read or record the blank line. It was designed to do so.

As shown in FIG. 3, when the read original A and the recording paper B are set, in step 510
II-1 clears flag registers F-2 and F-3 to "0" and initializes counters 1M and N to "O". Flag register F-2 clears flag registers F-2 and F-3 to "0". When a blank line is detected, °O" is stored as the detection information, and when it is not blank, °°1" is stored as the detection information.Furthermore, the flag register F-3 stores the detection information when the third sensor section 12-3 detects a blank line. 1” as detection information, °0” if not blank
Store.

A counter M stores the number of lines by which the document is fed. Further, a counter N stores the number of lines by which the recording paper is fed.

The values of these registers and counters are
The data is stored in the RAM 11 within the memory. In step 511, CPUll-1 instructs input unit 12 to start reading the original.

Next, the input crab knit 12 starts moving in the main scanning direction indicated by the arrow Px shown in the third diagram. When the first sensor unit 12-1 reads the document image of the first line as the input unit 12 moves, [:PUll-1 instructs the printer 7 to record this image information. Then, in the printer 7, the first sensor 12-1 sends the printer paper B to the recording paper B.
1 records the image information read (step 512-
2).

Next, CPUll-1 receives the read information from the second sensor unit 12-2 located on the second line, and determines whether this read information is blank. When the second sensor unit 12-2 reads image information such as character information, the second sensor unit 1
The output signal 2-2 is held as a neon signal by the latch circuit 12-4. Furthermore, when blanks continue in one line, the second sensor section 2-2 does not read and output the output, so the latch circuit 12-4 outputs and holds the "1° off" signal. Therefore, this "°on, °°off" signal is C.P.
Detect blank lines by determining III-1 (
Steps 513-514). When the information read by the second sensor section 12-2 is not blank, the flag register F
-2 is set to °1'' (step 515).

Similarly, the CPUll-1 receives the read information from the third sensor section 12-2 located on the third line, determines whether the read information is blank, and if the read information is not blank, sets the read information to the flag register F-3. O” (step 51
6~sla).

Repeat the above steps and read sensors 12-1 to 12.
-3 reads one line of image information (step 519
), Step 521 At N525, the number of lines for paper feed is set. First, in step 521, CPUll-
1 means that the value of flag register F2 is “°1”, that is, the third
In the illustrated example, it is determined whether the second line is blank. When the value of the flag register F-2 is "1", it is determined that the second line is not blank, and the GPU II-1 sets the paper feed line number of the printer 12 and the printer to "1".
row (step 523). In this example, the counter M
, N are associated with the input unit 12 and the printer 7, and the number of paper feed lines is stored, and the number of paper feed lines is stored in the input unit 12 . Instructs printer to feed paper.

Next, the line read by the first sensor unit 12-1 (first line)
, when the next line (second line) is blank, it is determined whether the line following the second line (third line) is a blank line or not based on the value of flag register F-3. . Flag register F-3
When the value of is 1", the third line is not a blank line, so the number of paper feed lines is set to 2" (step 523). When the value of the flag register F-3 is 0, the 2nd and 3rd lines are blank lines, so the number of paper feed lines is set to 3.

When the setting of the number of paper feed lines is completed in this way, CP, Ull
-1 initializes each flag register, CPUll-1 instructs input unit 12 and printer 7 to feed the paper by the set number of lines, returns to step Sll, and completes the reading of original A through the above procedure. Continue until.

In the case of the read document A shown in the third diagram, the second and third lines are blank lines, so when the human crab unit 12 finishes reading and recording the first line, the document and recording paper B are fed two lines. The first sensor unit 12-1 is located in the fourth row, the second
The sensor part 12-2 is in the fifth row, the third sensor part 2-3
will read the 6th line of \S.

In such a case, the first sensor section 12-1 will read the blank line, but the second sensor section 12-1 will read the blank line. By skipping the third blank line, reading and recording can be performed faster than in the past.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the reading sensor is made three times as long to monitor blank lines, but a longer CCD can be used if desired.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

In addition to the operation of the first embodiment, the present invention detects a blank area in one read line of a document, and depending on the position of the blank area, the printer 7-1 scans or returns without performing a recording operation. (carriage return) to increase the recording speed. In order to simplify the explanation, in the second embodiment, only one sensor is used to read the blank area.
Individually.

FIG. 4 shows CPIII-1 in the second embodiment of the present invention.
An example of the control procedure is shown below. In the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, one line of a read original is divided in advance into areas of, for example, six columns to provide a first area and a sixth area. Further, a counter Gn, which will be described later, is the sixth area of this first area.
Flag information indicating whether each area is blank or not is stored corresponding to the area. n is an area number, and PCR is a counter that stores the area position to which the carriage return of the recording head 7-1 is to be performed.

CR is a counter that temporarily stores a value for setting the value of PCB.

When the input crab unit 12 moves in the main scanning direction of arrow Px, the image information in the first row and first column read by the first reading sensor section 12-1 is sent to the printer, and this image information is recorded. is performed (step 555), and then it is determined whether the image in the second row and first column read by the second sensor unit 12-2 is blank (steps 557 to 558).
). When the area image in the second row and first column is blank, "0" is substituted into the counter G1. If not, 1'' is substituted into the counter G, and the number next to the current area number is temporarily set in the counter CR to be the carriage return position of the recording head 7-1 in the next row.

When the above steps (552 to 563) are sequentially repeated to read and record images up to the 6th area and detect blank areas, G1=O, G2'' in the example document shown in FIG.
G8=1 and Ga=6 are set in each counter.

++6'' will be stored in the counter CR as the carriage return position of the recording pad 7-1 in the recording of the second line. When the first line is read and recorded, the area number becomes "6". Therefore, the completion of reading one line is confirmed in step 563, and steps 563-564-
566-587-5611-369 → S70 → 551, the carriage returns the human crab unit 12 and the recording head 7-1, and the original and recording paper are moved in the sub-scanning direction p.
Move one line to y.

Therefore, the reading sensor section 12-1 can start reading from the second line of the document. The same procedure is repeated thereafter, but in the example shown in FIG.
°'0' is stored in '0'. Also, the value of the counter PCR is '6'. Therefore, when the reading sensor 12-1 is located in the first area of the second line and the first line, Since the value of counter G1 is +1Q, step 5
Reading and recording are not performed in the order of steps 51 to S54→557, and the second sensor unit 12-2 monitors blanks in the preceding portion in steps 557 and subsequent steps.

Then, the reading sensor section 12-1 is in the area 6 of the second row.
When it reaches , the value of counter PCH is "6" and it waits.

In the human crab knit 12, the reading sensor unit 12-2 continues the monitoring procedure of the blank area in area 6, and steps 557→S58→S59→583→Sδ4→566→
After detecting a blank space in area 6 in the order of S68, only the carriage return is performed on the printer 12, and then the recording paper and the document are fed one line.

Thereafter, the same procedure is repeated, and when the second sensor units 12 to 2 monitor the seventh line of the document, the counter FL is not updated to the initial value ゛°0'' in each area, so in step 564, one blank line is detected. It was determined that RAD 7 was recorded.
-1 and the human crab unit 12 are both returned by the carriage, and the document and the recording paper are fed for two lines.

This invention No. 1. In the second embodiment, the counter uses a RAM, but it is also possible to use a counter using a flip-flop.Although the comparison procedure in the control procedure described above is executed in the logic circuit of CPjl12-1, it is possible to use a counter using a flip-flop. Needless to say, it can be carried out using

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, when reading an image, a means for detecting a blank line is provided in advance, and when a blank line is detected, the image reading means and the image recording means are activated. Since blank lines are allowed to pass through, there is an effect that high-speed recording becomes possible. Furthermore, when using a reading/recording device for image reading only, a long sensor scans several lines in one scan and feeds the original several lines in one carriage return, allowing for high-speed scanning. It is possible to read.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of the control procedure of CPI]11-1 in the embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 3 is a reading diagram in the embodiment of the present invention. An explanatory diagram showing the reading position of the sensor, Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the CPUII-T control procedure in the second embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 5 shows the reading position of the reading sensor in the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of a conventional circuit configuration, and FIG. 7 is a side view showing an example of a conventional configuration. 7... Output crab unit, 11... CPU unit, 12... Person crab unit, 12-1 to 12-3... Reading sensor. ('rifi original drawing) Honkanmei Ohoki I 511 Sword Flowchart 2nd Diagram (So=”) 2) P× 1 (Hatsu-Month 2nd I Tsuji Pu Shichimi I Column d Tsu Itun Hide Nu sha Figure 5: A diagram of the blind area showing the zero point and the ear-nulling device. Original version (method) March 31, 1986

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1) A reading means for reading a document, a recording means for recording the read contents on a recording medium, and a detection means for detecting the existence of a blank area of the document prior to reading scanning by the reading means. A reading/recording apparatus comprising: a control means for instructing the reading means to read and instructing the recording means to record in response to a blank detection output from the detecting means. 2) In the reading/recording device according to claim 1, the reading means has a first sensor for reading the original, and the detecting means has a second sensor for reading the original.
A reading/recording device comprising: a sensor, the first sensor and the second sensor being integrated.