JPS6390269A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a reduced picture by reducing original image in plural times and reading, synthesizing and outputting when the picture above a maximum reading area is reduced and outputted. CONSTITUTION:Initially, a half of the original 6 is read, reduced to a size occupied in a half of the area of A3 size, and the reduced partial image 8a is stored in a memory array A. Then, the residual part of the original 6 is similarly read, and finally, respective halves of the original of the size of A2 are reduced and stored in the memory arrays A, B. The 90 deg. transformation of the image is carried out to output, in such a manner, the nth bit of the first line, the nth bit of the second line of the memory array A... and all image data is completely outputted to a printer part, and then, the memory array A is switched to the memory array B. The image separately read in the two memories is synthesized to form a visible picture in an output paper of A3 size in the printer part.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and particularly to an image forming apparatus that reads an input image and forms an output image.

[Prior Art] A typical example of a conventional device of this type is a copying machine. In this copying machine, copies are made by placing a document on a document table and pressing a key or the like to prompt the start of copying.

Furthermore, in recent years, it has become possible to copy not only onto paper the same size as the original, but also onto various paper sizes. That is, it has become possible to enlarge and reduce the size of the original.

For example, if the original m is 85 size and the size of the output paper that is the output image is to be enlarged to B4, A4, or even A3 size, or if the original is A3 size, for example. This is the case when the output paper is reduced to 85 or A4 size or the like.

However, most copying machines have limitations on the size of documents that can be read. For example, the size of the manuscript table is A.
3 size (in other words, the maximum size of the original is A3 size), for example, if the original is larger than the original platen, such as A2 size, to A3 size (even though A3 size copy paper is available) However, it was not possible to make a reduced copy immediately.

[Problems to be solved by the invention] Conventionally, in cases like this, the original was printed into A3 size with a device capable of copying an A2 size document, or the document was divided into two with a device capable of copying up to A3 size. Make a reduced copy and paste the two sheets together by hand to make one A3 sheet.
The only way to do it was to copy it to size, which was extremely troublesome from the standpoint of work efficiency.

The present invention has been made in view of such prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that is capable of reading a document larger than the maximum reading area, reducing the size and outputting the document.

[Means for solving the problem] In order to solve this problem, the present invention has the following configuration.

That is, in an image forming apparatus that reads a document placed on an image reading area and reduces or enlarges it to a desired size to form an output image, when the document is larger than the image reading area, multiple copies of the document are processed. The apparatus includes a reading means for dividing and reading into partial images, a reducing means for reducing the read partial images, and a synthesizing means for synthesizing each of the reduced partial images.

[Operation] In the configuration of the present invention, the reading means reads a document larger than the reading area, the reducing means reduces each partial image, and the combining means combines the reduced partial images. , which forms the output image.

[Embodiments] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In this embodiment, an example will be explained in which the present invention is applied to a copying machine capable of outputting up to A3 size. Therefore, the maximum area for reading a document is A3 size. Next, a case will be described in which an A2 size document is outputted as an A3 size document (1it small output) using this apparatus.

[Explanation of Basic Concept (FIGS. 1 to 3)] FIG. 1 is a basic block diagram of the copying apparatus in this embodiment.

In the figure, 1 is a reader unit that reads a document, 2 is a reduction unit that reduces the read image, and 3 is an image storage unit that stores the image reduced by the reduction unit 2. 4 is a printer section that forms an output image.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the reader section 1.

In the figure, reference numeral 5 denotes a glass stand on which the original is placed, and the entire area of this glass stand 5 becomes an area in which the original can be read. Also 6
is a document, and 7 is a group of fffl operation keys.

As can be seen from this figure, the original 6 (A2 size) is larger than the glass stand 5 (readable area=A3 size).

In reduction copying using a normal copying machine (here, capable of copying up to A3 size), the relationship between the original and the output paper is normally as follows.

That is, A3→A4 B4→B5 B4→A4A3→B
4 A4→B5 (Note that the left side of the arrow represents the size of the document, and the right side represents the size of the output paper). Therefore, although the copying machine itself has A3 size output paper, it is not possible to output in A3 size.

In other words, in conventional copying machines, the maximum size of the output paper and the size of the glass table on which the original is placed are the same, so even though there is A3 size output paper, the maximum size of the original to be read is also the same. This happens because it is A3 size.

Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to read an original larger than the maximum output paper during reduction copying.

In this embodiment, A2-A3 A2→A4 A2→B4 A2-B5 during reduction copying
A new output format has been added.

That is, when a reduction key (not shown) provided on the operation key 7 is pressed, an A2 size original can also be newly reduced based on the relationship between the size of the original shown previously and the size of the paper after reduction. It is displayed in the form of a panel. In this embodiment, a reduction process will be described when the size of the document 6 is larger than A3 size.

[Description of reduced copying (FIGS. 3 to 5)] Below, an outline of the process of reducing an A2 size document larger than the document reading area (glass table 5) to A3 size to form a visible image will be explained.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the process of reducing (A3 size) a document (A2 size in this embodiment) larger than the reading area (glass table 5) to form an output image 9. As can be seen from this figure, when the original becomes larger than a certain size, the original is read several times (twice in this example).
Reduce (partial images 8a, b in the figure) and later output image 9.
It forms the

4 is a sectional view of the reader section 1 in this embodiment, and FIG. 5 shows the image storage section 3 shown in FIG. 1 more clearly, and shows the reader section 1, reduction section 2, printer section 4 FIG.

In the above configuration, the original 6 placed on the glass table 5 receives reflected light from the original irradiation lamp 10 through the mirrors 11 to 13 and the imaging lens 14 to an image scanner (hereinafter referred to as C).
(referred to as a CD) 15, and is converted into an electrical signal.

This CCD 15 is configured in a line shape from a large number of cells,
The reflection density from each corresponding document position is converted into an electrical signal, and the data of each cell is electrically shifted to the adjacent cell and output as serial data.

Further, the operation in the lateral direction of the original is performed by operating the original irradiation lamp 10 and each of the mirrors 11 to 13 to read the original.

Next, the electric signal output from the CCD 15 is transferred to the reduction section 2. The reduction unit 2 uses a preset reduction rate (
(set by the CPU 16) and is output to the image storage section 3. Note that the reduction process in the reduction unit 2 may be performed using a conventional method, but the reduction process is performed according to a preset reduction rate. In this embodiment, an A2 size document is reduced to A3 size, so the reduction ratio is approximately 68%.

Now, with this configuration, in the first step, when the original is larger than the reading area, the original 6 is
is read, reduced to a size that occupies half of an A3 size area, and the reduced partial image 8a is stored in memory array A.

At this time, the CPU 16 outputs a control signal to the selector 17 to store the image data transferred from the reduction unit 2 in the memory array A.

Next, in the second step, in order to read the remaining portion of the original 6 in the same manner, the original 6 is shifted relative to the glass table 5 in the same direction as it was placed the first time, and the copy key 7 is pressed.

At this time, the CPU 16 outputs a control signal to the selector 17 to select the memory array B, thereby reducing the partial image 8b reduced at the same reduction rate.
will be stored in memory array B.

As a result, each half of the A2 size document is reduced and stored in each of memory arrays A and B.

When all the image data is read in this way, the nth bit of the first line from the memory array A, the nth bit of the second line, and so on, and then the n-1th bit of the first line. bit, the n-1th bit of the second line, etc. The image is converted 900 times and output, and when all the image data from memory array A has been output to the printer section 4, next the image data is transferred to memory array B. The image data is output to the printer section 4 in the same order as above.

Thereafter, these two separately read images are combined and the printer section 4 forms a visible image on A3 size output paper.

As explained above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to reduce a document larger than the document reading table to a paper size that can be output by the copying machine itself and form an image without cutting the document. becomes.

In this embodiment, it has been explained that the reduced partial images are stored in two memory arrays and combined when outputting to the printer section 4, but one memory area of A3 size is prepared. It is also possible to combine the reduced partial images when storing them in memory.

Further, in this example, the size of the document 6 is assumed to be A2 size, and the size of the output image is assumed to be A3 size, but this is not limited to this. For example A2, B3
A document that is larger than the document reading area, such as size, etc.
There is no problem even if the size is reduced to 4, B4, or B5 size and output.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, it has been explained that the document 6 is read in two halves, but this is not limited to two times, and the copying machine is capable of copying up to A3 size paper.
It is also possible to output an A1 size document to A3 size after reading it four times.

Furthermore, although this embodiment has been described as being applied to a copying machine, it may also be applied to an image processing device that uses an image scanner to read a document placed in a predetermined reading area and displays the reduced size on a display device. Needless to say, it can also be applied.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, when an image larger than the maximum reading area is reduced and output, the original image is reduced and read in multiple steps, and then combined. By outputting, it becomes possible to form a reduced image.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a basic block diagram of the copying machine in this embodiment, Figure 2 is a top view of the reader shown in Figure 1, and Figure 3 shows the process from reading a document to reducing it and outputting it. FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the reader in this embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a detailed view of the image storage unit shown in FIG. 1. In the figure, 1...Reader section, 2...Reducing section, 3...Image storage section, 4...Printer section, 5...Glass stand, 6
... Original, 7a, 7b... Reduction processing, 8a, 8b.
...Partial image, 9...Output image, 10...Original irradiation lamp, 11-13...Mirror, 14...Imaging lens, 15...Image scanner, 16...CPU,
17...Selector, 18...Memory array A119
Saan memory array B120...memory array control. Patent applicant Canon Co., Ltd.-1-:1. 1. No. Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) In an image forming apparatus that reads a document placed on an image reading area and reduces or enlarges it to a desired size to form an output image, when the document is larger than the image reading area, the document is An image forming apparatus comprising: a reading device that divides and reads a plurality of partial images; a reducing device that reduces the read partial images; and a synthesizing device that synthesizes each of the reduced partial images. (2) Claim 1, characterized in that the reading means reads a part of the document placed on the reading area.
The image forming apparatus described in . (3) The image according to claim 1, wherein the synthesizing means stores each partial image reduced by the reducing means, and synthesizes each partial image after all partial images are stored. Forming device. (4) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the synthesizing means synthesizes each reduced partial image as it is stored.