KR100248262B1 - Method of controling input or output image data for printing - Google Patents

Abstract

1. TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an image data input / output control method for a print output of a multifunction device.

2. The problem to be solved by the invention

In order to eliminate the problem of scanning and printing out unnecessary images in the digital MFP, the function of the MFP is improved by scanning and printing only valid original images using the original size detection function.

3. Summary of Solution to Invention

An image data input / output control method for a print output of a digital MFP, comprising: a first step of sequentially scanning a set document by line by driving a scanning unit; A second step of checking whether the detection signal for the determination mark is detected in the corresponding scanning signal while sequentially taking the signal scanned in the first step; A third step of performing a binarization process on the scanned image signal while applying the first and second steps until the determination mark is detected, and applying it to a printer unit to perform a print operation; And a fourth step of limiting the scanning operation and the printing operation when the determination mark is detected in the second step.

4. Important uses of the invention

Applied to digital MFPs to improve scanning and printing speed.

Description

Image data input / output control method for print output of digital MFP {METHOD OF CONTROLING INPUT OR OUTPUT IMAGE DATA FOR PRINTING}

The present invention relates to a method of controlling image data for print output of a digital MFP using a document size automatic detection function in a digital MFP incorporating the functions of a copier, a facsimile, a printer, and a scanner into a single device.

As the spread and use of computers become more common, demand for peripheral devices is gradually increasing. As a result, a scanner is required to input documents such as document images into a computer, and a demand for a printer to output data generated from a computer is increased. It became. In addition, it has already been proposed to use a computer to send or receive faxes, but for this purpose, a separate fax modem must be built-in and only data created by a computer can be transmitted. Therefore, a separate facsimile device may be required.

In recent years, not only can be directly connected to a computer, but also a digital multifunction device incorporating a copy function, a scanner function, a printer function, and a facsimile function has been proposed and used. Inexpensive printers, such as inkjet, which are easy to cope with colorization, have been adopted.

The configuration of a conventional digital multifunction device will be described with reference to FIG. 1.

Inside the multifunction peripheral 1, a scanning unit 3 for reading an image of an original, and an image processing unit 4 for performing a binarization process of a color image or a black and white image on an input image read by the scanning unit 3 ), A buffer memory unit 5 for temporarily storing and outputting the processed image signal connected to the image processing unit 4, and a printer for outputting characters and image data received from the buffer memory unit 5, and the like. And a facsimile unit 7 for transmitting the character or image data received from the buffer memory unit 5 to the outside or receiving character or image data from the outside, and the buffer memory unit 5. It is connected and has a connection port 8 for exchanging signals with an external computer 2.

Therefore, when the original image is input to the computer 2, the original image is first read through the scanning unit 3, and the read image is processed by the image processing unit 4. In this case, color binarization is performed in the case of a color image, and black and white binarization is performed in the case of black and white, and the buffer memory unit 5 continuously transfers the image provided from the image processing unit 4 to the buffer memory unit 5. It is temporarily received while receiving and then transmitted to the computer 2 through the connection port (8).

In the case of performing a printing function, the image output data provided from the connected computer 2 is input through the connection port 8 and temporarily stored in the buffer memory unit 5 and then transferred to the printer unit 6. Print it out.

In the case of performing a facsimile transmission to the outside, the image data from the computer 2 is received through the connection port 8 and the buffer memory unit 5 and transmitted from the facsimile unit 7, or the scanning unit ( The image to be transmitted through 3) is read out and binarized by the image processing section 4, and then applied to the facsimile section through the buffer memory section 5 for transmission.

In the case of performing the facsimile reception function, the image data received by the facsimile unit 7 through the public communication network is temporarily stored in the buffer memory unit 5 and then applied to the printer unit 6 to print out, or The received image data transmitted to the computer 2 through the connection port 8 may be stored in the computer so that the screen can be output, edited or retransmitted as necessary.

In addition, in the case of simply copying without using a computer, the scanned image information is binarized by the image processing unit 4 by scanning the image of the original through the scanning unit 3, and processed image data. Is transferred to the printer unit 6 through the buffer memory unit 5 so as to immediately output an image to perform a copy function.

However, although the conventional digital MFP as described above performs various functions and its utility is greatly recognized, the scanning speed and the speed of printing and outputting the scanned image data when performing functions such as printing, facsimile reception, copying, etc. Will affect the performance of the entire multifunction device. In the conventional case, the speed is fundamentally slower than the processing speed of other functional units, and even when the size of the original is small, the scanning unit scans the entire surface to print out unnecessary images. By doing so, there was a problem of significantly deteriorating the overall performance.

This will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying FIG. 2.

After placing the document 14 to be printed on the contact glass 11 provided in the scanning unit 3 in accordance with the document reference point 15, the document cover 12 is covered and a scanning operation is performed to read the document image.

The read image information is binarized by the image processing unit 4, temporarily stored in the buffer memory unit 5, and then transferred to the printer unit 6 such as an inkjet method to output an image. Although the size of the contact glass 11 is much smaller than that of the contact glass 11, the scanning unit scans the entire area, so that even a portion without an original is regarded as an input image and printed, so that the time required for scanning and printing is unnecessarily enlarged. Degraded digital all-in-one performance.

Therefore, the present invention provides an original size detecting means separately in the scanning portion of the digital MFP, and recognizes only the image within the range corresponding to the actual size of the original as the effective image data, thereby eliminating the printing operation for unnecessary portions, thereby reducing the scanning and printing speed. The purpose of the present invention is to provide an image data input / output control method for print output of a digital multifunction printer which improves the overall performance.

1 is a configuration example of a digital multifunction device to which the present invention is applied;

2 is an exemplary configuration of a scanning unit of a digital MFP according to the present invention;

3 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a method for controlling input / output for a print output of a digital multifunction apparatus according to the present invention;

4 is a flowchart illustrating another embodiment of a method for controlling input / output for a print output of a digital multifunction apparatus according to the present invention;

* Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings

1: digital all-in-one 2: computer

3: scanning unit 4: image processing unit

5: Buffer memory part 6: Printer part

7: facsimile

11: Contact Glass 12: Document Cover

13: Marker for detecting original size 14: Original

15: Original reference point

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a scanning unit, an image processing unit for performing a binarization process on an input image read by the scanning unit, a buffer memory unit for temporarily storing and outputting the processed image data, and A printer unit for outputting text and image data received from a buffer memory unit, a connection port connected to the buffer memory unit to exchange signals with an external computer, and an inner side of the original cover of the scanning unit in a scanning direction An image data input / output control method for a print output of a digital MFP having determination marks (13) arranged at predetermined intervals, comprising: a first step of sequentially driving a scanning document by line by driving the scanning unit; A second step of checking whether a detection signal for the determination mark is detected in the corresponding scanning signal while sequentially taking the signal scanned in the first step; A third step of performing a binarization process on the scanned image signal while applying the first and second steps until the determination mark is detected and applying the same to the printer unit to perform a print operation; And a fourth step of limiting the scanning operation and the printing operation when the determination mark is detected in the second step.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4.

2 is an exemplary configuration diagram for scanning a digital multifunction device according to the present invention, FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of an input / output control method for a digital multifunction device according to the present invention, and FIG. 4 is an input / output of the digital multifunction device according to the present invention. Another embodiment of the control method is a processing flow.

In the figure, 11 denotes a contact glass, 12 denotes an original cover, 13 denotes a 'no scanning required' judgment mark, 14 denotes an original, and 15 denotes an original reference point.

The digital multifunction apparatus to which the present invention is applied includes: a scanning unit 3 for reading an image of an original, and an image processing unit for performing binarization processing of a color image or a black and white image on an input image read by the scanning unit 3 ( 4), a buffer memory unit 5 for temporarily storing and outputting the processed image signal connected to the image processing unit 4, and outputting characters and image data received from the buffer memory unit 5, and the like. A printer unit 6, a facsimile unit 7 for transmitting character or image data received from the buffer memory unit 5 to the outside or receiving character or image data from the outside, and the buffer memory unit 5 Of the existing digital MFP (see Fig. 1) configuration that is connected to and provided with a connection port 8 for exchanging signals with an external computer 2, the configuration of the scanning unit 3 is improved, the scanning Sea contact Judgment mark at predetermined intervals (for example, may be uniform intervals or intervals determined in consideration of the paper size mainly used) on the inner surface of the document cover 12 for covering the originals 14 placed on the lath 11 (13) and the originals 14 to be aligned with the original reference point 15 at one end of the contact glass 11, so that even if different sizes or non-standard originals 14 are mixed, the respective originals may be mixed. Automatically determine the optimum scanning range respectively.

In this manner, scanning of unnecessary portions outside the range of the actual document 14 can be effectively prevented or the range of valid data (the actual original portion) and invalid data (the portion outside the original) of the entire scanning data can be prevented. When it is possible to discriminate, in controlling the print operation in the digital MFP, only the effective data range where the original is actually located is recognized as the scanning data and applied to the printer unit 6, thereby remarkably improving the image output speed.

This will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 3 as follows.

When the user simply copies through the digital multifunction apparatus 2 without connecting to the computer 2, the document 14 to be copied on the contact glass 11 of the scanning unit 3 is attached to the document reference point 15. After aligning, the document cover 12 is closed, and the copy operation is started by pressing the start button (20), and the scanning operation 21 is performed one by one line sequentially to read an image.

Then, it is checked whether there is a detection mark 13 detection signal provided inside the document cover 12 from the read image data signal (22). If there is no signal detection signal, the corresponding line scanned by the image processing unit 4 is detected. Image processing is then performed (23), and the signal is transmitted to the printer unit 6 to output the scanning input image. Then, 24, the scanning operation 21 for the next line is repeated to sequentially perform scanning and printing output for each line.

However, if it is determined that the scanned image signal includes the detection mark 13 detection signal (22), it recognizes that the part is out of the range of the actual document 14, and terminates driving of the scanning unit (26). By sending an image transmission end signal to the printer unit 6 (27) to terminate the print output (28) so that unnecessary portions (invalid data portions) are not recognized and outputted as original images, unnecessary driving of the scanning unit and the printer unit is prevented. To eliminate the print speed.

On the other hand, in the digital MFP input and output control method as described above, in order to more reliably confirm the completion of the document, it is also possible to make a nodule after repeating the check on the determination mark 13 a predetermined number of times. The detailed description with reference to 4 as follows.

Even if the determination mark signal is found among the image signals read through the line-by-line scanning operation 21, it is checked whether the number of detection of the determination mark signal reaches a certain number of times (29). After increasing the number of detections by 30 and repeating the line scanning operation 21 for the next line (31), the scanner operation is terminated only when the number of detections of the marker signals reaches a certain number of times (26). (2), the print operation may be sent to the printer unit (27) to end the print operation (28).

In this case, the predetermined number of times of the detection marker signal detection can be arbitrarily set by the designer as needed. In general, setting the signal within about 10 times does not significantly affect the driving time. In other words, it does not put much pressure on the control.

Therefore, the size of the original can be detected by a simple configuration, and the processing method thereof can be implemented by a simple control method, and thus, a separate designation means for specifying the original image range is not required, and the user can preview the scanning range of the original in advance. You do not have to specify it.

As described above, the input / output control method of the digital MFP according to the present invention improves the scanning and print output speed by using the judgment mark simply provided inside the document cover, thereby using the conventional digital MFP configuration as it is, There is an excellent effect of efficiently improving the performance of the entire digital MFP while minimizing the control burden.

Claims (2)

A scanning unit, an image processing unit for performing a binarization process on the input image read by the scanning unit, a buffer memory unit for temporarily storing and outputting the processed image data, and character and image data received from the buffer memory unit A printer unit for outputting a back light, a connection port connected to the buffer memory unit and receiving a signal from an external computer, and judgment marks 13 arranged at predetermined intervals in a scanning direction on an inner surface of the document cover of the scanning unit; In the image output input and output control method for a printout of a digital MFP comprising: A first step of sequentially scanning the set originals by line by driving the scanning unit; A second step of checking whether a detection signal for the determination mark is detected in the corresponding scanning signal while sequentially taking the signal scanned in the first step; A third step of performing a binarization process on the scanned image signal while applying the first and second steps until the determination mark is detected and applying the same to the printer unit to perform a print operation; And A fourth step of limiting the scanning operation and the printing operation when the determination mark is detected in the second step; Image data input / output control method for print output of a digital multifunction device including a. The method of claim 1, Detection signal detection confirmation for the determination mark in the second step, An image data input / output control method for print output of a digital multifunction printer, characterized in that the reliability of the detection and confirmation operation is improved by determining to be repeated any number of times within 10 times.

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