KR100517508B1 - Apparatus and method for scanning image - Google Patents

Abstract

An image reading apparatus and method are disclosed. The apparatus comprises a paper feed control unit for controlling the feeding of paper and a read control unit for controlling the reading of the image, wherein the paper feed control unit and the read control unit are capable of transmitting and receiving at least two pieces of data simultaneously with each other. Therefore, the feed control unit and the read control unit can be immediately responded to an urgent situation such as allowing the read control unit to quickly control the feed control unit in an urgent situation, and especially when controlling a high-speed job or controlling the double-sided feed feed with a large amount of work. To allow data to be sent and received from each other using a separate GPIO to prevent an error or increase the efficiency of an image reading device, and instead of using another UART for one existing UART. Since the existing GPIO is used, it is possible to solve the conventional problems at a lower cost and economically.

Description

Apparatus and method for scanning image}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus such as a scanner, a printer, a copying machine, or a multifunction device having an image reading function. The present invention relates to a reading control unit that controls reading of an image in an image reading apparatus and a paper on which a read image is loaded. This is for data transmission / reception between paper feed control units.

Hereinafter, the conventional image reading apparatus will be described as follows.

1 is a block diagram showing a schematic appearance of a conventional image reading apparatus, and is composed of a paper feeding control unit 2 and a reading control unit 4.

The paper feed control unit 2 shown in FIG. 1 serves to control the feeding of the paper on which the read image is to be loaded, and the read control unit 4 controls the overall image reading apparatus such as controlling the reading of the image. .

In the conventional image reading apparatus, as shown in FIG. 1, a pair of transmission (TxD: transmit) and reception (RxD: Receive) channels are provided between the paper feeding control unit 2 and the reading control unit 4 to transmit / receive data. Have That is, the information of the read control unit 4 is transmitted to the paper feed control unit 2 through the transmission (TxD) line, and the information of the feed control unit 2 is transferred to the read control unit 4 through the receiving (RxD) line. Through these transmission and reception lines, the read control section 4 and the paper feed control section 2 send and receive signals according to a predetermined protocol. Here, the protocol is a protocol in which interface methods are set between different models for smooth mutual data communication between the feed and read control units 2 and 4.

The operation of the conventional image reading apparatus through the above-described configuration is as follows.

When the user issues an image read command by a predetermined protocol, the read control unit 4 in a state capable of executing the command requests the paper feed control unit 2 for information on the state of the feed control. At this time, the read control unit 4 transfers the feed command and various commands according to the error to the feed control unit 2. Therefore, the paper feed control unit 2 performs a paper feed command in response to the command received from the read control unit 4. At this time, when there is no paper or a jam occurs in the paper, the paper feed control unit 2 transmits an error message to the read control unit 4.

As described above, in the conventional image reading apparatus, the paper feeding control unit 2 and the reading control unit 4 exchange data in series through a pair of channels. Therefore, it is assumed that an urgent situation occurs in the feed control unit 2 while the one command is transmitted from the read control unit 4 to the feed control unit 2, and is transmitted to the read control unit 4. At this time, the read control unit 4 cannot immediately transmit a command for coping with the emergency request situation to the paper feed control unit 2 but wait until the transmission of the command currently being transmitted to the paper feed control unit 2 is completed. . For this reason, the conventional image reading apparatus has a problem that it cannot immediately cope with a situation requiring an emergency. As a result, there is a problem that the image may be read even in a situation where a paper jam occurs in the paper and the paper is not fed, and a problem occurs in the image reading apparatus itself, so that the feeding of the paper needs to be stopped quickly. There is a problem that such a problem of the device itself is not quickly transmitted to the paper feed control unit 2, so that feeding of paper cannot be stopped at an appropriate time. This phenomenon may be more prominent in the double-sided paper feed conveying apparatus with a large amount of work performed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in an effort to provide an image reading apparatus having a separate channel for urgent data communication between a paper feeding controller and a reading controller.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an image reading method performed by the image reading apparatus.

An image reading apparatus according to the present invention for achieving the above object is composed of a paper feed control unit for controlling the feeding of paper and a read control unit for controlling the reading of the image, wherein the paper feed control unit and the read control unit at least two data to each other It is desirable to be able to transmit and receive at the same time.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an image reading method according to the present invention performed by the image reading apparatus includes determining whether the leading edge of the sheet is detected, and determining that the leading edge of the sheet is detected, Generating a scan ready signal and transmitting the scan ready signal to the read control unit through the emergency port, and determining whether a predetermined period of time has elapsed from the time when the scan ready signal of the first state is input through the emergency port; If it is determined that the start predetermined period has elapsed, the read control unit starts reading of the image, and if it is determined that the rear end of the paper is detected, the read control unit generates a scan ready signal in a second state and transmits the scan ready signal through the emergency port. Transmitting to the read control unit; and when a scan ready signal of the second state is input through the emergency port When a predetermined period elapses from the end determining step, and determines that the predetermined period has passed the end of that, the read control unit is preferably made of terminating the reading of the image.

Hereinafter, the configuration and operation of the image reading apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 2 is a block diagram of the image reading apparatus according to the present invention, which is composed of a user interface unit 8, a paper feeding control unit 10, and a reading control unit 12.

The paper feeding controller 10 shown in FIG. 2 serves to control the feeding of the paper on which the image is to be formed. At this time, the read control unit 12 controls the reading of the image.

According to the present invention, the paper feed control unit 10 and the read control unit 12 may simultaneously transmit and receive at least two pieces of data. For example, the paper feed control unit 10 and the read control unit 12 may simultaneously transmit at least two pieces of data, or may simultaneously receive at least two pieces of data.

To this end, the paper feed control unit 10 and the read control unit 12 have general ports 20 and 22 to which one of two data is input / output, and an emergency to which one of the two data is input / output. It may have ports 24 and 26. For example, the feed control unit 10 and the read control unit 12 may exchange data with each other through the general ports 20 and 22 included in each other, and may also exchange data with each other through the emergency ports 24 and 26. I can receive it.

According to the present invention, the feed control unit 10 and the read control unit 12 can exchange normal data with each other through the general ports 20 and 22, and urgent through the emergency ports 24 and 26. Can exchange data with each other. Here, the normal data means data having general information of the control unit 10 or 12 exchanged between the read control unit 12 and the paper feed control unit 10. For example, the normal data includes at least one piece of information on mode setting and speed change. Urgent data means, for example, data that needs to be notified urgently to the read control section 12 when a jam occurs during paper feeding or when the paper runs out.

To this end, the general port 20 or 22 included in each of the feed control unit 10 and the read control unit 12 corresponds to a universal asynchronous receiver transmitter (UART), and an emergency port 24 or 26. May correspond to a general input / output port (GPIO).

An image reading method performed by the image reading apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 will be described below.

First, the read control unit 12 illustrated in FIG. 1 determines whether power is supplied to the image reading apparatus (Power_On). If it is determined that power is supplied to the image reading apparatus, the reading control unit 12 transmits the reset signal 30 to the port 24 of the paper feeding control unit 10 through the emergency port 26.

At this time, the paper feed control unit 10 receives the information 38 about paper feeding through the general port 20 when the reset signal 30 is received from the read control unit 12 through the emergency port 24. The signal is transmitted to the general port 22 of the read control unit 12.

Next, the read control unit 12 transmits the request 36 for reading the image received from the user to the general port 20 of the paper feed control unit 10 through the general port 22. To this end, the image reading apparatus shown in FIG. 1 may provide a user interface unit 8. Here, the key operation unit 4 of the user interface unit 8 may be operated by a user who requests reading of an image to generate an image reading request signal, and output the generated image reading request signal to the reading control unit 12. have. At this time, the read control unit 12 outputs the information 36 indicating that the user has requested to read the image to the paper feed control unit 10 through the general port 22 in response to the image read request signal. In addition, the user interface unit 8 may provide a notification unit 6. Here, the notification unit 6 is a situation indicated by the data for requesting emergency transmitted from the paper feed control unit 10 to the read control unit 12 through the emergency ports 24 and 26, for example, a paper jam or a shortage of paper. It informs the user of such information.

At this time, when the front end or the rear end of the sheet is sensed by the paper feed control unit 10 and is output through the emergency port 24, the scan ready signal 34 of the first or second state received through the emergency port 26 In response to, the read control unit 12 controls the start or end of the image reading, respectively.

On the other hand, when controlling the paper feed control unit 10 which controls the one or more sheets of paper to be automatically fed, the read control unit 12 processes the read image and then reads information indicating that the next image can be read. ) May be transmitted to the paper feed controller 10. Therefore, the paper feed control unit 10 feeds the next sheet in response to the information 32 received from the read control unit 12.

Hereinafter, an image reading method according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

3 is a flowchart for explaining an embodiment of an image reading method according to the present invention, and starting or ending reading of an image according to whether the leading edge or the trailing edge of the paper is detected (steps 40 to 54). S).

4 is a waveform diagram to help understand the image reading method illustrated in FIG. 3.

The image reading method according to the present invention determines whether the leading edge of the sheet is detected (step 40). If it is determined that the leading edge of the paper is detected, the paper feed control unit 10 generates the scan ready signal 34 in the first state and transmits it to the read control unit 12 through the emergency port 24 (step 42). . After the forty-second step, the read control unit 12 determines whether the start predetermined period 60 has elapsed from the time when the scan ready signal 34 in the first state is input through the emergency port 26 (step 44). . If it is determined that the start predetermined period 60 has elapsed, the read control section 12 starts reading of the image (step 46).

On the other hand, if it is determined that the trailing edge of the sheet is detected, the paper feed control unit 10 generates a scan ready signal 34 of the second state and transmits it to the read control unit 12 through the emergency port 24 (step 50). . After the 50th step, the read control unit 12 determines that the end predetermined period 62 has elapsed from the time when the scan ready signal 34 of the second state is input through the emergency port 26 (step 52). If it is determined that the end predetermined period 62 has elapsed, the read control unit 12 ends reading of the image (step 54).

For example, the first state may correspond to a "low" logic level as shown in FIG. 4, and the second state may correspond to a "high" level. In this case, the scan preparation signal 34 is activated in the period 64 shown in FIG. 4, and the read control unit 12 reads the image during the period 66.

On the other hand, in order to perform the 40th step shown in Figure 3, the image reading apparatus shown in Figure 2 is a sensor for detecting the leading end and the rear end of the paper at the point where the reading of the image starts on the path provided with the paper More city).

As described above, the image reading apparatus and method according to the present invention allows the paper feed control unit 10 and the read control unit 12 to exchange data using two channels, for example, UART and GPIO. In a situation in which an emergency is required, the read control unit 12 can promptly control an emergency situation such as controlling the feed control unit 10 quickly, and especially when feeding a high-speed job or controlling a double-sided paper feed control with a large amount of work. Since the control unit 10 and the read control unit 12 transmit and receive data requiring emergency and data corresponding thereto using a separate GPIO, an error of an image reading apparatus may be improved or an efficiency may be increased. Instead of using another UART for the UART, the existing GPIO is used. It has the effect of solving the problems of the future.

1 is a block diagram showing a schematic appearance of a conventional image reading apparatus.

2 is a block diagram of an image reading apparatus according to the present invention.

3 is a flowchart for explaining an embodiment of an image reading method according to the present invention.

4 is a waveform diagram to help understand the image reading method illustrated in FIG. 3.

Claims (5)

A paper feeding control unit controlling paper feeding; And A read control unit for controlling reading of the image, And the paper feed controller and the read controller are capable of transmitting and receiving at least two pieces of data simultaneously with each other. The method of claim 1, wherein the paper feed control unit and the read control unit, respectively A general port through which one of the two data is input / output; And And an emergency port through which the other one of the two data is input / output. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the general port corresponds to a general purpose asynchronous transceiver and the emergency port corresponds to a general input / output port. The image reading apparatus of claim 3, wherein the data input and output through the emergency port corresponds to data requiring an emergency. In the image reading method performed in the image reading apparatus of claim 2, Determining whether a leading edge of the paper is detected; If it is determined that the leading edge of the paper is detected, generating a scan ready signal in a first state and transmitting the scan ready signal to the read control unit through the emergency port; Determining whether a predetermined period of time has elapsed from the time when the scan ready signal of the first state is input through the emergency port; If it is determined that the start predetermined period has elapsed, the reading control unit starting reading of the image; If it is determined that the trailing edge of the paper is detected, generating a scan ready signal in a second state and transmitting the scan ready signal to the read control unit through the emergency port; Determining that an end predetermined period has elapsed from the time when the scan ready signal of the second state is input through the emergency port; And And if it is determined that the end of the predetermined period has elapsed, the read control section comprises the step of terminating reading of the image.