JPH0815300B2 - Image processing device - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, particularly an image information input / output apparatus,
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus including an image memory and a control unit, capable of transmitting image information with another apparatus, and capable of independently operating an input / output device.

[Prior Art] In recent years, in the field of office automation, image information such as pictures, figures and photographs is treated like a document, and image information can be exchanged with other devices via a communication network or the like. The demand for device systems has increased, and devices of this type have appeared on the market.

This type of device sets a document on an input device such as an image scanner for inputting image information, the input device reads image information from this document, and compresses the read image information as appropriate.
The document size information (image information capacity) is sent to another device, and the device that receives this data sets the recording paper set to an output device such as a laser beam printer that outputs the image information according to the document size information. The paper of the designated size is selected, and the image information sent is expanded and printed as necessary.

These functions are exactly the same as the conventional copying machine except for the transmission control. By connecting this device to other devices online and using it as a copying machine when not operating, it is very efficient. Can be used. For this reason, some of them are configured so that they can be used as a copying machine online when not in use.

However, in such an apparatus, no online processing can be performed while the apparatus is being used as a copying machine, and image information from another apparatus can be output only for one page, for example, after the offline processing is completed. Can not be received,
Other devices could not perform transmission until offline processing was completed, which was very inefficient and inconvenient.

Further, when the online processing is being executed, for example, when the image information is being output, even if the offline processing is a copying processing of only one page, it cannot be used at all until the online processing is completed, which is inconvenient. .

[Purpose] The present invention is intended to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, and allows the process to be transferred to another mode in the middle of the process. For example, the recording unit can respond to the image data from the reading unit. If there is a request for image recording according to the image data from the receiving means during the recording of the image,
The first operation mode in which an image is recorded according to the image data from the receiving means after the image recording being executed is completed, and the recording is interrupted before the image recording being executed is completed and the image recording from the receiving means is stopped. A second operation mode that enables the operation mode, and the apparatus can be controlled in either one of the first operation mode and the second operation mode according to the operation mode selected by the selection unit that selects the operation mode. The usage status of
An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing device that can efficiently use the device according to the importance of image data.

That is, when the use of the recording means competes with each other, an image processing apparatus capable of efficiently using the apparatus is provided according to the use status of the apparatus and which of the image data of the reading means and the receiving means is important. It is in.

[Embodiment] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, in which 1 is a control unit (MPU) that controls the overall control of the present embodiment, and 2 is an M.
A memory for storing the PU1 operation control procedure and control information,
3 is a DMA control device for controlling direct memory access between the memory 2 or image memory 4 and the input / output device, 4
Is an image memory for storing input / output image information in the image information output device 6 or the image information input device 7, and 5 is an input / output control unit, which controls the image information output device 6 and the image information input device 7. Further, the input / output control unit 5 is capable of independently (off-line) using the image information output device 6 and the image information input device 7 to copy a document, and the keyboard unit 8 for this control is provided. It is attached.

Reference numeral 9 is a bus switch for signals between the P bus 16 and the M bus 15, 10 is a compression / expansion section for performing compression and expansion processing of image information, 11 is a line interface section, and 12 is an information processing apparatus. A compression / expansion section is provided between the P bus 16 and the M bus 15.
Data is compressed or decompressed via 10 and data is transmitted and received as it is via the bus switch 9. The image memory 4 is connected to the M bus 15. As an option, the display control device 13 and the input / output device 14 can be connected.

The operation of this embodiment will be described below in detail with reference to the flow charts of FIGS. 2 (A) to (E).

In the initial state in which the power source of the present embodiment is turned on, as shown in S1, the online mode is automatically set, and the illumination type online key (not shown) of the keyboard section 8 is turned on.
The online key may be arranged near the operation surface of the image input device 7 instead of the keyboard 8.

In subsequent S2, an image data output request is received from the information processing device 12 by receiving an image data output request from another information processing device, or a transfer request to another information processing device to read and specify image data from the image information input device 7 is issued. If there is a request, go to S20. If there is no request, go to S3 to check whether there is an online key input and the "KEY" flag is set. If not, go back to S2. If it is set, proceed to S5.

The "KEY" flag set / reset and the mode A / mode B set described below are executed by the mode designation processing routine. In this mode designation processing routine, when a key on the keyboard unit 8 is pressed and input, the input / output unit 5 detects this and requests the MPU1 for interrupt processing.
The process being executed is interrupted and the process shown in FIG. 2 (E) is executed.

In the mode designation processing routine, firstly, in S101, it is checked whether or not the mode A designation is input, and if the mode A designation is input, the mode A is set in S102 and the process returns. If the mode A is not designated in S101, the process proceeds to S103 to check whether the mode B is designated. If the mode B is designated, the mode is set to S in S104 and the process returns. If the mode B is not designated, the process proceeds to S105 to check whether or not the online key is inputted.
If it is the input of the online key, the process proceeds to S106, the "KEY" flag indicating that there is a request for change from the current online or offline mode is set, and in the subsequent S107, the online key is blinked and the process returns.

If the key is not the online key in S105, there is currently no mode other than this in this embodiment, and the process returns.

If the "KEY" flag is set in S3, it is a request to switch from online mode to offline mode, so proceed to S5, change the setting to offline mode, turn off the online key, and set the "KEY" flag. Reset.
Here, the on-line / off-line switching is switched to the on-line / off-line mode alternately by inputting the same key (on-line key). Then proceed from S5 to S6 and S2
It is checked whether or not there is a similar online I / O request, and if there is no I / O request, the process proceeds to S7. In S7, whether the processing is actually performed in the offline mode, that is, whether the image information is read from the image information input device 7 under the control of the input / output control unit 5 and the read information is directly output to the image information output device 6 ( Check whether it is actually operating as a copier).

If the process is being performed, the process returns to S6, and if the process is not being performed, the I / O controller 5 determines in S8 whether or not the I / O device (6, 7) has been unused for a certain period of time. If a certain time has not elapsed, the "KEY" flag is set in S9, and it is checked whether or not there is an online key input. If there is no key input, the process returns to S6.

If an online output request is made during processing offline in S6, that is, if there is an image information output request from another information processing device to the image information output device 6 via the information processing device 12 of its own device, S6 to S10. Proceed to and check if the "OFF" flag is set. If the "OFF" flag is set, proceed to S7. If the "OFF" flag is not set,
In S11, set the "OFF" flag and proceed to S21. This “OFF”
The flag is a flag indicating that an online output request has been made during the offline processing.

In S21, offline processing can be performed only by the control of the input / output control unit 5, and the MPU1 is completely free to use the memory 2 and the image memory 4.
Controllable, and the original size information and the number of sheets information sent from another information processing device from the information processing device 12 are stored in the memory 2 via the line interface unit 11 and the bus switch 9, and are continuously sent at S22. When the received image information is received and the received image information needs to be expanded, it is expanded through the compression / expansion unit 10 and the image information that does not require expansion processing is directly transmitted through the bus switch 9 to the image memory 4. And stores it in the image memory 4.

Then, in S23, it is checked whether or not the data received via the line interface unit 11 can be normally received. If the data is normally received, a positive response (ACK) is returned in S24, and the process continues.
In S25, it is checked whether the "OFF" flag is set. If the "OFF" flag is not currently set and the "OFF" flag is not set, the process proceeds to S33. If the "OFF" flag is set when the offline process is currently being performed, the process proceeds to S26.
Set the "ON" flag with. Since this "ON" flag is currently used in offline processing, the image information output device 6
Is a flag indicating that the output data to is stored in the image memory 4.

Then, in S27, it is checked whether or not the mode designation is A. If the mode designation is A, that is, if the mode in which the image information transmitted online is not output until the offline processing is completed, the process returns to S6 and the offline Wait for the process to finish.

If it is not the mode A in S27, it is the mode B, that is, the mode automatically shifts from the offline process to the online process at the break of one page even during the offline process (copying of the original document). The input / output control unit 5 is started, and the page break of the copy of the copying process currently being executed offline is monitored. When the page break occurs, the process proceeds from S28 to S29, instructing the input / output control unit 5 to perform the offline processing. Interrupt. Then, the online mode is set in S3, the online key is lighted, and the process proceeds to S33.

When the image data received in S23 cannot be correctly received and a reception error has occurred, the process proceeds to S31, in which a negative response is transmitted to the information processing device 12 via the line interface unit 11 to make a resend request. Then, in S32, it is checked whether or not the "OFF" flag is set. If the off flag is not set, the process returns to S1, and if it is set, the process returns to S6.

If the process proceeds from S30 to S33, the image information output device 6 outputs the image information received from another information processing device online in S33 and thereafter.

First, the input / output control unit 5 activates the image information output device 6 under the control of the MPU 1 in S33, selects the recording paper size corresponding to the specified original size, and then in S34, the input / output control unit 5 stores it in the image memory 4. The read image information is sequentially read out, sent to the image information output device 6, and printed out in S35. Then, in S36, it is checked whether or not the printing for the designated number of sheets is completed,
If the printing of the designated number of sheets has not been completed, the process proceeds to S37, and it is checked whether or not the "OFF" flag is set. If it is set, the process returns to S34, and if not, the process proceeds to S38. It is checked whether the "KEY" flag is set. If the "KEY" flag is not set, the process returns to S34, and if it is set, it is checked in S39 whether the current mode A is set. If it is the mode A, there is no online / offline change until the end of the process, and the process returns to S34. If it is not the mode A, that is, if it is the mode B, the process proceeds to S40, the "ON" flag is set, the "KEY" flag is reset, the process proceeds to S5, and the mode is changed to the offline mode.

When the print output to the image information output device 6 proceeds in sequence and the output of the designated number of sheets is completed, the process proceeds from S36 to S41 to check whether the "OFF" flag is set, and if the "OFF" flag is not set. Return to S1 and wait for next online image information input.

If the "OFF" flag is set, the offline process is interrupted and the online process is executed. Therefore, the "OFF" flag is reset in S42, the offline process interrupted in S43 is restarted, and the process returns to S5.

If the input / output device is not used for a certain period of time during S8 during this offline processing, the process proceeds from S8 to S45 and turns to "OFF".
If the flag is set, reset it and continue with S4
In step 6, check whether the "ON" flag is set, and click "O".
If the N "flag is set, the data to be output is stored in the image memory 4, and the process goes to S33 to wait for the output to the image information output device 6 in the online processing, and the print output processing is executed. , If the "ON" flag is not set in S46, the process returns to S1 and the online mode is automatically set.

If the "KEY" flag has been set in S9, that is, if a switch request input from the offline mode to the online mode is received, the process proceeds from S9 to S47, and the "OF"
If the F "flag has been set, it is reset and the" KEY "flag is reset, the offline mode is changed to the online mode in S48, the online key is lit, and the process proceeds to S46.

On the other hand, when there is an input / output request in the online mode in S6 and the process proceeds to S20, this request is a transmission request, that is, the original set in the image information input device 7 is read and other information processing is performed. If it is not a transfer request, the process proceeds to S21 if it is an output request to the image information output device 6, and to S50 if it is a transfer request.

In S50, the MPU 1 activates the image information input device 7 via the input / output control unit 5, reads the original size set on the original reading surface of the device 7 in S51, stores the read data in the memory 2, and continues to S52. Then, it is checked whether or not the document is placed on the document surface, and if not, the error process of S60 is executed, and the process such as designating the document placement to the operator is executed.

If the document is placed, the process proceeds from S52 to S53, where the image information input device 7 reads the image information from the document and sequentially stores it in the image memory 4. When the storage is completed, the process proceeds to S54, where the information processing device 12 is notified of the image information transmission preparation completion so as to call the information processing device of the other party to which the image information should be transmitted, and then in S55, the response from the information processing device 12 is received. It is checked whether or not the response can be transmitted. If the response cannot be transmitted, it means that the transmission to the destination information processing apparatus cannot be performed. Therefore, the error processing of S60 is executed to notify the operator that transmission is impossible.

If the transmission is possible in S55, first, the document size and the output number designation information are read from the memory 2, transferred to the information processing device 12 via the bus switch 9 and the line interface unit 11, and the image memory 4 continues. The image information read earlier in S53 is read out, the compression / expansion unit 10 performs compression processing on the image information, and the information processed by the information processing apparatus 12 via the line interface unit 11. Transfer information. Then, it is checked whether or not this information has been correctly transferred and an affirmative response has been returned, and in the case of an affirmative response, the transmission process is terminated and the process returns to S1. If it is a negative response and retransmission is necessary, the process returns to S56 again to retransmit image information and the like.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, if a print output request from the image information processing device 6 is issued from another information processing device even when the copying process similar to that of a general copying machine is executed offline. The image output information can be received without interruption of the copying process, subjected to expansion processing by the compression / expansion unit 10 if necessary, and stored in the memory 2 and the image memory 4, at the end of the offline processing or Image information output device 6
In the empty time, the document size, the number of sheets, and the image information can be immediately read from the memory 2 and the image memory 4 and output to the image information output device.

In addition, a special processing mode (A mode, B mode) can be set, and in the case of A mode, the currently executing mode (online mode or offline mode) is manually switched to change to another mode. Until then, no change is made from the online mode to the offline mode or from the offline mode to the online mode. However, the offline request (copy request) input is held, and the online key blinks to notify the operator of this. As a result, after the request that was conventionally ignored is completed in the online process, the process according to the request is executed. Further, when the input device (6, 7) is not used for a certain period of time in the offline mode, the mode is automatically changed to the online mode.

On the other hand, if the B mode is set, the online mode or the offline process causes the image information output device 6 to change the online mode to the offline mode or the offline mode to the online mode according to a request at the time of a page break when printing the image information. The modified process can be executed.

[Effect] As described above, according to the present invention, recording is performed according to the image data received by the receiving unit during recording of a plurality of image recordings by the recording unit according to the image data generated by the reading unit. Controlling the recording means to record an image in accordance with the image data received by the receiving means after the completion of recording of the image recording of the plurality of sheets being executed, when a request for image recording by the means is made. The operation mode, and the recording means is controlled so that the recording is interrupted before the recording of the plurality of image recordings being executed is completed and the image is recorded according to the image data received by the receiving means. A control means for controlling the device in the operation mode is provided, and the device is mounted in either one of the first and second operation modes according to the operation mode selected by the selection means for selecting the operation mode. Since the storage device can be controlled, the device can be efficiently used depending on the usage status of the device and whether the image data of the reading device or the receiving device is important when the use of the recording device conflicts.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment according to the present invention, and FIGS. 2 (A) to (E) are operation flow charts of this embodiment. 1 ... MPU, 4 ... Image memory, 5 ... Input / output control unit, 6 ... Image information output device, 7 ... Image information input device, 10 ... Compression / decompression unit, 11 ... Line interface Ace section, 12 ... Information processing device.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Kenzo Ina 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (56) References JP-A-57-31261 (JP, A)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A reading means for reading an original image and generating image data, a receiving means for receiving and storing the image data from an external device, and an image recorded according to the image data from the reading means or the receiving means. Recording means, selecting means for selecting an operation mode of the device, and control means for controlling the device in accordance with the operation mode selected by the selecting means, wherein the control means is generated by the reading means. When there is a request for image recording by the recording unit according to the image data received by the receiving unit during recording of a plurality of image records by the recording unit according to the image data, the plurality of executing units are executed. After recording one image,
A first operation mode for controlling the recording means to record an image according to the image data received by the receiving means, and the recording is interrupted before the completion of the recording of the plurality of image recordings being executed. The device can be controlled in a second operation mode for controlling the recording means so as to record an image according to the image data received by the receiving means, and according to the operation mode selected by the selecting means, The first
An image processing apparatus, characterized in that the apparatus is controlled in either one of the operation mode (1) and the second operation mode.