JPH0199366A - image input device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] Industrial applications The present invention relates to an image input device.

Conventional technology Conventionally, in image input devices such as facsimiles, CO
A line-type image sensor such as D is moved relative to the original in the sub-scanning direction, and read data for each line is sequentially input into the storage section.

In this case, the original is placed on a transparent original platen according to scales formed thereon, and the reading area is set by means such as inputting the size of the paper using a key.

On the other hand, when transmitting an image, for example, the transmitter's facsimile scans the image, and the receiver prints it based on the received image information. There is a one-to-one relationship between the image and the image on the receiving side shown in FIG. 5(b). If necessary, even if the transmitting side compresses the image signal using image compression technology and the receiving side expands the received image signal using decompression technology before printing, the images between the transmitting side and the receiving side will be 1:1. This is the relationship.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention Therefore, the image signals of texts and pictures printed by a word processor are read, the read image signals are transmitted to a personal computer, etc., and the receiving personal computer receives the transmitted images. There is a way to create pamphlets, catalogs, etc. by determining the layout on the CRT, but if the image on the original and the transmitted image are one-to-one as shown in Figure 5, a, e If there is a margin shown in the area or a blank part shown in the area C,
In order to cut these margins and blank areas as shown in FIG. 4(b), it is necessary to cut the image information transmitted from the transmitting side on the CRT on the receiving side and then decide on the layout. Therefore, editing takes time.

Means for Solving the Problems In an image input device that scans a line-type image sensor relatively along one surface of a document in the sub-scanning direction and sequentially inputs read data for each line into a storage unit, An identification circuit is provided that identifies the presence or absence of an image signal in one line that is an output of the image sensor and allows writing of the image signal into the storage unit only when the image signal is recognized.

Therefore, when the output of the image sensor is checked by the identification circuit and it is recognized that even one pixel of image signal is present in one line, that image signal is written into the storage section, and the image signal is not recognized in one line. When there is no data, writing to the storage unit is prohibited, thereby omitting data deletion operations in margins and blank areas on the receiving side.

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. Reference numeral 1 denotes a transparent document table that is driven by a sub-operation drive unit (not shown) and moves back and forth. On its lower surface, there are a lamp 3 for illuminating the document 2 on the document table 1, a condensing lens 4, and a CCD.
A reading unit 6 comprising an image sensor 5 such as the above is provided. The output side of the image sensor 5 is sequentially connected to an analog processing section 7, a digital processing section 8, and an identification circuit 9.

Further, the output side of the timing generator 10 that outputs clock pulses at a constant cycle is connected to the drive circuit 11, the digital processing section 8, and the identification circuit 9, and the image sensor 5 is connected to the output side of the drive circuit 11. There is. 12 is a microprocessor unit (hereinafter referred to as MPU).
A compression/expansion section 13 , a main storage section 14 , and an output section 15 are connected to the compression/expansion section 12 .

In such a configuration, the operation will be explained with reference to the flowchart in FIG. First, the original 2 is set on the original table 1, the lamp 3 is turned on to illuminate the image printing surface of the original 2, and the image of the l line is read. That is, the drive circuit 11 is driven by the timing generator 10, and the timing of input to the photoelectric conversion light receiving element group of the image sensor 5 and the timing of output to the digital processing section 8 are set. As a result, the output of the image sensor 5 is guided to the analog processing section 7, where it is subjected to processing such as signal amplification, smoothing using a sample and hold circuit, peak value detection, and shading correction, and then to the digital processing section 8. At the same time, density conversion is performed in the main operation and sub-operation directions.

This one line of image signal is temporarily stored in a buffer memory inside the MPU 12. Subsequently, the identification circuit 9 determines the presence or absence of an image signal for one line, and when it is determined that the image signal is present for even one pixel, the image signal temporarily stored in the buffer memory is output to the subsequent pass line. If it is determined that there is no image signal at all, the image signal temporarily stored in the buffer memory is erased. Subsequently, the sub-operation drive section is driven,
The document table 1 is moved by one line in the sub-operation direction, and the image sensor 5 repeats the reading operation of one line again. When all lines have been read, the main memory 14
An image signal is transmitted from the output unit 15 to an external device such as a personal computer, the lamp 3 is turned off, the document table 1 is returned to the home position by the auxiliary operation drive unit, and the document 2 is removed.

Here, the number of pixels in one line corresponds to the number of charging conversion light receiving elements of the image sensor 5. Furthermore, the presence of an image signal means that a read image signal of black or another color is detected.

Then, the identification circuit 9 determines whether or not there is an image signal.
If it is executed while the document platen 1 is moved by one line after the reading operation for one line is completed, the program processing can be performed by the MPU 1'2, but since the number of pixels is several thousand, the identification circuit 9 is constructed as shown in FIG. That is, the binarized image signal is stored in the shift register 16, and if it is determined that there is a pixel (low level input), the inverter 17 outputs a high level even if it is 1 bit (1 pixel). When the output of the AND gate 18 is inputted together with the power supply voltage to the latch circuit 19, a high level output Q is output from the latch circuit 19 to the MPU 12. At the same time, the Q output is cleared by the signal input to the R terminal, and with this output Q, the MPU1
2, it is determined that there is an image signal. Therefore, it is possible to determine the presence or absence of the image signal of the line read last time during the reading operation. Therefore, scanning can be performed at high speed.

As described above, when it is determined that there is no image signal, the write operation to the main storage unit 14 is prohibited, so as shown in FIG.
As shown in b), even if there are margins in areas a and C and blank areas in area C above and below the original 2, the
As shown in Figure (b), only the image signal of area d is stored, and the margins of areas a and C and the blank part of area C are deleted. This image signal is read from the main storage section 14 and transmitted from the output section 15 to an external device such as a personal computer. Therefore, on the receiving side, the transmitted image information is called up to the CRT and edited, but since this image information does not include unnecessary margins or blank areas, the CR
There is no need to cut on the T, simplifying editing operations,
Editing time is also reduced.

Note that when compressing and transmitting an image signal, the MPU 12 calls the image signal from the main storage section 14 and sends it to the compression/expansion section 13.
The data is then compressed and stored in the main storage unit 14 again before being transmitted.

Effects of the Invention Since the present invention is configured as described above, the output of the image sensor is checked by the identification circuit, and only when it is recognized that there is an image signal for even one pixel in one line, the image information is written to the storage section. When not even one pixel of image signal is recognized in one line, writing to the storage unit is prohibited, thereby omitting the operation of deleting data in margins and blank areas on the receiving side. On the other hand, it is possible to receive only useful image information, thereby simplifying the editing operation and shortening the editing time.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a block diagram, FIG. 2 is a detailed diagram of the identification circuit, FIG. 3 is a flow chart, and FIG. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a comparison between the conventional document content on the transmitting side and image information on the receiving side. 2... Original, 5... Image sensor, 9... Identification circuit, 14... Main memory section

Claims (1)

[Claims] In an image input device that scans a line-type image sensor in the sub-scanning direction relatively along one surface of a document and sequentially inputs read data for each line into a storage unit, one line is output from the image sensor. 1. An image input device comprising an identification circuit that identifies the presence or absence of an image signal in the image input device and permits writing of the image signal into the storage unit only when the image signal is recognized.