JPH04223772A - facsimile machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a facsimile equipment capable of detecting automatically the stain of an image sensor prior to the start of sending of an original. CONSTITUTION:Just before the arrival of the original to the image sensor 7, the picture of the white surface of a roller 6 is detected by the image sensor 7. In a read processing circuit 17, the area of a black pixel is examined from the picture signal, when the area of the black pixel is larger than a specified size, an alarm issuing part 20 is activated.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus which is configured to read a document using an optical sensor such as an image sensor.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a conventional facsimile machine. In the figure, 1 is the main body of the facsimile machine, 2 is an original insertion slot of the main body 1, and 3 is an inserted original (not shown). Detecting front switches 4 and 4 are paper feed rollers that feed the original, 5 is a center switch that detects the original from paper feed roller 4, and 6 is a reading roller on which the original is placed when reading the original, and the surface is white. There is. Reference numeral 7 denotes a contact type image sensor as an optical sensor for reading the document on the reading roller 6.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the configuration of the image sensor 7, in which 8 is an LED as a light source, 9 is a glass that contacts the surface of the reading roller 6 through the document, and 10 is an optical system that passes reflected light from the document. , 11 is a light receiving element that detects the light from the optical system 10.

Next, the operation will be explained. In the flowchart of FIG. 6, when transmitting a document, step ST
1, the document inserted from the document insertion slot 2 turns on the front switch 3, causing the paper feed roller 4 to rotate. This paper feed roller 4 rotates until the document reaches the center switch 5 in step ST2. Next, the LED 8 in the image sensor 7 is turned on, and step S
After dialing at T3, a transmission operation is performed at step ST4. At this time, the document passes between the glass 9 of the image sensor 7 and the reading roller 6 with the reading surface facing the glass 9 side. The light reflected from the original passes through the optical system 10 and is received by the light receiving element 11.

[0005]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Since the conventional facsimile machine is constructed as described above, if the original is written by hand with a pencil or the like, for example, the glass 9 of the image sensor 7 may be soiled. This causes problems such as the transmitted image becoming unreadable and the OCR function not working, as well as the need to resend the original.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a facsimile device that can automatically detect dirt on an image sensor before starting transmission of a document. .

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problems] A facsimile apparatus according to the present invention has an additional function of determining dirt on the image sensor by using an image signal from the image sensor immediately before the document arrives.

[0008]

[Operation] The facsimile apparatus according to the present invention measures the image signal of the image sensor before transmission, and depending on the result, it is possible to continue the subsequent procedure or generate an alarm to call an operator to intervene.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, 12 is an original that passes between the reading roller 6 and the image sensor 7 during transmission, 13 is a thermal head to which a signal-processed image signal is added during reception, and 14 is a recording paper printed by the thermal head 13. 15 is a feed roller that feeds the recording paper 14.

Reference numeral 16 denotes a signal processing and control unit, which performs predetermined signal processing such as information compression on the image signal from the image sensor 7 during transmission, and performs predetermined signal processing such as restoration processing on the received image signal during reception. Signal processing is performed and the processed image signal is applied to the thermal head 13. Furthermore, it performs drive control of the mechanism section and other predetermined controls.

Reference numeral 17 denotes a reading processing section provided in the signal processing and control section 16, which performs reading processing of the image signal from the image sensor 7, and also serves as a means for measuring a black pixel area and a means for determining dirt in the present invention. It has 18 is a modem that modulates the transmitted signal and demodulates the received signal; 19
Reference numeral 20 indicates a network control unit that performs line establishment, etc., and 20 indicates an alarm generation unit that issues an alarm when there is a lot of dirt.

Next, the operation will be explained. In the flowchart of FIG. 2, when transmitting a manuscript, step S
At T1, the original 12 is inserted through the original insertion slot 2 shown in FIG. 4, and at step ST2, the front sensor 2 is turned on. As a result, the paper feed roller 4 is rotated until the document 12 reaches the center switch 5 in step ST3. During this time, in step ST4, the LED 8 of the image sensor 7 is turned on, and the image sensor 7 reads the white color on the surface of the reading roller 6 immediately before the document 12 arrives. The next determination operation is performed by adding this read data to the reading processing section 17 and detecting and measuring the number of black pixels by the measuring means.

First, in step ST6, the measured number nB of black pixels is compared with a predetermined number NB so that nB >NB
It is checked whether nB > NB, the determination means determines that the image sensor 7 is dirty. Then, in step ST8, the alarm generating device 20 generates an alarm. If nB > NB, in step ST9, it is checked whether the measured number na of black pixel rows is compared with a predetermined number Na, and if na > Na, it is determined that the image sensor 7 is dirty. It is determined, and the process proceeds to step ST8, where an alarm is generated. If na <Na, nB <NB, then
In step ST9, the routine moves to a normal transmission procedure.

[0014] When copying a document, the same procedure as described above is carried out, and if the image sensor 7 is soiled, an alarm is generated. In the above embodiment, a case was described in which the image sensor 7 was used as an optical sensor, but the present invention can also be applied to a facsimile machine using a lens system as shown in FIG. That is, Figure 3
In this, a CCD sensor 21 is used as an optical sensor, and a lens 22 and a mirror 2 including this CCD sensor 21 are used as an optical sensor.
3. It is possible to detect and judge dirt on the reading circuit system such as the fluorescent lamp 24.

[0015]

As described above, according to the present invention, the black pixel area is measured from the image signal from an optical sensor such as an image sensor before the original arrives, and dirt is determined based on the size of the black pixel area. Therefore, contamination is detected before transmission, and there is no need to transmit the same original again as in the conventional method, which can save time and effort.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of a facsimile machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a facsimile apparatus according to another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a conventional facsimile device.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of an image sensor of a conventional facsimile machine.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of a conventional facsimile machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

7 Image sensor 12 Manuscript 17 Reading processing section In addition, in the figures, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A facsimile machine configured to transmit or copy a document by reading the document with an optical sensor, wherein a black pixel of an output signal of the optical sensor in a state before the document reaches the optical sensor. A facsimile machine comprising: a measuring means for measuring an area; and a determining means for determining whether a black pixel area measured by the measuring means exceeds a predetermined size.