JPH044672A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To shorten the transmission time even when an intermediate tone picture is sent by selecting adaptively an encoded data with less data quantity and sending the selected data. CONSTITUTION:A picture data of a same line is simultaneously encoded by the MH, MR encoding systems and when a data quantity A by the MH encoding processing is smaller than a data quantity B by the MR encoding processing, a count K is cleared, and a line end signal EOL and an identification '1' for the MH encoding system are added to the end of the encoded data of a preceding line and the result is sent, and the MH encoded data is selected by the encoded data of an input line. In the case of A>B, the count K is checked and when the count is less than a setting value N, the MR coding data is selected as the input line, in the case of A>B and the count K reaching a value equal to the setting value N, the MH encoding data is selected.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a facsimile machine with improved transmission time.

[Background of the Invention] As an encoding method for read image data used in facsimile machines, facsimile machines use CCITT.
Both recommended MH encoding and MR encoding are standard equipment.

As is well known, the MH encoding method is a -dimensional encoding method, and the termination code and make-up code are determined so that they do not have the same pattern for black and white, and using this principle, each line is encoded. This is a method of converting

The MR encoding method is a two-dimensional encoding method in which only information that is different from a reference line co-understood by MH encoding is encoded as information on the next line.

In the MR encoding method, the previous line is used as a reference, so if there is an error in that line, it will also affect the subsequent lines. Taking this into consideration, for example, if the linear density is 3.5ENl
/mm, every other line (that is, K=2 in terms of K parameter) is encoded using the MH encoding method to reduce the influence of errors.

When the linear density is 7.7Ω/mm, the first line among the four lines is standardized to be encoded by the inter-H encoding method (K parameter is K=4).

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Incidentally, in such conventional facsimile devices, either the MH encoding method or the MR encoding method is selected as the encoding method, and both of them are adaptively applied depending on the image data. No means of selection have been adopted.

Also, halftone images such as photographs are reproduced using the dither matrix method, but when transmitting halftone images based on the dither matrix method using the MR encoding method, there is a difference between the previous line and the halftone image. Since the correlation is weak, the amount of data in MR encoded data is often larger than that in the case of encoding using the MH encoding method.

As a result, when transmitting image data in halftones, M
MR encoded data takes longer to transmit than H encoded data.

Therefore, this invention takes these points into consideration,
The present invention proposes a facsimile device that can reduce transmission time each time image data is encoded by adaptively selecting an encoding method.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention includes: MR encoding means for MR encoding read image data; and MH encoding means for MH encoding the image data. , Compare the amount of the encoded data for each line,
The present invention is characterized by comprising a selection means for selecting encoded data with a small amount of data, and a transmission means for transmitting the selected encoded data.

[Operation: The read image data is encoded using two types of encoding methods. That is, image data is encoded using the MH encoding method and the MR encoding method.

Next, the data amounts of these encoded data are compared. Then, encoded data with a small amount of data is selected and transmitted.

The overall transmission time is reduced by adaptively selecting the encoding method in this manner.

In this case, the K parameter is followed as is,
Even when MR encoded data would normally be selected, MH encoded data is selected and transmitted for each predetermined line depending on the line density.

[Example] Next, an example of a facsimile device according to the present invention will be described in the first example.
This will be explained in detail with reference to the figures below.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing functional blocks of the present invention.

In the figure, 14 is an image reading means for reading image information of a document. A line sensor such as a CCD is used for this purpose.

34 is an MR that encodes the read image data.
It is an encoding means.

32 is an MH encoding means that similarly performs MH encoding on the image data.

36 is image data (MR
This is data amount comparison means for comparing the data amounts of encoded data and MH encoded data.

38 is a selection means for selecting encoded data with a smaller amount of data based on the comparison output.

16 is a transmission means (modem) for transmitting the selected encoded data.

Among these means, the functions of a plurality of means other than the image reading means 14 and the transmitting means 16 are achieved by software in the case of the embodiment. Therefore, in order to achieve these functions, the facsimile machine is provided with communication control means 10 as shown in FIG.

In the figure, numeral 11 is a CPU that manages the above-mentioned transmission ε control.

Reference numeral 12 is a ROM in which a control program for achieving an encoded data selection function, etc. is stored, and 13 is a RAM memory for storing image data.

The image data read by the image reading means (image reading unit) 14 is transferred to the RAM 13 via the interface 15.
or directly to a modem and network unit (NCU) 16 which functions as a transmitting means.

Image data input from the line is sent to this modem and NCU.
After being stored directly or once in the RAM 13 via the interface 16, the data is supplied to the recording unit 18 via the interface 17 and is completely recorded.

The telephone number of the destination party is displayed each time it is supplied to the display unit 20 via the interface 19.

Reference numeral 21 is an operation unit for inputting a telephone number, etc., and 22 is an interface thereof.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a process flow 40 for accomplishing the encoded data selection function.

When a control program for encoding read image data is started, an initial value (=1) is first set in a parameter counter (step 41).

As mentioned above, the K parameter differs depending on the linear density when reading the original, and the linear density force < 3.58 (L /
When m m, K=2 [Therefore, from the set value N, N=2], and the linear density is 7.7Q/
In the case of mm, K=4 (therefore, N=4).

Next, one line of image data is input (step 4).
2), it is checked whether this is the first line (step 43), and if it is the first line, the CCIT
As per Recommendation T, the first line is always encoded using the MH encoding method (step 44).

When this encoding is completed, the counter is incremented and the presence or absence of the next line is checked (steps 45 and 46). If there is a next line, the process returns to step 42 and inputs the next line of image data. or will be done.

From the second line onwards, the process transitions to step 47 and onwards.

Therefore, in that case, the image data of the same line is simultaneously encoded using the MH and MR encoding methods (step 47). Then, the data amounts (code lengths) A and B of each encoded data are stored in the memory (step 48.
49).

When the data amount A of the MH encoded data is smaller than the data amount B of the MR encoded data (step 50), after the count value K is cleared (step 51), the end of the encoded data of the previous line is is the end of line signal E O
L signal and identification data “1” for the MH encoding method.
" is added and sent out (step 52). and,
MH encoded data is selected as the encoded data of the input line at that time (step 53).

Thereafter, when the counter is incremented and there is a next line (steps 45 and 46), the process returns to step 42 and subsequent steps to perform similar encoding processing.

Then, when the data amount A of MH encoded data becomes larger than the data amount B of MR encoded data (step 50), the count value K is checked (step 54).
, if the value is less than the set value N, an EOL signal, which is a line end signal, is added to the end of the encoded data of the previous line, and identification data "O" for the MR encoding method is added thereto and sent out (step 55). ). Then, MR encoded data is selected as the input line (step 56).

Thereafter, the counter is incremented in the same way as the previous line, and if there is a next line, the process returns to step 42 and subsequent steps to perform the same encoding process.

Then, if A>B and the count value K becomes the same as the set value N (step 54), this means that the number of processing lines is equal to the parameter, so in that case, the steps after step 51 are performed. Processing is selected. Therefore, in this case, MH encoded data is selected instead of MR encoded data (steps 51 to 53).
.

In this way, priority is given to the parameter in the selection of encoded data, and only at other times encoded data with a smaller amount of data is selected.

The above processing is repeated until the final line, and at the final line, the EOL signal is repeatedly sent six times (step 57). This becomes the control return signal RTC indicating the transition to the control signal in the sending ε procedure.
This is the end of the control program for encoded data selection processing.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, encoded data with a small amount of data is adaptively selected and transmitted.

Therefore, according to this method, since the total amount of data to be transmitted can be reduced, even when transmitting a halftone image, the transmission time can be shortened compared to the conventional method.

Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a facsimile device that is highly economical.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a facsimile apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a system diagram of the facsimile apparatus, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of achieving the encoded data selection function. 11... CPU 13... RAM 14... Image reading means 16... Transmitting means 18... Recording section 20... Display section 21... Operation section 3z... MH encoding means 34 ...MR encoding means 36...Data amount comparison means 38...Selection means Patent applicant: Konica Corporation Representative Patent attorney: Kunio Yamaguchi

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) MR encoding means for MR encoding the read image data, MH encoding means for MH encoding the image data, and comparing the data amount of the encoded data for each line;
A facsimile apparatus comprising: a selection means for selecting encoded data with a small amount of data; and a transmission means for transmitting the selected encoded data.