JPH0888747A - Facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To effectively save toner as a whole without impairing the reproducibility of an image part with a small black data number such as a thin line image in the facsimile equipment conducting reception recording accompanying toner save processing based on the designation of the toner save mode. CONSTITUTION: The facsimile equipment is provided with a data converter 11 to obtain serial image data from received image data, a black level data counter 13 counting sequentially the number of black level data in the serial image data outputted from the data converter 11 for each line, and a comparison discrimination device 14 comparing the number of black level data counted by the black level data counter 13 with a preset reference value to discriminate the priority of execution of the toner save processing for each line. Then, as the number of black data in one line exceeds a reference number, toner save processing is executed more and toner save processing is not executed for a position whose black data number is as small as being not reached to the reference number.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a fax machine having a recording unit for recording a received image as a toner image on a plain paper by an electrophotographic method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in facsimile machines, as in copying machines and the like, there is an increasing need for plain paper facsimiles capable of recording on plain paper, and the demand for them is actually growing. The recording unit for receiving and recording on such plain paper is usually configured as an electrophotographic laser printer. Therefore, the received image is recorded on the plain paper as a toner image.

By the way, the original purpose of the facsimile is to transmit information, and there are many cases where there is no problem even if the received image is not faithfully reproduced as the image of the transmission original. In consideration of such a point, there is also a facsimile apparatus to which a toner save function is added in order to suppress the toner consumption amount. That is, when the user specifies the toner save mode, the reception recording accompanied by the toner save process is performed on the received image data. Specifically, it is image processing such as thinning the received image data or thinning the recording density.
Toner consumption is saved.

[0004]

In the conventional facsimile apparatus, when the toner save mode is designated, the toner save processing is uniformly performed regardless of the contents of the received image. As a result, for example, even in a portion having a small amount of image data such as a thin line image or a thin image, a toner save process such as thinning is performed to form a toner image, so that the obtained output image becomes difficult to see. There is. As a result, the original information transmission function may be impaired,
Not preferred.

[0005]

A data converter for obtaining serial image data from received image data and a data converter in a facsimile apparatus which performs reception recording accompanied by toner save processing based on designation of a toner save mode. A black data counter that sequentially counts the number of black data in the serial image data output from each line, and compares the number of black data counted by the black data counter with a preset reference value. A comparison / determination device for determining whether or not to execute the toner save process is provided for each line.

[0006]

The received image data is converted into serial image data by the data converter, and the number of black data for each line is counted by the black data counter. The counted number of black data is compared with the reference value in the determination comparator, and it is determined for each line whether to execute the toner save process. Therefore, when the toner save mode is designated, the toner save process is executed only at the places where the number of black data in one line exceeds the reference value, and the number of black data in one line does not reach the reference value. It is possible to control so that the toner save process is not executed for the part.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, an outline of the entire facsimile apparatus of this embodiment will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG. CPU that controls the whole
A ROM 2, a RAM 3, an image memory 4, an operation panel 5, a modem 6, an encoding / decoding processing unit 7, and a reading unit 8 are connected to the device 1 via a bus line or the like. The reading unit 8 is, for example,
2. According to the facsimile standard based on CCITT recommendation, 3.
The scanner is configured to read an image of a transmission original at a resolution of 85 lines / mm (about 200 dpi). Further, a recording unit 10 is connected to the CPU 1 via a toner save determination circuit 9 which is a feature of this embodiment. This recording unit 1
0 is configured as an electrophotographic laser printer that forms a toner image on plain paper at a writing density of 400 dpi or 600 dpi, for example.

In such a basic configuration, the received image data in a compressed state obtained by communication is transferred from the modem 6 to the encoding / decoding processing unit 7 and is decoded. The decoded received image data is stored in the image memory 5 in a parallel image state. When one page of received image data is stored in the image memory 5, the received image data is transferred to the toner save determination circuit 9 and subjected to necessary processing, and then given as print data to the recording unit 10 for actual reception recording. Be served. As a result, the received image is formed as a toner image on the recording unit 10.

Next, the structure and operation of the toner save determination circuit 9 will be described with reference to FIG. In the toner save determination circuit 9, first, a parallel / serial converter (data converter) 11 that converts parallel image data sequentially transferred from the image memory 5 into serial image data is provided. In addition, this parallel / serial converter 11
An image thinning control unit 12 is provided which receives the serial image data output from the printer and generates print data for the recording unit 10. The image thinning control unit 12 performs a toner save process, and is operable only when a toner save mode is designated by the user on the panel 4 (toner save mode ON). That is, the image thinning control unit 12 uses, for example, 1
The dot data is thinned out to generate print data.
When the toner save mode is not designated, the image thinning control unit 12 operates so that the serial image data output from the parallel / serial converter 11 is directly output as print data to the recording unit 10 side. further,
Even if the toner save mode is designated, the image thinning control unit 12 holds a toner save signal for determining whether or not to actually execute the toner save process according to a determination output described later. The toner save processing is actually executed only when the signal is ON.

The parallel / serial converter 11
Black dot counter (black data counter) 13 on the output side of
Is also connected. A line sync signal is given to the clear terminal of the black dot counter 13 as a clear signal. Therefore, the black dot counter 13 has a function of counting the number of black dots (the number of black data) contained in the serial image data output from the parallel / serial converter 11 for each line in synchronization with the pixel clock. . Further, a comparator (comparison / determination device) 14 that receives the count value of the black dot counter 13 and outputs a determination output to the image thinning control unit 12 is provided. That is, the comparator 14 compares the count value (the number of black dots) by the black dot counter 13 with a preset reference value, and outputs a determination output corresponding to the magnitude thereof to determine whether to execute the toner save process. Is supplied to the image thinning control unit 12. Here, when the count value ≧ the reference value, the determination output (ON output) indicating that the execution of the toner save process is permitted is obtained, and when the count value <the reference value, the determination output indicating that the execution of the toner save process is denied is determined. It is set to output (OFF output). A toner save determination unit 15 is formed by the black dot counter 13 and the comparator 14.

In such a structure, when the toner save mode is not designated by the user, the serial image data sequentially converted and output by the parallel / serial converter 11 is directly output to the image thinning control unit 12.
After that, the print data is output to the recording unit 10, and reception recording is performed without the toner save process.

On the other hand, an example of operation control when the toner save mode is designated by the user will be described with reference to the time chart shown in FIG. First, the serial image data output from the parallel / serial converter 11 is input to the image thinning control unit 12 and also to the black dot counter 13, and the number of black dots included in one line is sequentially counted. . Here, in the n-th line shown in FIG. 3, the number of black dots in one line is smaller than the reference value, so the determination output of the comparator 14 is not turned on.
Therefore, the image thinning control unit 12 is provided with a determination output indicating that the toner save process is denied.

Similarly, when the next (n + 1) th line is entered, the black dot counter 13 is cleared by the rise of the line synchronizing signal, and the (n + 1) th line 1
The number of black dots contained in the line is newly counted. In the (n + 1) th line shown in FIG. 3, since the number of black dots is larger than the reference value, for example, the black dot count value reaches the reference value at timing t ₁ and the determination output of the comparator 14 becomes O.
N. On the other hand, the previous judgment output for the nth line is OFF
Therefore, the toner save signal also remains OFF,
The image thinning control unit 12 does not perform thinning processing on the serial image data of the (n + 1) th line and outputs it as print data as it is. That is, this 1
Toner save processing is not performed for the line.

When the line (n + 2) th line is entered, the black dot counter 13 is cleared by the rise of the line synchronizing signal, and the number of black dots contained in one line (n + 2) th line is newly counted. . at the same time,
The judgment output of the comparator 14 is also switched from ON to OFF, and the toner save signal is turned ON at the falling edge of this judgment output (timing t ₂ ). As a result, the image thinning processing unit 12 thins the serial image data of the (n + 2) th line to generate and output print data. That is, the toner save process is executed for this one line. On the other hand, this (n +
Since the number of black dots in the 2nd line is larger than the reference value as in the (n + 1) th line, for example, the judgment output of the comparator 14 is turned on at timing t ₃ , and the toner is saved in the next (n + 3) th line. Processing will be executed.

Thereafter, whether or not the toner save process is similarly executed for each line is determined according to the number of black dots for each line, and if a line whose black dot number does not reach the reference value appears, the next The toner save signal from the line is released and turned off, and the toner save process is controlled not to be performed.

Therefore, according to the present embodiment, even if the toner save mode is designated, the toner save processing is not uniformly performed on the image for one page, and the toner is changed line by line according to the actual image. Since it decides whether to save or not,
It is possible to reduce the toner consumption amount without impairing the information transmission function. That is, even in an image for one page, the toner save processing is performed on an image portion (for example, a thin line image portion or a thin image portion) where the number of black data is so small that the image obtained by performing the toner save processing becomes very difficult to see. Since the received image is reproduced without executing, the transmitted image can be faithfully reproduced. On the other hand, with respect to the image portion having a large number of black data, the toner save processing is executed according to the mode designation, so the toner consumption amount can be saved.

In this embodiment, the image thinning control unit 12 for thinning the image data is provided as the toner save processing, but the present invention is not limited to such a processing mode, and for example, the density of the toner image may be used. In short, any process that can save toner, such as a process for thinning the toner, can be used.

Further, in the present embodiment, the judgment output of the comparator 14 for a certain line is used to determine whether to save toner in the next line. However, the judgment output for a certain line is used to determine whether to save toner in the same line. It is not impossible to configure it to. However, even if the toner save process is delayed by one line with respect to the determination output, for example, in the case of the (n + 1) th line shown in FIG. 3, the image is clearly reproduced because the toner save process is not performed. It is clear that there is no problem in terms of image quality, and the toner consumption amount by not performing toner save on this line does not cause any particular problem. On the contrary, on the line immediately before the line where the toner save process is not executed, the toner save process is executed even though the number of black dots is small. It doesn't matter. Generally speaking, in the case of a recent facsimile machine, about 200
The read data having a density of dpi is 40 in the recording unit 10.
Since the write data is converted into write data having a density of 0 dpi or 600 dpi, the read data is substantially doubled or tripled to become write data, and the same data is repeated for two lines or three lines for serial image data. Because
Even if the toner save process is applied to one line, there is no problem because it is covered by the remaining lines of the same data in terms of information. For the reasons described above, there is no problem in practical use, and therefore the method of this embodiment, which is easy to process, is convenient.

[0019]

As described above, according to the present invention, in a facsimile apparatus which performs reception recording accompanied by toner save processing based on designation of a toner save mode, a data converter for obtaining serial image data from received image data. , A black data counter that sequentially counts the number of black data in the serial image data output from this data converter line by line, and the number of black data counted by this black data counter is a preset reference value Since a comparison / determination device that determines whether or not the toner save process can be executed for each line is provided, even if the toner save mode is designated, the toner save process is not uniformly executed, Toner save processing is executed only at the places where the number of black data in one line exceeds the reference value, and the number of black data in one line does not reach the reference value. It is possible to control so that the toner save process is not executed for a small number of parts, and therefore, for the thin line image part, a toner image is clearly formed so that the information transmission function is not impaired and the toner consumption amount as a whole is reduced. Can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a toner save determination circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration.

FIG. 3 is a time chart showing an example of operation control.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 data converter 13 black data counter 14 comparison judgment device

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A data converter for obtaining serial image data from received image data, and a data converter for outputting the serial image data from the received image data, in a facsimile apparatus adapted to perform reception recording accompanied by toner save processing based on designation of a toner save mode. A black data counter that sequentially counts the number of black data in the serial image data line by line, and compares the number of black data counted by the black data counter with a preset reference value to perform the toner save process. A facsimile apparatus, comprising: a comparison / determination unit that determines whether or not execution is possible for each line.