JPH0937014A - Image reading apparatus, image output method thereof, and image reading system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image reading system suitable for providing a copy function or a facsimile function while using an image scanner. SOLUTION: This image reading system has a printer 2 connected to a computer 1 and an image scanner 3. When using this system as copy equipment, a scanner interface 9 is connected to the printer 2 as an option. The image scanner 3 feeds the paper of an original while using a feeding unit, image data are encoded by an image sensor unit, and the image data are stored through an image processing part 8 inside the printer 2 into an image memory 7 while interposing an external interface 5 for performing data transmission control at a printing control part 12. The start of printing is commanded from a CPU to an engine and an image is formed. When transmitting the image as facsimile, the image scanner 3 processes the image data stored in an image memory 10 while using a system control part based on the command of an address or a data format from an operation part 11 and performs facsimile transmission through a MODEM 13 connected as an option.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image reading device such as an image scanner.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an image reading apparatus for realizing a copying function and a facsimile function, an image scanner is generally connected to a computer having a modem, and image data read by the image scanner is output to a printer via the computer. It is known to have a configuration.

There is also known a structure in which an image scanner is connected to a printer and image data read by the image scanner is output.

[0004]

However, in an apparatus in which an image scanner is connected to a computer and a printer outputs the image through the computer, the copying function must be executed with the intervention of the computer. Was wasting my time. Therefore, it is necessary to perform complicated work in order to use the image scanner as a simple copying function.

Further, in the image reading apparatus for connecting the image scanner to the printer and outputting, since the modem attached to the computer is used when realizing the facsimile function, the same problem as in the case where the copying function is realized occurs. there were.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image reading system suitable for realizing a copying function and a facsimile function by using an image scanner.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the image reading apparatus according to claim 1 of the present invention is connected to an interface means provided in a printer as a peripheral device of an information processing apparatus, It is characterized by comprising a modem for transmitting and receiving data and a transmitting means for transmitting the image data to the printer through the interface means, and realizing a facsimile function together with the printer.

An image reading apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention is connected to an interface unit provided in a printer as a peripheral device of an information processing apparatus, and reads the image data of a document and the read image data. An image storage unit for storing the image data and a print control unit for controlling the image data transmitted to the printer via the interface unit are provided, and the copying function is realized together with the printer.

An image reading apparatus according to a third aspect of the present invention is connected to an interface unit provided in a printer as a peripheral device of an information processing apparatus, and an image reading unit for reading image data of a document and the read image data. And a transmission unit that transmits to an image storage unit provided in the printer, and realizes a copying function together with the printer.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the image output method of the image reading apparatus, the interface unit is provided in the printer as the peripheral device of the information processing apparatus, the image data is received through the modem, and the received image data is used as the interface. It is characterized in that it is transmitted to the printer through a means and realizes a facsimile function together with the printer.

An image reading system according to a fifth aspect is an image reading system including a printer and an image reading device connected to an information processing device, wherein the printer includes an interface unit connected to the image reading device.
The image reading device controls an image reading unit that reads image data of a document, an image storage unit that stores the read image data, and a print control that controls the image data transmitted to the printer through the interface unit. Means, a modem for receiving the image data, and a transmitting means for transmitting the received image data to the printer via the interface means, thereby realizing a facsimile function and a copying function.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of an image reading apparatus of the present invention will be described. The image reading device of this embodiment is applied to an image reading system.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of an image reading system according to the embodiment. In the figure, reference numeral 1 is a computer, which has a connectable modem 6 as an option, and is connected to a printer 2 via a bidirectional Centronics interface 4.

The printer 2 is realized by an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and is composed of an engine 2a that controls the electrophotographic process and a controller 2b that performs image processing. The controller 2b includes an image memory 7, an image processing unit 8, and a scanner interface 9, and is connected to the image scanner 3 from the scanner interface 9 via the external interface 5.

The image scanner 3 includes an image memory 10 used for storing, editing, and processing the read image data, an operation unit 11 and a modem 13 for transmitting and receiving as a facsimile, a print start command and image data for the printer 2. A print control unit 12 for sending the

The scanner interface 9 can be connected as an option to the printer 2, and the image memory 10, the operation unit 11 and the modem 1 of the image scanner 3 are connected.
3 is connectable as an option of the image scanner 3.

The configuration of the printer 2 will be described. FIG.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the printer 2. In the figure, reference numeral 24 denotes a CPU, which stores a control program.
It has an OM 25, a RAM 26 used as a register, and the like, receives coded image information (code data) from the computer 1 via the bidirectional Centronics interface 4, and sends the code data to the image processing unit 8.

The image processing section 8 stores the code data in the RAM.
23, the code data is analyzed, the data is read from the character font stored in the ROM 22 as necessary, the code data is converted into dot image video data, and the data is processed and stored in the image memory 7. To do.

The CPU 24 sends a print start command and image data to the engine 2a, and processes with the scanner interface 9 connected to the image scanner 3 which can be optionally connected.

The structure of the image scanner 3 will be described. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the image scanner 3. In the figure, 32 is a system control unit.

The system control unit 32 is an image sensor unit 30 implemented by a contact image sensor or the like, a transport unit 31 for feeding and transporting a document, and a printer 2 for sending a print start command and image data. The print control unit 12, the option connectable modem 13 for interfacing with the telephone line when transmitting / receiving the facsimile, and the option connectable image for storing the data from the image sensor unit 30, editing, processing and storing the facsimile received data It controls the memory 10 and the operation unit 11 which can be optionally connected and is equipped with a dialer, a display, etc., which are necessary for the facsimile operation.

The case of using as a copying apparatus will be described. The scanner interface 9 is optionally connected to the printer 2. The image scanner 3 feeds and conveys a document by the conveyance unit 31, the image sensor unit 30 encodes image data, and the print controller 12
External interface 5 for controlling data transmission with
Image data is stored in the image memory 7 through the image processing unit 8 in the printer 2 via the.

When the reading of the original is completed, the CPU 2
4, a print start command is issued to the engine 2a to form an image. It is also possible to transmit the encoded image data from the CPU 24 to the computer 1 via the bidirectional Centronics interface 4. Further, the image processing unit 8 and the image memory 7 can perform the editing function and the processing function of the image data possessed by the printer 2 to form an image.

Next, the case of using as a facsimile will be described. The scanner interface 9 is optionally connected to the printer 2. When transmitting, the image scanner 3 feeds and conveys a document by the conveyance unit 31, encodes image data by the image sensor unit 30, and optionally connects the image memory 1
The image data encoded into 0 is stored.

When the reading of the manuscript is completed, the system control unit 32 transfers data based on an instruction such as an address and a data format from the operation unit 11 connected as an option.
And performs facsimile transmission via the modem 13 connected as an option.

When receiving, the received image data is stored from the optionally connected modem 13 to the optionally connected image memory 10 via the system control 32. The print control unit 12 outputs a print start command to the engine 2a by the CPU 24 via the external interface 5 to perform data transmission control, and forms an image of the received image data.

The encoded image data is sent to the CPU 24.
Can also be transmitted to the computer 1 via the bi-directional Centronics interface 4. further,
The image processing unit 8 and the image memory 7 can edit and process the image data of the printer 2 to form an image.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the processing procedure of the copying operation. System control unit 3 of the image scanner 3
2 confirms that the original is set (step S
1) A command is issued to the transport unit 31 to start feeding and transporting a document (step S2). The image sensor unit 30 reads the document that has started to be conveyed (step S3), and the image data of the read document is sent to the printer 2 through the external interface 5 (step S3).
4).

The system control unit 32 confirms whether or not the image reading of the original has been completed (step S5). If not completed, the process returns to step S3 to repeat this operation. If the processing has been completed, the data reception from the scanner interface 9 of the printer 2 via the CPU 24 is completed, the image processing unit 8 performs conversion processing of the page description language and the like (step S6) and stores it in the image memory 7 ( Step S7).

It is determined whether or not a print command is sent from the computer 1 to the image data stored in the image memory 7 (step S8). If there is a print start command, the CPU 24 causes the engine 2a to form an image. Instruct (step S9). If the print start is not instructed, the data is transmitted to the computer 1 via the interface 4 (step S10). This completes the operation of the copying machine.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the processing procedure of the facsimile operation. Steps S1 to S7 are exactly the same as the above-mentioned copying operation. Step S
The image data stored in the image memory 7 in 7 is transmitted to the computer 1 via the interface 4 (step S11). The computer 1 transmits the transmitted image data by facsimile via the modem 6.

[0032]

According to the image reading apparatus of the first aspect of the present invention, the image data is transmitted / received by the modem, and the transmitting unit transmits the image data via the interface unit provided in the printer as a peripheral device of the information processing apparatus. Since the image data is transmitted to the printer and the facsimile function is realized together with the printer, the interface with the printer can be optimized by using the printer as a peripheral device. Further, for example, a user who does not have a modem in the computer can realize the facsimile function without going through the computer.

According to the image reading device of the second aspect, the image reading device, which is connected to the interface device provided in the printer as the peripheral device of the information processing device, reads the image data of the document, and the read image. Since the image storage means for storing data and the print control means for controlling the image data transmitted to the printer through the interface means are provided and the copy function is realized together with the printer, the user wants to realize the copy function. In this case, it is possible to upgrade at low cost without using a computer.

According to the image reading device of the third aspect, the image reading device is connected to the interface device provided in the printer as the peripheral device of the information processing device, and reads the image data of the document, and the read image. Since a copy function is realized together with the printer by including a transmission unit that transmits data to the image storage unit provided in the printer, the image editing function and the processing function of the printer can be used. Further, for example, the original copying function of transmitting from the printer to the computer via the bidirectional Centronics interface can be realized.

According to the image output method of the image reading apparatus of the fourth aspect, the interface unit is provided in the printer as the peripheral equipment of the information processing apparatus, the image data is received through the modem, and the received image data is stored. Since the data is transmitted to the printer via the interface unit and the facsimile function is realized together with the printer, the interface with the printer can be optimized by using it as a peripheral device of the printer. Further, for example, a user who does not have a modem in the computer can realize the facsimile function without going through the computer.

According to the image reading system of the fifth aspect, in the image reading system including the printer and the image reading device connected to the information processing device, the printer includes an interface unit connected to the image reading device. The image reading device controls the image data transmitted to the printer through the image reading means for reading the image data of the original, the image storage means for storing the read image data, and the interface means. A peripheral device of the printer, which includes a control unit, a modem for receiving the image data, and a transmitting unit for transmitting the received image data to the printer through the interface unit, and realizes a facsimile function and a copying function. The interface between the printer and the image reading device It is possible to achieve the optimization. For example, a user who does not have a modem in his computer can realize the facsimile function without going through the computer,
When the user wants to realize the copy function, the upgrade can be performed at low cost without using a computer.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image reading system according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a printer 2.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image scanner 3.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a copy operation.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a facsimile operation.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Computer 2 Printer 3 Image Scanner 9 Scanner Interface 13 Modem

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued Front Page (72) Inventor Masamizu Kurimoto 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Minor Kobegawa 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Yoshiyuki Ogi 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Osamu Hosoda 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. Within

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A modem, which is connected to an interface unit provided in a printer as a peripheral device of an information processing apparatus, for transmitting / receiving image data, and a transmitting unit for transmitting the image data to the printer via the interface unit. An image reading apparatus comprising a printer and a facsimile function together with the printer. 2. An image reading unit which is connected to an interface unit provided in a printer as a peripheral device of the information processing apparatus, and which reads image data of a document, and an image storage unit which stores the read image data, An image reading apparatus comprising: a print control unit for controlling image data transmitted to the printer via an interface unit, and realizing a copying function together with the printer. 3. An image reading unit, which is connected to an interface unit provided in a printer as a peripheral device of the information processing apparatus and reads image data of a document, and an image storage unit which is provided with the read image data in the printer. An image reading apparatus comprising: a transmission unit configured to transmit the image to the unit, and realizing a copying function together with the printer. 4. A printer as a peripheral device of an information processing apparatus is provided with interface means, image data is received through a modem, the received image data is transmitted to the printer through the interface means, and the printer is connected to the printer. An image output method for an image reading apparatus, which is characterized by realizing a facsimile function. 5. An image reading system including a printer and an image reading device connected to an information processing device, wherein the printer includes an interface unit connected to the image reading device, and the image reading device is an image of a document. Image reading means for reading data, image storage means for storing the read image data, print control means for controlling the image data transmitted to the printer through the interface means, and receiving the image data An image reading system comprising a modem and transmitting means for transmitting the received image data to the printer via the interface means, and realizing a facsimile function and a copying function.