JPH0983780A - Fax machine - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] In a facsimile machine that prints on standard size recording paper, if the image data is longer than the length of the recording paper, the blank area is detected and the image data is divided and printed. The image data restoration unit 4 restores the received image data, stores the restored image data in the storage unit 8, and causes the blank space detection unit 9 to detect a blank space every time one line is restored. In other words, in addition to the case where some black pixels exist in the margins and the black pixels of characters and figures often exist adjacent to each other, all of the restored one line of image data is considered. When the number of black pixels is a or less, the maximum length of consecutive black pixels is b or less, and the difference in the position of the changed pixel from the previous line is c or more, the blank is counted. The restoration line when the count number becomes equal to the predetermined value is determined as the division position.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile machine for printing a received image on a standard recording paper.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a facsimile apparatus for printing image data on a standard recording paper, when the received image data is longer than the effective recording paper length of the standard recording paper, the image data is effectively recorded on the standard recording paper. It was divided by the paper length and printed.

The above-mentioned conventional facsimile apparatus will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a conventional facsimile apparatus. In FIG. 4, as components,
1 is a telephone line, 2 is a telephone line control means, 3 is image data communication means, 4 is image data restoration means, 5 is printing means, 6
Is a control means, 7 is a recording paper length detection means, and 8 is a storage means.

With respect to the facsimile apparatus composed of the above-described constituent elements, the mutual relation and operation of the constituent elements will be described below.

First, the control means 6 causes the recording paper length detection means 7 to detect the effective recording paper length, and stores the detected effective recording paper length in the storage means 8.

Next, the control means 6 closes the telephone line 1 to the telephone line control means 2 in order to receive the image data. After the telephone line is closed, the image data communication means 3 receives the image data, and the received image data is stored in the storage means 8. When the image data communication unit 3 receives the image data, the image data restoration unit 4 restores the received image data, and the restored image data is stored in the storage unit 8.
Each time the image data restoring means 4 restores one line, the control means 6 compares the number of lines of restored unprinted image data with the effective recording paper length detected by the recording paper length detecting means 7 and prints if they are equal. The means 5 is made to print the restored image data up to the number of lines which is equal to the effective recording paper length. If unprinted restored image data remains in the storage unit 8 when all the received image data is restored, the control unit 6 causes the printing unit 5 to print the image data.

[0008]

However, in the structure of the facsimile apparatus as described above, when the received image data is longer than the effective recording paper length of the standard recording paper, the image data is effective recording paper length of the standard recording paper. Since the image data is divided by, the image data is divided and printed at a portion other than the margin portion.

The present invention has been made in view of the above conventional problems, and when the image data is longer than the effective recording paper length of the fixed-size recording paper, the image data can be divided and printed at the margin. It is an object of the present invention to provide a facsimile machine that can be used.

[0010]

In order to achieve this object, a facsimile apparatus of the present invention is provided with a margin detecting means for detecting a margin from the image data restored by the image data restoring means, and an effective recording sheet length of a fixed size recording sheet. The recording paper length detecting means for detecting the number of unprinted lines restored by the image data restoring means is equal to the effective recording paper length detected by the recording paper length detecting means. The control unit is configured to cause the printing unit to print up to the margin portion.

[0011]

With the above arrangement, when the received image data is longer than the effective recording paper length of the fixed recording paper, the image data is divided into the blank areas for printing.

[0012]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the operation thereof, and FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of division of image data in a blank portion.

In FIG. 1, 1 is a telephone line, 2 is a telephone line control means, 3 is an image data communication means, 4 is an image data restoration means, 5 is a printing means, 6 is a control means, and 7 is a recording paper length detection means. , 8 are storage means, which have the same configuration and the same function as the above-mentioned conventional example,
The description is omitted.

The feature of this embodiment is that the margin detecting means 9 detects a margin from the image data restored by the image data restoring means.
When the number of unprinted lines restored by the image data restoring unit 4 and the effective recording paper length detected by the recording paper length detecting unit 7 become equal, the margin detecting unit 9 detects up to the margin portion. It is configured to control so as to print at step 5.

The operation of the facsimile apparatus configured as described above will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, the control means 6 causes the recording paper length detection means 7 to detect the effective recording paper length, and stores the detected effective recording paper length in the storage means 8 (S1).

Next, the control means 6 closes the telephone line 1 to the telephone line control means 2 in order to receive the image data (S2). After the telephone line is closed, the image data communication unit 3 is made to receive the image data, and the received image data is stored in the storage unit 8 (S3). When the image data communication unit 3 receives the image data, the image data restoration unit 4 restores the received image data, and the restored image data is stored in the storage unit 8 (S4). Each time the image data restoration unit 4 restores one line of image data, the margin detection unit 9 is caused to detect a blank portion.

Here, although a line (margin line) that originally does not include black pixels continuously appears for d lines (for example, the number of lines for 4 mm) should be used as a margin part, but it is actually transmitted. Depending on the accuracy of reading the original on the side and the dirt on the original, some black pixels may exist in the blank area as in the m-th line in FIG. Therefore, when the total number of black pixels included in one line is a (for example, 3% of the total number of pixels in one line) or less, the blank line is defined.

However, the total number of black pixels may be small even in the character portion as in the n-th line in FIG. 3, and the character portion may be erroneously detected as a blank portion only with the above conditions. Therefore, since the black pixel of a character often exists adjacent to another black pixel, the black pixel length is b (for example,
The number of black pixels included in one line is smaller than the number of black pixels for 3 mm) or the difference in the position of the changed pixels from the previous line is smaller than c (for example, the number of pixels for 0.5 mm). Even if it is a or less, it is not a blank line.

Therefore, the margin detecting means 9 considers that some black pixels may exist in the margin and that black pixels of a character or a figure often exist adjacent to each other. Decide whether or not. That is, when some black pixels are present and black pixels of a character or a figure are adjacent to each other, the margin is not set as a blank space, and the other cases are set as blank spaces.

In the blank space detecting means 9, specifically, the total number of black pixels contained in the restored image data for one line is a or less (S5), and the maximum black pixel length (maximum of consecutive black pixels is (Length) is less than or equal to b (S6), and the difference in the position of the change pixel from the previous line is greater than or equal to c (S7), the number of blank lines is counted (S8). The number is initialized (S9). Then, the restored line when the number of blank lines becomes equal to d (S10) is stored in the storage means 8 as a division position (S11).

The control means 6 compares the number of lines of unprinted restored image data with the effective recording paper length detected by the recording paper length detecting means 7 (S12), and if they are equal, the division position is stored. (S13), the printing unit 5 is caused to print the restored image data up to the division position (S14), and if the division position is not detected (S13), the restored image up to the number of lines equal to the effective recording paper length. The data is printed (S15).

Then, when all the received image data are restored (S16), and the unprinted restored image data remains in the storage unit 8 (S17), the control unit 6 stores the image data in the printing unit 5. Printing is performed (S18).

[0025]

As is apparent from the above description of the embodiments, the present invention comprises telephone line control means for closing the telephone line,
Image data communication means for receiving image data sent through a telephone line, image data restoration means for restoring image data received by the image data communication means, and image data restored by the image data restoration means A printing unit, a margin detection unit for detecting a margin from the image data restored by the image data restoration unit, a recording sheet length detection unit for detecting an effective recording sheet length of a standard recording sheet, and the image data restoration unit restored When the number of unprinted lines and the effective recording paper length detected by the recording paper length detection means become equal, the control means for causing the printing means to print up to the margin part detected by the margin detection means When the length is longer than the effective recording paper length of the fixed-size recording paper, it can be divided and printed at the margin portion of the image data, and its practical effect is great.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the facsimile apparatus.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of division of image data in a margin portion by the facsimile device.

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

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Telephone Line 2 Telephone Line Control Means 3 Image Data Communication Means 4 Image Data Restoration Means 5 Printing Means 6 Control Means 7 Recording Paper Length Detecting Means 8 Storage Means 9 Margin Detecting Means

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. Telephone line control means for closing a telephone line,
Image data communication means for receiving image data sent through a telephone line, image data restoration means for restoring image data received by the image data communication means, and image data restored by the image data restoration means A printing unit, a margin detection unit for detecting a margin from the image data restored by the image data restoration unit, a recording sheet length detection unit for detecting an effective recording sheet length of a standard recording sheet, and the image data restoration unit restored And a control means for causing the printing means to print up to the margin portion detected by the margin detection means when the number of unprinted lines and the effective recording paper length detected by the recording paper length detection means become equal. Characteristic facsimile machine. 2. The margin detecting means has some black pixels,
2. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when a black pixel of a character or a figure is present adjacently, it is not set as a blank space, and in other cases, the blank space is detected.