JP3140765B2 - Copier - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a copying apparatus provided with an automatic document feeder.

More specifically, the present invention particularly relates to a copying apparatus for preventing double feeding of originals.

[Prior Art] In this type of conventionally known copying apparatus, in order to prevent double feeding of originals, it is necessary to increase the mechanical accuracy of a paper feeding section in an RDF (circulating original feeding apparatus). Have been done. Further, as a warning unit for notifying that multi-feeding of originals has occurred, for example, the number of originals is specified in advance by the operator, and when the specified number of sheets and the number of sheets fed in actual copying are different, A warning display is known.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, among the above-mentioned conventional examples, there is a drawback that the performance of the RDF is limited depending on the type of paper of the document even if the mechanical accuracy of the RDF is improved.

Also, in the method in which the number of originals is set by the operator, the act of setting the number of sheets is not only troublesome, but it is not possible to know the number of originals multi-fed by warning alone. There is a drawback that the page that has been checked and missing must be copied again.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a copying apparatus in which a user can accurately recognize a missing page in view of the above points.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the present invention relates to a copier having an automatic document feeder, a recognizing means for recognizing page information recorded on a document, Notification means for notifying a missing document page based on the page information recognized by the means, and determination means for determining whether or not a document page whose page information cannot be recognized by the recognition means exists in the document. And controlling not to perform the notification processing by the notification means when the determination means makes a positive determination.

Further, it is possible to have means for searching for the missing original page by sequentially feeding the originals by the automatic original feeder.

Further, the recognition means can be configured to recognize the page information using a number described in a predetermined place in the document.

[Embodiment] In an embodiment described in detail below, an original is read by a solid-state image sensor such as a CCD, image information is converted from analog to digital, and various image processing is performed on the digital image signal. When an image is formed by copying means such as a printer (LBP), the automatic document feeder has, for example, an RDF (circulating document feeder) and has means for recognizing page information written on the document. . Further, the digital copying machine according to the present embodiment can display the number of missing pages as a warning message. Further, when there is a missing page, the original can be fed again from the RDF to find the missing page, and the missing page can be copied. In addition, the execution of the page recognition mode is selectable, and if there is a document whose page cannot be recognized, the page recognition mode can be canceled.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the internal configuration of a digital copying machine to which the present invention is applied.

In this figure, 100 is a main body having an image reading function and an image recording function, and 200 is a recording medium (paper) when performing double-sided recording.
A pedestal with a double-sided processing function that turns the image over and a multiplex recording function that performs recording multiple times on the same recording medium,
Reference numeral 300 denotes a circulating document feeder (hereinafter abbreviated as RDF) for automatically feeding a document, reference numeral 400 denotes a paper folding device for folding a sheet at a predetermined position, and a finisher (post-processing device) having a sorting function and a stapling function. ) And these are 200-500
These devices can be freely combined and used for the main body 100.

In an RDF (circulating document feeder) 300, reference numeral 301 denotes a loading tray on which documents are set. Reference numerals 302 and 305 denote document size detection sensors, which are provided at predetermined intervals in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface of the document. The size of the document in the width direction is determined by whether both of the sensors 302 and 303 detect the document, or only one of the sensors 303 (provided that the sensor 303 is located on the far side of the paper). Can be determined by examining the Note that by increasing the number of sensors of this type, a more accurate size can be determined. The size in the length direction can be determined based on the time during which the sensor 303 (or 302) detects the document.

In addition, in this RDF300, sheet path 3
The document sent to the exposure surface through the sheet 04 is sent through the sheet pulse 305 so that the document can be stacked on the stacking tray 301 again.

Next, with reference to FIG. 3, page information to be attached to a document will be described. However, the page number recognition method is not an important point of the present invention, and mainly focuses on processing after page number recognition. In this embodiment, for the sake of simplicity, the number of pages is not recognized by the code itself but by the code information.

FIG. 3A shows a document, and page code information is added to a point at a distance x, y from the reference point A of the document. In this embodiment, in order to facilitate recognition, a place where a code is added is designated as described above, and only the information of the place is read as page information.

In the present embodiment, since the accuracy of the position where the page information (code) is added is important, it is preferable to use a fixed-format paper in which the code information can be added in advance to the designated position as the document.

(B) of FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the page information added portion, in which numerical input portions from 0 to 9 are arranged in two columns such as a first digit and a tenth digit. Then, when adding page information, the corresponding location is painted out in black. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 3B, "page 35" is indicated.

FIG. 3 (c) is an enlarged view showing a frame portion for performing numerical value recognition, and the numerical value is recognized based on whether or not the image information at the center of the frame is black. It represents that.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an image signal processing unit in the present embodiment. Reference numeral 4-1 in the figure denotes an original, which forms an original image on the CCD 4-3 by the optical lens 4-2.
The CCD 4-3 is a line sensor composed of one line. Here, the number of light receiving sections of the CCD1 line is configured by the number of readings in one direction of the document table, for example, the entire X direction.
If X direction is 30cm and 16pel is read, 30 × 160 = 4800
It is composed of at least two light receiving units.

When scanning the original, the imaging lens 4-2,
The original is read by scanning the CCD 4-3 in the y direction. This CCD4
The document information is converted into an analog electric signal by -3, and the converted density signal is output to the analog signal processing unit 4-4. The analog signal processing section 4-4 performs A / D conversion (analog / digital conversion) after performing sample & hold, dark level correction, dynamic range control, etc. for each color, and performs input image processing section 4-4. Output to 5

The input image processing unit 4-5 performs shading correction as correction of the light receiving sensitivity of each light receiving unit of the CCD 4-3, and outputs the result to an image processing unit 4-6 described later.

The image processing unit 4-6 performs page number recognition, which is the center of the present embodiment, and details will be described later. Further, after various types of image processing are performed, density information is output to the printer unit 4-7, and an image is formed on paper by an output device such as an LBP.

Reference numeral 4-8 denotes a control unit (CPU) for controlling various signal processes, and reference numeral 4-9 denotes an operation unit. Reference numeral 4-10 denotes an RDF (circulating document feeder), which communicates with the CPU 4-8.

FIG. 2 shows a block of the page information recognition unit. In the figure, reference numeral 2-1 denotes an address counter in the sub-scanning direction, which indicates a position on the document in the paper feeding direction. Where A
A sub-scanning direction synchronizing signal is applied to the input end. For example, when an LBP (laser beam printer) is used as a printer unit, a scan sensor (not shown) placed beside the photosensitive drum is used for each scan. A signal obtained by receiving a laser beam is used. By counting the number of these signals, the position in the sub-scanning direction (paper feed direction) can be detected.

Further, an enable signal of the sub-scanning address counter 2-1 is applied to the C input terminal (that is, a paper section signal in the sub-scanning direction is input). When scanning of one document is completed, the sub-scanning address counter 2-1 is configured to be cleared.

2-2 is a main scanning direction address counter. This B
A video clock (Vck), which is an image information transfer clock, is input to an input terminal, and a valid section signal of a document in the main scanning direction is input to a D input terminal. That is, the main scanning direction address counter 2-2 detects the position of the document in the main scanning direction, and the counter is cleared for each line.

Reference numeral 2-5 denotes a comparator for detecting the head position in the sub-scanning direction of the page information addition position (point B in FIG. 3 (b) and y in FIG. 3 (a)). Fig. 3 (a)
CPU 4-8 stores the address value corresponding to y in register 2-4.
, And when the point B is reached, the comparator 2-5 is enabled and the D-type flip-flop 2-6 is set. The D-type flip-flop 2-6 is configured to be cleared by the next main scanning synchronization signal and to enable only one line.

The horizontal synchronization signal HSYNC is also input as an interrupt signal to the CPU 4-8. When the scanning at the point B in FIG. 3 is completed, the address corresponding to the point C is set in the register 2-4.

The comparator 2-9 detects the main scanning address at the point B shown in FIG. 3, and the CPU 4-8 sets an amount corresponding to x in FIG. 3 in the register 2-10. When the main scanning address reaches the position of the point B, the D-type flip-flop 2-11 is set, and is cleared outside the main scanning document section.

An address decoder 2-8 decodes the length Z shown in FIG. 3 (c). Only at this Z position, it is determined whether or not it is black. If this portion is painted, the numerical value at the corresponding position is recognized.

The AND circuit 2-12 calculates the logical product of the output of the D-type flip-flop 2-11 and the output of the decoder 2-8, and this output is an interval signal for performing black determination in the main scanning direction. Since the output of the D-type flip-flop 2-6 is a section signal for performing black determination in the sub-scanning direction, the output of the AND circuit 2-13 for obtaining the logical product of the two is a black determination area signal.

The VIDEO input terminal in FIG. 2 is, for example, a binary image signal ("1" is black) if the image signal is binary, and inputs the most significant bit (MSB) if the image signal is multi-valued. If the determination area is black, the output of the AND circuit 2-14 will be "1", and if not, it will be "0".

The counter 2-15 is configured to be cleared because it serves as a rejection determination unit for each length “Z”, and counts how many pixels that are determined to be black in the determination area Z. . The counter 2-15 outputs the count value up to the moment when the counter is cleared,
The number of black dots in one numerical recognition area is output. For example, if the number of determination dots is 16, a value of about 14 is set in the slice level setting register 2-16, and
If there are 14 or more pixels of black, the area is recognized as a numerical value. This is determined by the comparator 2-17. If there are 14 or more pixels, the output becomes "1".

Reference numerals 2-20 and 2-21 denote registers for latching numerical information of the first and tenth digits, respectively, and the switching is performed by the sub-scanning address decoder 2-3. That is, when the sub-scanning direction is at the position of point B in FIG.
When "1" is input to the circuit 2-18 and the position of the point C is set, AN
"1" is input to the D circuit 2-19. That is, the address of the recognized numerical value of the first digit is latched in the register 2-20, and the address of the recognized numerical value of the 10th digit is latched in the register 2-21. The CPU 4-8 reads the contents of the registers 2-20 and 2-21 immediately before the end of the section signal, so that the number of pages can be recognized.

Next, the scanning procedure of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

First, page information is added to a document, and the document is set on the RDF (step 5-1). Next, step 5-
In step 2, select whether to execute the page recognition process,
If not, copying is performed as before (step 5-3), and the process ends. When executing, as a process after page recognition, a warning is issued if there is a missing page, or if there is a missing page, feeding is continuously performed in order from RDF again and a missing page is searched for It is selected whether to perform the processing (step 5-4).

When the warning display mode is selected, a copying operation is started (step 5-5), and copying is performed while performing page recognition. When copying is completed (step 5-7), it is determined whether a missing page is detected (step 5).
-8) If not, the process is terminated. If there is a missing page, it is determined whether there is any unrecognizable page (step 5-9). If there is no unrecognizable page, the number of missing pages is displayed on the operation unit 4-9, and the processing ends.

If the mode for searching for a missing page is selected in the type selection unit in step 5-4, copying is started (step 5).
-11), the first document is copied in step 5-12.
At the same time, the page number is recognized in step 5-13,
If a page is missing (step 5-14), the missing page is searched for while feeding paper again. If the page cannot be found even after searching for a certain period of time, the next original is fed. If found, the original is fed and the process returns to the copy processing of step 5-12.

If no page is missing in step 5-14, it is determined whether or not the document still exists (step 5-16). If there is, the process returns to step 5-12 to feed the next document.
If no original remains, the process ends.

If the page is not recognized by the page recognition unit in step 5-13, the flow advances to step 5-16 to feed the next original.

FIG. 6 shows details of the operation unit 4-9 shown in FIG. In this figure, 6-8 is a numeric keypad for selecting the number of copies, 6-9 is a copy clear stop key, 6-7 is a copy start key, 6-6 is a copy paper cassette selection key, 6
Reference numeral -5 denotes a copy density designation key, and reference numeral 6-1 denotes various mode setting keys (for example, a double-sided copy selection key).

Reference numeral 6-3 denotes a warning display mode selection key which is the center of the present embodiment. When this key is selected, when the RDF is used,
The missing page is displayed on the display unit 6-2. Also 6
Reference numeral -4 denotes a key for searching for a page missing by RDF. If neither of the above keys 6-3 and 6-4 is selected, normal copying is performed. Reference numeral 6-2 denotes a liquid crystal display unit which displays a missing page as a warning together with the copy magnification and the number of copies.

 Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of the page information recognition unit. In the first embodiment described above, page recognition is performed at the same time as copying without pre-scanning. Therefore, it is limited to simple code information rather than complicated numeric pattern recognition. If it is the last time, it is also possible for the CPU 4-8 to recognize the number itself.

However, in this case as well, there are numbers in the manuscript,
In order to distinguish the page number from other numerical information, a predetermined location (for example, x, y from the document reference point A in FIG. 7)
It is necessary to write the number of pages in a square of one side Z based on the position of (1). It should be noted that the processing procedure for specifying a number from the information read by the CPU 4-8 is not the gist of the present invention, and will not be described.

As described above, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a device for recognizing page information is provided, and a missing page can be warned and displayed according to the recognition result. By providing a sequence for searching for missing pages while performing paper, it is possible to quickly and efficiently cope with missing pages due to double feed of RDF documents.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a special effect that a user can accurately recognize a missing page.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a digital copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a page information recognizing unit in the present embodiment, FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an image processing block of this embodiment. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a process of this embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an operation section in this embodiment in detail. FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing another embodiment of the present invention. 100: Copier body, 4-10,300: RDF (circulation type document feeder), 4-9: Operation section.

Continuation of the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G03G 15/00 G03G 21/00 G03B 27/58-27/64 H04N 1/00-1/00 108

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A copying apparatus having an automatic document feeder, comprising: recognition means for recognizing page information recorded on a document; and a missing document page based on the page information recognized by the recognition means. Notifying means for notifying, and judging means for judging whether or not there is a document page whose page information cannot be recognized by the recognizing means in the document, and when the judgment means makes an affirmative judgment, A copying apparatus characterized in that the notifying process is controlled not to be performed by the notifying unit. 2. A copying apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for searching for said missing original page by sequentially feeding originals by said automatic original feeder. apparatus. 3. The copying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said recognizing means recognizes the page information by using a numeral described in a predetermined place in the document.