JP3266463B2 - Image reading device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus provided with an automatic document feeder used for a facsimile machine, a copying machine, etc., and more particularly to a case where a plurality of documents of different sizes are mixed. The present invention also relates to an image reading apparatus capable of continuously reading these originals with high quality without causing troubles such as skew.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, many facsimile machines and the like having an automatic document feeder (hereinafter referred to as ADF) have been commercialized.
DF is often equipped. Normally, a plurality of originals of the same size are placed on the ADF and are fed continuously. If such an ADF is loaded with a mixture of pages of different sizes, FIG. As shown in the figure, the document guide plate 21 is set according to the document of the maximum paper width.
When feeding a document with a narrower width, both sides of the document will not come into contact with this guide plate, causing problems such as the document being shifted in the width direction and being transported obliquely or skewed. Many. In order to solve the above-described problem, in the document feeder disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-310218, as shown in FIG. 15, at least the small-sized mounting table 22 and the large-sized It has a configuration having two steps.

[0003]

However, in the above-described conventional document feeding apparatus, it is possible to read documents of different sizes, but it is not possible to cope with a problem in which documents of different sizes are mixed in random order. Therefore, it is necessary to sort and place the originals of each size and collectively read the originals of the same size. Although the same applicant has presented an image reading apparatus that reads originals of the same series and different sizes (for example, A4 size and A3 size) in the order of pages with one ADF, the image reading apparatus has a different size (for example, A4 size). When reading a document having a mixture of sizes (B4 size and B4 size), skew may occur.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the conventional image reading apparatus, and it is possible to continuously read a plurality of originals of different series and different sizes in page order. It is another object of the present invention to provide an image reading apparatus.

[0005]

According to the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, as a first means, in an image reading apparatus provided with an automatic document feeder, a plurality of originals each having a different paper width are used. A plurality of automatic document feeders to be supplied, and a reading order setting means for setting a reading order of a plurality of documents placed on the plurality of automatic document feeding devices;
A scanner for reading images of the originals fed from the plurality of automatic original feeders in accordance with the order set by the reading order setting means. As a second means, in the above, the document length detecting means for detecting the length of each document supplied from the automatic document feeder in the transport direction, and the document length detected by the document length detecting means is at least a predetermined value. Image rotation means for rotating the read image information of the page by 90 degrees when the length is equal to or less than the length.

[0006]

With the above arrangement, the first means includes:
A plurality of originals of different series and different sizes can be placed on the automatic original supply devices of the respective sizes, and the originals can be automatically supplied in the order of the pages, so that skew does not occur. Can be read continuously in page order. In the second means, in the above, the image is rotated with respect to the different size originals, so that the number of types of the different size originals which can be supported is increased, and the functionality can be improved.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a facsimile apparatus to which the image reading apparatus according to the present invention is applied. As shown in FIG.
A scanner 1 for reading a document, a control unit 11 for managing and controlling the entire apparatus according to a built-in program, and a display for giving a message or the like to the operator from a keyboard or a facsimile apparatus by which the operator gives instructions to the facsimile apparatus. An operation display unit 12 comprising means and the like, image information read from the scanner 1, image information data compressed by an encoding / decoding unit (DCR) 18, or received compressed image information data, RAM 13 for temporarily storing expanded image information
And the received image information expanded by the DCR 18
, A network control unit (NCU) 16 for setting up a call between a remote facsimile machine via a public telephone network, and a communication control unit 17 for performing facsimile transmission and reception according to the G3 transmission procedure. And a modem 19 composed of a low-speed modem and a high-speed modem, and an image memory 20 for storing image information.

When image data is transmitted by such a facsimile apparatus, first, the scanner 1 reads image information of an original into the RAM 13 under the control of the control unit 11. The image information is compressed by the DCR 18 and stored in the RAM 13 again. In addition, a call is set up with the designated destination via the NCU 16 on the basis of the outgoing call designation information such as the destination designated via the operation display unit 12. Subsequently, after phase B is executed by the communication control unit 17 via the low-speed modem, the process proceeds to phase C, where the compressed image information data in the RAM 13 is modulated by the high-speed modem in the modem 19, and the NCU
Sent out via 16.

At the time of reception, after a call is set up by the NCU 16, predetermined communication is performed via a low-speed modem in phase B, and thereafter, the process shifts to phase C to receive compressed image information data. . The image information data is NC
U16, stored in the RAM 13 via the communication control unit 17, further decompressed by the DCR 18, and output to the plotter 15 via the RAM 13.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an image reading apparatus according to the present invention, which is applied to the above-described facsimile apparatus. As shown in the figure, the image reading apparatus of this embodiment has two ADFs 2 (2a, 2b) for supplying a plurality of originals having different paper widths.
And a reading order setting means 3 for setting the reading order of a plurality of documents placed on the ADF 2. The reading order setting means 3 includes a control unit 11 and an operation display unit.
The reading order of the document designated by the user through the operation display unit 12 is set in a predetermined area in the RAM 13. Further, the image reading apparatus of this embodiment includes a document length detecting unit 4 for detecting the length of each document supplied from the ADF 2 in the transport direction, and the page read according to the detection result of the document length detecting unit 4. 90 image information
Image rotation means (including image rotation circuit 5a)
And the other reference numerals are the same as those shown in FIG.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the external structure of the image reading apparatus of the above embodiment in which two ADFs are provided. 2 above
For example, one of the ADFs 2 (2a, 2b) is used for feeding an A-series size original, and the other is used for feeding a B-series size original. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the above two ADFs. As shown in FIG. 3, for the A-series size, the document guide plate 21 is set according to, for example, the width of the A3 size document. Is placed on the ADF 2 at right angles to the transport (feed) direction. Similarly, in the B series size, the document guide plate 21 is set according to the width of the B4 size document, and the B5 size document is placed with its longitudinal direction perpendicular to the transport direction. In this way, the originals of the same series have the same width of the original, and there is no risk of skew or skew.

In the image reading apparatus of this embodiment, when reading a document, the user first sets the reading order of the document. FIG. 4 shows an operation flow of the reading order setting, and the operation flow will be described below. First, when the user instructs the reading order registration (setting) using a menu displayed on the operation display unit 12 or a key of the operation display unit 12, the control unit 11 having acquired the instruction sets the reading order registration mode. (S1), the reading order setting means 3 is started.

The activated reading order setting means 3 displays a message requesting an instruction of the reading order on the operation display section 12, and the user instructs the reading order by using the ten keys of the operation display section 12 in response thereto ( S2). For example, assuming that each page is a document having a document size as shown in FIG. 5A, the reading order is instructed as shown in FIG. 5B. The order shown in FIG.
F2a, 2b, which indicates which original is to be read. First, the original of the first ADF 2a is read, then the first ADF 2a, the third is also read of the second ADF 2b, and thereafter, the first ADF 2a is read. ADF2a, first ADF2a,
It indicates that reading is performed in the order of the second ADF 2b and the second ADF 2b. That is, originals are placed on the first ADF 2a in the order of 1 page, 2 pages, 4 pages, and 5 pages, and 3 pages, 6 pages, and 7 pages are placed on the second ADF 2b.
Originals are placed on top of each other in the order of pages, and at the time of reading, the overlapping originals are sequentially read by the scanner 1 in accordance with the setting order of FIG. The instruction information as shown in FIG. 5B is acquired by the reading order setting means 3 and registered in a predetermined area in the RAM 13 (S3). Next, reading order setting means 3
Displays on the operation display section 12 that the reading order registration has been completed (S4), and ends.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the above embodiment at the time of reading. Hereinafter, the operation at the time of reading a document will be described with reference to FIG. First, it is determined whether or not a document is placed on the first ADF 2a and the second ADF 2b (S11, S12). If both are placed, the main document of the first document on each ADF 2 is determined. The scanning width (paper width in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction) is detected (S13). Each ADF
The main scanning width of the document placed on the document 2 is usually the width determined by the two document guide plates 21. In rare cases, for example, the longitudinal direction of the document of A4 size is conveyed to the ADF 2a for A series size. Since the original may be placed so as to coincide with the direction or an A5 size original may be placed, it is preferable, but not necessary, to determine the main scanning width as described above.

Next, the control section 11 conveys the first document of one ADF 2 to the reading position in accordance with the reading order registered in the predetermined area of the RAM 13 by the user as described above, and the document is placed in the reading position. , The image is read with the main scanning width detected sequentially from the first line (S14). The document length detecting means 4 sequentially increases the value of the sub-scanning line number counter provided in a predetermined area in the RAM 13 by one each time one line is read (S1).
Five). Further, the control unit 11 converts the read image information into, for example, 1
The image information is passed to the DCR 18 line by line, and the compressed (encoded) image information is stored in the image memory 20 (S16).

The above operation is continued until the reading of one page is completed (S17).
When the sensor (not shown) detects the trailing edge of the document, the scanner 1 notifies the controller 11 of the detection. In response to this notification, the document length detecting means 4 determines whether or not the length is longer than half of the standard size based on the value of the sub-scanning line number counter in the RAM 13 (S18). Only when it is shorter than the main scanning width, the page number of the page is stored in a predetermined area in the RAM 13 (S19). The above operation is repeated until both originals on the ADF 2 are exhausted. When the originals are exhausted (S20), whether the original length is less than half the standard size and the page number is stored in a predetermined area in the RAM 13 or not. It is determined whether or not the page number is stored (S21). If the page number is stored, the image information of the page number is sequentially read from the image memory 20, and is decoded (expanded) by the DCR 18 (S22). By the rotating means 5
Rotate 90 degrees.

The image rotating means 5 includes an image rotating circuit 5a,
The image rotation circuit 5a comprises a control unit 11 and a RAM 13. As shown in FIG. 7, the image rotation circuit 5a comprises a register matrix of, for example, 16 bits × 16 bits. As described above, the image rotation circuit 5a outputs the first four lines of the first to 32nd lines of the image information before rotation shown in FIG.
The operation of rotating the byte (32 bits) by 90 degrees as shown in FIG. 8B is performed, for example, as follows.

First, the first two bytes of image information 0A to 15A of the first line are generated by the clock WR0 (see FIG. 7).
(See FIG. 8A) Input terminals DI0 to DI15 (See FIG. 7)
Then, the first two bytes of image information 0B to 15B of the second line are written to the registers R0100 to R0115 by the clock WR1. Thereafter, the same processing is performed, and finally, the first two bytes of image information 0K to 15K of the 16th line are supplied by the clock WR15.
Write K to registers R1500 to R1515.

Subsequently, the image information rotated by 90 degrees is read from the image rotation circuit 5a. In the processing, first, 0A to 0K are read by the read signal RD0, and the read image information is stored in the address where 0A to 15A is stored as shown in FIG. Then, 1A to RD1
1K is read out, the storing process is performed similarly, and finally RD15
To read and store 15A to 15K. As described above, the first two bytes of image information on the 1st to 16th lines in FIG. 8A are rotated 90 degrees and returned to the same area (upper left in FIG. 8). Similarly, the next two bytes (for example, 16A to 31A in the case of the first line) of the 1st to 16th lines in FIG. 8A are sequentially written to the image rotation circuit 5a, and the image information rotated 90 degrees is stored in RD0 to RD0. RD15 sequentially reads out the same area (FIG. 8B).
To the upper right).

In this manner, the image information for one image is shown in FIG.
As shown in (b), the image is rotated 90 degrees and stored in the RAM 13 (S23). This image information is encoded and compressed by the DCR 18 and stored again in the area of the image memory 20 where the page was stored (S24). The transfer order at that time is indicated by a number in FIG. 8B. It is on the street. However, in this transfer order, one image information is composed of four blocks (16 × 16 ×
This is an example where 4) is assumed, and the number of blocks actually exceeds this. By changing the transfer order in this way, the storage positions of the image information in the image memory 20 can be arranged in the order of the image information on the paper. Hereinafter, all the pages to be rotated by 90 degrees are similarly subjected to 90-degree rotation processing,
finish. When the image reading device is used in a facsimile device, the image information stored in the image memory 20 is transmitted to a destination specified by the user.

In the above, the original is either one of the ADs
If it is placed only on F2 (FIG. 6, S12, S2
5) After the main scanning width is detected (S26), the originals are sequentially read in the order in which they are placed on the ADF 2, and the same processing is performed thereafter (S28).
S33 is the same as S15 to S20). In the present embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the document length detecting means 4 and the image rotating means 5 are not always necessary, and a configuration without these is also possible. However, in this case, since the image rotation process is not performed, the document cannot be placed on the ADF 2 while being rotated 90 degrees. Therefore, for example, in the case of a document composed of A3 size and A4 size, one ADF2
The ADF size is placed on the ADF2, and the ADF size is placed on the other ADF 2 with the longitudinal direction of the A4 size as the transport direction (the vertical direction of the image of the document is assumed to be the longitudinal direction).

FIG. 9 is a main block diagram showing a modified embodiment of the present invention. The image reading apparatus of the embodiment shown in this figure is provided with a scaling processing circuit 6 in addition to the embodiment of FIG. The scaling processing circuit 6 can change the image information read by the scanner 1 from, for example, B4 size to A4 size or from A3 size to A4 size. That is, in the image reading apparatus of this embodiment, prior to reading the original, the operation display unit 12 instructs the original size before scaling and the paper size after scaling according to the operation flow as shown in FIG. In this way (S41), the designated scaling condition is registered in a predetermined area of the RAM 13 (S42).

FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 are operation flowcharts at the time of reading in the above embodiment. In FIG. 11, steps S52 to S58 are the same as steps S26 to S32 shown in FIG. After S58, the control unit 11 determines from the registration information in the RAM 13 whether or not the paper size of the page is the paper size to be resized (S59). RA page number and paper size
It is stored in a predetermined area in M13 (S60). When reading of all originals is completed (S61), if both the 90-degree rotated page and the page to be resized exist (S62, S63), RA
After decrypting and expanding the image information of the 90-degree rotated page and the scaling target page stored in M13 (S64), the image information of the 90-degree rotating target page is rotated by 90 degrees (S65), and the scaling target page is rotated. The image information is resized to the designated size (S66), and the image information is encoded and compressed again and returned to the image memory 20 (S67).

In the above, if there is only a page to be scaled (S62, S68), only scaling to the designated size is executed (S70), and the process returns to the image memory 20 (S71). If there is only the page to be rotated (S62, S63), only the 90-degree rotation is performed (S73), and the page is returned to the image memory 20 (S74). Note that the operation flows of FIGS. 11 and 12 show the case where there is one ADF, but the rotation process and the scaling process of the page can be performed in the same manner when there are two ADFs. In this manner, in the above-described embodiment, for example, all pages are unified and stored in the A4 size, and even if the receiving side stores recording paper of a size other than the standard size, the standard size is stored in the memory. It is possible to transmit a document of a standard unified size (for example, A4 size). According to such a method, filing of a received document on the receiving side becomes easy.

[0026]

As described above, according to the present invention,
A plurality of originals of different series and different sizes are separately placed on the ADF, and the originals are read in that order by setting the order of the originals. Therefore, even when originals of different series are mixed, , Skew, skew, and the like can be continuously read in the page order, and a plurality of documents of different series and different sizes can be input efficiently and faithfully. Further, according to the configuration provided with the image rotating means, the types of different sizes that can be continuously read are greatly increased, and further, in a facsimile or the like, file management on the receiving side becomes easy.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a schematic external view of an image reading apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates an AD of an image reading apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
It is explanatory drawing of F part.

FIG. 4 is an operation flowchart of a main part of the image reading apparatus showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are diagrams showing an example of document reading order setting in the image reading apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is another operation flowchart of the main part of the image reading apparatus showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a main part circuit diagram of an image rotation circuit of the image reading apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 8A and 8B are diagrams illustrating an example of image rotation processing in an image reading apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a configuration block diagram of a main part of an image reading apparatus showing a modified embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is an operation flowchart of a main part of an image reading apparatus according to a modified embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is an operation flowchart of a main part of an image reading apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a continuation of the operation flow in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a configuration block diagram illustrating an example of a facsimile apparatus to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram of a main part of a conventional image reading device.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a conventional image reading apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

1. Scanner 2. Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) 3.
Reading order setting means, 4: original length detecting means, 5: image rotating means, 5a: image rotating circuit, 6: variable magnification processing circuit, 11: control unit, 21: original guide plate.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04N 1/00

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An image reading apparatus having an automatic document feeder, comprising: a plurality of automatic document feeders for supplying originals of different paper widths; and a plurality of automatic document feeders mounted on the respective automatic document feeders. A reading order setting unit for setting a reading order of the originals; and a scanner for reading images of the originals fed from the plurality of automatic document feeding apparatuses in accordance with the order set by the reading order setting unit. An image reading device characterized by the above-mentioned. 2. An image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said document length detecting means detects a length of each of the documents supplied from said automatic document feeding apparatus in a conveying direction, and said document length detecting means detects the length. When the read original length is at least equal to or less than the predetermined length, the read image information of the page is read.
An image reading device comprising: image rotating means for rotating by 90 degrees.