JP4098876B2 - Facsimile machine - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus capable of switching the resolution correction strength according to whether a document to be transmitted is a base document or a normal document.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In a conventional facsimile machine, in order to improve the blurring of an image due to the resolution characteristics of a lens or an image sensor, a calculation is performed from a pixel to be corrected and its neighboring pixels, and a portion that changes from white to black or from black to white is changed. An edge enhancement process is generally performed. By such correction, fine lines and dots can be read, and an image faithful to the original can be obtained.
[0003]
In the case of FAX transmission, the operator can generally select the line density. When the setting is low density, pixel thinning is performed to convert the line density of the reading element into the line density to be transmitted. At this time, in order to save the thin line, when the thinned pixel is black, processing for saving it is performed.
[0004]
Such a conventional facsimile apparatus will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a conventional facsimile apparatus. The operation panel 301 includes keys or buttons for the operator to perform various operations. The operator operates a key or button on the operation panel 301 to set a line density, a document mode, a transmission destination, etc. at the time of document transmission. The image sensor 302 reads a document and converts it into an electrical signal.
[0005]
The output signal of the image sensor 302 is corrected by the resolution correction processing unit 303 and output to the linear density conversion unit 304. The line density conversion unit 304 performs line density conversion on the input correction data in accordance with the transmission line density signal input from the operation panel 301 and also stores black pixels. The signal subjected to the line density conversion is converted into encoded data that can be output to the external line by the communication unit 305 and output from the connection terminal 306 to the external line.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional facsimile apparatus, the setting value of the resolution correction strength is fixed, and the correction strength cannot be changed depending on whether the document to be transmitted is a base document or a normal document. In other words, in the case of a document whose background is a halftone dot darker than printed characters such as an automobile inspection certificate as shown in FIG. 4 (hereinafter referred to as “background document”), the image sensor 302 reads the background. Further, when the image is further converted to a lower density and transmitted by FAX, the black storage process works. As a result, when the image data received by the recipient is output, there is a problem in that the original is darkened as a whole and the original printed characters cannot be seen.
[0007]
The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and provides a facsimile apparatus capable of transmitting an easy-to-read original even if it is a base original such as an automobile inspection certificate without darkening an image. With the goal.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention sets a document mode indicating whether a document to be transmitted is a background document or a normal document, switches the resolution correction strength according to the document mode, and reads according to the correction strength. By correcting the image data of the original document, the resolution correction strength can be weakened when transmitting the background document, and the character portion can be easily read even when the background document is transmitted. it can.
[0009]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a facsimile apparatus comprising: setting means for setting a document mode indicating whether a document to be transmitted is a background document or a normal document whose halftone dot is darker than a printed character ; A line density selection unit for selecting a line density of image data to be transmitted, and a document mode signal input from the setting unit is a value corresponding to a base document, and a transmission line density input from the line density selection unit When the signal is a value lower than the line density of the image scanner, correction intensity switching means for switching to a correction intensity with a low resolution enhancement degree, and correction for correcting the read image data of the original based on the correction intensity The structure provided with a means is taken.
[0010]
With this configuration, the resolution correction strength can be switched according to the mode of the document to be transmitted. For example, when transmitting a special document having a background such as an automobile inspection certificate, the resolution correction strength is Thus, the receiver can obtain an easy-to-read manuscript.
[0012]
Also, because that can switch the correction intensity in the resolution according to the linear density to be transmitted, in the transmission of the low low linear density than the linear density of the image scanner transmits at reduced correction intensity in the resolution be able to. Therefore, even when the base document is transmitted, the receiver can output an easy-to-read document.
[0013]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the invention of the facsimile apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the correction strength switching means stores the setting values relating to a plurality of types of resolution correction strengths in advance. The structure provided with is taken.
[0014]
With this configuration, in order to switch the correction strength, it is only necessary to read the setting value relating to the correction strength from the storage means, and therefore, the resolution correction strength can be switched with a simple circuit configuration.
[0015]
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. A facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an operation panel 301, an image sensor 302, a resolution correction processing unit 303, a line density conversion unit 304, and a communication unit 305, as in the conventional facsimile apparatus. And a connection terminal 306 to an external line.
[0016]
Furthermore, in the facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, the line density signal and the original mode signal are input from the operation panel 301 to the resolution correction processing unit 303, and the resolution correction processing unit 303 also supports this. Configured.
[0017]
The resolution correction processing unit 303 includes a resolution setting value selector 101 that switches the correction strength of resolution according to the transmission line density signal and the document mode signal input from the operation panel 301, and the resolution setting value selector. A first resolution setting value output circuit 102 that outputs a resolution setting value for a normal document to a 101; a second resolution setting value output circuit 103 that outputs a resolution setting value for a background document; And a resolution correction circuit 104 that actually corrects the resolution of the output signal of the image sensor 302 according to the output of the resolution setting value selector 101.
[0018]
Next, the operation of the facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention configured as described above will be described.
First, the operator sets a transmission document, sets a line density, a document mode, a destination, and the like on the operation panel 301 and presses a start key. Here, various settings are confirmed, and the transmission line density signal and the original mode signal are input from the operation panel 301 to the resolution correction processing unit 303. The transmission line density signal is also output to the line density conversion unit 304. The image sensor 302 sequentially reads a document line by line, converts white into “0” and black as “1”, and outputs the electrical signal to the resolution correction processing unit 303.
[0019]
The resolution correction processing unit 303 corrects the resolution of the image data input from the image sensor 302 according to the transmission line density signal and document mode signal input from the operation panel 301. That is, in the resolution correction processing unit 303, the resolution setting value selector 101 converts either the resolution setting value for the normal document or the resolution setting value for the background document into the transmission line density signal and the document mode. Select according to the signal.
[0020]
Here, when the document mode signal is a value corresponding to the background document and the transmission line density signal is lower than the line density of the image scanner, the resolution setting value selector 101 sets the resolution for the background document. Select a setting value to reduce the resolution enhancement.
[0021]
Next, the resolution correction circuit 104 performs predetermined correction processing, for example, edge enhancement processing, on the output signal of the image sensor 302 based on the output signal of the resolution setting value selector 101.
[0022]
Here, the data state before and after the resolution correction will be described with reference to FIG. When a document having a background is read by the image sensor 302 as in car verification or the like, output data as shown in FIG. 2A is obtained. When correcting the output data, if the enhancement degree of resolution is increased as in the case of an ordinary document, the background portion becomes black as shown in FIG. When data is output, characters become difficult to read. In the present embodiment, when the background document is corrected, the enhancement degree of resolution can be weakened, so that the background portion does not become black as shown in FIG. When the received data is output, the characters can be read clearly.
[0023]
Next, the linear density conversion unit 304 performs linear density conversion on the correction data output from the resolution correction processing unit 303 according to the transmission linear density signal input from the operation panel 301. Here, when the transmission line density is lower than that of the image sensor 302, pixel thinning is performed to convert the line density of the reading element into a transmission line density. At this time, in order to save the thin line, when the thinned pixel is black, a saving process is performed.
[0024]
An output signal of the line density conversion unit 304 is input to the communication unit 305, and image data is transmitted to a set destination via a connection terminal 306 to an external line.
[0025]
The receiver who has received the above image data can obtain the image data by printing it out. However, according to the facsimile apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, a special device such as an automobile inspection certificate can be obtained. When a simple original is transmitted, the resolution correction strength can be suppressed, so that the received original does not darken and the receiver can obtain an easy-to-read original.
[0026]
In this embodiment, whether or not the document is a background manuscript is set for each transmission operation from the operation panel 301, but may be set semi-fixed by system registration or the like.
[0027]
【The invention's effect】
As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, since the resolution correction strength can be switched according to the mode of the document to be transmitted, a special document having a background such as an automobile inspection certificate can be used. In the case of transmission, transmission can be performed with the resolution correction strength suppressed, and the receiver can obtain an easy-to-read original.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing data before and after resolution correction of the facsimile apparatus according to the embodiment. Block diagram showing the overall configuration of a conventional facsimile machine. [FIG. 4] A diagram showing a base document such as an automobile inspection certificate.
101 Resolution Setting Value Selector 102 First Resolution Setting Value Output Circuit 103 Second Resolution Setting Value Output Circuit 104 Resolution Correction Circuit 301 Operation Panel 302 Image Sensor 303 Resolution Correction Processing Unit 304 Line Density Conversion unit 305 Communication unit 306 Connection terminal to external line

Claims (2)

Setting means for setting the original mode indicating whether the original to be transmitted is a background original or a normal original whose halftone dot is darker than the print character, and the line density for selecting the line density of the image data to be transmitted The document mode signal input from the selection unit and the setting unit is a value corresponding to the background document, and the transmission line density signal input from the line density selection unit is lower than the line density of the image scanner. A correction intensity switching means for switching to a correction intensity with a weak resolution enhancement degree, and a correction means for correcting the read image data of the original based on the correction intensity. . 2. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the correction intensity switching means comprises storage means for preliminarily storing set values relating to a plurality of types of resolution correction intensities.

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