JP4849211B2 - Reading condition setting method for image reading apparatus and image reading apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus and a reading condition setting method for the image reading apparatus that can share and read a series of images of a plurality of pages on a plurality of image reading apparatuses.

  For reading an image of a document or the like, image data is acquired using a scanner, printing is performed based on the image data, and image data is distributed. However, when it is necessary to read a large number of documents, if the image is read by a single scanner, it depends on the ability of the automatic document reader provided in the scanner and takes a long time to read. There is a problem that. In order to reduce such a burden, there has been proposed a system capable of converting document data at high speed by using a plurality of scanners connected to a network and distributing and reading originals with each scanner ( (See Patent Documents 1 and 2).

In an apparatus used in such a system, a personal computer and a server (hereinafter referred to as “server etc.”) are connected together with a plurality of scanners of the same type via a network, and each scanner connected to the network by these servers etc. Reading order, composition method setting, reading instruction, etc. The image data read by each scanner is transmitted to a server or the like via a network, where the image data is synthesized according to the reading order.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-191011 JP 2000-224369 A

  However, in the conventional distributed reading system described above, composition information is set only on a personal computer or a server, and this is transmitted to the scanner. Problems such as switching pages back and forth will occur. In addition, since the same type of scanner is used to perform equivalent reading, there is a problem that distributed reading cannot be efficiently performed between apparatuses having different functions and performance. If each scanner controls each scanner by determining the reading conditions of its own scanner, it will be necessary to go to each scanner and set the respective conditions, which will be cumbersome. In addition, since the setting conditions of other scanners cannot be easily grasped, images are read without the cooperation of the reading conditions with the other scanners in each scanner. This may cause a problem that the image data to be obtained cannot be obtained.

  The present invention has been made against the background of the above circumstances, and allows one image reading apparatus to set the reading conditions of another image reading apparatus so that the reading conditions can be reflected in other image reading apparatuses. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a reading condition setting method and an image reading apparatus for an image reading apparatus that simplify setting operations and make it easy to grasp the reading conditions set in each image reading apparatus and eliminate setting errors as much as possible. .

That is , among the image reading apparatuses of the present invention, the invention according to claim 1 is connected to another image reading apparatus via a network, and the original document image set on the image reading apparatus and the other image reading apparatus. An image reading device for reading
Reading means for reading a document image and generating image data;
An operation unit for setting a first reading condition related to a reading condition of a document image in the image reading apparatus and a second reading condition related to a reading condition of a document image in the other image reading apparatus;
Reading control means for controlling the reading means in accordance with the first reading condition set by the operation unit;
A communication unit configured to transmit the second reading condition set from the operation unit to the other image reading device;
The operation unit includes a display unit that displays the set first and second reading conditions in a switchable manner, and the display unit is set in common with the first and second reading conditions. The reading condition item to be set and the reading condition item set individually for each of the first and second are separately displayed on one operation screen .

According to the invention of images reader according to claim 1, wherein, the first reading condition of the image reading apparatus is set via the operation unit of one of the image reading apparatus further via the operation unit, another image The second reading condition of the reading device is set, and a part or all of the reading conditions of the plurality of image reading devices can be set by one image reading device.
The reading unit is controlled by the reading control unit according to the first reading condition set through the operation unit, and generates image data from the document image based on the control. On the other hand, the second reading condition set by the operation unit is transmitted by communication means to another image reading apparatus via a network, and is used for controlling generation of document image data in the other image reading apparatus.
The reading conditions in the image reading apparatus are not limited to specific ones because there are functional differences unique to each image reading apparatus. For example, the resolution, magnification, density, brightness, threshold value, black and white and color, , Gradation, image quality correction, reading area, and the like. Note that the second reading condition may be a reading condition that is different from a partial condition of the first reading condition, or may be different from all of the first reading conditions.
A part of the first reading condition may be reflected in a part of the setting of the image reading condition in another image reading apparatus. According to this, it is desirable that a plurality of image reading devices should be common or it is necessary to have a common reading condition. The other reading conditions reflect the second reading conditions set by one image reading apparatus.
The scanning conditions that should be made common are not limited to specific ones in the present invention, but it is desirable that the resolution, density, black and white, and color are the same so that equivalent scanning results can be obtained.

In the present invention, the type of network is not particularly limited, and a LAN, WAN, telephone line network, or the like can be selected as appropriate, and these may be connected to each other.
Further, the image reading apparatus may be an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a multifunction machine having a complex function such as a scanner, a copying machine, and a facsimile, in addition to what is provided as a scanner.

The operation means according to the present invention is not limited to a specific one as long as it can perform setting input of the first and second reading conditions, and a key input device or the like can be used. A touch panel or the like that can simultaneously display the setting contents is suitable.
Furthermore, the communication means provided in the image reading apparatus is not limited to a specific one as long as it can communicate data corresponding to the network. For example, a LAN interface, a telephone line, etc. are selected as appropriate.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the image reading apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the original set on the image reading apparatus and the another image reading apparatus is composed of a series of originals of a plurality of pages. A distributed reading mode for reading a series of original images shared with the other image reading device, and when the distributed reading mode is selected, the second reading condition is set from the communication means to the other image reading device; It is characterized by transmitting to.

According to the invention of the image reading apparatus according to claim 2, the network by a distributed reading mode has become a selectable, when the mode is selected, the second reading condition set in the image reading apparatus communication means The image is transmitted to another image reading apparatus via the image data and can be set as a reading condition by another image reading apparatus. As a result, in the distributed reading mode, it is possible to generate image data with a plurality of image reading apparatuses according to the respective reading conditions set by one image reading apparatus.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the image reading apparatus according to the second aspect , wherein the operation unit includes a mode input unit that selects the distributed reading mode.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the distributed reading mode can be selected by the mode input means. As the mode input means, an input device common to the operation unit for setting the reading conditions can be used.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the image reading device according to the second or third aspect , wherein in the distributed reading mode, the image data obtained by sharing and reading by the image reading device and the other image reading device. In this mode, the image reading apparatus receives image data read by another reading apparatus and connects the image data with the image reading apparatus .

According to the invention of the image reading apparatus according to claim 4, distributed by the reading mode, reading conditions another image reading apparatus transmission was made received condition read the image data obtained in the image reading apparatus made of Are combined with the image reading device to obtain combined data along a series of originals to be read.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the image reading device according to the fourth aspect , wherein in the distributed reading mode, the image data obtained by sharing and reading between the image reading device and the other image reading device are read. In this mode, the mode input means further sets a trailing relation of the image data at the time of the connection.

According to the invention of the image reading apparatus of the fifth aspect , the distributed reading mode can be selected by the mode input unit, and in this mode, the image data read by each image reading apparatus is connected. In the mode input means, prior to the connection of the image data, a posterior relationship when the image data obtained by reading with each image reading apparatus is connected after the distributed reading is set. In accordance with this subsequent relationship, the image data obtained by reading with each image reading apparatus is connected in a predetermined order.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the image reading device according to the fifth aspect , wherein the communication unit further transmits a trailing relationship of the image data at the time of the connection set in the mode input unit. And

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the trailing relationship of the image data at the time of connection input by the image reading device is transmitted to another image reading device via the network by the communication unit, so that the trailing relationship is established. Is surely set.

The invention of claim 7 image reading apparatus according is the invention according to claim 1, wherein the communication means, wherein a portion of the first read condition, another image with the second reading condition It is possible to transmit to a reading device.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, a reading condition that should be set in common between one image reading apparatus and another image reading apparatus can be transmitted to another image reading apparatus as a part of the reading condition. . In another image reading apparatus, image data is generated according to the second reading condition and a part of the first reading condition.

In other words , the image reading apparatus of the present invention is an image reading apparatus that is connected to another image reading apparatus via a network and reads a document image of a document set on the image reading apparatus and the other image reading apparatus. ,
Reading means for reading a document image and generating image data;
An operation unit for setting a first reading condition related to a reading condition of a document image in the image reading apparatus and a second reading condition related to a reading condition of a document image in the other image reading apparatus;
Reading control means for controlling the reading means in accordance with the first reading condition set by the operation unit;
A communication unit configured to transmit the second reading condition set from the operation unit to the other image reading device;
The operation unit includes a display unit that displays the set first and second reading conditions in a switchable manner, and the display unit is set in common with the first and second reading conditions. The reading condition item to be set and the reading condition item to be set individually for each of the first and second are separately displayed on one operation screen, so that they are set by the image reading apparatus. The second reading condition can be transmitted to another image reading apparatus connected to the network, and the reading conditions of the plurality of image reading apparatuses can be easily set by one image reading apparatus. Further, since the reading conditions of the other image reading apparatuses can be easily confirmed at the time of setting, the reading conditions can be easily linked while setting different reading conditions.

  The image reading apparatus has a distributed reading mode in which a series of original images of a plurality of pages are read in a shared manner with the other image reading apparatus, and when the distributed reading mode is selected, the communication means performs second reading. If the conditions are transmitted to the other image reading device, the reading conditions of another image reading device set by one image reading device at the time of distributed reading can be reliably reflected in another image reading device.

  Further, if the communication means further transmits the trailing relationship at the time of connection of the image data set by the image reading device, another image reading device receives this transmission and receives the wrong trailing relationship. It can be set without.

  Further, among the first reading conditions of the image reading apparatus, a plurality of images can be obtained by transmitting reading conditions to be shared with the other image reading apparatus from the communication unit to the other image reading apparatus. The reading conditions that are preferably shared by the reading apparatus are shared, and other second reading conditions are set in the operation unit together with the first reading conditions in the image reading apparatus. Reading is possible. Further, by setting a second reading condition different from the first reading condition, it is possible to set a reading condition suitable for each image reading apparatus.

The image data obtained by the distributed reading is connected by an image reading device, so that composite data along a series of originals of a plurality of pages is obtained by the image reading device, and then the data is effectively used (printed and distributed). Storage, etc.) is possible and easy.
The combined image data may be stored in one image reading device, or may be stored in a plurality of image reading devices that have performed distributed reading. When storing in a plurality of image reading devices, the image reading devices may be temporarily collected and combined into one unit, and each image reading device is configured to send only necessary data to another image reading device. Also good.

  Each of the obtained image data is set so that at least a part of the setting information such as resolution, color / monochrome, document size, and file name is different, and the image read under conditions suitable for each image reading device Data can be obtained. Also, in each image reading device, it is possible to set information such as the order of combining immediately before reading by the image reading device, so there is no problem such as not knowing which information is set, and correct setting at the time of reading is possible. It can be carried out.

(Embodiment 1)
Below, one Embodiment of this invention is described based on FIGS.
In the network scanner system, one image reading device 2 (scanner A) and another image reading device 3 (scanner B) are connected to a LAN 5 that is a network. In addition, a computer terminal 4 is connected to the LAN 5. It is connected. In this embodiment, the computer terminal 4 is not used.

Each of the image reading apparatuses 2 and 3 includes CPUs 20 and 30 for controlling the entire image reading apparatus, and further, ROMs 21 and 31 storing programs and initial setting data, temporary storage of work data and reading condition data, and the like. It has RAMs 22 and 32 serving as work areas, and HDDs 23 and 33 for storing read image data and the like.
Further, the image reading apparatuses 2 and 3 have communication means 24 and 34 constituted by a LAN interface and a program for controlling the LAN interface, and further input means 25 for inputting various settings and operation commands. 35 and display means 26 and 36 for displaying setting contents and operation states. The image reading apparatuses 2 and 3 of this embodiment have a touch panel provided with an LCD that serves as both the input means 25 and 35 and the display means 26 and 36.

The input means 25 and 35 can set a reading condition and the like, and function as an operation unit of the present invention for setting the reading condition. Further, the image reading apparatuses 2 and 3 have a distributed reading mode in which a series of originals are distributed and read by a plurality of image reading apparatuses, and image data are combined after reading. The distributed reading mode can be selected by the input means 25 and 35. Therefore, the input means 25 and 35 function as mode input means.
Further, the image reading apparatuses 2 and 3 have an optical system including a reading element such as a CCD, and reading means 27 and 37 including an automatic document reading apparatus and a data processing unit. The reading units 27 and 37 are controlled by CPUs 20 and 30 that control the entire image reading apparatus. Therefore, the CPUs 20 and 30 have a function as reading control means.

Hereinafter, the distributed reading mode in the image reading apparatuses 2 and 3 will be described with reference to FIGS. In this embodiment, the image reading device 2 is assumed to be a master and the image reading device 3 is assumed to be a slave. The relationship between the master and the slave can be changed.
In the CPU 20 and the program for operating it, a display input menu 250 is displayed on the input means 25 as shown in FIG. 2, and various settings can be made. A distributed reading mode key 251 is provided. In the figure, reference numeral 252 denotes a document reading key.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the distributed reading mode key 251 has lower display input menus 260 and 280. In the display input menu 260 immediately below the distributed reading mode key 251 , the reading conditions of the own device are set. A reading condition setting field 261 and an individual setting field 266 for setting are provided, and each setting is possible. Further, the display input menu 260 includes an own device setting selection display field 270 for indicating the setting time of the own device and an other device setting transition key 271 for shifting to the setting of the other device. The display input menu 260 includes a confirmation key 272 for confirming setting contents and returning to the display input menu 250, and a cancel key 273 for canceling setting contents and returning to the display input menu 250. .

The display input menu 280 displayed by the push button of the other machine setting shift key 271 has a reading condition setting field 281 and an individual setting field 286 for setting the reading conditions of the other image reading device 3. Each setting is possible. Further, the display input menu 280 has an other device setting selection display field 275 for indicating other device setting time and a own device setting shift key 276 for shifting to the setting of the own device. The display input menu 280 also includes a confirmation key 272 for confirming setting contents and returning to the display input menu 250, and a cancel key 273 for canceling setting contents and returning to the display input menu 250. .
In the above description, the display input menu 260 is displayed when the distributed reading mode key 251 is selected in the display input menu 250. However, the display input menu 280 may be displayed with priority. Good.

In the reading condition setting field 261, a file name that should be common in distributed reading, a resolution that can be set as a reading condition of the image reading apparatus 2, and a document size are determined. Application functions such as scaling ratio are defined. For these settings, the display menu 260 is provided with a file setting field 262, a resolution setting field 263, a document size setting field 264, and an application function setting field 265.
Also, in the individual setting field 266, in order to set the composite information on the own device side, the order information setting field 267, the page information setting field 268 for inputting the total number of pages, and the combination number setting field for inputting the combination number as the job number. 269.

On the other hand, in the reading condition setting field 281 in the display input menu 280, a file name that should be common in distributed reading, a resolution that can be set as a reading condition of the image reading device 3, and a document size are determined. Application functions such as black and white and color, and scaling ratio are defined. For these settings, the display menu 280 includes a file setting field 282, a resolution setting field 283, a document size setting field 284, and an application function setting field 285.
In the individual setting field 286, an order information setting field 287, a page information setting field 288 for inputting the total number of pages, and a combination number for inputting a combination number as a job number in order to set composite information on the image reading apparatus 3 side. A setting field 289.

Next, the procedure for executing the distributed reading mode will be described with reference to FIGS.
When the image reading apparatus 2 (scanner A in the drawing) inputs the distributed reading mode key 251 in the display input menu 250, the distributed reading mode is selected (step a1), and the selection information is transmitted to the network by the communication means 27. 5 to the image reading device 3 (scanner B in the figure). Step a1 and subsequent steps described above constitute the mode setting process of the present invention.

In the image reading apparatus 2 in which the distributed reading mode has been selected, the display input menu 260 is displayed on the display means 26 and can be input as the input means 25. Reading condition setting) can be displayed and input (step a2). In reading condition setting, predetermined reading conditions such as resolution and color can be set through the file setting field 262 , resolution setting field 263 , document size setting field 264 , and application function setting field 265 . Therefore, step a2 is the first reading condition setting step. In the image reading device 2, individual setting of the image reading device 2 is made further (step a3). In this individual setting, composite information including the trailing relationship of image data is input through the order information setting field 267, the page information setting field 268, and the combination number setting field 269.

Further, in the display input menu 260, when the other device setting transition key 271 is pressed, the display input menu 280 is displayed, and the reading conditions of the image reading device 3 (scanner B) can be set (step a4). Note that, when the reading condition setting input of the image reading device 3 is not made, the reading condition set in the first reading condition can be displayed as the reading condition of the image reading device 2 as a default. By setting a desired reading condition on the display input menu 280, a reading condition different from the first reading condition, that is, a second reading condition can be set. Therefore, step a4 is the second reading condition setting step of the present invention. Reading conditions that are not set in the second reading condition setting step can be common settings common to the image reading apparatuses 2 and 3. In the image reading device 2, the individual setting of the image reading device 3 is further made in the display input menu 280 (step a5). In this individual setting, necessary composition information is input through the order information setting field 287, page information setting field 288, and combination number setting field 289. At this time, input of the order information setting field 287 may be restricted so that there is no contradiction in the trailing relation of the image data set in the order information setting field 267, and the trailing relation is changed. In this case, the trailing relationship in the image reading device 2 may be automatically changed.
The common setting data and the second reading condition setting data described above are transmitted to the image reading device 3 via the network 5 by the communication unit 24 (step a6). The transmission timing can be started, for example, by pressing the enter key 272 in the display input menu 260 or 280. Note that the individual settings (composite information) set for the image reading apparatus 2 and the image reading apparatus 2 are stored in the image reading apparatus 2 by being stored in the HDD 23 or the like.

In the image reading device 3, for example, when the image reading device 2 receives an input of the distributed reading mode key 251, the image reading device 3 shifts to the distributed reading mode (step b1). When the distributed reading mode key is selected by the image reading device 3, the selection information may be transmitted to the image reading device 2 via the network 5 by the communication unit 34. By making these selections from one side or each other, a relationship of image reading apparatuses that perform distributed reading is established. At this time, the master image reading device and the slave image reading device are determined. For this determination, for example, the image reading apparatus that has previously shifted to the distributed reading mode may be set as a master, or may be selected by each image reading apparatus. In this embodiment, the image reading apparatus 2 for which the distributed reading mode has been selected first is the master, and the image reading apparatus 3 is the slave.

  The image reading apparatus 3 that has shifted to the distributed reading mode enters a state of waiting for reception of the reading condition setting (step b2). Then, when the common setting data and the second reading conditions set by the image reading device 2 are transmitted via the network 5, they are received by the communication means 34 and reflected as reading condition settings in the image reading device 3. (Step b3). That is, step a6 and step b3 correspond to the common reading condition reflecting step and the second reading condition reflecting step of the present invention.

In the image reading apparatus set as described above, images are read while the reading means 27 and 37 are controlled by the respective CPUs 20 and 30 (step a7, step b4).
The image reading may be started by pressing a document reading key in each image reading device. After setting the document on both image reading devices, one image reading device, for example, a master document. When the document reading key 252 is pressed on the reading device 2, the result may be transmitted to the other image reading device to start both reading operations.
When reading an image, one image reading device reads from the beginning of the document, and the other image reading device starts reading from the trailing edge of the document, thereby making full use of the two image reading devices. It is also possible to do this. In particular, the image data read from the rear end has a page number opposite to that of the data read in the forward direction.

The image data read by the image reading devices 2 and 3 as described above is subjected to normal appropriate data processing and stored in the HDDs 23 and 33. When an abnormality such as a paper jam occurs in one of the image reading apparatuses 2 and 3 during reading, the other image reading apparatus is notified of the abnormality via the respective communication means 24 and 34, and the display means 26, It is also possible to display an abnormality in 36.
Also, when an abnormality occurs in one image reading device, the distributed reading by the image reading device is stopped, and this is communicated to the other image reading device via communication means or network by releasing the distributed reading mode key. It is also possible to notify the other image reading apparatus via the communication means and the network by selecting the distributed reading mode by another image reading apparatus. The other image reading apparatus can continue the distributed reading for the new image reading apparatus in response to these notifications.

  Next, in each image reading apparatus, as shown in FIG. 6, the process proceeds to a step of connecting the image data. In the image reading device 3 set as the slave, the read image data is transmitted via the network 5 by the communication means 34 (step b10). The data is received by the communication means 24 in the image reading apparatus 2 and stored in the HDD 23 (step a10). The image reading apparatus 2 determines the trailing edge of each image data from the already set combination information for the own device and the other device (step a11), and combines the image data according to the order (steps a12a, a12b). ) And stored in the HDD 23, and the distributed reading mode is terminated.

According to the above, it is possible to reliably share reading conditions and perform a series of distributed reading of a document with a plurality of image reading apparatuses at high speed under the same reading conditions. Further, it is possible to easily specify the order in which images read by another image reading apparatus are combined.
In the above-described embodiment, it has been described that distributed reading is performed by two image reading apparatuses. However, the present invention may be performed by three or more image reading apparatuses. In the above embodiment, the scanner is used as the image reading device. However, as described above, the image reading device is not limited to the scanner in the present invention, and includes image reading devices of different types. It may be.
In the above embodiment, the second reading condition different from the first reading condition is set for a part of the reading condition. However, as the present invention, between some image reading apparatuses or all image reading apparatuses. The case where all the reading conditions are different is also included.

  As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated based on the said embodiment, this invention is not limited to the content of the said embodiment, In the range of this invention, it can change suitably.

1 is a network diagram to which image reading apparatuses according to an embodiment of the present invention are connected. FIG. Similarly, it is a figure which shows the display input menu which enables selection of distributed reading mode. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a display input menu for setting a first reading condition in the distributed reading mode in the same image reading apparatus. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a display input menu for setting a second reading condition in the distributed reading mode in the same image reading apparatus. Similarly, it is a flowchart showing a procedure of distributed reading. Similarly, it is a flowchart showing a procedure for combining image data obtained by distributed reading.

Explanation of symbols

2 Image reading device 20 CPU
24 communication means 25 input means 26 display means 37 reading means 3 image reading device 30 CPU
34 Communication means 35 Input means 36 Display means 37 Reading means 4 Computer terminal 5 Network 250 Display input menu 251 Distributed reading mode key 252 Original reading key 260 Display input menu 261 Reading condition setting field 266 Individual setting field 270 Own setting selection display field 271 Other device setting transition key 272 Confirm key 273 Cancel key 275 Other device setting selection display field 276 Own device setting transition key 280 Display input menu 281 Reading condition setting field 286 Individual setting field

Claims (7)

An image reading device connected to another image reading device via a network and reading a document image of a document set on the image reading device and the other image reading device,
Reading means for reading a document image and generating image data;
An operation unit for setting a first reading condition related to a reading condition of a document image in the image reading apparatus and a second reading condition related to a reading condition of a document image in the other image reading apparatus;
Reading control means for controlling the reading means in accordance with the first reading condition set by the operation unit;
A communication unit configured to transmit the second reading condition set from the operation unit to the other image reading device;
The operation unit includes a display unit that displays the set first and second reading conditions in a switchable manner, and the display unit is set in common with the first and second reading conditions. An image reading apparatus that displays items of reading conditions to be read and items of reading conditions to be set individually for each of the first and second, separately on a single operation screen. A document set on the image reading device and the other image reading device is composed of a series of documents of a plurality of pages, and a distributed reading mode for reading an image of the series of documents on the plurality of pages in a shared manner with the other image reading device. 2. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the distributed reading mode is selected, the second reading condition is transmitted from the communication unit to the other image reading apparatus.   The image reading apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the operation unit includes a mode input unit that selects the distributed reading mode.   The distributed reading mode is a mode in which image data obtained by sharing and reading by the image reading device and the other image reading device are connected to each other, and the image reading device is image data read by another reading device. The image reading apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the image reading apparatus is connected to image data of the image reading apparatus.   The distributed reading mode is a mode in which the image data obtained by sharing and reading by the image reading apparatus and the other image reading apparatus are connected to each other, and the mode input unit is configured to perform subsequent processing of the image data at the time of the connection. The image reading apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the destination relation is further set.   6. The image reading apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the communication unit further transmits a trailing relationship of the image data at the time of connection set in the mode input unit.   The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication unit is capable of transmitting a part of the first reading condition together with the second reading condition to another image reading apparatus. .

Images