JP5772319B2 - Image processing apparatus, image reading apparatus, image forming apparatus, and program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image reading apparatus, an image forming apparatus, and a program.

  In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-260688, even when the document size cannot be detected in the document mixed mode, reading of the document image is started before the document size is detected, and the read image data is assumed to be the maximum document size. A technique is disclosed that is stored in a page memory and output as image data of a document size detected after document size detection.

JP 2003-101769 A

  The object of the present invention is to read a document image compared to the case where all image data is temporarily stored in an image memory and processed even when the document image is read while the document size is unknown in the document mixture loading mode. To provide an image processing apparatus, an image reading apparatus, and a program capable of improving efficiency.

[Image processing device]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the mixed document mode for reading a plurality of documents having different document sizes is set, the document size of the document to be read by the image reading unit for reading image data from the document is set. A prediction means for predicting
First processing means for processing image data read by the image reading means based on a document size predicted by the prediction means;
Second processing means for processing based on the document size measured from the document conveyed by the document conveying means after the image data read by the image reading means is stored in the image memory;
When the document size measured from the document transported by the document transport unit matches the document size predicted by the prediction unit, the image data processed by the first processing unit is selected and does not match. In this case, the image processing apparatus includes selection means for selecting image data processed by the second processing means.

In the present invention according to claim 2, the second processing unit stores the image data read by the image reading unit in the image memory with a maximum document size that can be read by the image reading unit. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing is performed based on a document size measured from the document transported by the document transport unit .

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the image processing apparatus according to the first or second aspect, wherein the predicting unit predicts a document size of a previous page document as a predicted document size of a next page document.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the predicting unit predicts a document size of a document to be read by the image reading unit based on history information of a document size read in the past. 2. The image processing apparatus according to 2.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the image processing apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the prediction unit predicts a document size of a document to be read by the image reading unit based on the instructed processing content. It is.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the predicting unit predicts a document size of a document to be read by the image reading unit based on a reading resolution set for the image reading unit. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein switching is made.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the predicting unit predicts a document size of a document to be read by the image reading unit based on a set paper size of the paper tray. This is an image processing apparatus.

  In the present invention according to claim 8, the predicting unit predicts a document size of a document to be read by the image reading unit based on history information for each user of a document size read in the past. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1.

[Image reader]
The present invention according to claim 9 is an image reading means for reading image data from a document;
A prediction unit that predicts a document size of a document to be read by the image reading unit when a mixed document mode for reading a plurality of documents having different document sizes is set;
Measuring means for measuring the document size of the document conveyed by the document conveying means;
First processing means for processing image data read by the image reading means based on a document size predicted by the prediction means;
Second processing means for processing based on the document size measured by the measuring means after the image data read by the image reading means is stored in an image memory;
When the document size measured by the measurement unit and the document size predicted by the prediction unit match, the image data processed by the first processing unit is selected. The image reading apparatus includes selection means for selecting the image data processed by the processing means.

[Image forming equipment]
According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided image reading means for reading image data from a document,
A prediction unit that predicts a document size of a document to be read by the image reading unit when a mixed document mode for reading a plurality of documents having different document sizes is set;
Measuring means for measuring the document size of the document conveyed by the document conveying means;
First processing means for processing image data read by the image reading means based on a document size predicted by the prediction means;
Second processing means for processing based on the document size measured by the measuring means after the image data read by the image reading means is stored in an image memory;
When the document size measured by the measurement unit and the document size predicted by the prediction unit match, the image data processed by the first processing unit is selected. Selecting means for selecting image data processed by the processing means;
The image forming apparatus includes an image output unit that outputs an image on a designated sheet based on the image data selected by the selection unit.

[program]
According to the eleventh aspect of the present invention, when a document mixed loading mode for reading a plurality of documents having different document sizes is set, the document size of the document to be read by the image reading means for reading image data from the document. Predicting
A first processing step of processing image data read by the image reading unit based on an estimated document size;
Storing the image data read by the image reading means in an image memory;
Measuring the document size of the document conveyed by the document conveying means;
A second processing step of processing the image data stored in the image memory based on the measured document size;
If the measured document size matches the predicted document size, the image data processed in the first processing step is selected. If the measured document size does not match, the image processed in the second processing step is selected. A program for causing a computer to execute a step of selecting data.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, even when the original image is read while the original size is unknown in the original mixed mode, the original is compared with the case where all the image data is temporarily stored in the image memory and then processed. An image processing apparatus capable of improving the efficiency at the time of reading an image can be provided.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effect obtained by the first aspect of the present invention, the original image is read as image data without being lost, regardless of the original size of the read original image. It is possible to provide an image processing apparatus that can perform the above processing.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effect obtained by the first or second aspect of the present invention, the possibility that the prediction result is correct when documents of the same size continue. An image processing apparatus that can be made high can be provided.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effect obtained by the first or second aspect of the present invention, the prediction result is correct when the document of the same size is always read. An image processing apparatus capable of increasing the possibility of being present can be provided.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effect obtained by the first or second aspect of the invention, the prediction result is obtained when the document size to be read is the same according to the instructed processing content. It is possible to provide an image processing apparatus capable of increasing the possibility of hitting.

  According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effect obtained by the first or second aspect of the invention, when the reading resolution is lower than a predetermined value, image processing is not performed repeatedly. It is possible to provide an image processing apparatus capable of doing so.

  According to the present invention of claim 7, in addition to the effect obtained by the invention of claim 1 or 2, there is a high possibility that the prediction result is correct by the information on the paper size of the set tray. It is possible to provide an image processing apparatus capable of doing so.

  According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effect obtained by the first or second aspect of the invention, when the user always reads a document of the same size, the prediction result is obtained. It is possible to provide an image processing apparatus capable of increasing the possibility of hitting.

  According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, even when the original image is read while the original size is unknown in the original mixed mode, the original is compared with the case where all the image data is temporarily stored in the image memory and then processed. It is possible to provide an image reading apparatus capable of improving the efficiency at the time of reading an image.

  According to the tenth aspect of the present invention, even when a document image is read while the document size is unknown in the document mixture mode, the document is compared with a case where all image data is temporarily stored in the image memory and then processed. An image forming apparatus capable of improving the efficiency at the time of reading an image can be provided.

  According to the eleventh aspect of the present invention, even when a document image is read while the document size is unknown in the document mixture mode, the document is compared with a case where all image data is temporarily stored in the image memory and then processed. A program capable of improving the efficiency at the time of reading an image can be provided.

It is a figure which shows the system configuration | structure of the image processing apparatus of one Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the hardware constitutions of the image processing apparatus 10 in one Embodiment of this invention. 6 is a diagram illustrating six sensors SNS1 to SNS6 provided in the automatic document feeder 19. FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the automatic document feeder 19 when viewed from the side. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example when a mixed document including a plurality of documents having different document sizes is set in the automatic document feeder 19; FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the function structure of the image processing apparatus 10 in one Embodiment of this invention. 6 is a diagram for explaining an operation in a normal processing unit 62 and an operation in an accumulation processing unit 63. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation when reading an original image in an original mixed mode in the image forming apparatus 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a case where a document size prediction unit 61 predicts a document size of a document to be read by the image reading unit 50 based on instructed processing content (job type). FIG. It is a figure which shows the other prediction method of the original document size estimation part.

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a system configuration of an image forming system including an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an image forming apparatus 10 and a terminal device 20 connected to each other via a network 30.

  The terminal device 20 generates print data and transmits the print data generated via the network 30 to the image forming apparatus 10. The image forming apparatus 10 receives the print data transmitted from the terminal device 20 and outputs an image corresponding to the print data on a sheet. The image forming apparatus 10 is an apparatus called a so-called multi-function machine having a plurality of functions such as a print function, a scan function, a copy function, and a facsimile function.

  Next, FIG. 2 shows a hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus 10 in the image forming system of the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus 10 transmits and receives data to and from an external device or the like via a CPU 11, a memory 12, a storage device 13 such as a hard disk drive (HDD), and a network 30. A communication interface (IF) 14, a user interface (UI) device 15 including a touch panel or a liquid crystal display and a keyboard, a scanner 16, a print engine 17, and an automatic document feeder (ADF) 19 are provided. These components are connected to each other via a control bus 18.

  The CPU 11 executes predetermined processing based on a control program stored in the memory 12 or the storage device 13 and controls the operation of the image forming apparatus 10. In the present embodiment, the CPU 11 has been described as reading and executing a control program stored in the memory 12 or the storage device 13, but the program is stored in a storage medium such as a CD-ROM and stored in the CPU 11. It is also possible to provide.

  Next, the structure of the automatic document feeder 19 shown in FIG. 2 will be described with reference to FIG. The automatic document feeder 19 functions as a document conveying unit that sequentially conveys documents placed on a document tray serving as a placement unit to a predetermined document reading position in units of one page. As shown in FIG. 3, the automatic document feeder 19 is provided with a plurality of sensors SNS1 to SNS6. Sensors SNS 2 to 6 are sensors for detecting the document size of the document placed on the document tray of the automatic document feeder 19.

  The sensor SNS2 is provided for detecting only the presence or absence of a document, that is, whether or not the document is placed on a document tray, and is not involved in the actual document size determination. Sensors SNS3 and SNS4 are sensors for detecting the width of the document in the main scanning direction. The SNS 3 is provided to detect the movement of the guide 92, and the output logic changes according to the position of the guide 92. The SNS 4 is provided to detect the movement of the guide 91, and the output logic changes according to the position of the guide 91. Sensors SNS5 and SNS6 are sensors for detecting whether or not a document is placed thereon. When the document 93 is placed on the document tray, the sensors SNS5 and SNS6 are blocked according to the size of the document 93, and the SNS5 and SNS6 respectively detect whether or not the document is placed thereon.

  The sensor SNS1 is a measuring unit that measures the actual document size of the document conveyed by the automatic document feeder 19. Since this sensor SNS1 is provided on the document conveyance path and can detect the presence or absence of a document conveyed on the document conveyance path, the document size is determined from the document conveyance speed and the time taken for the document to pass. Can be reliably measured.

  FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the automatic document feeder 19 when viewed from the side. As shown in FIG. 4, in the automatic document feeder 19, when the document 93 is placed on the document tray, the output logic of the sensors SNS2 to SNS 6 changes. Therefore, it is possible to estimate the document size of the document 93 placed on the document tray by the sensors SNS2 to SNS6. Note that the sensor SNS1 cannot measure the document size simply by placing the document on the document tray, and can measure the document size only after the conveyance of the document is started. Specifically, the document size in the sub-scanning direction of the document can be accurately measured from the time when the passage of the document is detected by the sensor SNS1 and the document conveyance speed.

  As described above, since it is difficult to measure the exact document size only by placing the document on the document tray, it is assumed that the document has a standard size and is based on the detection results of the sensors SNS2 to SNS6. The document size is estimated. Then, the first document is conveyed by the automatic document feeder 19 and passes through the sensor SNS1, whereby the accurate size of the document can be measured.

  However, in the mixed document (mixed document) mode in which a plurality of documents having different document sizes are read, it is impossible for the sensors SNS2 to SNS6 to determine the document size. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, in the state where an A4 document is placed on an A3 document, it is impossible to estimate the document size of the A4 document.

  As shown in FIG. 4, an image reading unit 16 is provided at a reading position where the document is conveyed by the automatic document feeder 19.

  The image reading unit 16 includes a xenon lamp 51 that irradiates a document, reflection mirrors 52 and 53, an image forming lens 54, and a photoelectric conversion element 55 such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device). An original image conveyed by the apparatus 19 or an original image placed on the platen glass 94 is read.

  The image reading unit 16 is provided on a carriage (not shown) and is movable in the sub-scanning direction. Therefore, when reading an image of a document placed on the platen glass 94, the image reading unit 16 can read the document while moving in the sub-scanning direction. Further, when reading an image of a document placed on the document tray, the image reading unit 16 moves to the document reading position where the document is transported, thereby reading the image of the document transported from the document tray. It is configured so that it can be read sequentially.

  The image data read by the image reading unit 16 is subjected to various image processing by the image processing device 60 and output.

  Next, the functional configuration of the image forming apparatus 10 will be described. FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the image forming apparatus 10 realized by executing a control program stored in the memory 12 or the storage device 13.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the image forming apparatus 10 of the present exemplary embodiment includes an image reading device 40 and an image output unit 70. The image reading device 40 includes an image reading unit 50 and an image processing device 60.

  The image processing apparatus 60 includes a document size prediction unit 61, a normal processing unit 62, an accumulation processing unit 63, an image memory 64, and an image data selection / transfer unit 65. Although not shown in FIG. 6, the image reading unit 50 includes an automatic document feeder (ADF) 19 and an image reading unit 16.

  The document size predicting unit 61 predicts a document size of a document to be read by the image reading unit 50 when a mixed document (mixed document) mode for reading a plurality of documents having different document sizes is set. For example, the document size prediction unit 61 predicts the document size of the previous page document as the predicted document size of the next page document. Specifically, if the document size of the document of the previous page is A3, it is assumed that the document size of the next page is the same A3, and A3 is set as the predicted document size.

  The document size predicting unit 61 may predict the document size of the document to be read by the image reading unit 50 based on the history information of the document size read in the past. For example, when the most frequently read document size is A4L from the past history information, the predicted document size is set to A4L.

  The document size predicting unit 61 may predict the document size of the document to be read by the image reading unit 50 based on the instructed processing content.

  The document size predicting unit 61 switches whether to predict the document size of the document to be read by the image reading unit 50 based on the reading resolution set for the image reading unit 50. It may be.

  Further, the document size predicting unit 61 may predict the document size of the document to be read by the image reading unit 50 based on the set paper size of the paper tray.

  Further, the document size predicting unit 61 may predict the document size of the document to be read by the image reading unit 50 based on history information for each user of the document size read in the past. . Specific examples of these document size prediction methods will be described later.

  The normal processing unit 62 performs various image processing such as color / monochrome detection, erase processing, and image quality adjustment processing on the image data read by the image reading unit 50 based on the document size predicted by the document size prediction unit 61. I do.

  The accumulation processing unit 63 accumulates the image data read by the image reading unit 50 in the image memory 64 and then performs various image processing based on the document size measured from the document conveyed by the automatic document feeder 19. Do. Specifically, the accumulation processing unit 63 accumulates the image data read by the image reading unit 50 in the image memory 64 in the maximum readable document size, for example, A3 size, and then measures the data by the sensor SNS1. Various image processing is performed based on the actual document size.

  The operation in the normal processing unit 62 and the operation in the accumulation processing unit 63 will be described with reference to FIG.

  The normal processing unit 62 receives predicted document size information from the document size prediction unit 61. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7A, the normal processing unit 62 performs various types of image processing by assuming that the image data from the image reading unit 50 is the A4 size that is the predicted size. At this time, the normal processing unit 62 does not perform processing for temporarily storing the entire image data in the page memory or the like.

  On the other hand, since the document size is unknown at the time when the image reading unit 50 starts reading the document image, the accumulation processing unit 63 has a maximum readable size A3 as shown in FIG. The image data is temporarily stored in the image memory 64 with the size. When the actual document size is determined after the reading of the document image is started, image data corresponding to the actual document size is extracted from the image data stored in the image memory 64, and then various image processes are performed. In FIG. 7B, since the actual document size is A4 size, processing for extracting A4 size image data from A3 size image data is shown.

  When the actual document size measured by the sensor SNS1 matches the document size predicted by the document size prediction unit 61, the image data selection transfer unit 65 performs various image processing by the normal processing unit 62. If the image data is not matched, the image data after various image processing is performed by the storage processing unit 63 is selected and transferred to the subsequent apparatus. For example, when the designated job is copying (copying), the selected image data is transferred to the image output unit 70, and when the designated job is scanning, the selected image data is transmitted to the designated transmission destination. Forward to.

  When the instructed job is copying, the image output unit 70 outputs an image on a designated sheet based on the image data selected by the image data selection / transfer unit 65.

  Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus 10 of this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an operation when reading an original image in the original mixed mode in the image forming apparatus 10 of the present embodiment.

  When the original image is read in the original mixed mode, the original size predicting unit 61 predicts the original size of the original to be read by the image reading unit 50 (step S101). Here, a case where the document size prediction unit 61 predicts the document size of the previous page document as the predicted document size of the next page document will be described. Note that when reading the first page of the document image, there is no previous page, so the document size prediction unit 61 may set the document size set in advance as the predicted document size, or most frequently from the past reading history. A document size with a large may be used as the predicted document size.

  Then, the document is conveyed by the automatic document feeder 19 and the image reading unit 50 starts reading the image (step S102). At this time, the normal processing unit 62 performs image processing on the image data read based on the document size predicted by the document size prediction unit 61. In addition, the storage processing unit 63 stores the read image data in the image memory 64 as a document size that can be read, for example, A3 size. The operations of the normal processing unit 62 and the accumulation processing unit 63 are performed in parallel.

  As a result of the measurement by the sensor SNS1, when the document size is determined after the reading of the document image is started (step S103), the image data selection transfer unit 65 compares the estimated document size with the actually measured document size. Then, it is determined whether or not the prediction result is correct (step S104).

  When it is determined that the prediction result is correct (Yes in step S104), the image data selection transfer unit 65 selects the image data processed by the normal processing unit 62 (step S105). In this case, the image data stored in the image memory 64 and the image data processed by the storage processing unit 63 are unnecessary and are deleted.

  If it is determined that the prediction result is not correct (No in step S104), the image data selection transfer unit 65 selects the image data processed by the accumulation processing unit 63 (step S106). In this case, the image data processed by the normal processing unit 62 is unnecessary and is deleted.

  Then, the image data selection transfer unit 65 transfers the selected image data to the designated transfer destination (step S107).

  Finally, it is determined whether or not there is a document placed on the document tray. If there is a next document, the process returns to step S101. If there is no next document, the process is terminated (step S107).

  Next, various document size prediction methods in the document size prediction unit 61 will be described.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 9, the document size predicting unit 61 predicts the document size of the document to be read by the image reading unit 50 based on the instructed processing content (job type).

  In the example shown in FIG. 9, when the job type is copy (copying), the document size one page before is set as the predicted document size. For scans with a high-resolution job (for example, 400 dpi or more), the first page is predicted to be A4, the A3 size is set to the predicted size from the appearance of the A3 size, and the job type is a low-resolution scan (for example, (Less than 400 dpi), the document size is not predicted.

  When the job type is a low resolution scan, since the document size is not predicted, the image data read by the low resolution scan has a small amount of data. This is because there is not much difference between processing in step S3 and processing in the storage processing unit 63.

  As described above, the document size predicting unit 61 determines whether or not to predict the document size of the document to be read by the image reading unit 50 based on the reading resolution set for the image reading unit 50. You may make it switch.

Further, another prediction method of the document size prediction unit 61 is shown in FIG.
For example, the document size predicting unit 61 predicts the document size of the document to be read by the image reading unit 50 based on the set paper size of the paper tray. Specifically, when only the A4 size paper is set in the paper tray currently set in the image forming apparatus 10, it is determined that the document size of the read document is likely to be the A4 size. The document size predicting unit 61 sets the A4 size as the predicted document size.

  The document size predicting unit 61 predicts the document size of the document to be read by the image reading unit 50 based on history information for each user of the document size read in the past. Specifically, the document size predicting unit 61 may generate frequency information of a document image read in the past, and the document size having the highest frequency among them may be set as the predicted size. In this case, the period for generating the frequency information may be a predetermined period such as the past month, or the frequency information may be generated by increasing the weight of new data.

  Further, such history information is held for each user, the user is identified using user authentication or the like performed before using the image forming apparatus 10, and the document size prediction unit 61 generates the history information generated for each user. Based on the above, the predicted document size may be predicted.

10 Image forming apparatus 11 CPU
12 Memory 13 Storage Device 14 Communication Interface (IF)
15 User Interface (UI) Device 16 Image Reading Unit 17 Print Engine 18 Control Bus 19 Automatic Document Feeder (ADF)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 20 Terminal device 30 Network 40 Image reading device 50 Image reading part 60 Image processing device 51 Xenon lamp 52, 53 Reflection mirror 54 Imaging lens 55 Photoelectric conversion element 60 Image processing device 61 Original size prediction part 62 Normal processing part 63 Accumulation processing part 64 Image memory 65 Image data selection / transfer unit 70 Image output unit 91, 92 Guide 93 Document 94 Platen glass SNS1 to SNS6 Sensor

Claims (11)

A prediction unit that predicts a document size of a document to be read by an image reading unit for reading image data from the document when a document mixed mode for reading a plurality of documents having different document sizes is set;
First processing means for processing image data read by the image reading means based on a document size predicted by the prediction means;
Second processing means for processing based on the document size measured from the document conveyed by the document conveying means after the image data read by the image reading means is stored in the image memory;
When the document size measured from the document transported by the document transport unit matches the document size predicted by the prediction unit, the image data processed by the first processing unit is selected and does not match. A selection means for selecting the image data processed by the second processing means;
An image processing apparatus. The second processing unit accumulates the image data read by the image reading unit in the image memory with a maximum document size that can be read by the image reading unit, and then conveys the document conveyed by the document conveying unit. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing is performed based on a document size measured from the image data.   3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predicting unit predicts a document size of a previous page document as a predicted document size of a next page document.   3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predicting unit predicts a document size of a document to be read by the image reading unit based on history information of a document size read in the past.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the prediction unit predicts a document size of a document to be read by the image reading unit based on instructed processing content.   3. The prediction unit switches whether or not to predict a document size of a document to be read by the image reading unit based on a reading resolution set for the image reading unit. The image processing apparatus described.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predicting unit predicts a document size of a document to be read by the image reading unit based on a set paper size of a paper tray.   3. The image processing according to claim 1, wherein the predicting unit predicts a document size of a document to be read by the image reading unit based on history information for each user of a document size read in the past. apparatus. Image reading means for reading image data from a document;
A prediction unit that predicts a document size of a document to be read by the image reading unit when a mixed document mode for reading a plurality of documents having different document sizes is set;
Measuring means for measuring the document size of the document conveyed by the document conveying means;
First processing means for processing image data read by the image reading means based on a document size predicted by the prediction means;
Second processing means for processing based on the document size measured by the measuring means after the image data read by the image reading means is stored in an image memory;
When the document size measured by the measurement unit and the document size predicted by the prediction unit match, the image data processed by the first processing unit is selected. Selecting means for selecting image data processed by the processing means;
An image reading apparatus comprising: Image reading means for reading image data from a document;
A prediction unit that predicts a document size of a document to be read by the image reading unit when a mixed document mode for reading a plurality of documents having different document sizes is set;
Measuring means for measuring the document size of the document conveyed by the document conveying means;
First processing means for processing image data read by the image reading means based on a document size predicted by the prediction means;
Second processing means for processing based on the document size measured by the measuring means after the image data read by the image reading means is stored in an image memory;
When the document size measured by the measurement unit and the document size predicted by the prediction unit match, the image data processed by the first processing unit is selected. Selecting means for selecting image data processed by the processing means;
Image output means for outputting an image on a designated sheet based on the image data selected by the selection means;
An image forming apparatus. Predicting a document size of a document to be read by an image reading unit for reading image data from the document when a document mixed loading mode for reading a plurality of documents having different document sizes is set;
A first processing step of processing image data read by the image reading unit based on an estimated document size;
Storing the image data read by the image reading means in an image memory;
Measuring the document size of the document conveyed by the document conveying means;
A second processing step of processing the image data stored in the image memory based on the measured document size;
If the measured document size matches the predicted document size, the image data processed in the first processing step is selected. If the measured document size does not match, the image processed in the second processing step is selected. A program for causing a computer to execute the step of selecting data.

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