Facsimile and static presentation processing – Facsimile – Specific signal processing circuitry
Reexamination Certificate
1998-02-13
2001-03-27
Coles, Edward (Department: 2722)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Facsimile
Specific signal processing circuitry
C358S401000, C358S404000, C358S001140, C358S001150
Reexamination Certificate
active
06208434
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a copying apparatus which reads an image from a document, converts it into print-use data, and forms the image on a recording medium in accordance with the print-use data.
2. Description of Related Art
Normally, facsimiles are provided with the finction to copy and output an image formed on a document. To copy a document image to paper, first, in the same way as at document transmission, the image is read into memory as electronic data line-by-line by a scanner. Next, in the same way as at image reception, the image data is read from the memory and recorded onto paper by a recording section. Since this method requires memory for storing only one line of data for copying, it contributes to a reduction in memory capacity.
Meanwhile, in the case of a multiple copy operation for obtaining a plurality of copies from an identical document, accumulating all of the image data for the document in memory would eliminate the need for repeated reading by the scanner because the accumulated data can be used to repeat the recordation onto paper. As a result, processing for obtaining a plurality of copies could be sped up.
However, to obtain a plurality of copies, a large memory is required because all of the image data on the document must be stored in the memory. Accordingly, when the facsimile has large quantities of data for transmission in the memory, not all of the image data of a document for copying can be stored in the memory. Consequently, the multiple copy function as described above may not be executed. In addition, it is undesirable to provide a large memory only for the purpose of obtaining a plurality of copies, since this function will increase the cost of the facsimile.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide a copying apparatus which permits execution of memory-intensive functions, such as the multiple copy function, even when there is only a small amount of available memory.
According to the copying apparatus of the invention, a conversion-type selection unit, in accordance with a memory capacity required by the copy mode specified in command input unit, classifies the copy mode into a plurality of groups. For the copy mode of groups requiring more memory, the conversion type selection unit selects a conversion type which makes the amount of the print-use data smaller.
For example, if the multiple copy mode is specified as the copy mode of groups requiring a large amount of memory, a conversion-type which makes the amount of the print-use data smaller is selected. Therefore, the multiple copy operation will never fail because of memory shortage.
Conversely, in the copy mode of groups requiring a small amount of memory, such as a single copy mode in which one copy is obtained per document sheet, a conversion type which makes the amount of the print-use data larger is selected. However, since such a copy mode uses a small amount of memory by nature and may consume no memory except buffer memory, memory shortage will not occur. Therefore, a conversion type which makes the amount of the print-use data larger can be used, so that copies with excellent image quality can be obtained.
Moreover, by providing a unit for compressing data, print-use data resulting from conversion by the image data converter can be compressed as required before being stored. In this case, the conversion-type selection unit, in accordance with a memory amount required by the copy mode specified in the command input unit, classifies the copy mode into a plurality of groups. For the copy mode of groups requiring more memory, the conversion type selection unit selects a conversion type which would provide a greater compression effect if the data is compressed.
Thus, since a conversion type which provides a greater compression effect is used for the copy mode of groups requiring more memory, the situation in which copying becomes impossible because of memory shortage is prevented.
Conversely, for the copy mode of groups requiring a smaller amount of memory, a difficult-to-compress conversion type is selected as the type of conversion into print-use data. However, such a difficult-to-compress conversion type generally produces high-quality images during recording, so that copies of high-quality images can be obtained.
Furthermore, a residual memory amount detection unit can also be provided for detecting the amount of residual memory available for storing print-use data. In this case, when a larger amount of residual memory is detected by the residual memory amount detection unit, the conversion-type selection unit can select a conversion type which makes the amount of the print-use data larger, so that copies with excellent image quality can be output by making the most efficient use of memory for each copy mode.
When a smaller amount of residual memory is detected, a conversion type which makes the amount of the print-use data smaller is selected, so that the situation in which copying becomes impossible because of memory shortage is prevented.
Likewise, by providing a residual memory amount detection unit for detecting the amount of residual memory available for storing print-use data, when a larger residual amount of memory is detected by the memory residual amount detection unit, the conversion-type selection unit may also be configured so as to select a conversion type which would provide a smaller compression effect if the data is compressed, so that the same effect as described above is obtained for each copy mode.
The existence of available memory becomes problematic in groups requiring more memory than those of the selected copy mode. When a larger amount of residual memory is detected by the residual memory amount detection unit in groups requiring more memory than those of the selected copy mode, the conversion type selection unit selects a conversion type which makes the amount of the print-use data larger.
Likewise, when a larger residual amount of memory is detected by the memory residual amount detection unit in groups requiring more memory than those of the selected copy mode, the conversion-type selection unit selects a conversion type which would provide a smaller effect for the compression of the print-use data.
The unit for inputting the copy mode which is provided in the configuration described above is not always required. That is, when a larger amount of residual memory is detected by the residual memory amount detection unit, the conversion type selection unit may also be configured so as to select a conversion type which makes the amount of the print-use data larger.
If a conversion unit such as described above is provided, when a larger residual amount of memory is detected by the residual memory amount detection unit, the conversion-type selection unit may also be configured so as to select a conversion type which would provide a smaller compression effect if the data is compressed.
In a copying apparatus having a size detection unit for detecting the size of a document, a document image is read from a range corresponding to a size detected by the size detection unit and is converted it into print-use data. A copying unit then forms an image on a recording medium using the print-use data. When a larger document size is detected by the size detection unit, the conversion-type selection unit may also be configured so as to select a conversion type which makes the amount of the print-use data smaller, so that the same effect as described above is obtained.
In this case, since the amount of memory required for storage depends on the size of the document to be read, copies with an excellent image quality can be output by making the most efficient use of memory.
Likewise, when a larger document size is detected by the size detection unit, the conversion type selection unit may also be configured so as to select a conversion type which would provide a greater data compression effect, so that the same effect as described above is obtained.
Copy modes include a single copy mode and a multi
Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Coles Edward
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
Wallerson Mark
LandOfFree
Copying apparatus in a facsimile machine does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Copying apparatus in a facsimile machine, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Copying apparatus in a facsimile machine will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2465389