Image processing device and image processing method

Abstract

To provide an image processing device and an image processing method that can maintain productivity in a size-mixed loading.SOLUTION: An image processing device connectable with a double-side document reading device that can read image data on a front surface and a back surface of a document at the same time, comprises: data transmission means that can read and write the two pieces of image data for the front surface and the back surface of a double-side document read by the double-side document reading device at the same time at a certain timing; reading mode determination means for determining whether or not the double-side document reading device is in a mode of reading a document of a different size; timing determination means for, when the double-side document reading device is in the mode of reading a document of a different size, determining a reading start timing for the next document in accordance with an image size of the document currently being read by the double-side document reading device; and control means for changing address regions for the reading of the double-side document reading device, and the reading and writing to / from a storage device, and the reading and wiring timing of the storage device in accordance with the result of determination of the reading start timing for the next document.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3A

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and an image processing method.

Background Art

[0002] In an image reading apparatus for reading paper, technologies have been developed to improve productivity and reduce the cost of the apparatus by reducing the memory capacity and effectively utilizing the memory.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0003] However, in the above image reading apparatus, when reading originals of different sizes (also referred to as mixed size loading), it is necessary to reduce productivity.

[0004] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object thereof is to provide an image processing apparatus and an image processing method capable of not reducing productivity during mixed size loading.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, the present invention is an image processing apparatus connectable to a duplex document reading apparatus capable of simultaneously reading image data on the front and back surfaces of a document, the apparatus comprising: a data transfer means capable of simultaneously reading and writing, at an arbitrary timing, two pieces of the image data on the front and back surfaces of the duplex document read by the duplex document reading apparatus, to and from a storage device; a reading mode determination means for determining whether or not it is in a mode of reading documents of different sizes; a timing determination means for determining a reading start timing of the next document according to the image size of the document currently being read by the duplex document reading apparatus when the duplex document reading apparatus is in a mode of reading documents of different sizes; and a control means for changing the reading of the duplex document reading apparatus, the read and write address areas of the storage device, and the read and write timing of the storage device according to the determination result of the reading start timing of the next document.

Advantages of the Invention

[0006] According to the present invention, since the reading start timing of the next document can be switched according to the image size of the document currently being read when documents of different sizes are mixed, there is an effect that productivity can be prevented from being reduced when documents of different sizes are mixed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007]

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[0008] Hereinafter, embodiments of an image processing apparatus and a multifunction machine to which an image processing method is applicable will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0009] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a schematic hardware configuration of the multifunction machine according to the present embodiment. First, the schematic hardware configuration of the multifunction machine according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1.

[0010] The MF1 according to this embodiment includes each unit of an automatic document feeder (ADF) 230, an operation panel 90, a color scanner 210, a color printer 100, and a facsimile control unit (FCU). Note that the operation panel 90 and the color scanner 210 with the ADF 230 attached thereto are units separable from the color printer 100. In this embodiment, the MF1 is an example of an image processing apparatus capable of connecting a color scanner 210 (an example of a duplex document reading device) capable of simultaneously reading image data on the front and back surfaces of a document.

[0011] The color scanner 210 reads a document image. A PC (Personal Computer) connected to a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network) is connected to the color printer 100 via a controller CTL to perform printing of an image. The printed paper is discharged to a paper discharge stack. The FCU is connected to a PBX (Private Branch Exchange) connected to a telephone line PN (facsimile communication line).

[0012] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a mechanism for reading a document image of the color scanner and the ADF attached thereto according to this embodiment. Next, a mechanism for reading a document image of the color scanner 210 and the ADF 230 attached thereto will be described with reference to FIG. 2.

[0013] The color scanner 210 has a reading unit 211 and a contact glass 231. The reading unit 211 has an illumination lamp 232, a first mirror 233, a second mirror 234, a third mirror 235, a lens 236, a carriage motor 238, a reference white plate 239, and a reference point sensor 249. A document placed on the contact glass 231 of the color scanner 210 is illuminated by the illumination lamp 232, and the reflected light (image light) of the document is reflected by the first mirror 233 in parallel with the sub-scanning direction y. The illumination lamp 232 and the first mirror 233 are mounted on a first carriage that is driven at a constant speed in the sub-scanning direction y. The second mirror 234 and the third mirror 235 are mounted on a second carriage that is driven at half the speed in the same direction as the first carriage. The image light reflected by the first mirror 233 is reflected downward (z) by the second mirror 234 and then reflected in the sub-scanning direction y by the third mirror 235, focused by the lens 236, irradiated onto the CCD 237, and converted into a voltage signal.

[0014] The first carriage and the second carriage are driven forward (document scanning) and backward (return) in the y direction using the carriage motor 238 as a drive source. In this way, the color scanner 210 is a flatbed document scanner that scans a document on the contact glass 231 with the illumination lamp 232 and the first mirror 233 and projects the document image onto the CCD 237. However, so that sheet-through reading is also possible, there is a reading glass 240, which is a sheet-through reading window, at the reading field position of the first mirror 233 when the first carriage is stopped at the home position (standby position) HP. An automatic document feeder (ADF) 230 is mounted above this reading glass 240, and the transport drum (platen) 244 of the ADF 230 faces the reading glass 240.

[0015] The document placed on the document tray 241 of the ADF230 is fed between the pickup roller 242 and the resist roller pair 243 to the conveyance drum 244 and the pressing roller 245, adheres to the conveyance drum 244, is conveyed onto the reading glass 240, and is discharged as a discharge tray onto the base 248 that also serves as a platen and is located below the document tray 241 by the discharge rollers 246 and 247.

[0016] When the image appearing on the surface of the document passes through the reading glass 240, which is the document reading window, it is irradiated by the illumination lamp 232 moving directly below it. The reflected light from the surface of the document is irradiated onto the CCD 237 through the optical system including the first mirror 233 and is photoelectrically converted. That is, it is converted into voltage signals as reading signals for each of the RGB colors. The surface of the conveyance drum 244 is a white back plate facing the reading glass 240 and is white so as to serve as a white reference surface.

[0017] Between the reading glass 240 and the scale 251 for positioning the start end of the document, there are a reference white plate 239 and a reference point sensor 249 for detecting the first carriage. The reference white plate 239 is prepared to correct (shading correction) the phenomenon that the density varies in the read image even though a document image with a uniform density is read due to variations in the individual emission intensities of the illumination lamp 232, variations in the main scanning direction, uneven sensitivity among the pixels of the CCD 237, etc.

[0018] The base 248 of the ADF230 is hinge-connected (hinge-linked) to the base of the color scanner 210 on the back side (the back side of the paper surface in FIG. 2). By pulling up the base 248 of the ADF230 with the handle 250m on the front side (the front side of the paper surface in FIG. 2) of the base 248, the ADF230 can be lifted (opened). There is a switch on the back side of the base 248 of the ADF230 for detecting the opening and closing of the ADF230. The platen 250p of the ADF230 that faces the contact glass 231 is attached to the bottom surface of the ADF230. When the ADF230 is closed, the lower surface of the platen 250p is in close contact with the upper surface of the contact glass 231 as shown in FIG. 2.

[0019] FIG. 3A is a block diagram showing a system configuration of an example of an image reading apparatus such as a color scanner according to the present embodiment. A bus 200, an operation panel 140, an image storage memory 209, a back surface reading unit 121, and a front surface reading unit 204 are connected to an image storage / processing unit 240a.

[0020] The front surface reading unit 204 includes the above-described traveling bodies (first and second carriages), an illumination (exposure) lamp 232, a first mirror 233, a lens 236, a CCD 237, and second and third mirrors 234 and 235. A lamp control unit 205 controls the light emission of the illumination (exposure) lamp 232. A carriage control unit 206 controls the operation of the traveling bodies. By controlling the lamp control unit 205 and the carriage control unit 206, an image on the surface of the document is read by the CCD 237 and output as image data.

[0021] The front surface reading unit 204 and the back surface reading unit 121 perform reading in the sub-scanning direction at a timing (line period) according to a reading pulse supplied from a timing control unit. Note that the timing control unit can supply reading pulses having different line periods to the front surface reading unit 204 and the back surface reading unit 121, respectively.

[0022] The image storage / processing unit 240a is configured by, for example, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) and includes a memory control unit 207 and an image processing unit 208. The image processing unit 208 performs predetermined image processing on the supplied image data and outputs it as output image data of this image reading apparatus. The memory control unit 207 is connected to the image storage memory 209 and stores the image data output from the front surface reading unit 204 and the back surface reading unit 121 in the image storage memory 209, respectively. Further, the memory control unit 207 mediates with the image processing unit 208 and supplies the image data read from the image storage memory 209 to the image processing unit 208.

[0023] The conveyance control unit 230a controls the driving of a paper feed roller, guide rollers, a paper discharge roller, etc., and controls the conveyance speed of the document. Further, an operation unit 131 and a display unit 130 are connected to the operation panel 140.

[0024] Connected to the bus 200 are a CPU 220, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 221, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 222, and a communication unit 203 so as to be able to communicate with each other. The CPU 220 operates using the RAM 222 as a work memory in accordance with a control program stored in advance in the ROM 221, and controls the overall operation of this image reading apparatus (such as the color scanner 210).

[0025] For example, the CPU 220 generates a display control signal for causing the display unit 130 to display a predetermined screen in accordance with a program. This display control signal is supplied to the display unit 130 via the operation panel 140, and a predetermined screen is displayed on the display unit 130. Further, a control signal corresponding to a user operation is supplied from the operation unit 131 to the CPU 220 via the operation panel 140. The CPU 220 performs an operation corresponding to the supplied control signal in accordance with a program. Also, the CPU 220 controls the memory control unit 207, the image processing unit 208, and the conveyance control unit 230a in accordance with a program, and controls the timing control unit. By such control according to the program of the CPU 220, an image reading operation corresponding to a user operation of the image reading apparatus becomes possible.

[0026] The communication unit 203 is connectable to a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network), and controls communication via the network in accordance with the control of the CPU 220.

[0027] FIG. 3B is a diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of an image reading apparatus such as a color scanner according to the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, a CPU 220 (an example of a processor) executes a program stored in a storage unit such as a ROM 221, using a RAM 222 etc. as a work area, thereby realizing a data transfer unit 220a, a reading mode determination unit 220b, a timing determination unit 220c, a control unit 220d, etc.

[0028] The data transfer unit 220a is an example of data transfer means that controls the memory control unit 207 to read and write, at an arbitrary timing, two image data of the front and back surfaces of a double-sided document read by a color scanner 210 (a front surface reading unit 204 and a back surface reading unit 121) to / from an image storage memory 209 (an example of a storage device) simultaneously.

[0029] The reading mode determination unit 220b is an example of reading mode determination means that determines whether the color scanner 210 is in a mode of reading documents of different sizes (hereinafter also referred to as mixed size loading).

[0030] The timing determination unit 220c is an example of timing determination means that, when the color scanner 210 is in mixed size loading, determines the reading start timing of the next document according to the image size of the document currently being read by the color scanner 210.

[0031] The control unit 220d is an example of control means that controls the memory control unit 207 and changes the reading of the color scanner 210, the read / write address areas of the image storage memory 209, and the read / write timing of the image storage memory 209 according to the determination result of the reading start timing of the next document. Thereby, the reading start timing of the next document can be switched according to the image size of the document currently being read during mixed size loading, so that the productivity can be prevented from decreasing during mixed size loading.

[0032] Further, the timing determination unit 220c may determine the start timing of reading the next document using, as a criterion, whether or not the difference in the image size of the document currently being read from the memory space of the image storage memory 209 that can be used by the color scanner 210 in the image storage memory 209 is equal to or greater than the maximum image size that can be read by the color scanner 210. Thereby, overwriting of image data in an unintended memory area can be prevented.

[0033] Further, when the image storage memory 209 has a front surface data area 209a (see FIG. 4) for image data on the front surface of the document and a back surface data area 209b (see FIG. 4) for image data on the back surface of the document, the timing determination unit 220c may set the start timing of reading the next document to be when writing of all the image data to the front surface data area 209a is completed. Thereby, it becomes possible to read the next document most efficiently (i.e., quickly).

[0034] Further, the control unit 220d may control the read and write address areas of the image storage memory 209 to sequentially read and write to the memory space of the image storage memory 209 and return to the head address of the memory space when the entire memory space has been used. Thereby, the memory space can be used efficiently. Also, it becomes possible to easily control the reading and writing of image data to and from the memory space.

[0035] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram schematically showing an example of an address management method of an image storage memory in the image reading apparatus according to the present embodiment. FIG. 4 schematically shows an example of an address management method of the image storage memory 209. FIG. 4(a) shows an example of a normal mode in which the storage area of the image storage memory 209 is divided into two parts, and each of the divided storage areas is managed as an independent storage area.

[0036] In the normal mode, the control unit 220d manages the addresses such that one of the two divided storage areas of the image storage memory 209 is a surface data area 209a for storing the image data output from the surface reading unit 204, and the other storage area is a back surface data area 209b for storing the image data output from the back surface reading unit 121. On the other hand, FIG. 4(b) shows an example of the memory integration mode in which the entire storage area of the image storage memory 209 is managed as one storage area without dividing the storage area of the image storage memory 209.

[0037] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of the document reading process in the image reading apparatus according to the present embodiment. First, the reading mode determination unit 220b determines whether or not mixed sizes are loaded at the start of DF reading (step S1). If the sizes are not mixed (step S1: No), the memory control unit 207 starts normal DF reading.

[0038] If the sizes are mixed (step S1: Yes), the timing determination unit 20c determines whether or not the value obtained by subtracting the current image size being read by the color scanner 210 from the size of the memory area (the surface data area 209a or the back surface data area 209b) shown in FIG. 4 is smaller than the maximum reading size that can be read by the color scanner 210 (step S2).

[0039] At this time, if the value obtained by subtracting the current image size being read by the color scanner 210 from the size of the memory area (the surface data area 209a or the back surface data area 209b) is smaller than the maximum reading size (step S2: Yes), the control unit 220d starts reading the document in a mode that reduces productivity (step S4).

[0040] On the other hand, if the value obtained by subtracting the current image size being read by the color scanner 210 from the size of the memory area (the surface data area 209a or the back surface data area 209b) is equal to or larger than the maximum reading size (step S2: No), the control unit 220d starts reading the document in a mode that does not reduce productivity (step S3).

[0041] FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining an example of the process in step S2 of FIG. 5. In the case of mixed sizes, since the size of the original document cannot be determined unless the entire original document is read, the timing determination unit 220c needs to determine whether the maximum reading size fits within the memory area (front surface data area 209a or back surface data area 209b) of the available image storage memory 209 based on the size of the previous original document. When the maximum reading size fits within the available memory area (the case of FIG. 6(b)), the control unit 220d controls the memory control unit 207 to always write the read image data to the available memory area without being affected by the size of the next original document.

[0042] If this determination is not made, depending on the size of the next original document, a situation may occur where there is not enough available memory area as shown in FIG. 6(a), and data may be overwritten.

[0043] FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the outline of the memory access operation in the operation mode of step S3 of FIG. 5. The control unit 220d designates the write base addresses for the front surface (1) and the back surface (1) respectively, and starts writing the original document data (image data) to the front surface data area 209a or the back surface data area 209b such as a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory). Then, when a certain amount of image data is written to the DRAM, the control unit 220d starts reading the image data of the front surface (1). Also, since the read base address at the start of reading is fixed to the address at the time of writing, it is set in the register that it is a read of the front surface.

[0044] Step S3 in FIG. 5 is an operation mode that does not reduce productivity. The control unit 220d controls the memory control unit 207 to start reading the next document (for example, the surface (2)) at the timing when the writing of all the image data (for example, the image data of the surface (1)) to the surface data area 209a is completed, as shown in FIG. 7, and writes the image data (for example, the image data of the surface (2)) to the empty memory area in the surface data area 209a. At this time, before the writing of all the image data (for example, the image data of the surface (1)) to the surface data area 209a is completed, the size of the image data of the document being read (for example, the surface (1)) cannot be determined, so the reading of the next document (for example, the surface (2)) cannot be started earlier than this.

[0045] When the reading of the image data of the surface (1) is completed, the control unit 220d then starts reading the image data of the back surface (1). When the reading of the image data of the back surface (1) is completed, the control unit 220d then starts reading the image data of the surface (2) and starts writing the next surface (3) and back surface (3). Then, when the reading of the image data of the surface (2) is completed, the control unit 220d then starts reading the image data of the back surface (2).

[0046] FIG. 8 is a timing chart of memory access in the operation mode of step S3 in FIG. 5. The memory access shown in FIG. 8 is the case where all the surface documents in the figure are in the operation of step S3 in FIG. 5. The control unit 220d controls the memory control unit 207 to start reading the next document (for example, the surface document (2)) at the timing when the writing of all the image data (for example, the image data of the surface document (1)) to the surface data area 209a is completed, as in FIG. 7, and writes the image data (for example, the image data of the surface document (2)) to the empty memory area in the surface data area 209a.

[0047] FIG. 9 shows an overview of the memory access operation in the operation mode of step S4 in FIG. 5. The control unit 220d designates the write base addresses for the start of writing on the front and back surfaces respectively, and starts writing the manuscript data (image data) to the front surface data area 209a and the back surface data area 209b such as DRAM. When a certain amount of image data is written to the DRAM, the control unit 220d starts reading the image data on the front surface (1). Since the read base address at the start of reading is fixed to the address at the time of writing, it is set in the register that it is a read of the front surface. When the reading of the image data on the front surface (1) is completed, the control unit 220d starts reading the image data on the back surface (1). Similar to the reading of the front surface, since the read base address at the start of reading is fixed to the address at the time of writing, it is set in the register that it is a read of the image data on the back surface.

[0048] Step S4 in FIG. 5 is an operation mode that reduces productivity. The control unit 220d controls the memory control unit 207. As shown in FIG. 9, at the timing when the transfer of the image data of the previous manuscript (for example, the back surface (1)) from the back surface data area 209b (for example, DRAM) to the controller CTL is completed by a predetermined number of lines or more, the reading of the next manuscript (for example, the back surface (2)) is started, and the image data of the next manuscript (for example, the back surface (2)) is written into the memory area that is free in the back surface data area 209b. This is to prevent the image data of the next manuscript (for example, the back surface (2)) from being written into the back surface data area 209b before the reading of the previous manuscript (for example, the back surface (1)) if the start of reading of the next manuscript (for example, the back surface (2)) is too early. Therefore, the control unit 220d writes the next image data so as not to overlap the memory space being read during the reading of the image data on the back surface (1).

[0049] FIG. 10 is a timing chart of memory access in the operation mode of step S4 in FIG. 5. The memory access shown in FIG. 10 is the case where all of the back originals in the figure are in the operation of step S4 in FIG. 5. The control unit 220d controls the memory control unit 207, and at the timing when the transfer of the image data of the previous original (for example, the back original (1)) from the back data area 209b to the controller CTL is completed by a predetermined number of lines or more, similar to FIG. 9, the reading of the next original (for example, the back original (2)) is started, and the image data of the next original (for example, the image data of the back original (2)) is written into the empty memory area in the back data area 209b.

[0050] FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining an example of the use of the memory space in the image reading apparatus according to the present embodiment. When writing image data to the memory space (the front data area 209a or the back data area 209b) during mixed size loading, the control unit 220d can efficiently use the memory space by sequentially writing from the beginning as shown in FIG. 11. When the entire memory space has been used, the timing determination unit 220c resumes writing from the middle while returning to the start address. At this time, regardless of which address in the memory space has been used, the determination method of step S2 in FIG. 5 is always used. Here, the determination method of step S2 in FIG. 5 is to determine whether the value obtained by subtracting the current image size read by the color scanner 210 from the size of the memory area (the front data area 209a or the back data area 209b) shown in FIG. 4 is smaller than the maximum read size that can be read by the color scanner 210.

[0051] As described above, according to the MF1 according to the present embodiment, since the reading start timing of the next original can be switched according to the image size of the original currently being read during mixed size loading, the productivity can be prevented from being reduced during mixed size loading.

[0052] Note that the program executed by the image reading apparatus according to the present embodiment is provided by being pre - incorporated in a ROM 221 or the like. The program executed by the image reading apparatus according to the present embodiment may be configured to be recorded on a computer - readable recording medium such as a CD - ROM, a flexible disk (FD), a CD - R, a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk), etc. in an installable format or an executable format file and provided.

[0053] Furthermore, the program executed by the image reading apparatus according to the present embodiment may be configured to be stored on a computer connected to a network such as the Internet, and provided by being downloaded via the network. Also, the program executed by the image reading apparatus according to the present embodiment may be configured to be provided or distributed via a network such as the Internet.

[0054] The program executed by the image reading apparatus according to the present embodiment has a module configuration including the above - described respective parts (data transfer unit 220a, reading mode determination unit 220b, timing determination unit 220c, control unit 220d, etc.). As actual hardware, an example of a processor such as a CPU 220 reads the program from the above - mentioned ROM 221 and executes it, whereby the above - mentioned respective parts are loaded onto the main storage device, and the data transfer unit 220a, reading mode determination unit 220b, timing determination unit 220c, control unit 220d, etc. are generated on the main storage device.

[0055] In the above - described embodiment, an example in which the image processing apparatus of the present invention is applied to a multi - function device having at least two functions among a copying function, a printer function, a scanner function, and a facsimile function is described. However, it can be applied to any image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, a scanner device, a facsimile device, etc.

[0056] Aspects of the present invention are as follows, for example. <1> An image processing apparatus connectable to a duplex document reading apparatus capable of simultaneously reading image data on the front and back surfaces of a document. data transfer means capable of simultaneously reading and writing, at any timing, the image data of the front and back surfaces of the double-sided document read by the double-sided document reading device to and from a storage device; reading mode determination means for determining whether it is in a mode of reading documents of different sizes; timing determination means for determining the reading start timing of the next document according to the image size of the document currently being read by the double-sided document reading device when the double-sided document reading device is in a mode of reading documents of different sizes; control means for changing the reading of the double-sided document reading device, the read and write address areas of the storage device, and the read and write timing of the storage device according to the determination result of the reading start timing of the next document; An image processing apparatus comprising the above. <2> The image processing apparatus according to <1>, wherein the timing determination means determines the reading start timing of the next document using, as a criterion for determination, whether the difference in the image size of the document currently being read from the memory space available for use by the double-sided document reading device in the storage device is greater than or equal to the maximum image size readable by the double-sided document reading device. <3> The storage device has a front surface data area for the image data of the front surface of the document and a back surface data area for the image data of the back surface of the document, The image processing apparatus according to <1> or <2>, wherein the reading start timing of the next document is when writing of all the image data to the front surface data area is completed. <4> The control means controls the read and write address areas of the storage device to sequentially read and write to the memory space of the storage device, and when the end of the memory space is reached, returns to the start address of the memory space. The image processing apparatus according to any one of <1> to <3>. <5> An image processing method executed by an image processing apparatus connectable to a double-sided document reading device capable of simultaneously reading the image data of the front and back surfaces of a document, A step of being able to read and write the two pieces of image data on the front and back surfaces of the double-sided original document read by the double-sided original document reading device into the storage device at an arbitrary timing simultaneously; A step of determining whether the double-sided original document reading device is in a mode of reading original documents of different sizes; When the double-sided original document reading device is in a mode of reading original documents of different sizes, timing determination means for determining the reading start timing of the next original document according to the image size of the original document currently being read by the double-sided original document reading device; Control means for changing the reading of the double-sided original document reading device, the read and write address areas of the storage device, and the read and write timing of the storage device according to the determination result of the reading start timing of the next original document; An image processing method comprising the above.

Explanation of Signs

[0057] 1 MF 121 Back surface reading section 204 Front surface reading section 207 Memory control section 208 Image processing section 209 Image storage memory 209a Front surface data area 209b Back surface data area 210 Color scanner 220 CPU 220a Data transfer section 220b Reading mode determination section 220c Timing determination section 220d Control section 221 ROM 222 RAM 230 ADF 240a Image storage and processing section

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0058]

Patent Document 1

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus connectable to a duplex document reading apparatus capable of simultaneously reading image data on the front and back surfaces of a document, comprising: data transfer means capable of simultaneously reading and writing, at an arbitrary timing, two pieces of the image data on the front and back surfaces of a duplex document read by the duplex document reading apparatus, to and from a storage device; reading mode determination means for determining whether or not it is in a mode of reading documents of different sizes; timing determination means for determining the reading start timing of the next document according to the image size of the document currently being read by the duplex document reading apparatus when the duplex document reading apparatus is in a mode of reading documents of different sizes; control means for changing the reading of the duplex document reading apparatus, the read and write address areas of the storage device, and the read and write timing of the storage device according to the determination result of the reading start timing of the next document; An image processing apparatus comprising the above.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the timing determination means determines the reading start timing of the next document on the basis of a determination as to whether or not a difference in the image size of the document currently being read from the memory space available for use by the duplex document reading apparatus in the storage device is equal to or greater than the maximum image size readable by the duplex document reading apparatus.

3. The storage device has a front surface data area for the image data on the front surface of the document and a back surface data area for the image data on the back surface of the document, The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the reading start timing of the next document is set to be when writing of all the image data to the front surface data area is completed.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control means controls the read and write address areas of the storage device to sequentially read and write to the memory space of the storage device, and to return to the head address of the memory space when the entire memory space has been used.

5. An image processing method executed by an image processing apparatus connectable to a duplex document reading apparatus capable of simultaneously reading image data on the front and back surfaces of a document, the method comprising: a step of simultaneously reading and writing, at an arbitrary timing, two pieces of the image data on the front and back surfaces of a duplex document read by the duplex document reading apparatus, to and from a storage device; A step of determining whether the duplex document reading device is in a mode of reading documents of different sizes; When the duplex document reading device is in a mode of reading documents of different sizes, timing determination means for determining the reading start timing of the next document according to the image size of the document currently being read by the duplex document reading device; Control means for changing the reading of the duplex document reading device, the read and write address areas of the storage device, and the read and write timing of the storage device according to the determination result of the reading start timing of the next document; An image processing method comprising the above.

Images