Image Forming Apparatus Blank Page Detection Memory Allocation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses face inefficiencies in handling blank pages during two-sided document processing, leading to increased user operations and memory resource management challenges, which can cause delays and inaccuracies in copying documents.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus with a first and second reading unit, a reception unit, a storage unit, a determination unit, and a control unit that determines if the second side of a document is blank and controls memory allocation accordingly, preventing storage of blank page data to streamline processing and reduce user burden.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the image reading apparatus automatically removes blank pages, then user operations are reduced, but the blank page is skipped at the time of two-sided printing causing different product output
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of blank pages during the image reading process before final output. The determination unit detects blank pages while the reception unit is receiving image data, allowing the system to identify blank pages in advance without skipping them during two-sided printing, thus maintaining copying accuracy while reducing user operations.
2Productivity
If the image reading apparatus reads both sides of document simultaneously, then reading speed is improved, but memory resources are increased due to reserving storage area for two pages
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements partial storage by only reserving memory areas for non-blank pages. The control unit determines whether to reserve storage areas based on blank page detection results, allocating memory resources partially rather than always reserving space for both pages, thus reducing memory consumption while maintaining simultaneous reading capability.
3Reliability
If the image reading apparatus reserves memory area for both pages, then complete document storage is ensured, but processing delay occurs due to blank sheet detection on both sides
Solution Approach 1:
The determination unit performs preliminary detection of blank pages while the reception unit is receiving image data, before final storage is completed. This allows the system to identify blank pages in advance and avoid unnecessary storage operations, reducing processing delay while ensuring complete storage of only necessary document pages.
Solution Approach 2:
The system discards the storage of blank page data by controlling the reception unit not to reserve storage areas for blank pages. This eliminates wasted processing time on storing unnecessary blank page information while maintaining reliable storage of actual document content, thus reducing processing delay without compromising document completeness.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a reception unit configured to receive image data obtained by reading the document by a first reading unit or a second reading unit, a storage unit configured to store the image data received by the reception unit, a determination unit configured to, while the reception unit is receiving the image data of the document obtained by the first reading unit, determine whether the second side is a blank page from the image data of the document read by the second reading unit, and a control unit configured to, in a case where the determination unit determines that the second side is a blank page, control the reception unit not to reserve a storage area for storing the image data of the document read by the second reading unit in the storage unit.