Image Forming Apparatus Skip Copy Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional image forming apparatuses, such as copy machines, cannot efficiently skip copying specific regions of a document in auto document feeder mode without manual shielding or lengthy data conversion processes, leading to resource waste and user inconvenience.

Innovation Solution

An image forming apparatus with a control unit that scans and prints documents while skipping designated regions, using a display unit to input and verify skip commands, and an input unit to set scan options, allowing for efficient skipping in both auto and flat bed document feeder modes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of substance

If manual shielding with white paper is used to skip copying unwanted regions, then the copying of unwanted regions is prevented, but the operation becomes complex and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveink wasteVSAvoidshielding operation

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical shielding method (physically covering regions with white paper) with an automated image processing system that uses software to identify and skip unwanted regions during scanning, eliminating the need for manual shielding operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables users to designate skip regions directly on the displayed image through simple input operations, and the system automatically processes the skipping during copying, making the apparatus serve itself in identifying and handling regions to be skipped

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Loss of substance

If scanned image data is converted through an image process device, then unwanted regions can be skipped, but several processes must be performed resulting in time consumption

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveink wasteVSAvoidcopying time

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the scanning, image processing, and copying functions into a single integrated image forming apparatus, allowing the skip copy operation to be performed in one continuous process rather than through separate sequential operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary scanning to display the document image and allows users to designate skip regions before the actual copying process begins, so that the skipping parameters are predetermined and the copying can proceed efficiently without interruption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If the entire document is scanned at high resolution, then image quality is improved, but the scanning time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvescan resolutionVSAvoidscanning time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different scanning resolutions to different regions of the document: high resolution is applied only to regions that will be copied, while skip regions are scanned at lower resolution or skipped entirely, optimizing the balance between image quality and scanning time

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS8049909B2Image forming apparatus capable of performing skip copy and image forming method using the same

Publication Date: 2011.11.01 HEWLETT PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LP

AI summary

An image forming apparatus capable of performing a skip copy and an image forming method using the same, the image forming apparatus including: an image forming unit to copy a document, and a control unit to control the image forming unit to skip a designated region of the document when the image forming unit copies the document. Accordingly, resources, such as ink, and time can be preserved.