Digital copier

A digital copier is provided with mechanism for reading images of both sides of an original, and mechanism for storing image data read by the reading mechanism in an area of an image memory in order, and when a predetermined signal is applied thereto, for storing image data in the next area by one area. The predetermined signal may be generated when a skip key is depressed. Therefore, since it is not necessary to read images which needs not to be recorded, the appearance of the recorded images on a record sheet is improved and the processing time is shortened. The digital copier may be also provided with mechanism for storing blank data in remaining areas in the image memory when a predetermined signal is applied thereto. The predetermined signal may be generated when an end key is depressed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a digital copier capable of editing image 
data of originals. 
2. Description of the Related Art 
The conventional digital copier is capable of recording front-side image 
data of originals on the left half of a record sheet and reverse-side 
image data of the originals on the right half of the sheet. Therefore, by 
means of such a digital copier a plurality of small size double-sided 
originals such as visiting cards or post cards are recorded in order on a 
single large sheet, or a plurality of ordinary size double-sided originals 
are recorded in a reduced form in a single sheet. 
The digital copier reads image data of the front and reverse sides of 
originals in the order in which they were recorded, and records the image 
data of the respective sides of the originals on recording areas of a 
record sheet in the same order as the reading. 
Therefore, in such a case that originals involves image data which need not 
copied, an operator reluctantly record the image data on a record sheet as 
they are, or has to mark the record sheet after leaving out the 
unnecessary sides of the originals, or replacing the sides with blank. In 
both cases, it takes an extra time in reading the-images of the 
unnecessary sides or the images of the blank sides of the originals, and 
in the former the record copy results in a poor appearance because of the 
unnecessary parts of the record copy. 
Further, when the number of sides of originals is smaller than the number 
of recording areas of a record sheet, the operator has to do extra work 
for the remaining recording areas. That is, the operator has to manipulate 
a copy key without setting any original or by setting a blank sheet, so 
that the remaining recording areas are stored with blank data. Therefore, 
such a wasteful job results in an increase of the processing time. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is therefore a first object of the present invention to provide a 
digital copier which does not need to read image data of unnecessary sides 
or blank sides involved in double-sided originals when recording a 
plurality of image data of the originals arranged on a record sheet, thus 
improving the appearance of the recorded images and shortening the 
processing time. 
It is a second object of the present invention to provide a digital copier 
which can simplify the operation if the number of images of originals is 
smaller than the number of recording areas in a sheet and shorten the 
processing time. 
The first object can be achieved by a digital copier comprising mechanism 
for reading images of both sides of an original, mechanism for storing 
image data read by the reading mechanism in an area of the image memory in 
order, and when a predetermined signal is applied thereto, for storing 
image data read after that by the reading mechanism in the next area by 
one area, and mechanism for recording all image data in the image memory 
on a record sheet. 
The storing mechanism includes mechanism for skipping areas in the image 
memory according to the number of the predetermined signals applied, 
therefore the areas skipped are stored with blank data. 
Preferably the predetermined signal is generated when a skip key is 
depressed. 
In operation, the image reading mechanism reads images of both sides of an 
original and the images read are stored in order in areas in the image 
memory after preprocessing such as signal analog-to-digital conversion. 
When a predetermined signal is applied to a CPU controlling the reading 
mechanism and the storing mechanism, the next area in the image memory is 
skipped over and image data read after that is stored in the next area 
beyond the area skipped. Then all image data in the image memory are 
recorded on a record sheet in such a manner that the images of front-sides 
of the originals are recorded in a left-side frame of the sheet and the 
images of reverse-sides of the originals, for example. 
Therefore, the appearance of the recorded images on a record sheet is 
improved and the processing time is shortened. 
The second object can be achieved by a digital copier comprising mechanism 
for reading images of both sides of an original, mechanism for storing 
image data read by the reading mechanism in an area of an image memory in 
order, and when a predetermined signal is applied thereto, for storing 
blank data in remaining areas in the image memory, and mechanism for 
recording all image data in the image memory on a record sheet. 
Preferably the predetermined signal is generated when an end key is 
depressed. 
In operation, the image reading mechanism reads images of both sides of 
originals. When the predetermined signal is applied to the storing 
mechanism, all the remaining areas in the image memory are stored with 
blank data. Then all image data in the image memory are recorded on a 
record sheet in such a manner that the images of front-sides of the 
originals are recorded in a left-side frame of the sheet and the images of 
reverse-sides of the originals, for example. 
Therefore, the processing time is shortened. 
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent 
from the following description of the preferred embodiment of the 
invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
The preferred embodiments of the digital copier according to the present 
invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of an image reading section of a digital 
copier according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows a timing chart 
of main signals at the image reading section in FIG. 1. 
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the electrical system of an embodiment of 
the digital copier. 
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the construction and the operation of the image 
reading section 100 will be described. A standard-size post card (referred 
to as a post card for simplicity's sake) or visiting card is brought from 
right to left along the direction of the arrow a into a manual insert port 
10 as shown in FIG. 1. There are provided with a visiting card sensor 11 
and a post card sensor 12 for detecting a post card or a visiting card 
inside the manual insert port 10. On the downstream side of the visiting 
card sensor 11 and the post card sensor 12, there arranged a sheet feed 
roller 13, a clutch 14 for the feed roller 13, a transfer roller 15 and a 
movable guide 16, a support drum 17 and a support guide 18 for supporting 
an original when it is scanned and an image of the underside of the 
original is read at a reading point P, a transfer roller 19 and a movable 
guide 20, a discharge guide 21, and a tray 22 for discharged visiting 
cards and post cards. 
The movable guides 16 and 20 are rotated in the arrow directions shown in 
FIG. 2 by-solenoids 23 and 24, respectively, and the discharge guide 21 
are rotated in the arrow direction shown in FIG. 1 by a solenoid 25. Under 
the support glass 18, there is arranged an image reading sensor (not 
shown), made of CCDs, for example. 
When a visiting card/post card reading mode is set by means of an operation 
unit (not shown), a main motor (not shown) starts running, so that the 
transfer rollers 15 and 19, and the original support drum 17 start 
rotating. 
The discharge guide 21 is driven by a solenoid 25 to guide a visiting card 
or a post card in the direction of the sheet tray 22. 
When a visiting card or a post card is inserted into the manual insert port 
10, the visiting card is detected by both the visiting card sensor 11 and 
the post card sensor 12, but the post card is detected only by the post 
card sensor 12. 
When the visiting card sensor 11 detects the leading end of the visiting 
card or the post card, after passage of a specified time t, the clutch 14 
is driven, so that the driving force of the main motor is transmitted to 
the sheet feed roller 13, which roller 13 starts rotating. The visiting 
card or post card, which is inserted into the manual insert port 10, is 
taken inside by the roller 13. 
When the trailing end of the visiting card or the post card is detected by 
the visiting card sensor 11 or the post card sensor 12, the solenoid 23 
his driven to cause the movable guide 16 to turn so as to press the 
visiting card or the post card against the transfer roller 15. The 
visiting card or the post card, even after its trailing end has passed the 
sheet feed roller 13, is moved towards between the original support drum 
17 and the original support glass 18 by the transfer roller 15 and the 
movable guide 16. 
As the visiting card or the post card passes the reading point P between 
the original support drum 17 and the original support glass 18, the image 
on its underside is read, and then, the solenoid 24 is driven to cause the 
movable guide 20 to turn so as to press the visiting card or the post card 
against the transfer roller 19. And, the visiting card or the post card is 
guided in the direction of the sheet tray 22 through the discharge guide 
21, and ejected out of the image reading section 100. 
When both sides of a visiting card or a post card are recorded, if the 
operator inserts this visiting card or post card into the manual insert 
port 10 upside down, the visiting card or the post card is fed in the same 
manner as described, and the image on its reverse side is read. Above this 
feeding mechanism including the devices 10 to 25, there is provided with 
another mechanism for conveying an original sheet of B5 or A4 size with 
turning over the sheet, and reading images on both two sides of the 
original are scanned and read at the reading point P, but detailed 
description of it is omitted. 
With reference to FIG. 3, description will be made of the detailed 
construction of the electrical system of the digital copier according to 
the above-mentioned embodiment. 
Images on an original, which are read and converted to analog signals by 
the image reading sensor made of CCDs at the reading point P, are 
converted from analog signals to digital signals by an A-D converter 30, 
and all image data of the sides of each original or all image data of 
recording areas of each sheet are stored in a memory 31. 
In order to arrange a plurality of image data of small size double-sided 
originals such as visiting cards and post cards on a large record sheet or 
arranging a plurality of image data of ordinary size double-sided 
originals in a reduced form on a record sheet, the image data stored in a 
memory 31 is subjected to a enlargement/reduction process or a 
synthesizing process by an enlargement/reduction and synthesizing unit 32, 
is stored in a memory 33, and then outputted to a printer (not shown). 
When the number of double-sided originals to be recorded on a record sheet 
is set by the operator and if the number is six, for example, data frame 
35 for recording front-side images of six originals on the left half of a 
sheet and reverse-side images on the right half of the sheet as shown in 
FIG. 4 is set in a memory 34 in advance by means of the operation unit 
(not shown) or by a program. 
A CPU (central processing unit) 36 controls the enlargement/reduction and 
synthesizing unit 32 so that it performs an enlargement/reduction process 
or a synthesizing process according to the data frame 35. 
The operation unit is provided with a skip key for skipping reading of the 
images of unnecessary sides or blank images of originals when a plurality 
of image data of double-sided originals are recorded in order on a record 
sheet, and an end key for storing blank images on the remaining recording 
areas without the operator's manipulating the copy key with setting any 
blank sheet when the number of images of originals to be stored in the 
recording areas is smaller than the number of recording areas of the 
sheet. 
The CPU 36 controls the enlargement/reduction and synthesizing unit 32 so 
that the above-mentioned synthesizing process is performed according to 
the manipulation of the skip key or the end key. 
The operation of the above-mentioned embodiment will now be described. 3@ 
When an edit mode for recording a plurality of image data of double-sided 
originals on a sheet is set, image of one side of each original is read 
sequentially by the image reading section 100 as shown in FIG. 1, and 
stored in the memory 31 in FIG. 2. 
As shown in FIG. 2, the enlargement/reduction and synthesizing unit 32 
under control of the CPU 36, enlarges or reduces the size of images of the 
respective sides of originals with reference to the size of a record sheet 
and the data frame 35 in the memory 34 so that the images of the originals 
can be accommodated in the recording areas of the sheet. 
The image data processed in the enlargement/reduction and synthesizing unit 
32 are sequentially stored in the recoding areas of the data frame 35 so 
that the front-side images can be recorded in the left-half frame of the 
sheet and the reverse-side images can be recorded in the right-half frame 
of the sheet. 
Each time the skip key is pressed, a skip key signal is applied to the CPU 
36, and image data which is read next is enlarged or reduced in size by 
the enlargement/reduction and synthesizing unit 32 so as to be 
accommodated in a recording area and stored in the memory 33 so as to be 
placed in a recording area beyond the next by skipping over one area. The 
CPU 35 counts the sum of the number of originals which have been read by 
CCDs and the number of manipulations of the skip key, and when the sum 
agrees with the number of recording areas of the data frame in the memory 
34, the CPU 35 reads all image data from the memory 33 and outputs them to 
a printer section. 
A concrete example will be described in which the reverse side (6) of the 
third original and the reverse side (10) of the fifth original are 
recorded as blanks, as shown in FIG. 5. After image data "XYZ" of the 
front side of the third original and image data "MNO" of the front side of 
the fifth original are read, respectively, if the skip key is pressed, so 
that the third recording area and the fifth recording area in the 
right-side storage frame are skipped over, respectively, and the front 
sides of the fourth and sixth originals which are read next are stored in 
the left-side storage areas of the fourth and sixth rows, respectively. 
In such a manner, unnecessary parts of image data of originals are 
eliminated and image data of front-sides are recorded on left-side 
recording areas and image data of reverse-sides are recorded on right-side 
recording areas. Therefore, since it is not necessary to read unnecessary 
parts of originals, the appearance of the recorded images on a record 
sheet is improved and the processing time is reduced. 
On the other hand, when the end key is depressed, the CPU 35 counts the sum 
of the number of originals and the number of manipulations of the skip 
key. Even if the sum does not agree with the number of data frame 35 in 
the memory 34, the CPU 36 reads all image data from the memory 33 and 
outputs the data to the printer. 
To be more specific, when the number of originals is smaller than the 
number of recording areas, it is only necessary to manipulate the end key, 
which makes it unnecessary for the operator to manipulate the copy key 
with no original set or with a blank sheet set as an original. Thus, the 
operation is simplified and the processing time is shortened. 
The skip key and the end key may be provided on the operation panel of the 
copier, or they may be provided at the side of the manual insert port 10 
as shown in FIG. 1. 
Many widely different embodiments of the present invention may be 
constructed without departing from the spirit and scope of the present 
invention. It should be understood that the present invention is not 
limited to the specific embodiments described in the specification, except 
as defined in the appended claims.