Image forming apparatus

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising a light source (7) for illuminating an original document (2), an optical system (M1 to M5, 9) for focusing a reflect light beam from the original document (2), a photoelectric transducer section (11) for converting an optical image formed by means of the optical system (M1 to M5, 9) into an electrical signal, an A/D converter section (12) for A/D-converting an image signal photoelectrically converted by means of the photoelectric transducer section (11), an image processing section (20) for processing the image signal A/D-converted by means of the A/D converter section (12), a printing section (40, 42) for forming an image on an image forming a medium (44) on the basis of the image signal processed by means of the image processing section (20), a display section (60) and a key entry section (50), a control section (30) for controlling the individual sections (7, 11, 12, 20, 40, 42), an image memory section (29) in the image processing section (20) for temporarily storing the image signal read from the optical system (M1 to M5, 9) via the photoelectric transducer section (11), a arithmetic section (31) for numerical computation based on the data stored in the image memory section (29), a decision section (31) adapted to conclude that image forming operation should be interrupted when the variation rate E of the image signal is lower than a threshold value T read from a ROM (32) as a result of computation by means of the arithmetic section (31), and to conclude that the image forming operation should be contained when the variation rate E of the image signal is equal to or higher than the threshold value T, and section (30, 51) for interrupting the image forming operation in response to a command from the decision section (31) when there is no operator's key entry to order the interruption or execution of the image forming operation within a predetermined period of time.

Description: The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a digital copying machine. A digital copying machine is disclosed in US-A 4,831,458. In this conventional digital copying machine, image data read from original documents never fail to be formed as images on copying sheets without regard to the amount of image information from the documents. According to the conventional digital copying machine, however, all the read image data are formed as images without exception, so that even a stray blank sheet of paper or the blank wrong side of a reversed original document, if any, cannot avoid being copied. A copy resulting from this useless document image formation is bound to be rejected as a miscopy, after all. Conventionally, therefore, such an awkward situation has been expected to be removed. JP-A-1-123567 (Abstract) discloses an image forming apparatus equipped with an image sensing element for reading an original, and a printer for printing a copy of the read document. The image forming apparatus furthermore comprises a white paper detecting means to detect a white original paper on the basis of stored original density data read by the image sensing element. When a white original paper is detected by the white paper detecting means, this detection result is sent to an external equipment by means of an informing means. Thus, an appropriate treatment can be adopted. IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Vol. 27, No. 7B, December 1984, pages 4288 to 4289, F.J. Yeskel, "Digital Image Processing for High Frequency Information" discloses a digital image processing method for making a print or no-print decision within detected high frequency information areas. There, a discrete spatial curvature at specific locations is calculated by computing the average of the video values of the pixels at a certain radius from a specific pixel and by calculating the difference between this average value and the pixel value of the specific pixel. This processing technique is employed for identifying areas of high frequency information and deciding on print or no-print within these areas. The object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus which can avoid copying of insignificant information from a useless document or paper such as a blank sheet of paper or the blank reverse side of an original document, if any. This object is solved by an image forming apparatus as defined in claim 1 or claim 4. Some specific implementations of the invention are defined in the dependent claims. The image forming apparatus may further comprise a display section and a key entry section, and means for interrupting the image forming operation in response to a command from the decision circuit when there is no operator's key entry to order the interruption or execution of the image forming operation within a predetermined period of time. The image data is read, the image variation rate E is computed on the basis of the image data, and the propriety of the image formation is judged by the variation rate. If it is concluded that the image forming operation should be interrupted, an indication for the interruption of the image forming operation is displayed on the display section, and the image formation is executed or interrupted by the operator's key entry in accordance with an instruction for the interruption or execution of the image forming operation. Thus, the propriety of copying is judged by the amount of information from the original document, and the operator is urged to reconfirm the necessity of copying, so that useless document image formation can be prevented. This invention can be more fully understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing an outline of a digital copying machine with an ADF function; Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an image processing mechanism of the digital copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an optical system of the digital copying machine; Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a control panel having a message display section and a key entry section; Fig. 5 is a flow chart illustrating an operation for successively copying a number of original documents by means of the ADF function; Fig. 6 is a diagram showing pixels for illustrating the variation rate of an image signal; and Fig. 7 is a flow chart illustrating an operation for copying a single original document. Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. As shown in Fig. 1, an ADF 80 is provided on the top portion of a color digital copying machine 1 of the heat-transfer type. The ADF 80, which is opposed to a document glass 2, is designed so that original documents 3 can be fed one after another from a document supply tray 81 to a document receiving tray 89 via rollers 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87 and 88. A scanner 6 of an image information reader, which is located right under the glass 2, serves to illuminate the original documents 3 and optically read image information. A platen drum 46 is disposed in the housing of the digital copying machine 1. An ink ribbon 43 is pressed against the peripheral surface of the drum 46 by means of a thermal printer head 42. The head 42 is connected to a power source 41, which has a current regulating function. A paper cassette 64 is attached to the lower part of a side face of the digital copying machine 1. Paper sheets 44 are fed from the cassette 64 to the platen drum 46 by means of a pickup roller (not shown) and a pair of rollers 65. Each paper sheet 44 is separated from the peripheral surface of the drum 46 by means of a scraper 67. After copying, each sheet 44 is discharged onto a receiving tray 69 by means of exit rollers 68. Referring now to Fig. 2, an outline of a circuit of the digital copying machine 1 will be described. An exposure lamp 7 is provided for movement along the document glass 2 of the copying machine. A power source 5 for the lamp 7 is connected to a control section 30, whereby the exposure can be adjusted. A lens 9 is arranged so as to focus an illuminated or exposed document image on a CCD sensor 11 of a converter section 10. The sensor 11 is connected to an A/D converter 12 and a shading correction circuit 13 in the converter section 10. The A/D converter 12 and the shading correction circuit 13 are connected to an image memory 29 of an image processing section 20. The memory 29 is connected to a microprocessor 31 of the control section 30. A ROM 32 is loaded with software including the computational procedure, criteria of judgment, judgment procedure, etc. Whether image formation should be executed is determined on the basis of set data invoked from the ROM 32 by means of the microprocessor 31 and image data from the image memory 29. The control section 30 is connected with a key entry section 50, a print number indicator 59, and a display section 60. When blank information or similar information is entered in the control section 30, a message "TOO LITTLE INFORMATION; TO BE COPIED?" is displayed on the display section 60, as shown in Fig. 4. Reading this message, an operator depresses a copy start key 51 or a cancel key 52 to execute or interrupt copying operation. The copying operation is automatically interrupted in a predetermined period of time after the display of the message. The key entry section 50 is provided with copy number setting keys 53, an optical density setting key 54, optical density indicators 55a, 55b, 55c, 55d and 55e, document type setting key 56, document type indicators 57a, 57b, 57c, 57d and 57e, and a magnification setting key 58. The image memory 29 is connected to a filter circuit 21. The circuit 21 has functions to subject signals to filtering and gamma correction. Further, an ink volume converter circuit 23 is connected to the filter circuit 21. The microprocessor 31 of the control section 30 is connected to each of the circuits 21 and 23. Furthermore, the ink volume converter circuit 23 is connected to the thermal printer head power source 41 in a printing section 40. The thermal printer head 42 and the platen drum 46 face each other with the ink ribbon 43 and the paper sheet 44 between them. Referring now to Fig. 3, an optical system will be described. A first carriage 6 is disposed right under the document glass 2. The exposure lamp 7, a mirror M1, etc. are mounted on the first carriage 6, while a pair of mirrors M2 and M3 are mounted on a second carriage 70. The carriages 6 and 70 are arranged so as to be movable in a sub-scanning direction along the document glass 2. Information from each original document 3 is read by scanning both these carriages 6 and 70. The length of an optical path LB between the original document 3 and the lens 9 is fixed to maintain an in-focus state and projection magnification by keeping the scanning speed ratio between the carriages 6 and 70 at 2:1. A filter 71 is interposed between the lens 9 and a mirror M4. An image signal obtained by converting an analog signal into a digital signal by means of the A/D converter 12 is subjected to normalization (shading correction) by means of the shading correction circuit 13, to compensate for irregular illumination by the exposure lamp 7 and scattering of the sensitivity of the CCD sensor 11. After undergoing the shading correction, the signal is transferred to the image processing section 20, whereupon it is subjected to filtering and gamma correction by means of the filter circuit 21, and is then converted into an ink volume signal by means of the ink volume converter circuit 23, and transferred to the printing section 40. In the printing section 40, electric power from the power source 41 to be applied to the thermal printer head 42 is controlled in accordance with the ink volume signal, and hot-melt ink on a film of the ink ribbon 43 is melted by adjusting the heat release value, and is transferred to the image forming medium (paper sheet) 44 in contact with the ribbon 43, thereby forming an image. Referring now to the flow chart of Fig. 5, a first embodiment will be described in which a plurality of original documents 3 are copied in succession. The original documents 3 are set on the tray 81 of the ADF 80 (Step S1). The presence of the documents 3 on the tray 81 is detected by means of a sensor (not shown), and the converter section 10, image processing section 20, control section 30, and printing section 40 are individually held on standby according to the result of the detection (Step S2). When the operator depresses the copy start key 51 of the key entry section 50, image reading operation (pre-scanning) is started in the following steps of procedure (Step S3). A light beam emitted from the exposure lamp 3 illuminates the original document 3 on the document glass 2. The light beam reflected by the document 3 advances past the mirrors M and the lens 9 to be focused on the CCD sensor 11 of the converter section 10. Photoelectric transducers, which are arranged on the surface of the CCD sensor 11, serve to convert a document image into an electrical signal. This electrical image signal is amplified by means of an amplifier in the converter section 10, and is converted into a digital signal by means of the A/D converter 12. Referring now to Fig. 6, the way of processing the read image data will be described in detail. The signal subjected to the shading correction by means of the shading correction circuit 13 is temporarily stored in the image memory 29. The image memory 29 is designed for access to the microprocessor 31 of the control section 30. A changing rate E of the image signal is computed by numerical image data processing by means of the microprocessor 31 (Step S4). As shown in Fig. 6, the variation rate E of the image signal is given as the sum total of absolute values obtained by subtracting the value of a central pixel P1 from the respective values of peripheral pixels P2 to P9 according to the following equation. where Ej is given by where V Pi is the value of a pixel Pi, and N is a number obtained by subtracting the number of peripheral pixels from the total number. When the document image has a uniform reflective density (or is unifigured), the value of the variation rate E of the image signal represented by equation (1) should be zero. Normally, however, it is not zero due to sampling errors caused during the A/D conversion of the image signal or noise components in the signal system. A threshold value T is previously stored in the ROM 32. The microprocessor compares the value T with the signal variation rate E, thereby determining whether or not the amount of image information obtained from the original document 3 is relatively large (Step S5). If the decision is T ≦ E, copying operation is executed (Step S6), the original document 3 on the glass 2 is discharged onto the tray 89, and another original document 3 is fed onto the glass 2. As long as it is concluded that the original document 3 is on the document supply tray 81, the processes of Step S2 to Step S6 are repeatedly executed. If the absence of the document 3 on the tray 81 is detected, a series of copying processes from image reading to image formation is completed. If the decision in Step S5 is T > E, on the other hand, the image forming operation is interrupted in response to a command from the microprocessor 31 unless the key 51 or 52 is depressed within a predetermined period of time (e.g., 10 seconds). There T > E is given, it is supposed that the reverse side of the original document 3 or a blank sheet of paper is on the surface of the glass 2, so that the operator files a cover and removes the document from the surface of the glass 2. When the decision is T > E, moreover, the message "TOO LITTLE INFORMATION; TO BE COPIED?" may be displayed on the display section 60, as shown in Fig. 4. In this case, the operator may depress the copy start key 51 to execute copying operation or remove the original document 3 from the glass surface. Referring now to Fig. 7, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The original document 3 is set on the glass 2, and puts the cover on the glass. When the copy start key 51 is depressed, the scanner 6 moves along the glass 2, and the image information from the document 3 is pre-scanned (Step S11). Based on the read image information, the microprocessor 31 executes data processing, thereby obtaining the changing rate E of the image signal (Step S12). Since the copy start key 51 is ready for entry (YES) when T ≦ E is given (Step S14), it is depressed to start copying operation (Step S15). When T > E is given, the message "TOO LITTLE INFORMATION; TO BE COPIED?" is displayed on the display section 60 (Step S16). If the operator, reading this message, concludes that the copying operation is unnecessary, he depresses the cancel key 52 of the key entry section 50. If he concludes that the copying operation is necessary, the operator depresses the copy start key 51 of the entry section 50 (Step S17). The following is a description of a method for setting the threshold value T. A white reference plate 4 is placed on the document glass 2, and a signal corresponding to image information read from the plate 4 is stored in the image memory 29. The threshold value T is set on the basis of this signal. In this case, a zero reference or a value obtained by adding a suitable amount of image information, such that the image signal changing rate is less than 5%, for example, to the zero reference may be used as the threshold value T. According to the apparatus of the present invention, the image forming operation in the printing section 40 is interrupted when the cancel key 52 of the key entry section 60 is depressed. When the copy start key 51 is depressed, on the other hand, the image forming operation in the section 40 is started. The computational procedure, criteria of judgment, judgment procedure are recorded in the ROM 32 of the control section 30. Although the microprocessor 31 is used for the computation according to the present embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this arrangement, and the computing time may be shortened by using an exclusive arithmetic circuit instead. Further, the key entry may be delayed for a given period of time by performing a counting operation by means of the microprocessor 31. According to the present invention, the propriety of the document copying is judged by the amount of information from the original document, and the operator is urged to reconfirm the necessity of copying with use of a relatively simple arrangement, so that useless document image formation or copying errors can be prevented.

Claims: An image forming apparatus comprising: means (6 to 13, 70) for scanning an original document (2) in a scanning direction to output a plurality of image signals, said image signals corresponding to a plurality of portions of the original document and representing image density levels at said portions, respectively; means (20, 40, 42) for forming an image on a medium (44) on the basis of the image signals received from the scanning means; means (31) for computing absolute values of differences between a target pixel and each of a plurality of peripheral pixels in image density level on the basis of the image signals from the scanning means, summing said absolute values and computing a variation rate (E) on the basis of the summation value, said valuation rate (E) being a rate of the image density variation represented by the image signals; means (31) for determining that an image forming operation should be interrupted when the variation rate (E) computed by the computing means (31) is lower than a threshold value (T), said threshold value (T) being a reference value used for determining whether or not the original document (2) has an image thereon; and means (60) for informing an operator of the determination made by the determining means. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the variation rate (E) is obtained on the basis of three-by-three (3 x 3) pixel patterns by the computing means (31) according to the following equation: where Ej is given by where V Pi is the image density level value of a pixel (Pi), Ej is the sum total of absolute values obtained by subtracting the image density level value of the target pixel (P1) from the respective values of peripheral pixels (P2 to P9), and N is a number obtained by subtracting the number of peripheral pixels from the total number. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means (80) for feeding a plurality of original documents one after another. An image forming apparatus, comprising: means having a light source (7) for illuminating an original document (2) in a scanning direction; means having an optical system (M1 to M5, M9) for focusing a reflected light beam from the original document (2); first converting means including a photoelectric transducer (11) for converting optical image data formed by the focusing means into an electrical analogue signal; second converting means (12) for converting the electrical analogue signal converted by the first converting means, into a plurality of digital image signals, said digital image signals corresponding to a plurality of portions of the original document; means (40, 42) for forming an image on a medium of the basis of said plurality of digital image signals; means (29) for temporarily storing the plurality of digital image signals; means (31) for computing absolute values of differences between a target pixel and each of a plurality of peripheral pixels in image density level on the basis of the image signals from the scanning means, summing said absolute values and computing a variation rate (E) on the basis of the summation value, said variation rate (E) being a rate of the image density variation represented by the image signals; means (31) for deciding that an image forming operation by the image forming means should be interrupted when the variation rate (E) is lower than a threshold value, said threshold value (T) being a reference value used for determining whether or not the original document has an image thereon; and means (30, 50, 60) for instructing said image forming means to stop the image forming operation when a decision to interrupt said image forming operation is made by the deciding means. An image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the variation rate (E) is obtained on the basis of three-by-three (3 x 3) pixel patterns by the computing means (31) according to the following equation: where Ej is given by where V Pi is the image density level value of a pixel (Pi), Ej is the sum total of absolute values obtained by subtracting the image density level value of a central pixel (P1) from the respective values of peripheral pixels (P2 to P9), and N is a number obtained by subtracting the number of peripheral pixels from the total number. An image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said instructing means (30, 50, 60) includes a display means (60) for displaying a message for notifying a result that the read image is blank. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means (30, 51) for interrupting the image forming operation in response to a command from the deciding means (31) when there is no operator's key entry to order the interruption or execution of the image forming operation within a predetermined period of time.

Inventors: WATANABE YOSHIO, WATANABE, YOSHIO, Watanabe, Yoshio, c/o Intellectual Property Div.
Applicants: TOSHIBA KK, KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
Application year: 1993
Main classification: H04N1
IPC codes: H04N1, G03B27, G03G15, G03G21