JP2006262383A - Image reading apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image reading apparatus, wherein the handleability for a plurality of users can be enhanced by placing a limit on a storage capacity of each scan box. <P>SOLUTION: An image memory 8 is provided with a plurality of scan boxes 80 comprising a plurality of storage areas of the image memory 8. Each scan box 80 stores image data generated resulting from reading an image of an original by a read section 2. Each scan box 80 is allocated with the storage capacity respectively and a limit is placed on the storage capacity. A display section 4 displays the storage capacity allocated to each scan box 80. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus that reads an image of a document and generates image data.

  2. Description of the Related Art A complex facsimile apparatus that is connected to a public line and can be connected to other networks such as a LAN (Local Area Network) is known. In such a composite facsimile apparatus, facsimile communication can be performed via a public line, and image data from an external terminal apparatus (client apparatus) connected to a network such as a LAN can be transmitted via a public line. Facsimile transmission is possible, and image data received via a public line can be distributed to a client device on a network such as a LAN.

  Such a composite facsimile apparatus can be used as a network scanner. For example, the multifunction facsimile apparatus includes a plurality of scan boxes in which a storage area of an image memory is divided into a plurality of parts, and stores image data generated by reading an image of a document in a scan box designated by a user. Then, the image data stored in the scan box is downloaded to the client device via a LAN or the like.

As a technique related to the present invention, an image processing apparatus and a communication terminal apparatus that can effectively use a plurality of divided storage areas have been proposed (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).
JP-A-11-164084 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-17913

  When multiple scan boxes are provided, it is convenient for users to always use a specific scan box if it is allocated to the user who uses each scan box. Therefore, there is a problem that when one user exceeds the capacity of one scan box, other users cannot use it.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image reading apparatus that improves the usability of a plurality of users by providing a storage capacity limit to each scan box.

  An image reading apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention is an image reading apparatus that reads an image of a document and generates image data. A plurality of image storage means for storing the generated image data, and a plurality of image storage means assigned to each of the plurality of image storage means Setting means for setting the storage capacity to be stored.

  In the image reading apparatus of the first invention, the storage capacity is limited for each of the plurality of image storage means for storing image data generated by reading. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate a situation where other users cannot use due to overflow by one user, and the convenience of a plurality of users is improved.

  An image reading apparatus according to a second invention is the image reading apparatus according to the first invention, wherein the setting means includes a receiving means for receiving a storage capacity allocated to one of the plurality of image storage means, and a received storage capacity. Determining means for determining whether or not a storage capacity allocated to the plurality of image storage means exceeds a predetermined capacity, and when the determination means determines that the storage capacity does not exceed the predetermined capacity, the receiving means The received storage capacity is set.

  In the image reading apparatus according to the second aspect of the invention, the accepting means accepts designation of the storage capacity for one image storage means from the user, and the total storage capacity allocated to all the image storage means by the accepted storage capacity is The determination means determines whether or not the predetermined capacity is exceeded. If the predetermined capacity is not exceeded, the received storage capacity is set. Therefore, the storage capacity of each image storage means is arbitrarily set within the limit range of the entire storage capacity.

  An image reading apparatus according to a third invention is characterized in that, in the first or second invention, the image reading apparatus further comprises a display means for displaying a storage capacity allocated to each of the plurality of image storage means.

  In the image reading apparatus of the third invention, the display means displays the storage capacity allocated to each of the plurality of image storage means. Therefore, the user easily recognizes the storage capacity allocated to the image storage unit.

  In the present invention, since the storage capacity allocated to each of the plurality of image storage means is set, each image storage means is provided with a storage capacity limit, and another user is allowed to overflow due to overflow by one user. Can be eliminated, and the convenience of a plurality of users can be improved.

  In the present invention, designation of the storage capacity for one image storage means is received from the user, and it is determined whether or not the storage capacity allocated to all the image storage means exceeds the predetermined capacity by the received storage capacity. Since the received storage capacity is set when the capacity is not exceeded, it is possible to arbitrarily set the storage capacity in each image storage means within the limit range of the entire storage capacity.

  In the present invention, since the storage capacity allocated to each of the plurality of image storage means is displayed, the user can easily recognize the storage capacity allocated to the image storage means.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings showing embodiments thereof. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a multifunction peripheral (facsimile multifunction peripheral) 20 as an image reading apparatus of the present invention. In addition to the original scanner function, facsimile function, and copy function, the multifunction machine 20 receives e-mail from an external terminal device 21 such as a PC (personal computer) via a network, and prints input image data. This is a function-combined facsimile apparatus having a printer function for printing out.

  The multifunction machine 20 includes a control unit 1, a reading unit 2, a recording unit 3, a display unit 4, an operation unit 5, a ROM 6, a RAM 7, an image memory 8, a codec 9, a modem 10, an NCU (Network Control Unit) 11, and an interface unit 12. Etc.

  The control unit 1 is specifically composed of a CPU, and is connected to the above-described hardware units of the multifunction machine 20 via the bus 13 to control them and control stored in the ROM 6. Various software functions are executed according to the program.

  The reading unit 2 reads an original with an optical system using, for example, a CCD, and outputs the read image data. The recording unit 3 is an electrophotographic printer device, and responds to image data of a document read by the reading unit 2, image data received by facsimile communication, image data sent from another multifunction device, and the like. Print out the printed image on paper.

  The display unit 4 is a display device such as a liquid crystal display device or a CRT display, and displays an operation state of the multi-function device 20 or displays a screen for prompting the user to input an operation or a screen for issuing a warning to the user. The operation unit 5 includes character keys, numeric keys, abbreviated dial keys, one-touch dial keys, various function keys, and the like necessary for operating the multifunction machine 20. In addition, it is also possible to substitute a part or all of the various keys of the operation unit 5 by using the display unit 4 as a touch panel.

  The ROM 6 stores various software control programs necessary for the operation of the multifunction machine 20. The RAM 7 stores temporary data generated when the software is executed. The RAM 7 has a storage capacity management table 70 for managing the storage capacity assigned to each scan box 80 described later.

  The image memory 8 is constituted by a DRAM or the like, and stores image data obtained by reading an image of a document, image data received from an external device such as another facsimile machine, and the like. The image memory 8 is provided with a plurality of scan boxes 80, 80,... Formed by dividing the storage area of the image memory 8 into a plurality of parts. A unique box number is assigned to each scan box 80 as image storage means. Image data generated by reading a document image by the reading unit 2 is stored in a scan box 80 having a box number designated by the user by the operation unit 5.

  Each scan box 80 has an assigned storage capacity. The storage capacity allocated to each scan box 80 is displayed on the display unit 4 and notified to the user. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a display example of the storage capacity on the display unit 4. On the display unit 4, the storage capacity (number of bytes) for each scan box 80 stored in the storage capacity management table 70 is displayed in association with the box number of the scan box 80.

  The size of the storage capacity set in each scan box 80 is, for example, the usage frequency of the user allocated to the scan box 80 or the attribute (stored image data stored in the scan box 80). Color or monochrome, resolution at the time of reading, etc.). A large storage capacity (number of bytes) is set in the scan box 80 allocated to a user with high use frequency, or in the scan box 80 in which color image data is stored or high-resolution image data is stored.

  The codec 9 compresses image data to be transmitted according to a predetermined compression method, and decompresses received image data according to a predetermined compression method. The modem 10 is connected to the bus 13 and is composed of a facsimile modem capable of facsimile communication. Similarly, the modem 10 is directly connected to the NCU 11 connected to the bus 13. The NCU 11 is hardware that performs operations for closing and opening the public line L1 with the public switched telephone network (PSTN), and connects the modem 10 to the PSTN as necessary. The multi-function device 20 is connected to another facsimile machine by the PSTN so that normal facsimile communication can be performed.

  The interface unit 12 is connected to other terminal devices 21, 21,..., Via a communication line L 2 such as a LAN or the Internet. Exchanges information such as e-mail.

  The control unit 1 performs an operation process as described later, thereby setting a storage capacity allocated to each of the plurality of image storage units (scan box 80), and a plurality of images depending on the received storage capacity. It functions as a determination means for determining whether or not the storage capacity allocated to the storage means (scan box 80) exceeds a predetermined capacity. The operation unit 5 functions as a receiving unit that receives designation of a storage capacity allocated to a certain image storage unit (scan box 80). The display unit 4 functions as a display unit that displays the storage capacity allocated to each of the plurality of image storage units (scan boxes 80).

  The multi-function device 20 of the present invention having the above-described configuration functions as a network scanner with a plurality of external terminal devices 21 connected thereto. The storage capacity is limited for each scan box 80. Therefore, when one user (one external terminal device 21) makes one scan box run out of memory, it is possible to eliminate a situation in which another user (other external terminal device 21) cannot use.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation procedure of the storage capacity setting process of the scan box 80 in the multifunction machine 20 of the present invention.

  The control unit 1 determines whether or not the box number of the scan box 80 has been input by the operation unit 5 (step S1). When the box number is not input (S1: NO), monitoring of the input is continued. When the box number is input (S1: YES), the control unit 1 receives the number of bytes representing the storage capacity by the numeric keypad operation input of the operation unit 5 (step S2).

  The control unit 1 determines whether or not the total number of bytes (storage capacity) set in all the scan boxes 80 exceeds the predetermined number of bytes (predetermined storage capacity) based on the received number of bytes (storage capacity) (Step S1). S3). When not exceeding (S3: NO), the control unit 1 sets the received number of bytes (storage capacity) in the scan box 80 of the box number (step S4), and the registered contents of the storage capacity management table 70 in the RAM 7 Is updated (step S5), and the operation is terminated.

  When the total number of bytes (storage capacity) exceeds the predetermined number of bytes (predetermined storage capacity) (S3: YES), the control unit 1 displays a message such as “Please decrease because the capacity is over”. 4 is displayed to notify the user to that effect (step S6). Then, the operation returns to S2 to accept a new number of bytes.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation procedure of the document image reading process in the multifunction machine 20 of the present invention.

  The control unit 1 determines whether or not the box number of the scan box 80 is input by the operation unit 5 (step S11). When the box number is not input (S11: NO), monitoring of the input is continued. When the box number is input (S11: YES), the control unit 1 causes the reading unit 2 to read the image of the document (step S12), and the generated image data is set to the box number in S11 in the image memory 8. The data is stored in the input scan box 80 (step S13).

  The control unit 1 determines whether or not the storage capacity (number of bytes) set in the scan box 80 has been exceeded (step S14). If not exceeding (S14: NO), the control unit 1 determines whether or not there is a next page in the document to be read (step S15). If there is a next page (S15: YES), the operation returns to S12 and the subsequent processing is repeated. If there is no next page (S15: NO), the operation is terminated.

  On the other hand, when the stored image data exceeds the storage capacity (number of bytes) set in the scan box 80 (S14: YES), the control unit 1 displays a message such as “limit capacity exceeded”, for example. By displaying on the display unit 4, the user is notified of this (step S16). Then, the image data for one page stored most recently is deleted from the image memory 8 (scan box 80) (step S17), and the operation ends.

  In the example described above, image data exceeding the limited capacity is deleted in units of one page. However, all image data of the entire job exceeding the limited capacity may be deleted. In addition, instead of interrupting one job in this way, even when the limit capacity is exceeded, the job may be completed to the end, and then the user may be alerted. Further, when the limit capacity is exceeded, the user may be notified of a proposal for increasing the storage capacity set in the scan box 80.

  In the present invention, it is not always necessary to limit the storage capacity of all the scan boxes 80. For example, the scan box 80 in the image memory 8 is divided into one allocated to a specific user to be used and one shared by all users, and the scan box 80 used by a specific user has a storage capacity. A limit may be provided so that the storage capacity of the scan box 80 shared by all users may not be provided.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a multifunction machine as an image reading apparatus of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the example of a display of the memory capacity in a display part. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the operation | movement procedure of the setting process of the storage capacity of the scan box in this invention. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation procedure of a document image reading process according to the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 Control unit (setting means, judgment means)
2 Reading unit 4 Display unit (display means)
5 Operation part (reception means)
6 ROM
7 RAM
8 Image memory 20 MFP (image reading device)
70 Storage capacity management table 80 Scan box (image storage means)

Claims (3)

  In an image reading apparatus that reads an image of a document and generates image data, a plurality of image storage means for storing the generated image data, and a setting means for setting a storage capacity allocated to each of the plurality of image storage means An image reading apparatus comprising:   The setting unit receives a storage capacity allocated to one image storage unit among the plurality of image storage units, and the storage capacity allocated to the plurality of image storage units by the received storage capacity has a predetermined capacity. And determining means for determining whether or not the storage capacity is exceeded, and when the determining means determines that the predetermined capacity is not exceeded, the storage capacity received by the receiving means is set. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1. 3. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising display means for displaying a storage capacity allocated to each of the plurality of image storage means.

Images