JP2008152209A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus using image data used for image formation to eliminate the roughness of the enlarged image projected on a projector. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus includes an image forming section 26 forming an image based on the image data, an image data generation section 27 generating the image data for an OHP of higher resolution than the resolution when forming an image in an image forming section 26 using the image data in an OHP mode, and a projection section 31 which projects the enlarged image based on the image data for the OHP generated in the image data generation section 27 for the OHP. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus capable of projecting image data such as an overhead projector.

  Conventionally, as an overhead projector (hereinafter referred to as “OHP”), an image formed on a transparent sheet placed on a document table is projected from the back side thereof and illuminated by an objective lens. A technique for projecting an image onto a wall surface or a screen is well known.

  In addition, such an OHP function is provided in a multi-function peripheral, enabling image forming processing (printing processing) for distribution materials based on image data read by a scanner or image data output from a personal computer, and the same There is also known one capable of projecting image data onto a screen or the like (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

At this time, image data to be projected onto a screen or the like can be stored in a predetermined storage format (for example, JPG or JIF format), and image data for a plurality of pages can be called and projected in order. It is used for meetings.
JP 2006-013597 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 06-222653

  However, if the above-described image forming apparatus is equipped with a projector function, the image data is stored in a document box or the like in the image forming apparatus in a predetermined storage format, and the image data is projected using the projector function. In addition, although it is possible to print as a distribution material for participants as necessary, the image data for image formation processing and the image data for projector projection are the same. The video is much larger than an image of a normal printing process or the like, and there is a problem that some images are projected as a very rough video.

  In view of the above circumstances, the present invention provides an image forming apparatus capable of eliminating the roughness of a video when a projector is projected as an enlarged video while using image data for image forming processing. The purpose is to do.

  An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an image forming unit that performs image forming processing based on image data, and resolution when the image forming unit performs image forming processing using the image data when an OHP mode is designated. And an OHP image data generation unit that generates OHP image data with higher resolution.

  In this case, it is preferable that a projection unit that projects an enlarged video based on the OHP image data generated by the OHP image data generation unit is provided.

  A storage unit that stores the OHP image data generated by the OHP image data generation unit in units of pages; and an operation unit that calls the OHP image data projected from the projection unit from the storage unit. It is preferable.

  Further, the image forming apparatus main body having the image forming unit and the OHP image data generating unit, and a projector main body having the projection unit are provided, and the image forming apparatus main body and the projector main body are network-connected. It is preferable.

  In this case, the storage unit may be a single storage medium that is detachably shared between the image forming apparatus main body and the projector main body. The operation unit may be a switch or the like provided independently between the image forming apparatus main body and the projector main body, or may be a remote control device shared by the image forming apparatus main body and the projector main body.

  While the image forming apparatus of the present invention uses image data for image forming processing, it can eliminate the roughness of the image when the projector is projected as an enlarged image.

  Next, an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an example of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a main part of the image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a personal computer (notebook in the figure) through communication means such as a serial cable, a USB cable, or a network line (whether wireless or wired). An image forming apparatus main body 2 connectable to the book type) 1, and a projector main body 3 connectable to the image forming apparatus main body 2 through communication means such as a serial cable, a USB cable, or a network line (whether wireless or wired). And. The projector body 3 may be integrated with the image forming apparatus body 2.

  The image forming apparatus main body 2 can perform image forming processing on documents, images, and the like created on software installed in the personal computer 1 using print data output from the personal computer 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus main body 2 includes an interface 21 for data transmission / reception with the image forming apparatus main body 2 such as reception of print data output from the personal computer 1, and a copying function / facsimile function. A scanner unit 23 for reading an image of a document sent out by an automatic document feeder (hereinafter referred to as “ADF”) 22 (shown only in FIG. 1) for automatically feeding a document in the case of a scanner function or the like; and image formation An operation unit 24 for performing various settings (number of copies, enlargement / reduction, etc.) for the functions of the apparatus main body 2 and image formation processing, print data via these interfaces 21, image data read by the scanner unit 23, and operations A control unit 25 for processing an operation signal or the like designated by the unit 24, and an image included in the print data output from the personal computer 1. An image forming unit (including various drive systems) 26 that performs image forming processing based on data and image data read by the scanner unit 23, and image data and scanner unit 23 included in print data output from the personal computer 1 An OHP image data generation unit 27 that generates OHP image data based on the image data read in step S3, and a RAM 28 or a memory 28 such as a hard disk that stores the OHP image data generated by the OHP image data generation unit 27. It has.

  The print data output from the personal computer 1 includes various data related to image formation processing such as enlargement / reduction and number of copies, in addition to image data for image formation processing by the image forming portion 26. ing.

  The OHP image data generation unit 27, for example, includes image data or a scanner included in the print data output from the personal computer 1 when the OHP mode is specified for the print data or when the OHP mode is specified by the operation unit 24. For example, when the image forming unit 26 uses the image data read by the unit 23 and the image forming unit 26 performs an image forming process on the basis of the image forming process 26, the resolution is higher than the resolution (for example, 1200 dpi). OHP image data is generated. Further, the OHP image data generation unit 27 stores the generated OHP image data in the page order of the image data (when specified by the print data, the reading order of the ADF 22 or the like). At this time, the data storage format (BMP, GIF, JPG, TIF, etc.) can be designated by the operation unit 24. Further, the OHP image data generation unit 27 outputs the generated OHP image data or the OHP image data stored in the memory 28 to the projection unit 31 of the projector main body 3.

  Note that the resolution for the OHP image data can be specified in a stepwise manner by the operation unit 24, or may be specified in a unified manner by mode selection.

  The projector body 3 projects an image based on the OHP image data received by the projection unit 31 from the objective lens onto a screen or the like.

  At this time, the projected image due to the shape of the objective lens is distorted into a horizontal barrel shape or the like. Therefore, by inputting an approximate projection distance from the projector body 3 to the screen with the operation unit 24, the projection distance is obtained. The OHP image data generating unit 27 may generate the OHP image data in which the distortion according to the correction is corrected.

  Further, an operation unit (not shown) different from the operation unit 24 may be provided in the projector main body 3, and the above-described distortion correction function may be provided in the projector main body 3. Further, the projector main body 3 is provided with a memory 28, or the OHP image data generated by the OHP image data generating unit 27 is stored in a card type or stick type memory different from the memory 28, and the card type or stick type is stored. The projector main body 3 may be able to read the memory.

  The image forming apparatus main body 2 and the projector main body 3 may share a card type or stick type memory instead of the memory 28. The operation unit 24 is dedicated to the operation related to the operation of the image forming apparatus main body 2, and projects a video onto a screen or the like on the basis of the OHP image data generated by the OHP image data generation unit 27 using the projector main body 3. Alternatively, an operation related to the projection may be performed by a remote control device (not shown) shared by the image forming apparatus main body 2 and the projector main body 3. In this remote control device, the projector main body 3 can be made portable by mounting the card type or stick type memory described above on the projector main body 3.

  In the above configuration, when a document is set on the ADF 21 and the OHP mode is designated by the operation unit 24, the image data of the document image read by the scanner unit 23 during automatic document feeding by the ADF 21 is sent to the OHP image data generation unit 27. The OHP image data generator 27 analyzes the image and generates high-resolution OHP image data.

  At this time, if the image forming process is used together by the operation unit 24, the image forming unit 26 can perform the image forming process (printing process) on the required number of copies based on the image data of the read document image. .

  The OHP image data generated by the OHP image data generation unit 27 can be directly subjected to image formation processing on an OHP film.

  Further, the OHP image data generated by the OHP image data generation unit 27 is stored in the memory 28. Note that image data to be subjected to image forming processing by the image forming unit 26 is temporarily stored in the memory 28 or a hard disk (not shown), and used for image forming processing.

  On the other hand, the print data output from the personal computer 12 is analyzed by the control unit 25 via the interface 21 and is subjected to image forming processing by the image forming unit 26 based on the image data included in the print data. In addition, when the OHP mode is designated for the print data, the OHP image data generation unit 27 analyzes the image and generates high-resolution OHP image data.

  The OHP image data generated by the OHP image data generation unit 27 may be output to the projection unit 31 in real time as needed to project an image on a screen or the like, or may be temporarily stored in the memory 28. Thus, it is possible to project onto a screen or the like while sequentially switching pages by operating the operation unit 24 (or the personal computer 1).

  At this time, the image projected on the screen or the like is based on the high-resolution OHP image data, and therefore can be projected as a clearer image.

  As described above, according to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus having the projector function, when image data to be projected by the projector is captured (read) by the main body of the image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus has a high resolution for OHP. By generating the image data, it is possible to prevent the image projected from the projection unit 31 from becoming a coarse image even if it is displayed in a large size.

It is explanatory drawing of an example of the image forming apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. 1 is a block configuration diagram of a main part of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 2 ... Image forming apparatus main body 23 ... Scanner part 24 ... Operation part 25 ... Control part 26 ... Image forming part 27 ... OHP image data generation part 28 ... Memory 31 ... Projection part

Claims (4)

  An image forming unit that performs image forming processing based on image data, and an OHP image that has a higher resolution than the resolution at the time of image forming processing using the image data when the OHP mode is specified An image forming apparatus comprising: an OHP image data generation unit for generating data.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a projection unit that projects an enlarged image based on the OHP image data generated by the OHP image data generation unit.   A storage unit that stores the OHP image data generated by the OHP image data generation unit in units of pages; and an operation unit that calls the OHP image data projected from the projection unit from the storage unit. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is an image forming apparatus.   An image forming apparatus main body having the image forming section and the OHP image data generating section; and a projector main body having the projection section, wherein the image forming apparatus main body and the projector main body are network-connected. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2.

Images