JP2016195368A - Image communication device and control method thereof, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problems in which: if a blank skip function is applied at the time of direct facsimile transmission, an empty call is made when the whole document is blank, and communication is charged; in addition if it is determined that a document bundle including a plurality of blank sheets of document is blank after line connection, there is a possibility of having an opposite party disconnect a line depending on its waiting time.SOLUTION: An image communication device includes: reading means for reading document to obtain image data; determination means for determining whether the document read by the reading means is blank or not; and communication means for establishing a communication line with a transmission destination of image data on the document at the time point when the determination means does not determine that the document is blank, and for transmitting the image data to the transmission destination.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

  The present invention relates to an image communication apparatus, a control method therefor, and a program.

  There is a so-called image communication device that reads a document with a scanner, creates digital image data, and transmits the digital image data to a partner device. In image communication apparatuses, as a method for reading a document, a pressure plate reading for placing a document on the surface of a glass plate and scanning, and a reading by an automatic document feeder for automatically feeding and reading a document bundle one by one are read. It is. When scanning and transmitting a document using these reading methods, transmission of a blank document is a problem.

  When scanning with the automatic document feeder, a blank page may be caused by an erroneous operation such as when a blank document is mixed in the document stack or when the original is accidentally placed on the automatic document feeder and scanned. May be sent. In the case of pressure plate reading, a blank sheet may be transmitted due to an erroneous operation such as when a document is left on the pressure plate and scanned without being scanned.

  Since blank paper has very little meaning as image data to be communicated, most of them do not need to be transmitted. For this reason, some image communication apparatuses have a function of skipping a blank page that determines whether image data to be transmitted is blank or not. For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a function of skipping white paper on the back side of an automatic document feeder in an apparatus that simultaneously reads both the front side and the back side in one scan.

  On the other hand, there is a FAX transmission function as a typical method of image communication. As a FAX transmission method, a memory transmission function for starting transmission after scanning all document images is generally used. However, since transmission is possible even with a small amount of memory, and the status of transmission matches the status of paper transport of the automatic document feeder, it is easy to understand. Has been.

JP 2002-314774 A

  When blank page skip is performed by direct FAX transmission, a line is called, but there is a problem that the process ends without transmitting anything. For example, when a user mistakenly puts a blank sheet on the automatic document feeder and instructs direct FAX transmission, the line is first called, and then the document is scanned, but is not transmitted because it is blank. As a result, although the call is made, the image data itself is not transmitted, and only the communication cost (communication fee) is generated.

  In addition, although a line is called, there is a possibility that communication is cut off halfway because there are many blank sheets. For example, a case where an original composed of a bundle of 10 sheets is placed in an automatic document feeder, and the first sheet to the ninth sheet are blank sheets and only the tenth sheet is an original document. Think. In this case, when scanning is started after calling, there is no image data to be transmitted up to the 10th sheet. In the FAX, if the receiver does not transmit data for a certain period of time, the line may be disconnected. Therefore, the line is disconnected during this time.

  In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to eliminate useless idle calls during direct FAX transmission having a blank page skip function, and to make it difficult for line disconnection after communication to occur.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention has the following configuration. In other words, the image communication apparatus includes a reading unit that reads a document to acquire image data, a determination unit that determines whether the document read by the reading unit is a blank sheet, and the document that is determined by the determination unit. And a communication means for establishing a communication line with the transmission destination of the image data of the original and transmitting the image data to the transmission destination.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to avoid an empty call or line disconnection during direct FAX transmission having a blank page skip function.

The figure which shows the hardware structural example of an image communication apparatus. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the movement of a document in the automatic document feeder at the time of direct FAX transmission. The flowchart at the time of general direct FAX transmission. The flowchart of the direct FAX transmission which concerns on this embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[System configuration]
In the present embodiment, description will be given by taking a multifunction peripheral as an example of the image communication apparatus. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and other devices may be used. A configuration example of a multifunction machine according to the present embodiment is shown in FIG.

  The CPU 101 is a control unit of the system and controls the entire apparatus. The ROM 102 stores a control program for the CPU 101. The SRAM 103 stores setting values registered by the operator, device management data, and various work buffers. The SRAM 103 is a non-volatile storage area, and the power is backed up by a battery, so that the stored contents are not lost even when the apparatus itself is turned off. The read image data is also stored in the SRAM 103. The DRAM 104 is a storage area for storing program control variables and the like. The operation unit 105 is an interface unit for a user who displays information in the apparatus.

  The reading unit 106 acquires image data to be transmitted by reading image data and converting it into binary data. Document reading of the image transmission function is performed using the reading unit 106. The reading unit 106 is connected to the document feed reading unit 1061 and the pressure plate reading unit 1062 and controls reading of the document using any one of the parts. The document feed reading unit 1061 includes an automatic document feeder that can continuously feed a plurality of documents, and can continuously read the document while feeding. The pressure plate reading unit 1062 reads the original by placing the reading surface of the original on the glass plate.

  The recording unit 107 is an apparatus that outputs image data to recording paper. The image processing unit 108 performs encoding / decoding processing of image data handled by the image transmission function. The communication unit 109 is an interface unit between the device and the external communication network. The communication unit 109 is connected to the FAX communication unit 1901 and the network communication unit 1092 and performs communication with the outside using any part. A FAX communication unit 1901 is an interface to a telephone line that performs FAX communication. The network communication unit 1092 is an interface to a network that performs data transmission such as Email.

  Each part in the image communication apparatus is connected through the data bus 110, and the image data is transferred through the data bus 110.

  First, conventional direct FAX transmission will be described. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing how the document moves during direct FAX transmission. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the document feeding / reading unit 1061.

  When direct FAX transmission of a document using the document feed reading unit 1061 is performed, first, the document is set on the document feed reading unit 1061 as shown in FIG. This state is referred to as a “pre-feed state”. Next, the image communication apparatus performs communication by connecting a line with a partner apparatus as a transmission destination of the image data, and reads an image when the communication method is determined. At this time, the document is scanned by the document feed reading unit 1061, but until the transmission is completed, as shown in FIG. 2B, the document is temporarily stopped while being held without being discharged. As shown in FIG. 2B, a state in which scanning of a document has been completed but transmission has not been completed and a document has not been discharged is referred to as a “pre-discharge state”.

  Finally, when the direct FAX transmission of the document to the other party is completed, the document is fed from the document feed reading unit 1061 as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2C, a state in which both scanning and transmission have been completed and paper discharge has been completed is referred to as a “paper discharge state”.

[Operation flow of conventional direct FAX transmission]
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of conventional direct FAX transmission.

  In step S <b> 301, the image communication apparatus starts direct FAX transmission when a document is placed in the document feed reading unit and an input of a destination such as a telephone number is received from the user as an instruction for direct FAX transmission.

  In S302, the image communication apparatus makes a call and opens a line without feeding a document. In S303, the image communication apparatus communicates with the counterpart device, determines the format of the image to be communicated, and completes the initial communication. As a result, communication between the devices is established, and thereafter, the image data is transmitted.

  In S304, the image communication apparatus moves the document set in the document feed reading unit from the pre-feed state (FIG. 2A) to the pre-discharge state (FIG. 2B), thereby Scan and read. In step S <b> 305, the image communication apparatus processes the read image data with the image processing unit 108 and transmits the processed image data to the partner machine via the communication unit 109. In S306, the image communication apparatus confirms whether transmission has been completed normally. After the transmission is completed normally, in S307, the image communication apparatus discharges the document from the document feed reading unit. As a result, the paper discharge state shown in FIG.

  In S308, the image communication apparatus checks whether there is still a document in the document feed reading unit. If the document remains (YES in S308), the process returns to S304, and the image communication apparatus repeatedly reads and transmits the next document. If no document remains (NO in S308), in S309, the image communication apparatus disconnects the line and completes the direct FAX transmission.

  In this way, during direct FAX transmission, each phase of image communication and the movement of the document on the document feed reading unit operate in synchronization.

  When the above-described blank page skip function is applied to direct FAX transmission, it is possible to determine whether or not a document is blank for the first time when the document is read in step S304. For this reason, if the document is blank, the line has already been opened in step S302, so there is a possibility that the image data to be transmitted disappears and the line is disconnected without doing anything.

  Further, consider a case where the first to ninth sheets of the sheet bundle constituting the document are blank sheets and only the tenth sheet is an original document. In this case, if a call is made in step S302 and then the original is sequentially scanned in step S304, there is no image data to be transmitted until the tenth sheet is transmitted. For this reason, the steps S304 to S308 are repeated nine times without transmitting an image. In FAX, since the receiver may disconnect the line if data is not transmitted for a certain period of time, the line may be disconnected during this period.

[Operation flow of direct FAX transmission according to this embodiment]
FIG. 4 shows an operation flow of direct FAX transmission according to the present invention. By this process, the above-mentioned idle call and line disconnection are avoided. This processing flow is realized, for example, when the CPU 101 reads and executes a program stored in the ROM 102 or the like.

  In step S <b> 401, the image communication apparatus starts direct FAX transmission when a document is placed in the document feed reading unit 1061 as an instruction for direct FAX transmission and an input of a destination such as a telephone number is received from the user.

  In S402, the image communication apparatus moves the document set in the document feed reading unit 1061 from the pre-feed state (FIG. 2A) to the pre-discharge state (FIG. 2B). Scan and read the original. That is, unlike the flow shown in FIG. 3, a document placed on the document feeding / reading unit 1061 is scanned before the line is called, and the state before feeding (from FIG. 2A) to the state before discharging (FIG. 2 (b)).

  In step S403, the image communication apparatus determines whether the scanned document is blank. If the document is a blank sheet (YES in S403), in S408, the image communication apparatus changes the document from the pre-discharge state to the discharge state (FIG. 2C). Then, it progresses to S409.

  If the original is not blank (NO in S403), in S404, the image communication apparatus determines whether or not the line with the counterpart device is open. If the line is not open (NO in S404), the process proceeds to S405. If the line is open (YES in S404), the process proceeds to S406.

  In S405, the image communication apparatus calls and opens a line. In other words, the line is opened when image data that is not blank is transmitted. Thereafter, the process proceeds to S406.

  In S406, the image communication apparatus processes the read image data by the image processing unit 108, and transmits the processed image data to the partner machine via the communication unit 109. In step S407, the image communication apparatus confirms whether transmission has been completed normally. After the transmission is completed normally, the process proceeds to S408.

  In step S <b> 409, the image communication apparatus checks whether a document remains in the document feed reading unit 1061. If the original remains (YES in S409), the process returns to S402, and the image communication apparatus repeatedly reads and transmits the next original. If no document remains (NO in S409), in S410, the image communication apparatus notifies the other party of the completion of transmission and disconnects the line. Here, when the line is not opened due to a case where blank sheets are continuous, the direct FAX transmission process is terminated as it is.

  As a result, even if an attempt is made to send a document bundle composed only of blank paper by direct FAX, it can be confirmed before connecting the line, and an empty call can be avoided. Also, if there are multiple blank pages at the beginning of the original bundle, the line is disconnected while judging the blank page because the line is connected and transmitted after detecting the image data of the non-blank document. Can be avoided.

<Other embodiments>
The present invention is also realized by executing the following processing. That is, software (program) for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or apparatus via a network or various storage media, and a computer (or CPU, MPU, etc.) of the system or apparatus reads the program. It is a process to be executed.

101 ... CPU, ROM ... 102, 105 ... operation unit, 1061 ... original feed reading unit, 1062 ... pressure plate reading unit, 1091 ... FAX communication unit

Claims (7)

An image communication device,
Reading means for reading a document and acquiring image data;
Determining means for determining whether or not the document read by the reading means is a blank sheet;
A communication unit that establishes a communication line with the transmission destination of the image data of the document when the determination unit determines that the document is not blank, and transmits the image data to the transmission destination. An image communication apparatus. The document consists of a plurality of sheets,
The reading unit and the determination unit sequentially process the plurality of sheets,
2. The communication unit according to claim 1, wherein the communication unit establishes a communication line with the transmission destination when the determination unit determines that the sheet read by the reading unit is not blank. Image communication device.   The image communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the communication unit does not transmit image data of a sheet determined to be a blank sheet among the plurality of sheets. The reading means includes
If the determination unit determines that the read original is blank, the original is discharged after reading,
4. If the determination unit determines that the read original is not blank, the original is held until the transmission of the image data of the original is completed after the reading. The image communication apparatus according to claim 1.   The image communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reading unit includes an automatic document feeder. A method for controlling an image communication apparatus including a reading unit that reads a document and acquires image data,
A determination step of determining whether or not the document read by the reading unit is a blank sheet;
A communication step of establishing a communication line with the transmission destination of the image data of the original and transmitting the image data to the transmission destination when it is determined in the determination step that the original is not blank. A control method for an image communication apparatus.   A program for causing a computer to execute the control method of the image communication apparatus according to claim 6.

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