JP2018182685A - Data transmission device and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a document reading device and an image forming apparatus that can efficiently process image signals compared with a technology to transmit image signals without packetizing the image signals.SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus 10 comprises: a reading part 450 that acquires an image of a document; and a transmission part 470 that transmits signals of the image of the document acquired by the reading part 450, the image signals received by a receiving part 260 and processed by an image processing part 270. The transmission part 470 packetizes the image signals and transmits the image signals in a packet unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a data transmission apparatus and an image forming apparatus.

  According to Patent Document 1, a case, a movable member movable with respect to the case, a wireless communication element attached to the movable member and performing wireless communication, and transmission and reception performing wireless transmission and reception with the wireless communication element A detection unit including: and a shielding unit that shields communication between the wireless communication element and the transmission / reception unit in a state in which the movable member is located in the housing, A mode in which communication between the wireless communication element and the transmission / reception unit is possible by exposing the wireless communication element to the outside of the housing, and by the wireless communication element entering the housing, the wireless communication element A detection device is described which detects the state of the detection device by having a mode in which communication between the transmission and reception units is not possible.

  Patent Document 2 shows an image forming apparatus including a plurality of functional units that perform control related to image processing, and each functional unit performs control to perform one or more of the functions that can be installed in the image forming apparatus. An image forming apparatus is described which comprises: means; and communication means for communicating image data with other functional units by ultra-wide band wireless.

JP, 2007-333411, A JP 2008-236094 A

  It is desirable to make processing of the image signal in the image processing unit efficient.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a data transmission apparatus and an image forming apparatus capable of efficiently processing an image signal as compared with a technology of transmitting an image signal without packetizing.

  The present invention according to claim 1 is an image acquisition unit for acquiring an image, and an image signal of an image acquired by the image acquisition unit, the image signal being received by the reception unit and processed by the image processing unit A transmitting unit, and the transmitting unit is a data transmitting apparatus that packetizes an image signal and transmits it in a packet unit.

  The present invention according to claim 2 is the data transmitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting unit transmits the image signal packetized in accordance with the data processing method of the image processing unit in units of packets.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, the transmission section transmits the packetized image signal in packet units according to at least one of an order and a unit in which the image processing section processes data. It is a data transmission apparatus of description.

  The present invention according to claim 4 is the data transmission apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the transmission unit transmits an image signal to the reception unit through WiGig standardized by IEEE 802.11ad.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an original reading unit for reading an original, a transmitting unit for transmitting an image signal of the original read by the reading unit, a receiving unit for receiving the image signal transmitted by the transmitting unit, The image processing unit that processes an image signal received by the receiving unit, and an image forming unit that forms an image using the image signal processed by the image processing unit, the transmitting unit packetizes the image signal , And an image forming apparatus that transmits on a packet basis.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a data transmission apparatus capable of efficiently processing the image signal as compared with the technique of transmitting the image signal without packetizing.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, the processing of the image signal can be made more efficient as compared with a technique in which the transmission unit transmits packetized data in a format different from the data processing method of the image processing unit. it can.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, processing of the image signal is performed in comparison with a technique in which the transmission unit transmits packetized data in a format different from the order and unit in which the image processing unit processes data. It can be efficient.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to speed up data transmission as compared to a device that transmits data through other than WiGig.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus capable of processing the image signal more efficiently as compared with the technique of transmitting the image signal without packetizing.

FIG. 1 is a view showing a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus used in a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a view schematically showing an output unit, a transmitting unit, a receiving unit, and an image processing unit included in the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a first example of units and an order in which an image processing unit included in the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1 processes an image signal. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a second example of units and an order in which an image processing unit included in the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1 processes an image signal. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a third example of units and order in which an image processing unit included in the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1 processes an image signal. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining transmission of an image signal by a transmission unit and processing of an image signal by an image processing unit in the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1. It is a figure which shows the document reader used in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a view showing an example of an image forming apparatus 10 used in the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 10 includes an output device 100 and a document reading device 400.

  The output device 100 is a device that outputs an image to a recording medium such as, for example, a sheet, and includes the output device main body 110, and the upper surface of the output device main body 110 discharges the recording medium on which the image is formed. It is used as the discharge unit 112. Further, in the output device main body 110, an image forming unit 130 for forming an image on a recording medium is disposed.

  The image forming unit 130 forms an image using data processed by an image processing unit 270 described later, and forms, for example, a monochrome image using, for example, an electrophotographic method. The image forming unit 130 also includes a photosensitive drum 132 used as an image carrier, a charging device 134 for charging the photosensitive drum 132, and a latent image for forming an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 132. The image forming unit 134, a developing device 136 that develops a latent image to form a toner image, a transfer device 138 that transfers a toner image to a recording medium, a cleaning device 142 that cleans the surface of the photosensitive drum 132, a recording medium And a fixing device 144 for fixing the toner image.

  In the above description, the image forming unit 130 has been described by taking an example of a configuration adopting an electrophotographic method as an example, but the image forming unit 130 adopts a method other than electrophotography, such as an inkjet method. May be In the above description, the image forming unit 130 has been described by way of example of the configuration for forming a monochrome image, but the image forming unit 130 may be configured to form a multicolor image.

  In the output device body 110, a supply device 200 is further disposed. The supply device 200 supplies the recording medium stored in the storage unit 202 to the image forming unit 130 using the supply roll 204.

  Further, a conveyance path 230 is formed in the output device main body 110. The conveyance path 230 transmits the recording medium from the supply device 200 to the transfer device 138, further conveys the recording medium to the fixing device 144, and further discharges the recording medium to the discharge unit 112. Transport

  In the output device main body 110, along the transport path 230, the upstream side in the recording medium transport direction is sequentially the above-mentioned supply roll 204, the resist roll 232, the above-mentioned transfer device 138, and the above-mentioned fixing device 144; A discharge roll 234 is disposed.

  The resist roll 232 temporarily stops the movement of the front end of the recording medium, and resumes the movement of the front end of the recording medium so as to coincide with the timing at which the image forming unit 130 forms an image.

  The discharge roll 234 discharges the recording medium on which the toner image is fixed by the fixing device 144 to the discharge unit 112.

  In the output device main body 110, a receiving unit 260 is further disposed. The receiving unit 260 receives an image signal transmitted by the transmitting unit 470 described later.

  In the output device main body 110, an image processing unit 270 is further disposed. The image processing unit 270 processes the image signal (data) received by the receiving unit 260. Further, using the image signal processed by the image processing unit 270, the image forming unit 130 such as, for example, the latent image forming unit 134 forms an image. The details of the image processing unit 270 will be described later.

  The document reading apparatus 400 has a document reading apparatus main body 402, and the upper surface of the document reading apparatus main body 402 is used as a discharge unit 404 from which the document having been read is discharged. Further, the document reading apparatus 400 further includes a support portion 406 for supporting the document before reading.

  In the document reading apparatus main body 402, a conveyance path 410 is formed. The conveyance path 410 conveys the document supported by the support unit 406 to the reading position P using, for example, a plurality of conveyance members 412, and further conveys the document from the reading position P to the discharge unit 404.

  In the document reading apparatus main body 402, a light source 420, a focusing unit 422, and a reading unit 450 are further disposed. The light source 420 applies light to a portion of the document passing through the reading position P. The light collecting unit 422 includes, for example, an optical component such as a lens, and collects light emitted from the light source 420 and reflected by the surface of the document to the reading unit 450.

  The reading unit 450 is an example of a document reading unit that reads a document and is an example of an image acquiring unit that acquires an image, and is a so-called image sensor, for example, a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CIS (Contact Image Sensor). ), BBD (Bucket Brigade Device), etc. can be used.

  An output unit 460 is further disposed in the document reading device main body 402. As an output unit 460, an analog front end can be used. Further, the output unit 460 converts an image signal input from the reading unit 450 into a digital signal and outputs the converted signal.

  In the document reading apparatus main body 402, a transmitting unit 470 is further disposed. The transmitting unit 470 is an image signal of the document read by the reading unit 450, and is converted into a digital signal by the output unit 460, and transmits the image signal received by the receiving unit 260 and processed by the image processing unit 270. .

  Transmission of the image signal from the transmission unit 470 to the reception unit 260 is performed, for example, wirelessly, for example, through WiGig. Here, WiGig is short-range high-speed digital wireless communication standardized by IEEE 802.11ad, using millimeter wave radio waves with a frequency of 60 GHz, and the communication speed is as high as 7 Gbps at maximum.

  In FIG. 2, an output unit 460, a transmission unit 470, a reception unit 260, and an image processing unit 270 are shown. The output unit 460 outputs the image signal converted to a digital signal and CLK.

  The transmitting unit 470 transmits the image signal and the CLK.

  The receiving unit 260 receives the image signal transmitted by the transmitting unit and the clock CLK.

  As the image processing unit 270, for example, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a central processing unit (CPU) can be used. The image processing unit 270 performs image processing such as noise removal from an image signal, point processing, error diffusion processing, edge processing, and sharpness processing. Here, the image processing unit 270 may process the image in point units, process the image in line units, and process the image in tile units. For example, the image processing unit 270 may perform noise removal processing in line units, and for example, the image processing unit 270 may use neighboring pixels such as error diffusion, edge processing, and sharpness processing in tile units. There is something to do.

  Here, when the transmitting unit 470 transmits an image signal in the same unit or order output by the output unit 460, the image processing unit 270 processes the image signal of the unit or order output by the output unit 460. In this case, it takes time to complete transmission of an image signal for one line, which is a unit of processing in the image processing unit 270, or an image signal for one tile, and the speed of image processing by the image processing unit 270 There is a possibility that the efficiency may decrease.

  Therefore, in the image forming apparatus 10, the transmitting unit 470 packetizes the image signal according to the signal processing method of the image processing unit 270, and transmits the image signal on a packet basis. More specifically, the transmitting unit 470 transmits the image signal packetized in accordance with at least one of the order and the unit in which the image processing unit 270 processes the signal.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a first example of a unit in which the image processing unit 270 processes an image signal and an order in which the image processing unit 270 processes the image signal.

  In this first example, as shown in FIG. 3, the image processing unit 270 processes the image signal in units of line areas, which are areas having a constant width extending in the main scanning direction, for example, and processes the line area L1. As in the case of processing the image signal of the line area L2 located below the line area L1, the image signal is processed in the order from the line area on the upper end side of the recording medium to the line area on the lower end side.

  Then, in this first example, the transmission unit 470 packetizes the image signal in units of line regions so as to match the unit and order of processing of the image signals in the image processing unit 270, and then units of line regions. The image signal packetized in the above is transmitted in the order from the line area on the upper end side of the recording medium to the line area on the lower end side.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a second example of the unit in which the image processing unit 270 processes the image signal and the order in which the image processing unit 270 processes the image signal.

  In this second example, as shown in FIG. 4, the image processing unit 270 processes the image signal in units of tile areas which are rectangular areas of a fixed shape, and after processing the image signals of the tile area T1, As in the case of processing the image signal of the tile area T2 located to the right of the tile area T1, the image signals are processed in the order from the tile area located at the upper left of the recording medium to the tile area located at the lower right of the recording medium To process.

  Then, in this second example, the transmitting unit 470 packetizes the image signal in units of tile areas so as to match the unit and order of processing of the image signals in the image processing unit 270, and the units of tile areas The image signals are transmitted in the order from the tile area on the upper right side of the recording medium to the tile area on the lower right side of the recording medium.

  FIG. 5 illustrates a third example of the unit in which the image processing unit 270 processes the image signal and the order in which the image processing unit 270 processes the image signal.

  In the third example, as shown in FIG. 5, the image processing unit 270 processes the image signal in point units of a fixed size, and after processing the image signal of the point region P1, to the right of the point region P1. As in the case of processing the image signal of the located point area P2, the image signals are processed in the order from the point area located at the upper left of the recording medium to the point area located at the lower right of the recording medium.

  Then, in the third example, the transmitting unit 470 packetizes the image signal in units of point regions so as to match the unit and order of processing of the image signal in the image processing unit 270, and the units of point regions The image signals are transmitted in the order from the point region on the upper left side of the recording medium to the point region on the lower right side of the recording medium.

  FIG. 6 illustrates transmission of an image signal and processing of the image signal. FIG. 6A illustrates a first example in which the image processing unit 270 processes the image signal for each line region. The transmission of the image signal by the transmission unit 470 and the processing of the image signal by the image processing unit 270 in the case are described.

  As shown in FIG. 6A, in this first example, the transmitting unit 470 packetizes the image signal in units of line areas, and sequentially transmits the packetized image signal. Then, the image processing unit 270 sequentially processes the packetized data in units of line areas.

  In FIG. 6B, transmission of the image signal by the transmission unit 470 in the case of the second example in which the image processing unit 270 processes the image signal for each tile area, and processing of the image signal by the image processing unit 270 Is described.

  As shown in FIG. 6B, in the second example, the transmitting unit 470 packetizes the image signal in units of tile areas, and sequentially transmits the packetized image signal. Then, the image processing unit 270 sequentially processes the packetized data in units of tile areas.

  In FIG. 6C, transmission of the image signal by the transmission unit 470 in the case of the third example in which the image processing unit 270 processes the image signal for each point area, and processing of the image signal by the image processing unit 270 Is described.

  As shown in FIG. 6C, in the third example, the transmitting unit 470 packetizes the image signal in units of dot areas and sequentially transmits the packetized image signal. Then, the image processing unit 270 sequentially processes the packetized data in units of point areas.

  FIG. 7 shows an example of a document reading system 500 used in the second embodiment of the present invention. The document reading system 500 has a document reading device 400. The document reading device 400 in the second embodiment has the same configuration as the document reading device 400 in the first embodiment described above, and therefore the description thereof is omitted.

  The document reading system 500 further includes a receiving device 600. The receiving device 600 is a device that receives an image signal transmitted by the transmitting unit 470 of the document reading device 400. Also, the receiving device 600 has a receiving unit 610, a communication interface 620, and a control unit 630 that controls the receiving unit 610 and the communication interface 620.

  The receiving unit 610 has the same function as the receiving unit 260 in the first embodiment described above. That is, the receiving unit 610 receives the image signal and the CLK transmitted by the transmitting unit 470 through the WiGig.

  The communication interface 620 is used to connect to a network 900 such as a LAN, for example.

  Document reading system 500 further includes an output device 100. The output device 100 according to the first embodiment described above has the receiving unit 260. Instead, the output device 100 of the second embodiment has a communication interface 280. The communication interface 280 is used to connect to the network 900.

  The document reading system 500 has, for example, two terminal devices 700. The terminal devices 700 are respectively connected to the network 900, and are used to operate the document reading device 400 and the output device 100.

  In the document reading system 500 configured as described above, for example, the reading unit 450 of the document reading device 400 obtains an image of a document according to an operation of the terminal device 700, and an image signal of the image obtained by the reading unit 450. Therefore, the transmitting unit 470 of the document reading apparatus 400 transmits the image signal processed by the image processing unit 270 which is received by the receiving unit 610 and connected to the receiving unit 610 through the communication interface 620, the network 900, and the communication interface 280. Do. Then, using the image signal processed by the image processing unit 270, the image forming unit 130 of the output device 100 forms an image.

  At this time, as in the first embodiment described above, according to the data processing method of the image processing unit 270, more specifically, the transmitting unit 470 processes the data in the order and unit in which the image processing unit 270 processes data. In response, the packetized image signal is transmitted on a packet basis.

  In the first embodiment described above, the image forming apparatus 10 is shown as an example of the data transmission apparatus described in the claims, and in the second embodiment described above, the image forming apparatus 10 is described in the claims. Although the document reading apparatus 400 is shown as another example of the data transmission apparatus of the present invention, the present invention can use, for example, a reading unit such as a digital camera or a smart phone device using, for example, a CCD. The present invention can be applied to an apparatus having a transmission unit.

10: Image forming apparatus 100: Output device 260: Reception unit 270: Image processing unit 400: Document reading device 450: Reading unit 460: Output unit 470: Transmission unit 500: Document reading system

Claims (5)

An image acquisition unit for acquiring an image;
A transmission unit that transmits an image signal that is an image signal of the image acquired by the image acquisition unit and that is received by the reception unit and processed by the image processing unit;
Have
The transmission unit packetizes an image signal and transmits the packet in packet units.   The data transmitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting unit transmits the image signal packetized in accordance with the data processing method of the image processing unit in units of packets.   3. The data transmitting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the transmitting unit transmits the packetized image signal in packet units according to at least one of an order and a unit in which the image processing unit processes data.   The data transmission apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the transmission unit transmits an image signal to the reception unit through WiGig standardized by IEEE 802.11ad. A document reading unit that reads a document;
A transmitting unit that transmits an image signal of the document read by the reading unit;
A receiving unit that receives the image signal transmitted by the transmitting unit;
An image processing unit that processes an image signal received by the receiving unit;
An image forming unit that forms an image using an image signal processed by the image processing unit;
Have
The transmission unit packetizes an image signal and transmits the packet in packet units.

Images