Folding-order image forming apparatus

What is claimed is:

1. A folding-order image forming apparatus comprising:

storage means for storing a digital image signal;

forming means for forming a recording image on a recording paper in accordance with the image signal output from said storage means;

information number setting means for setting an information number showing the number of information units included in one original;

dividing number setting means for setting a dividing number showing the number of image information units recorded on one recording paper; and

storage area control means for controlling a storage area in said storage means for the digital image signal per said image information unit, in accordance with:

(1) an information number set by said information number setting means; and

(2) a dividing number set by said dividing number setting means.

2. The folding-order image forming apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

first discriminating means for discriminating a rotating angle of said digital image signal per said image information units, in accordance with the information number of said information number setting means and the dividing number of said dividing number setting means;

wherein said storage area controlling means includes means for controlling said recording area in accordance with an information number of said information number setting means and a dividing number of said dividing number setting means, and with discriminating information from said first discriminating means.

3. The folding-order image forming apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

recording setting means for setting a "single side recording" setting or a "both side recording" setting regarding said recording paper;

wherein said storage area controlling means includes means for controlling said recording area in accordance with an information number set by said information number setting means, with a dividing number set by said dividing number setting means, and with a recording setting of said recording setting means.

4. The folding-order image forming apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

first discriminating means for discriminating a rotating angle of said digital image signal per said image information units in accordance with an information number of said information number setting means, a dividing number of said dividing number setting means, and a recording setting of said recording setting means;

wherein said storage area controlling means includes means for controlling said recording area in accordance with an information number of said information number setting means, a dividing number of said dividing number setting means and a setting of said recording setting means, and discriminating information from said first discriminating means.

5. The folding-order image forming apparatus of claim 3, wherein said storage area controlling means includes:

writing beginning position designating means for designating a writing beginning position in said storage means;

writing ending position designating means for designating a writing ending position; and

data unit stepping amount designating means for designating a writing data unit stepping amount for stepping a writing position;

wherein information from said writing beginning position designating means, said writing ending position designating means, and said data unit stepping amount designating means are designated in accordance with an information number from said information number setting means and a dividing number from said dividing number setting means; and

the storage area for said storage means of the digital image signal is controlled in accordance with information from said writing beginning position designating means, said writing ending position designating means, and said data unit stepping amount designating means.

6. The folding-order image forming apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

a recyclic automatic document feeder for supplying the original placed on an original loading pedestal to a contact glass and for discharging the original to said original loading pedestal; and

second discriminating means for discriminating whether or not, it is necessary to scan the original supplied to said contact glass, in accordance with an information number of said information number setting means, a dividing number of said dividing number setting means, and a recording setting of said recording setting means.

7. An image data outputting circuit, comprising:

a) an image memory for storing image data read line by line; and

b) image memory control means for controlling input and output of image data into and out of said image memory, wherein said image memory control means includes:

1) writing beginning position setting means for designating a writing beginning position of the image memory;

2) writing ending position setting means for designating a writing ending position;

3) data unit stepping amount setting means for designating a writing data unit stepping amount for stepping a writing position; and

4) means for controlling writing of the image data in accordance with designated information from said writing beginning position setting means, said writing ending position setting means, and said data unit stepping amount setting means.

8. The folding-order image forming apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

original size discriminating means for discriminating an original size;

zooming ratio setting means for setting a zooming ratio of the recording image; and

zooming ratio determining means for determining said zooming ratio as a comparison of (1) original size information obtained from said original size discriminating means, and (2) recording paper size information.

9. The folding-order image forming apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

indicative pattern generating means for forming indicative patterns including a folding line, a folding order, and/or a cutting line, on a divisional boundary of the sheet of the recording paper; and

image combining means for combining the indicate patterns generated by the indicative pattern generating means with an image provided from the image memory means.

10. The folding-order image forming apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

binding-margin forming means for forming a marginal region in the vicinity of a divisional boundary of the sheet of recording paper.

11. The folding-order image forming apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

the zooming ratio determining means includes means for determining the zooming ratio on the basis of the original size information obtained from said original size discriminating means, said recording paper size information, and said dividing number of the recording image.

12. The folding-order image forming apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

said storage area controlling means includes means for forming, on the respective sides of the recording paper, the indicative patterns generated from said indicative pattern generating means and the image from said image signal storage means, when a "both sides" image forming mode for forming the recording image on both sides of the recording paper is selected.

13. The folding-order image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein said storage area controlling means includes:

writing beginning position designating means for designating a writing beginning position in said storage means;

writing ending position designating means for designating a writing ending position; and

data unit stepping amount designating means for designating a writing data unit stepping amount for stepping a writing position;

wherein respective designated information from said writing beginning position designating means, said writing ending position designating means and said data unit stepping amount designating means, are designated in accordance with an information number of said information number setting means and a dividing number of said dividing number setting means; and

wherein the storage area for said storage means of the digital image signal is controlled in accordance with said designated information.

14. The folding-order image forming apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

original size discriminating means for discriminating an original size;

zooming ratio setting means for setting a zooming ratio of the recording image; and

zooming ratio determining means for determining said zooming ratio as a comparison of (1) original size information obtained from said original size discriminating means, and (2) recording paper size information.

15. The folding-order image forming apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

indicative pattern generating means for forming indicative patterns including a folding line, a folding order, and/or a cutting line, on a divisional boundary of the sheet of the recording paper; and

image combining means for combining the indicative patterns generated by the indicative pattern generating means with an image provided from the image memory means.

16. The folding-order image forming apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

binding-margin forming means for forming a marginal region in the vicinity of a divisional boundary of the sheet of recording paper.

17. The folding-order image forming apparatus of claim 14, wherein:

the zooming ratio determining means includes means for determining the zooming ratio on the basis of the original size information obtained from said original size discriminating means, said recording paper size information, and said dividing number of the recording image.

18. The folding-order image forming apparatus of claim 15, wherein:

said storage area controlling means includes means, for forming, on the respective sides of the recording paper, the indicative patterns generated from said indicative pattern generating means and the image from said image signal storage means, when a "both sides" image forming mode for forming the recording image on both sides of the recording paper is selected.

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a folding-order image forming apparatus such as a digital copying machine provided with an image memory having a memory capacity of at least one frame of a recording image to store an image signal provided by reading images of plural originals or divisional originals and record plural images on one sheet of recording paper.

2. Description of the Related Art

In a digital copying machine, image data read from an original image can be easily processed and edited in various manners by a known image processing system. Accordingly, there are many proposals for fulfilling many functions of the copying machine.

For example, an image-data outputting circuit is proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laying Open (KOKAI) No. 61-156195. In this image-data outputting circuit, the original image is rotated .+-.90.degree. and is processed and image data can be outputted by using effective methods for reading and writing the image data to a memory.

However, in such a general structure, it is impossible to perform data processing such as an image rotation by assigning a certain memory region within a page memory.

Further, a write starting or completing position, a read starting or completing position, and a stepping amount of data or a line unit are fixedly set when the page memory having a simple structure is used. Accordingly, for example, it is impossible to write or read the image data corresponding to paper size A4 from the page memory corresponding to paper size A3 by dividing these image data into two data sections.

When plural originals are copied and filed as a book by using a general copying machine, the plural originals are respectively copied and copied sheets thereof are stacked with each other.

For example, when plural double-sided originals are copied to form a document or material, it is necessary to bind the copied sheets by a stapler or a clip at any time even when a double-sided copying mode set within a recent copying machine as an additional function is used. Accordingly, when a large number of copies are required, it takes much time to bind the copied sheets and natural resources are uselessly used. Further, when plural copies such as copies reduced in size are bound into a recent business pocket notebook often used, no double-sided copying mode can be used and marginal portions of a paper sheet are uselessly used. Similar situations are caused when a copy enlarged in size is used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore a first object of the present invention to provide a folding-order image forming apparatus in which a sheet of recording paper having an image thereon is simply folded or cut on the boundary of a unit image without useless labor so that, for example, a recording image is formed in an opening shape when plural or divisional originals are read to record images thereof on one sheet of recording paper, and the recording image is automatically arranged in a desirable recording order, or bound sheets of recording paper are automatically obtained in the desirable recording order.

A second object of the present invention is to provide an image data outputting circuit for processing inputted image data without any complicated circuit structure and performing image processings of the inputted image data such as rotation of an image and outputting the processed image data.

In accordance with a first structure of the present invention, the above first object of the present invention can be achieved by a folding-order image forming apparatus for forming a recording image in accordance with an image signal outputted from image signal memory means for storing a digital image signal, the folding-order image forming apparatus comprising memory region control means for controlling an operation of the image signal memory means in a memory region thereof; and image-rotational processing means for rotating an image by judging necessity of rotational processing of the image every memory region of the image signal memory means; the image signal memory means having a region for storing recording images on front and rear faces of a sheet of recording paper; and the image signal memory means further having a folding-order image forming mode as an image forming mode in which images on 2.times.2 pages are respectively recorded onto two equal divisional regions of one sheet of recording paper on both sides thereof.

In accordance with a second structure of the present invention, the above first object of the present invention can be also achieved by a folding-order image forming apparatus for forming a recording image in accordance with an image signal outputted from image signal memory means for storing a digital image signal, the folding-order image forming apparatus comprising memory region control means for controlling an operation of the image signal memory means in a memory region thereof; and image-rotational processing means for rotating an image by judging necessity of rotational processing of the image every memory region of the image signal memory means; the image signal memory means having a region for storing a recording image on one sheet of recording paper; and the image signal memory means further having a folding-order image forming mode as an image forming mode in which images on two pages are respectively recorded onto two equal divisional regions of one sheet of recording paper.

In accordance with a third structure of the present invention, the above first object of the present invention can be also achieved by a folding-order image forming apparatus for forming a recording 1electrostatic photographic 2with an image signal outputted from image signal memory means for storing a digital image signal, the folding order image forming apparatus comprising memory region control means for controlling an operation of the image signal memory means in a memory region thereof in accordance with a reading order of an original image; and image divisional means for processing the image signal stored to the 3means and 4of the original image into a plurality of divisional image data; the image signal memory means having a region for storing a recording image on one sheet of recording paper; and the image signal memory means further having a folding-order image forming mode as an image forming mode in which original images on plural pages are respectively formed on plural divisional regions of one sheet of recording paper on both sides thereof; and the one sheet of recording paper is folded or cut along a divisional boundary to form an image-recording object having an opening shape.

In accordance with another structure of the present invention, the above second object of the present invention can be achieved by an image data outputting circuit comprising an image memory for storing image data read every line; and image memory control means for controlling inputting and outputting operations of the image data of the image memory; the image memory control means having write-starting position setting means for designating a write starting position of the image memory; write-completing position setting means for designating a write completing position of the image memory; and data-unit stepping-amount setting means for designating a write-data unit stepping amount for stepping a writing position of the image memory; the image memory control means controlling a writing operation of the image data in accordance with the designated write starting position, the designated write completing position and the designated write-data unit stepping amount.

In the above structures of the present invention, the memory region control means controls an operation of the image signal memory means in the memory region thereof in accordance with a reading order of the original image. The image divisional means processes an image signal stored to the image signal memory means and divides read data of the original image into a plurality of divisional image data.

The image figure combining means combines the original image with another figure image. The image-rotational processing means judges the necessity of rotational processing of the image every memory region of the image signal memory means and rotates this image. Further, the image memory control means starts the writing operation of the image data from the write starting position of the image memory designated by the write-starting position setting means. The image memory control means steps the writing position of the image memory every write-data unit stepping amount designated by the data-unit stepping-amount setting means. The image memory control means further completes the writing operation of the image data in the write completing position designated by the write-completing position setting means.

In the folding-order image forming apparatus, a sheet of recording paper having an image thereon is simply folded or cut on the boundary of a unit image without useless labor. Accordingly, for example, the recording image is formed in an opening shape when plural or divisional originals are read to record images thereof on one sheet of recording paper, and the recording image is automatically arranged in a desirable recording order, or bound sheets of recording paper are automatically obtained in the desirable recording order.

Further, the image data outputting circuit processes inputted image data without any complicated circuit structure and performs image processings of the inputted image data such as rotation of an image and outputs the processed image data.

Further objects and advantages of the prevent invention will apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a constructional view of the entire structure of a copying machine in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a writing section of the copying machine;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the detailed structures of a page memory and a page memory control circuit disposed in the copying machine in the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an image pocesssing circuit disposed in a scanner section of the copying machine;

FIG. 5 is a circuit block diagram of a control unit for sequential control in the entire copying machine;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the detailed structure of an address generating circuit;

FIG. 7 is a timing chart of main input and output signals in the detailed address generating circuit;

FIG. 8 is a typical view showing a memory construction of the page memory;

FIG. 9 is an explanatory view showing a storing state of image data in the page memory and corresponding to recording paper size A3;

FIG. 10 is an explanatory view showing a state in which images on four sheets of an original having paper size A4 are stored to the page memory by using a size-reduction mode;

FIG. 11 is a flow chart of operating control of the copying machine in a folding-order copying mode;

FIGS. 12a and 12b are explanatory views each showing a memory state of image data on four pages of the original stored to an image memory;

FIGS. 13a and 13b are explanatory views showing an arranging direction of the original on a contact glass;

FIG. 14 is a timing chart of the copying machine when a sheet of the original is fed by using an automatic document feeder (ADF);

FIG. 15 is a timing chart of the copying machine when the sheet of the original is manually fed;

FIGS. 16a and 16b are explanatory views each showing a memory state of data stored to the image memory;

FIGS. 17a and 17b are explanatory views showing the patterns of a folding line and a cutting line outputted on a sheet of transfer paper;

FIGS. 18a and 18b are explanatory views showing memory states of data stored to the image memory in the case of an eight-divisional copy;

FIG. 19 is an explanatory view showing the patterns of folding and cutting lines outputted on a sheet of transfer paper in the case of the eight-divisional copy;

FIG. 20 is an explanatory view showing an arranging direction of the original spread or opened on the contact glass;

FIGS. 21a to 21d are explanatory views showing storing states of image data stored to an image memory when a folding-order copying mode, a double-sided copying mode and a two-divisional copying mode are selected in a copying machine in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 22a and 22b are explanatory views showing storing states of the image data stored to the image memory when the folding-order copying mode, the double-sided copying mode and a four-divisional copying mode are selected in the copying machine in the third embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 23a and 23b are explanatory views showing storing states of the image data stored to the image memory when the folding-order copying mode, the double-sided copying mode and an eight-divisional copying mode are selected in the copying machine in the third embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 24a to 24d are explanatory views showing storing states of image data stored to the image memory when a folding-order copying mode, a double-sided copying mode and a two-divisional coping mode are selected in a coping machine in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 25a to 25c are explanatory views showing examples in which the image of an original is constructed by a plurality of image information units;

FIG. 26 is an explanatory view showing arranging states of the original and an image on a sheet of transfer paper in the case of two image information units; FIGS. 27a and 27b are explanatory views showing an image-data recording region, a marginal region and a folding-line data recording region of the page memory when the two-divisional copying mode is selected;

FIG. 28 is an enlarged explanatory view showing a broken line pattern and a marginal portion;

FIGS. 29a and 29b are explanatory views showing memory states of data stored to the image memory;

FIGS. 30a and 30b are explanatory views showing storing states of image data in an image memory when a second sheet of the original is read in the case of four image information units at selecting time of a four-divisional copying mode in a copying machine in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 31a and 31b are explanatory views showing storing states of the image data in the image memory after images are rotated and rearranged in the case of the four image information units at the selecting time of the four-divisional copying mode in the copying machine in the second embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 32a and 32b are explanatory views each showing sheets of transfer paper and a covered bookbinding method when a covered-binding copying mode is selected;

FIG. 33 is a flow chart of a control operation of the copying machine when an automatic document feeder (ADF) is used and the folding-order copying mode is selected;

FIG. 34 is a flow chart of a control operation of the copying machine subsequent to the control operation shown in FIG. 33 when the folding-order copying mode is selected;

FIG. 35 is a flow chart of a control operation of the copying machine subsequent to the control operation shown in FIG. 34 when the folding-order copying mode is selected;

FIG. 36 is a flow chart of a control operation of the copying machine subsequent to the control operation shown in FIG. 34 when the folding-order copying mode and the double-sided copying mode are selected;

FIG. 37 is a flow chart of a subroutine for selecting a paper magnification;

FIG. 38 is a flow chart of a control operation of the copying machine when the folding-order copying mode and an original-replacing copying mode are selected;

FIG. 39 is a flow chart of a control operation of the copying machine when a covered-binding copying mode and the original-replacing copying mode are selected;

FIG. 40 is a flow chart of a control operation of the copying machine subsequent to the control operation shown in FIG. 39 when the covered-binding copying mode and the original-replacing copying mode are selected;

FIG. 41 is a flow chart of a control operation of the copying machine subsequent to the control operation shown in FIG. 40 when the covered-binding copying mode and the original-replacing copying mode are selected;

FIG. 42 is a flow chart of a control operation of the copying machine subsequent to the control operation shown in FIG. 40 when the covered-binding copying mode, the original-replacing copying mode and the double-sided copying mode are selected;

FIG. 43 is a flow chart of a control operation of the copying machine when the covered-binding copying mode and an opening-original copying mode are selected;

FIG. 44 is a flow chart of a control operation of the copying machine when the covered-binding copying mode, the opening-original copying mode and a page-aligning copying mode are selected;

FIG. 45 is a flow chart of a control operation of the copying machine subsequent to the control operation shown in FIG. 44 when the covered-binding copying mode, the opening-original copying mode and the page-aligning copying mode are selected; and

FIG. 46 is a flow chart of a control operation of the copying machine subsequent to the control operation shown in FIG. 45 when the covered-binding copying mode, the opening-original copying mode and the page-aligning copying mode are selected.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The preferred embodiments of a folding-order image forming apparatus in the present invention will next be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a view showing the entire structure of a digital copying machine in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view of a writing section disposed in this copying machine.

A schematic structure of the digital copying machine will next be described in detail with reference to FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the digital copying machine is constructed by a copying machine body I, an automatic document feeder (ADF) II, a sorter III and a double-sided reversing unit IV. The copying machine body I is constructed by a scanner section, a writing section, an exposure section, a developing section, a paper feeding section, etc. Constructions and operations of the respective constructional sections in the copying machine body I will next be explained.

The scanner section will first be explained.

As shown in FIG. 1, the scanner section is constructed by first and second scanners. The first scanner has a light source 31, a reflecting mirror 32 for reflecting light from the light source 31, and a first mirror 33. The first scanner is moved at a constant speed. The second scanner has a second mirror 34 and a third mirror 35 and is moved in accordance with the movement of the first scanner. An original arranged on a contact glass 39 is optically scanned by the first scanner. Light reflected from the original is guided to a lens 37 through a color filter 36 and an image of the original is focused and formed as an image on a one-dimensional solid-state image sensor 38. The solid-state image sensor 38 is constructed by a charge coupled device (CCD). The color filter 36 is arranged such that the color filter 36 can be moved into and out of an optical path. Such moving operations of the color filter 36 are performed in accordance with a scanning operation of the original so as to make various kinds of copies such as a transfer copy, a double-sided copy in combination with various kinds of functions for these copies.

As described later, an analog signal of an image read by the solid-state image sensor 38 is converted to a digital signal by an analog/digital (A/D) converter. The digital signal is processed and outputted after various kinds of image processings about this digital signal such as multivalued processing, gradational processing, zooming processing, editing, etc. using an image processing unit.

The writing section will next be explained.

In the writing section, image information after the image processings is converted to information of lightness and is written onto a photosensitive body drum by the raster scan of a laser beam. A semiconductor laser is used as a light source of the laser beam.

In FIG. 2, the laser beam emitted from a semiconductor laser 70 is changed to a parallel light beam by a collimator lens 71 and is shaped by an aperture 73. The shaped laser beam is then compressed by a first cylindrical lens 72 in a cross scanning direction. Thereafter, the compressed beam is incident to a polygon mirror 74.

The polygon mirror 74 is rotated by a polygon motor 76 at a constant speed and has a polygonal columnar shape. An outer circumferential face of the polygon mirror 74 parallel to an axis thereof constitutes a reflecting face of the laser beam. The laser beam reflected on the rotary polygon mirror 74 is deflected and sequentially incident to f.theta. lenses 76a, 76b and 76c. After the light beam is transmitted through the f.theta. lenses 76a, 76b and 76c, the laser beam is reflected on a synchronous detecting mirror 77 outside an image recording region and is detected by a synchronizing sensor 78. When the light beam is detected by the synchronizing sensor 78, the synchronizing sensor 78 outputs a synchronizing signal for heading in a main scanning direction.

The exposure section will next be explained.

A surface of the photosensitive body drum 40 is uniformly charged by a charger 41 at about -800 volts. When the laser beam is irradiated onto the surface of the photosensitive body drum 40, an electric potential on this irradiated surface is reduced to about -500 volts at its maximum. Thus, the latent image of a recording image is formed by the raster scan of the laser beam in which light intensity is changed in accordance with a recording signal.

The developing section will next be explained.

A main developing device 42a and a sub-developing device 42b are disposed in the developing section. For example, black toner and color toner are respectively supplied into toner supplying devices 43a and 43b. Then, colors of the black and color toners are selected in synchronization with a switching operation of the color filter 36 in the scanner section. Thus, it is possible to make a multi-functional color copy in accordance with multiple transfers, etc.

An image of the original is developed by the developing devices 42a and 42b and is then transferred by the charging operation of a transfer charger 44 onto a sheet of transfer paper fed in synchronization with the rotation of the photosensitive body drum 40. Charges on the sheet of transfer paper having the transferred image thereon are removed therefrom by an alternating current. The sheet of transfer paper is then separated from the photosensitive body drum 40 and is sucked onto a separating conveying belt 47.

The paper feeding/conveying section will next be explained.

An uppermost sheet of transfer paper is taken out of one of plural paper feeding cassettes 45a, 45b and 45c and is fed until a front end of the paper sheet hits against a resisting roller 46. The resisting roller 46 feeds the sheet of transfer paper to a transfer position in synchronization with an image forming operation of the photosensitive body drum 40. The sheet of transfer paper having the image transferred by the charging operation of the transfer charger 44 is conveyed by the separating conveying belt 47 to a fixing roller 48 so that the transferred image is heated and fixed by the fixing roller 48 onto the sheet of transfer paper.

In a normal copying mode, the fixed sheet of transfer paper is discharged onto a side of the sorter III by the switching operation of a switching claw 49. In contrast to this, in a multiple copying mode, the switching claw 49 is switched onto the side of a paper re-feeding path 54 so that the sheet of transfer paper is again fed to the resisting roller 46 through switching claws 50 and 51 and the paper re-feeding path 54. When a double-sided copy is made in the copying machine body I, the switch claw 51 is switched onto the side of a reversing roller 52 so that the sheet of transfer paper is guided to the paper re-feeding path 54 through a paper reversing operation of the reversing roller 52.

Mechanisms and operations of the automatic document feeder II, the sorter III and the double-sided reversing unit IV are similar to those in the general copying machine and do not relate to the features of the present invention. Accordingly, explanations about the mechanisms and the operations of the automatic document feeder II, the sorter III and the double-sided reversing unit IV are omitted in the following description.

An electric control section of the copying machine will next be described.

FIG. 5 is a circuit block diagram of a control unit for sequential control in the entire copying machine. A summary of the sequential control will next be described with reference to FIG. 5. A paper size sensor and various kinds of sensors for the detection of a discharged paper sheet, a resisting detection, etc. are connected to a central processing unit (CPU) 3. Further, a double-sided unit, a high voltage power source unit, a relay and a solenoid are connected to the central processing unit 3. Further, drivers of a motor, etc., a sorter unit, a laser unit, etc. are connected to the central processing unit 3. For example, timing of paper conveyance, etc. are controlled by the central processing unit 3.

The paper size sensor detects a size of sheets of transfer paper stored in each of the paper feeding cassettes 45 and also detects a paper feeding direction. The paper size sensor outputs detecting signals indicative of the paper size and the paper feeding direction. The high voltage power source unit applies predetermined high voltages to the charger 41, the transfer charger 44, a separating charger and a developing bias electrode, respectively. An A/D converter and an analog input of the central processing unit 3 are used to constantly control a light emitting output of the semiconductor laser 70 constructed by a laser diode and control a monitor voltage such that this monitor voltage is in conformity with a reference voltage.

An image control circuit 5 generates timing signals of masking, trimming, erasing, a photosensor pattern, etc. of a recording image and transmits a video signal VDATA to the laser diode 70.

At a binary processing time, a gate array 4 receives a 2-bit parallel image signal read by a scanner and outputted from the page memory control circuit 1. At a multivalued processing time, the gate array 4 receives an 8-bit parallel image signal read by the scanner and outputted from the page memory control circuit 1. The gate array 4 also receives a polygon motor synchronizing signal PMSYNC and an image writing-out signal RGATE outputted from a laser beam scanner unit. The gate array 4 then outputs an image signal ODATA converted to 4-bit serial data.

The page memory control circuit 1 once stores image data DATA outputted from an electric zooming circuit 86 to a page memory 2 having a memory capacity corresponding to two sheets of paper having size A3. The page memory control circuit 1 controls these image data such that the image data are outputted to a printer.

A summary of operational control will next be explained. The central processing unit 3 controls the operations of plural serial ports and a calendar integrated circuit (IC). The serial ports are connected to the central processing unit 3, an operating section, the scanner, an interface unit, etc.

The operating section has an indicator for displaying an operating state of the copying machine. The indicator also displays key input information inputted by the key input of an operator through the central processing unit 3. Information about image processing and image reading are received and transmitted between the operating section and the scanner.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an image processing circuit disposed in the scanner section. A schematic operation of this image processing circuit will next be described with reference to FIG. 4.

An analog image signal is outputted from the solid-state image sensor (CCD) 38 by reading an original image and is amplified by a signal processing circuit 80. The amplified signal is converted to a digital multivalued signal by an A/D converter 81. The digital multivalued signal is then corrected by a shading correcting circuit 82 with respect to the distortion of image data caused by an optical system. A signal separating circuit 83 separates the image data inputted thereto into a binary image component signal indicative of character information, etc. and a multivalued image component signal indicative of an intermediate gradational image. The binary image component signal is inputted to a binary processing circuit 85. The multivalued image component signal is inputted to a multivalued