Document scanning apparatus and document scanning method for sequentially scanning documents and generating image data corresponding to these documents

Abstract

A first scan unit sequentially transports and scans documents from a document tray, and a second scan unit scans a document placed on a glass plane. A first select unit selects the first or second scan unit according to a predetermined rule when a start instruction is accepted. An accept unit accepts a change instruction, a continue instruction or a print instruction after the first scan unit scans all documents from the document tray or the second scan unit scans the document placed on the glass plane. A second select unit selects the first or second scan unit according to the predetermined rule when the continue instruction is accepted. A storage unit stores new image data provided by the first or second scan unit corresponding to an additional document until the print instruction is accepted. Then, a print unit prints image data stored in the storage unit during a period starting from when the start instruction is accepted and ending when the print instruction is accepted.

1. A document copying apparatus comprising:
 a first scan unit configured to sequentially transport documents mounted in a document tray to a scan position and scan the documents at the scan position, thereby generating image data corresponding to the documents;  
 a second scan unit configured to scan a document placed on a document glass plane without transporting the document, thereby generating image data corresponding to the document;  
 a unit configured to set copy conditions to default conditions;  
 a unit configured to accept a change instruction or a start instruction specified by a user;  
 a unit configured to change the copy conditions according to the change instruction;  
 a unit configured to display the copy conditions;  
 a first select unit configured to select the first scan unit or the second scan unit according to a predetermined rule when the start instruction is accepted;  
 a unit configured to cause the scan unit selected by the first select unit to perform a scanning operation under the copy conditions when the start instruction is accepted;  
 an accept unit configured to accept the change instruction, a continue instruction or a print instruction after: (i) the first scan unit scans all documents mounted in the document tray, or (ii) the second scan unit scans the document placed on the document glass plane;  
 a second select unit configured to select the first scan unit or the second scan unit according to the predetermined rule when the continue instruction is accepted;  
 a unit configured to cause the scan unit selected by the second select unit to perform a scanning operation under the copy conditions when the continue instruction is accepted;  
 a storage unit;  
 a storage control unit configured to store in the storage unit newly generated image data corresponding to an additional document, as additional image data subsequent to previously stored image data, wherein the first scan unit or the second scan unit provides the newly generated image data until the accept unit accepts the print instruction;  
 a print unit; and  
 a unit configured to control the print unit to print image data when the print instruction is accepted, wherein the image data is image data stored in the storage unit during a period starting from when the start instruction is accepted and ending when the print instruction is accepted.  
 
     
     
       2. A document copying apparatus comprising:
 a scan unit configured to scan a document;  
 a unit configured to accept a change instruction or a start instruction specified by a user;  
 a unit configured to change the copy conditions according to the change instruction;  
 a unit configured to display the copy conditions;  
 a unit configured to cause the scan unit to perform a scanning operation under the copy conditions when the start instruction is accepted;  
 an accept unit configured to accept the change instruction, a continue instruction or a print instruction after the scan unit scans the document;  
 a unit configured to cause the scan unit to perform a scanning operation under the copy conditions when the continue instruction is accepted;  
 a storage unit;  
 a storage control unit configured to store in the storage unit newly generated image data corresponding to an additional document, as additional image data subsequent to previously stored image data, wherein the scan unit provides the newly generated image data until the accept unit accepts the print instruction;  
 a print unit; and  
 a unit configured to control the print unit to print image data when the print instruction is accepted, wherein the image data is image data stored in the storage unit during a period starting from when the start instruction is accepted and ending when the print instruction is accepted.  
 
     
     
       3. A method comprising:
   scanning a first document to generate image data corresponding to the first document, and storing the generated image data, using one of:  ( i )  a first scanning unit, which sequentially transports each sheet mounted in a document tray to a scan position and scans each sheet at the scan position, to generate the image data corresponding to the first document, and  ( ii )  a second scanning unit that scans a sheet placed on a document glass plane without transporting the sheet, to generate the image data corresponding to the first document;        providing one of a command for continuation of document scanning and a command for completion of document scanning, after scanning of the first document or after a suspension command interrupting scanning by the first scanning unit has been detected;        responsive to the command for continuation of document scanning, selecting the first scanning unit or the second scanning unit according to a predetermined rule, and scanning an additional document using the selected scanning unit to generate newly generated image data corresponding to the additional document;        storing the newly generated image data as additional image data subsequent to the previously stored image data;        wherein at least one of the first scanning unit and the second scanning unit provides the newly generated image data until the command for completion of document scanning is provided.     
     
     
       4. A method comprising:
   scanning a first document to generate image data corresponding to the first document, and storing the generated image data, in one of:  ( i )  an automatic document handling mode in which pages of a document are placed on a document tray and sequentially transported to a glass plane to be scanned, and  ( ii )  a manual document handling mode in which a document is placed on a document glass plane to be scanned without transporting the document;        providing one of a command for continuation of document scanning and a command for completion of document scanning, after termination of scanning of the first document in either the automatic document handling mode or the manual document handling mode;        responding to the command for continuation of document scanning after receiving a suspension command that suspends scanning of a current document in the automatic document handling mode;        allowing scanning of additional documents in the automatic document handling mode or manual document handling mode;        storing newly generated image data corresponding to the additional documents as additional image data subsequent to previously stored image data; and        providing the newly generated image data until the command for completion of document scanning is provided.     
     
     
       5. A method comprising:
   scanning a first document to generate image data corresponding to the first document, and storing the generated image data, in one of:  ( i )  an automatic document handling mode in which pages of a document are placed on a document tray and sequentially transported to a glass plane to be scanned, and  ( ii )  a manual document handling mode in which a document is placed on a document glass plane to be scanned without transporting the document;        providing one of a command for continuation of document scanning and a command for completion of document scanning, after termination of document scanning in either the automatic document handling mode or the manual document handling mode;        responding to the command for continuation of document scanning after receiving a suspension command that suspends current document scanning involving the automatic document handling mode;        accepting a command for a specified scan condition while awaiting the command for continuation of document scanning or the command for completion of document scanning;        allowing scanning of additional documents under a scan condition updated by the command for the specified scan condition in response to the command for continuation of document scanning;        storing newly generated image data corresponding to the additional documents as additional image data subsequent to previously stored image data; and        providing the newly generated image data until the command for completion of document scanning is provided.     
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 5 , further comprising displaying the specified scan condition. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 5 , further comprising accepting a command to save the specified scan condition. 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 5 , further comprising accepting additional specified scan conditions. 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the specified scan condition is a changed image quality for document scanning. 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the specified scan condition is a changed image density for document scanning. 
     
     
       11. A document assembly method for combining a plurality of document scan operations into a single job for printing, comprising:
   providing a display screen to a user to initiate a job assembly process;        accepting an inputted command to initiate the job assembly process;        performing a first document scan operation of a first document to obtain and store image data corresponding to the first document, only after accepting the inputted command, using one of:  ( i )  an automatic document feeder scanning operation in which pages of a document are placed on a document tray and sequentially transported to a glass plane to be scanned, and  ( ii )  a manual feed scanning operation in which a document is placed on a document glass plane to be scanned without transporting the document;        providing one of a command for continuation of document scanning and a command for completion of document scanning, after performing the first document scanning operation;        accepting an instruction from the user for continuation of document scanning using the automatic document feeder scanning operation;        accepting an instruction from the user for continuation of document scanning using the manual feed scanning operation;        performing a second document scan operation of a second document using the automatic document feeder scanning operation or the manual feed scanning operation;        storing newly generated image data corresponding to the second document as additional image data subsequent to previously stored image data;        performing one at least one additional document scan operation of at least one additional document, and storing newly generated image data corresponding to the at least one additional document, until the command for completion of document scanning is provided; and        printing the image data generated by the first, second and at least one additional document scan operations in response to the command for completion of document scanning.     
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the job assembly process is one of a plurality of special processes. 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising counting the number of pages scanned in each of the document scanning operations. 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising accepting a command to terminate the job assembly process without printing. 
     
     
       15. A document assembly method for combining a plurality of document scan operations into a single job for printing, comprising:
   providing a command to initiate a job assembly process;        performing a first document scan operation of a first document to obtain and store image data corresponding to the first document, only after accepting the command to initiate the job assembly process, using one of:  ( i )  an automatic document feeder scanning operation in which pages of a document are placed on a document tray and sequentially transported to a glass plane to be scanned, and  ( ii )  a manual feed scanning operation in which a document is placed on a document glass plane to be scanned without transporting the document;        providing one of a command for continuation of document scanning and a command for completion of document scanning, after performing the first document scanning operation;        providing a command for continuation of document scanning after receiving a suspension command that suspends an automatic document feeder scanning operation;        performing a second document scan operation of a second document using the automatic document feeder scanning operation or the manual feed scanning operation;        storing newly generated image data corresponding to the second document as additional image data subsequent to previously stored image data; and        performing at least one additional document scan operation of at least one additional document, and storing newly generated image data corresponding to the at least one additional document, until the command for completion of document scanning is provided; and        printing the image data generated by the first, second and at least one additional document scan operations in response to the command for completion of document scanning.     
     
     
       16. The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the job assembly process is one of a plurality of special processes. 
     
     
       17. The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising updating a total document count for the job assembly process based on a total number of the document scan operations. 
     
     
       18. The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising accepting a command to terminate the job assembly process without printing. 
     
     
       19. A document scanning apparatus, comprising:
   a first scanning unit configured to sequentially transport documents to a scan position and to scan the documents at the scan position, so as generate image data corresponding to the documents;        a second scanning unit configured to scan a document placed on a document glass plane without transporting the document, so as to generate image data corresponding to the document;        a processor, which is configured to selectively provide one of a command for continuation of document scanning and a command for completion of document scanning after termination of document scanning using the first scanning unit or the second scanning unit, and which is configured to respond to the command for continuation of document scanning after receiving a suspension command that suspends current document scanning using the first scanning unit, by allowing scanning of additional documents using the first scanning unit or the second scanning unit; and        a storage control unit configured to store newly generated image data corresponding to the additional documents as additional image data subsequent to previously stored image data;        wherein the first scanning unit or the second scanning unit are configured to provide the newly generated image data until the command for completion of document scanning is provided.     
     
     
       20. The apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the processor accepts a command for a specified scan condition while awaiting the command for continuation of document scanning or the command for completion of document scanning, and the processor allows scanning of the additional documents under a scan condition updated by the command for the specified scan condition in response to the command for continuation of document scanning. 
     
     
       21. A document assembly apparatus, comprising:
   a first scanning unit configured to sequentially transport documents to a scan position and to scan the documents at the scan position, so as generate image data corresponding to the documents;        a second scanning unit configured to scan a document placed on a document glass plane without transporting the document, so as to generate image data corresponding to the document;        a display configured to provide a screen to a user to initiate a build job process;        a processor, which is configured to accept a command to initiate the build job process, and which is configured to activate the first scanning unit or the second scanning unit to perform a first document scan operation, and which is configured to selectively provide one of a command for continuation of document scanning and a command for completion of document scanning after the first or the second scanning unit performs the first document scanning operation, wherein when the command for continuation of document scanning is provided the processor activates the first scanning unit or the second scanning unit to perform a second document scan operation of an additional document; and        a storage control unit configured to store newly generated image data corresponding to the additional document as additional image data subsequent to previously stored image data;        wherein the processor is configured to activate the first scanning unit or the second scanning unit to perform at least one additional document scan operation and to provide the newly generated image data to the storage unit until the command for completion of document scanning is provided.     
     
     
       22. A document assembly apparatus, comprising:
   a first scanning unit configured to sequentially transport documents to a scan position and to scan the documents at the scan position, so as generate image data corresponding to the documents;        a second scanning unit configured to scan a document placed on a document glass plane without transporting the document, so as to generate image data corresponding to the document;        a display configured to provide a screen to a user to initiate a build job process;        a processor, which is configured to accept a command to initiate the build job process, and which is configured to activate the first scanning unit or the second scanning unit to perform a first document scan operation, and which is configured to selectively provide a command for one of continuation of document scanning and a command for completion of document scanning after the first or the second scanning unit performs the first document scanning operation, and to provide a command for continuation of document scanning after receiving a suspension command that suspends scanning by the first scanning unit, wherein when the command for continuation of document scanning is provided the processor activates the first scanning unit or the second scanning unit to perform a second document scan operation of an additional document, and wherein the processor is configured to activate the first scanning unit or the second scanning unit to perform at least one additional document scan operation and to provide newly generated image data to the storage unit until the command for completion of document scanning is provided;        a storage unit configured to store newly generated image data corresponding to the additional document as additional image data subsequent to previously stored image data; and        a printing unit configured to print the image data generated from the document scan operations in response to the command for completion of document scanning.     
     
     
       23. A document scanning apparatus, comprising:
   first scanning means for sequentially transporting documents to a scan position and scanning the documents at the scan position, to generate image data corresponding to the documents;        second scanning means for scanning a document placed on a document glass plane without transporting the document, to generate image data corresponding to the document;        means for providing a command for one of continuation of document scanning or completion of document scanning after termination of document scanning using the first scanning means or the second scanning means;        means for responding to the command for continuation of document scanning after receiving a suspension command that suspends current document scanning using the first scanning means;        means for allowing scanning of additional documents using the first scanning means or the second scanning means; and        storage control means for storing newly generated image data corresponding to the additional documents as additional image data subsequent to previously stored image data;        wherein the first scanning means or the second scanning means provides the newly generated image data until the command for completion of document scanning is provided.