IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

• US 20100110513A1
• Filed: 10/28/2009
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Fujita, Takao, Matsumoto, Masanori, Yoshiura, Syoichiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,526,060 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/527
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1256 User feedback, e.g. print preview, test print, proofing, pre-flight checks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00005 relating to image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0044 for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00458 Sequential viewing of a plurality of images, e.g. browsing or scrolling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00472 using a pop-up window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00474 outputting a plurality of functional options, e.g. scan, copy or print
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00482 outputting a plurality of job set-up options, e.g. number of copies, paper size or resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3333 during transmission, input or output of the picture signal; within a single document or page
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/40062 Discrimination between different image types, e.g. two-tone, continuous tone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/6072 adapting to different types of images, e.g. characters, graphs, black and white image portions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/33378 Type or format of data, e.g. colour or B/W, halftone or binary, computer image file or facsimile data

Abstract

Provided is an image forming apparatus with a preview function and a monochrome/color automatic detection function, capable of displaying a preview of original image data immediately next a detection result has been switched such as from color to monochrome, or monochrome to color, with a simple operation. On receipt of an operation of a next skip button by a user, a preview image display control portion refers to a detection result recording table and displays a preview of image data of a top page in an image data group (unit) that is next the image data being displayed for previewing currently.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a detecting portion that detects whether an original to be scanned is a monochromatic original or a color original;

a detection result recording portion that, in accordance with image data of a scanned original, in order of the scanned original, records a detection result showing whether the original has been detected as a monochromatic original or a color original; and

a preview image display control portion that refers to the recorded detection result and displays a preview of image data of each top page in every group of image data showing the same detection result.

2. The image forming apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein

the preview image display control portion, on receipt of next/previous skip instruction operation, displays a preview of image data of a top page in an image data group that is next/previous to the image data being displayed for previewing currently.

3. The image forming apparatus as defined in the claim 1 or 2, wherein

the preview image display control portion, together with a preview display of image data, displays a detection result showing whether an original corresponding to the image data has been detected as a monochromatic original or a color original.

4. The image forming apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein

the preview image display control portion, in a case where color detection of image data displayed for previewing has been erroneous detection, on receipt of modification instruction operation from a user, modifies a detection result of the image data displayed for previewing recorded in the detection result recording portion, and displays a preview again based on a detection result after modification.