Facsimile and static presentation processing – Static presentation processing – Detail of medium positioning
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-25
2001-12-11
Coles, Edward (Department: 2622)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Static presentation processing
Detail of medium positioning
C358S001100, C358S001130, C358S001160, C358S001170, C358S296000, C358S400000, C358S401000, C358S444000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06330067
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a digital copying machine and an image reader provided with the functions of offline image input and output using a removable storage medium.
Recently, the demand for high speed and multi-functional digital copying machines has arisen, and a digital copying machine provided with a facsimile function, a printer function, etc. in addition to a copy function has been developed. A conventional in digital copying machine will be described below, referring to the figures.
FIG. 13
is a block diagram which shows a flow chart for an image signal of a conventional digital copying machine.
As shown in
FIG. 13
, an image sensor
71
scans an original to convert reflected light from the original to an electric signal. An analog image signal from image sensor
71
is then converted to a digital image signal by an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter
72
. The converted digital image signal is subjected to image processing such as edge enhancement, trimming, and halftone processing, and edit processing in an image processor
73
. An image signal given by image processor
73
is buffered in a buffer memory
74
for speed control to be given to a laser driver
78
. Laser driver
78
drives a semiconductor laser
79
to form an electrostatic latent image by laser beams given by semiconductor laser
79
.
The digital copying machine further comprises a central processing unit (CPU)
85
, a local area network (LAN) controller
80
, a page memory
84
, a parallel interface (I/F)
81
, a communication control unit (CCU)
82
, and a compressor/expander
86
which are mutually connected by a CPU bus
83
.
CPU
85
comprises a random access memory (RAM) and a read only memory (ROM) and controls the entire digital copying machine. Page memory
84
has capacity that can store at least one page of image data and is connected to buffer memory
74
. Image data stored in page memory
84
is given to laser driver
78
through buffer memory
74
to be printed on paper.
LAN controller
80
communicates with an external equipment through a local area network (LAN). When the digital copying machine is used as a remote printer, an external equipment such as a computer transmits a print control command and image data to the digital copying machine through the LAN. CPU
85
stores the image data received through the LAN into the page memory according to the received print control command.
Using parallel I/F
81
, the digital copying machine and an external equipment can be connected one to one. When the digital copying machine is used as a printer for the external equipment, the external equipment transmits a print control command and image data to the digital copying machine through the parallel I/F of the digital copying machine. When the image scanner function of the digital copying machine is used by the external equipment, the external equipment transmits an image read control command to the digital copying machine through parallel I/F
81
, and read image data is transmitted to the external equipment from the digital copying machine.
CCU
82
communicates with an external facsimile through a public network using a modem
87
. Image data received by the facsimile is expanded in compressor/expander
86
, transferred to page memory
84
, and printed. Also, image data read for facsimile transmission is stored in page memory
84
, compressed in compressor/expander
86
, and transmitted to the external facsimile through CCU
82
and modem
87
.
Generally, a high-speed digital plain paper copier (PPC) which is capable of copying more than tens of sheets per minute is located in a common space such as a copy room or a hallway. When copying a document which is prepared by a personal computer, etc. in plural copies, a user has to print the original by a nearby printer, take the original to a place where a digital copying machine is located, and then copy the original in plural copies using a sorter, etc. of the digital copying machine. Especially, when a personal computer used by a user is not connected through a LAN, the remote print function of the digital copying machine can not be used, so that copying must be done as mentioned above. In this case, an original image is once printed on paper before copying it, and therefore the image is inevitably degraded.
When a personal computer used by a user is connected to the digital copying machine through a LAN, the user can use the remote print function of the digital copying machine. Therefore, the user can directly utilize a function such as a sorter of the digital copying machine from his personal computer. However, when copying by using the remote print function of the digital copying machine, the user has to go to a distant place where the digital copying machine is located to take printed paper. Also, when copying in large amount using the remote print function, problems such as using up paper and paper jam are likely to occur. To solve these troubles, the user also has to go to the place where the digital copying machine is located. Thus, the utility value of the remote (online) print function in a high-speed digital copying machine is not very high.
When using the image scanner function of the digital copying machine from a user's personal computer online by using the parallel I/F and the LAN, similar problems arise. That is, the user has to go to a distant place where the digital copying machine is located to set an original in the image scanner part of the digital copying machine. Therefore, when the digital copying machine and the user's computer are located a distance apart, it is not useful to use the image scanner function of the digital copying machine online.
Next, a conventional image reader will be described.
FIG. 21
is a block diagram showing a flow chart for an image signal of a conventional image reader. An image sensor
171
scans an original to convert reflected light from the original to an electric signal. An analog image signal given by image sensor
171
is converted to a digital image signal by an A/D converter
172
, and given to an image processor
173
. Image processor
173
performs image processing such as edge enhancement, trimming, halftone processing, pixel density conversion, and gradation level conversion as well as edit processing on the digital image signal. Image data given by image processor
173
is stored in a buffer memory
174
.
For controlling the entire image reader, a CPU
185
comprising a RAM and a ROM is provided. CPU
185
, image processor
173
, buffer memory
174
, a DMA (direct memory access) controller
180
, and a small computer system interface (SCSI) controller
181
are mutually connected through a CPU bus
183
.
DMA controller
180
transfers image data stored in buffer memory
174
to SCSI controller
181
directly. An external equipment such as a computer transmits a control command for the image reader to the image reader through the SCSI controller and receives image data from the image reader. CPU
185
sets the degree of edge enhancement, the gradation level of image data, read density, etc. according to the image read control command.
Such an image reader is connected to an external equipment such as a personal computer one to one using an interface such as a SCSI. Therefore, the image reader is used exclusively by the user of the connected personal computer. When another user uses the image reader, the user has to use the personal computer connected to the image reader or connect the image reader to his personal computer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a digital copying machine and an image reader provided with an interface for offline image input and output using a removable storage medium.
According to a first aspect of a digital copying machine of the present invention, the digital copying machine comprises means for reading an original image to reproduce the image data of the original image (e.g. an image scanner), means for printing an image according to given image data (e.g. a laser printer), means fo
Coles Edward
Lamb Twyler
Matsushita Electric - Industrial Co., Ltd.
Merchant & Gould P,C,
LandOfFree
Digital copying machines and image readers with offline... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Digital copying machines and image readers with offline..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Digital copying machines and image readers with offline... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2580694