Facsimile and static presentation processing – Static presentation processing – Memory
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-12
2003-04-22
Grant, II, Jerome (Department: 2624)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Static presentation processing
Memory
C358S444000, C358S404000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06552818
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image output processing apparatus which is equipped with storing means such as a hard disk device and is capable of temporarily storing image data supplied thereto in the storing means and reading out the same so as to output images.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Apparatuses that electronically read in images, apply predetermined processing to the electronic image data thus read in, and then carry out optical scanning recording at electrophotographic recording sections so that images are recorded/reproduced have been put on the market as digital copying machines, for example.
Recently also marketed are copying machines which store read-in data in semiconductor memories and improve values of products thereof by adding characteristics unique to digital processing to electronically read image data.
In the digital copying machine market, such copying machines have been proposed as systems capable of efficiently processing massive documents with increased capacity of semiconductor memories, or as complex digital machines in which functions of a facsimile, a printer, etc., are integrated.
To use such a digital copying machine to input massive document through a scanner section and process the same at once, or to receive and process massive document data produced by a personal computer or the like in a networked environment, the digital copying machine may be incapable of processing such input in some cases since the semiconductor memory installed therein has only a limited capacity of processing data at once.
To cope with this, recently has been devised installation of an external memory device with a large capacity, such as a hard disk device, so that the device works either by itself or along with a semiconductor memory to process image data of greater volume at once.
Volume of image data, however, varies depending on a type of vocation of the user, environment, etc., and particularly in there days, since the digital copying machine is inherently required to process image data of high resolution such as high-quality images or color images, a set of image data per se is enormous. Therefore, installation of a hard disk device does not always allow the digital copying machine to completely meet demands of all users.
On the other hand, the Japanese Publication of Laid-Open Patent Application No. 27881/1997 (Tokukaihei 9-27881, Date of Publication: Jan. 28, 1997) discloses a processing method including the following steps: when a hard disk device receives image data transferred from a personal computer to its full capacity, temporarily stopping data transfer from the personal computer and outputting images based on image data stored in the hard disk device; and after outputting all the image data stored in the hard disk device, resuming the transfer of image data from the personal computer and outputting the same in the same manner as above.
The digital complex image recording apparatus disclosed by the foregoing publication is arranged so as to, during the foregoing outputting operation, operate an offset tray in a discharge section at a stage where the image output based on the image data stored in the hard disk device is completed, in order that the foregoing output is clearly distinguished from output of image data to be subsequently stored in the hard disk device.
This ensures identification of a portion in the hard disk device where an error occurs due to over-capacity, and allows the user to easily check whether or not an image corresponding to the error portion is adequately outputted.
Although, however, the publication teaches that the digital complex image recording device taught therein outputs image data stored in the hard disk device when the hard disk device becomes full and thereafter resumes data transfer, only discharge of the copies with use of a sorter is described therein regarding cases where output of a plurality of copies is instructed. A sorter, though being a convenient device, is bulky and unavoidably causes a rise of costs of the entire apparatus.
Furthermore, since use of a sorter makes an editing operation unnecessary even if image data are divided into a plurality of blocks and outputted, the publication teaches nothing about how to obtain a plurality of copies of a document without use of a sorter, from image data divided into blocks.
Further, in the case where image data are divided into blocks according to the capacity of storing means, sometimes occurs an inconvenience such that one side of a sheet of paper corresponding to a border between blocks becomes blank depending on output conditions of a duplex recording mode, but the foregoing publication only teaches that image data are divided into blocks according to the capacity of storing means, proposing no means to avoid such an inconvenience.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A first object of the present invention is to provide an image output processing apparatus which is capable of easily providing a plurality of copies of an original document without a sorter function in the case where due to over-capacity of a hard disk device image data are divided into a plurality of blocks thereby causing images to be outputted in blocks.
To achieve the foregoing object, an image output processing apparatus of the present invention, which temporarily stores inputted image data and thereafter reads out the same so as to output images on sheets of paper, includes (a) storing means for storing image data, and (b) image output controlling means, which (i) divides inputted image data into a plurality of blocks under predetermined conditions in an order in which the image data are inputted so that one block has an amount of image data not exceeding a capacity of the storing means, (ii) when the storing of image data of one block in the storing means is finished, reads out the temporarily stored image data from the storing means, outputs the image data of the block so that a set number of copies of the images are obtained, and makes the storing means free, and (iii) thereafter stores image data of a next block into the storing means and applies to the image data the same processing operation as that described above.
According to the foregoing arrangement, in the case where massive image data are transferred from a networked personal computer or the like or in the case where a massive document is set in an automatic document reading device (image input device), image data can be divided into blocks under predetermined conditions in an order in which the image data are inputted, and image data of each block are outputted so that a desired number of copies of the document are obtained.
The foregoing arrangement wherein inputted data are divided into blocks according to a capacity of storing means enables output of image data for required plural copies even when an amount of inputted image data exceeds the capacity of the storing means, and required plural copies of the document can be surely obtained with a subsequent editing operation, without a sorting function.
A second object of the present invention is to provide an image output processing apparatus which ensures a simpler editing operation applied to output of the apparatus in the form of a plurality of sheets of paper, thereby to further reduces burden on a user.
To achieve the foregoing object, the aforementioned image output processing apparatus further includes editing information outputting means for outputting editing information used for finishing discharged sheets of paper divided in groups into complete copies are outputted.
With the foregoing arrangement, when images are outputted by dividing image data into blocks, the editing information outputting means outputs editing information for finishing the discharged sheets of paper divided in groups into complete copies, and the user only has to rearrange the groups of discharged sheets of paper in accordance with the outputted editing information. By so doing, the user can easily and speedily finish the editing work.
The foregoing editing information outputti
Maeda Hiroshi
Nakai Yasuhiro
Nakamura Masakatsu
Yoshiura Syoichiro
Conlin Dike G.
Dike Bronstein Roberts & Cushman
Edwards & Angell
Grant II Jerome
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
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