Brother Kogyo Kabushiki-kaisha

Atsushi Isozaki

Akihiro Ikeda

Hideki Yamamoto

Junji Hatamura

Hiroshi Kuno

A communication system includes a data processing device that communicates with a communication device via a first transmission link. The communication device includes a first communication controller that controls communication with the data processing device via the first transmission link, and a second communication controller that controls communication via a second transmission link which is different from the first transmission link. The communication device also includes a transmitter that transmits transmission data sent via the first transmission link through the second transmission link, a canceller that cancels transmission of the transmission data through the second transmission link upon receiving a canceling command via the first transmission link, and an observer that observes whether the communication via the first transmission link, which transmits the transmission data to the communication device, is enabled, in response to receiving the transmission data via the first transmission link.

Communication device and communication system

A facsimile apparatus detects whether or not an ink ribbon internally mounted in an ribbon cassette amounted to the facsimile apparatus is a standard ink ribbon. When the apparatus detects a non-standard ink ribbon, the apparatus notifies a user by printing a message informing that the presently-mounted ink ribbon is a non-standard one and that printing function with the presently-mounted ink ribbon will be disabled after elapse of an allowable time.

Printing apparatus

An image forming device providing a document image reading mode, image recording mode, copying mode, recording sheet feeding mode, and recording sheet discharge mode. When interruption of feeding of a document or a recording sheet is detected by a sensor, the current driving force transmission path is switched and set to another driving force transmission path corresponding to an operation mode different from the current operation mode at which the interruption occurs.

Image forming device providing document reading mode and image recording mode

In a gear changing device, when a sun gear rotates in a forward direction, a rotating member is rotated in the same direction as the sun gear and planetary gears are pivotally rotated around the sun gear. When the sun gear rotates in a reverse direction, the rotating member stops rotating and allows the planetary gears to rotate on axes thereof to a plurality of predetermined positions on a path of the planetary gear that pivotally rotates. A plurality of transmission gears are provided at a plurality of predetermined positions along the path of the planetary gear pivotally rotating, so as to engage with each of the planetary gears. A plurality of recesses and projections that are recessed and protruded, respectively, in the diametrical direction of the rotating member are alternately formed in an outer periphery of the rotating member. Each of the recesses and projections has a specific width. A sensor switch that detects the recesses and the projections at a predetermined position is provided. By the gear changing device, rotating directions of the sun gear can be switched at an appropriate timing and operation modes can be smoothly changed.

Gear changing device and communication apparatus including the same

A communication device making a call origination in accordance with a predetermined operation is provided with a one-touch dial storage that stores telephone numbers in association with one-touch dial keys, a telephone directory data storage that stores telephone numbers which are not associated with one-touch dial keys, and a copying system that copies at least the telephone number stored in the one-touch dial storage into the telephone directory data storage.

Communication device

After a printing paper cueing by a stepping motor in a printing mode in a copying process, mode switching is made from the printing mode to a copying mode while maintaining a supply of an excitation current to the stepping motor. In the copying mode, both a printing paper conveyance mechanism and an original document conveyance mechanism are driven by the stepping motor for simultaneous operations of reading information on the original document and printing the information read from the original document to the printing paper. Thus, synchronization between the excitation current and the rotation of the stepping motor is maintained even when mechanical load exerted to the stepping motor increases. In other mode switchings, except to the copying mode, the supply of excitation current to the stepping motor is discontinued.

Information processing apparatus having reading, printing and copying function control

A sheet transfer device is provided for transferring a sheet member along a transfer path having an upstream point and a downstream point. The sheet transfer includes a transfer mechanism for moving the sheet member along the transfer path from the upstream point to the downstream point, an upstream sensor arranged closer to the upstream point than to the downstream point for detecting presence and absence of the sheet member and a downstream sensor arranged closer to the downstream point than to the upstream point for detecting presence and absence of the sheet member. The transfer mechanism is arranged to discharge the sheet member only after the downstream sensor detects the presence of the sheet member and the upstream sensor detects the absence of the sheet member.

Sheet transfer device and apparatus incorporating the same

An electronic apparatus having a ROM disposed in a data processing apparatus, and a writeable and nonvolatile memory device storing an operation setting value of the ROM is provided. When powered on, the apparatus determines whether the ROM has been changed or replaced. If it is determined that the ROM has been changed, the apparatus writes the initial values of the ROM into the memory device. Thereby, the device eliminates the need for a person to perform the rewriting operation on the writeable and nonvolatile memory device even when the ROM has been replaced.

Apparatus and method for initializing a writeable/nonvolatile memory device

In an image forming apparatus and method using a stepping motor for feeding a recording paper, the stepping motor is driven based on a single a line feed control pattern without switching control patterns. An excitation phase counter MPC indicative of a present exciting phase data is compared with a predetermined fixed exciting phase data. If both data coincides, a recording by a recording head is started at the same time the recording paper is advanced by the stepping motor. If both data differs from each other, the stepping motor is driven until both data coincides and thereafter the recording is started with a further driving of the stepping motor. Thus, the data recording on the recording paper is started at the same time as exciting the fixed exciting phases.

Image forming apparatus and method for controlling multi-phase stepping

In the printing paper cueing in a printing mode in a copying process, cueing of a second cueing length L2 which is smaller by .DELTA.L is performed compared with the printing paper cueing length L1 in a printing process other than the copying process. This shortage of the cued length is compensated for by a length of advance .DELTA.L which is made when meshing a first planetary gear for a transfer to a copying mode. As a result, actual margins of the printing papers become substantially the same between the printing process and the copying process. That is, in a facsimile having a copying function or the like, the margins at the top end of the printing papers can be made the same between when received data is printed and when an original document is copied.

Growing community of inventors

Nagoya, Japan

Atsushi Isozaki