Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha

Minolta Company, Ltd.

Kazuhiro Araki

Syuzi Maruta

Tomokazu Kato

Yoichi Kawabuchi

Masazumi Ito

Yoshiaki Takano

Kentaro Nagatani

Takashi Noda

Keiichi Nomura

Yoshikazu Ikenoue

Nobuhiro Mishima

Tadashi Ohira

Hirokazu Yamada

Kaoru Hashimoto

Toshiyuki Yamashita

Atsushi Tomita

Kenzo Nagata

Tsuneo Kitagawa

Katsuaki Tajima

Junko Natsume

Toshikazu Kawaguchi

Syuji Maruta

Hirohisa Miyamoto

Hiroyuki Asai

Hiroshi Yamada

Akio Kotani

Kenichi Matsumoto

Hiroyuki Kishimoto

The verification system of this invention comprises an image forming apparatushaving verification function and a card readerfor reading a user ID from a card. The image forming apparatusis capable of performing short-range radio communication with a portable instrument. The portable instrumentreceives a polling command transmitted by the image forming apparatusand sends back its own identification code if it is located near the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatuspermits usage of all the functions thereof if it verifies that user is an officially permitted person according to user ID read by the card readerand the identification code sent back from the portable instrument. Consequently, there is provided a verification system having a high security level and convenient for use or a verification system which permits usage of its apparatus and other related devices within an appropriate range depending on the security level of a verified method.

Verification system, server, and electronic instrument

Determination is made as to whether a vendor (an apparatus which allows use of a copying machine according to the value of any money entered) is connected to a copying machine having a power supply to be controlled. If the vendor is connected to the copying machine, an automatic power off function is inhibited. When the power supply is turned off, if any coin is entered in the vendor, the supply is automatically turned on.

Controller which controls power supply of electrical machinery and apparatus connected to another equipment

An image forming apparatus, which judges whether image forming is permitted when a pre-registered identification number is received, includes an input mode setting unit for setting either a first mode or a second mode, where the first mode deals with a numerical string received by an input receiving unit as a first identification number, and the second mode deals with the numerical string received by the input receiving unit as a second identification number. The image forming apparatus also performs display control to have a display unit not display the received numerical string in the case where the first mode is set and to have a display unit display the received numerical string in the case where the second mode is set.

Image forming apparatus having two modes for inputting user

A machine control device capable of accurately rewriting a control program of a memory for controlling a mechanical device. The machine control device includes a first memory in which a control program is stored, a controller which controls operation of the mechanical device in accordance with the control program stored in the first memory, and a removable second memory in which a control program and a rewrite program are stored. The controller replaces the control program in the first memory with the control program in the second memory in accordance with the rewrite program stored in the second memory when the second memory is installed.

Machine control device

The size of a paper put in a tray for manual insertion is decided according to detectors provided in the tray. When detection precision of the paper size is not so high to determine paper size, it is instructed to specify a paper size manually. In another example, a paper size selection picture including a plurality of paper sizes is displayed in a touch panel for assisting an operator to select paper size manually. Thus, paper size for the tray can be specified manually, and erroneous copying can be prevented. In situations where paper size is not needed to update, paper size selection is not instructed.

Image forming apparatus

An image forming apparatus includes a feeder for feeding a new paper accommodated in a feeding cassette, an image forming device which forms an image on the paper fed by the feeder, an intermediate container which temporarily accommodates the paper fed by the feeder and having the image thereon, a refeeder which refeeds the accommodated paper from the intermediate container to form an image on the paper again, a detector which detects presence or absence of paper to be fed by the refeeder for image formation, and a controller which effects a change-over from the paper feeding operation by the refeeder to the paper feeding operation by the feeder when the detector detects the absence of paper to be refed or forbids the paper feeding operation by the refeeder until the detector detects the absence of paper to be refed after the paper has been accommodated in the intermediate container.

Image forming apparatus for producing duplex or composite prints with

An image forming apparatus having a process maintenance (PM) counter which counts the frequency of use of a part from the execution of maintenance of the part, and a life counter which counts the frequency of use of a part from when the part is replaced. The counting value of both counters are displayed selectively. The image forming apparatus has a reset switch which resets the PM counter when the counting value of the PM counter is displayed, and resets both the PM counter and the life counter simultaneously when the counting value of life counter is displayed, so as not to forget to reset the PM counter when the life counter is reset.

Image forming apparatus having counters for counting frequency of use of

A control circuit changes a sorting mode of a sorter corresponding to a state whether an original is both-sided or not, or whether or not a plurality of originals are simultaneously reproduced in one round of copying process when images of a plurality of originals are distributively reproduced on the same side of a transfer sheet, or whether a mode of the number of sheets of original and copy mode are for both sides mode or composite mode. With such a control, a sorting mode process is prohibited when a required transfer sheet is one irrespective of whether the number of sheets of original is one or not.

Copying apparatus which can prohibit the sorting process

A copying machine has an automatic document handling device including a document tray, first transport member for feeding original documents placed on said document tray to a predetermined position located between said document tray and an image reading position, second transport member for further feeding original documents fed to the predetermined position by the first transport member to the image reading position, a sensor detecting means for detecting the presence of original documents placed on the document tray and feeding member for feeding a copy paper to a fixed position within a copy paper feeding path before the original document is fed to the image reading position by the second transport member. When the presence of said third original document disposed on the document tray is detected by said sensor after a second original document has been fed from said document tray to the predetermined position via said first transport member during the copying operation for a first original document fed to the image reading position via said second transport member, the feeding member feeds the copy paper corresponding to a third original document.

Copying apparatus with automatic document handling device

An image forming apparatus according to the invention includes a document transporting device for transporting a plurality of documents set on a tray one by one to a platen, copying mode selecting keys for selecting a first copying mode for forming images from the plurality of documents under first copying conditions and a second copying mode for forming an image from a particular one of the documents under second copying conditions, and a control device for executing the image forming operation under the copying conditions of the copy mode selected by the copy mode selecting key.

Image forming apparatus that permits the setting of separated copy modes

An image processing system having operating and stand-by modes of operation which are to be selectively put into effect, including a plurality of slave data processors each operative to execute a set of predetermined functions assigned thereto, a master data processor for controlling the operation of each data processor, the master data processor being operative to output a data processing command requesting any of the slave data processors to execute any of the predetermined functions assigned to the slave data processor and a control command predominant over the communication of data dictating the operation of each slave data processor, and an interface bus providing connection between the master data processor and each slave data processor for allowing transmission therethrough of the data processing command and the control command to any of the slave data processors, the master data processor being operative to detect a state in which the master data processor is currently coupled to any one of the slave data processors through the interface bus to allow transmission of the data processing command or the communication control command to the particular one of the slave data processor, wherein, in an operating mode of operation of the system, the data processing command or the control command is distributed through the interface bus exclusively to the particular slave data processor which is detected to be currently coupled to the master data processor.

Image processing system having slave processors for controlling standard

A copying apparatus copies an image of each original document either in a one-side copy mode or a both-side copy mode during a cover copy mode. The copying apparatus is capable of selectively supplying colored copy sheets for a cover page and ordinary white copy sheets for the other pages. A controller controls the copying apparatus such that the image of one cover page is copied on one side of a colored copy sheet, the image of each table of contents is copied on one side of a white copy sheet, and the image of each of the other content pages is copied on both sides of a white copy sheet.

Copying apparatus having controller for producing book-type copies

Image processing system

An indication mechanism is controlled in a timing after the size of an original to be used for a copying operation is detected prior to the copying operation so as to indicate the size of a copy paper and a copying magnification to be automatically selected which are based on an action mode which has been set and the detected size information, and a mode changing action which corresponds to the indication is controlled to be performed prior to the copying operation basing on a copying action starting signal.

Copying apparatus

A data communication control system for an apparatus which may be selectively equipped with two or more functional modules each having predetermined functions, the control system having a plurality of subsidiary control units respectively in control of the functional modules, a main control unit operative to communicate with each of the subsidiary control units and a data transmission network interconnecting the main control unit and each of the subsidiary control units to allow full-duplex communication therebetween, each subsidiary control unit being operative to generate mode data designating any of the functions assigned to the particular subsidiary control unit and transmit the mode data to the main control unit, wherein, when mode data designating any function is generated by one of the subsidiary control units and is sent to the main control unit, the main control unit transmits to each subsidiary control unit data designating the function designated by the mode data if the main control unit determines that the execution of the particular function is allowable, or the function designated by the mode data received prior to the currently received mode data if the main control unit determines that the execution of the function designated by the currently received mode data is not allowable.

Growing community of inventors

Osaka, Japan

Kazuhiro Araki