Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Toshiya Tagawa

Tomofumi Harada

Osamu Kizaki

Masayuki Hayashi

Nobuaki Tomidokoro

Yasuo Kawada

Yoshihiro Mitekura

Koichi Kanaya

Yasunari Hashimoto

Masato Terao

Masahiro Kitayama

Kazuyuki Nakahara

Hiroyasu Sumida

Hiroshi Mori

Yasuhiro Hattori

Norio Michiie

Hiroomi Motohashi

Moriyuki Koike

Takahiko Uno

Hisashi Ishiguro

Kouichi Kanaya

Kan Tomita

Tsuyoshi Endoh

Tsuyoshi Endo

Toshihiko Majima

Tomohumi Harada

Kazuki Nakahara

An image processing apparatus including an input device for inputting image data, a storage device for storing image data from the input device, and a controlling device. The controlling device controls the parallel operations of a) writing image data into the storage device, and 2) reading image data from the storage device. Therefore, fast output is possible. Moreover, in a book copying mode, when copying two facing-pages with a scanner, copies of the first of two facing-pages are printed while the second of the two facing pages is scanned. As a result, this apparatus and the corresponding method enable a document to be changed easily and prevent extended holding times by an operator when using book copy mode.

Image forming apparatus which forms an image based on stored image data

An image forming apparatus for detecting and eliminating avoidable image reading operations includes a scanner for reading an original document, a memory for storing read image data, a printer for forming an image in accordance with the image data read from the memory, a ten-key pad for inputting instructions specifying a total number of sets of copies to be made, various functions to be performed by the apparatus for changing how the copying is performed and a sample set command by which the apparatus enters into a sample set command mode wherein one copy of the original document is output as a sample copy, and a controller for determining whether to use the image previously stored in the memory to output the rest of the total number of sets of copies to be made or performing an operation of reading the original document again depending upon types of functions input via the ten-key pad during the sample set command mode.

Image forming apparatus and method for detecting and eliminating

An image forming apparatus which stores image data of an image of each page of an original document into a memory and then outputs the image data stored in the memory in order of pages of the original document to record the corresponding image on a recording medium for producing a requested number of sets of copies of the original document. A controller determines, each time after image data for one page of the original document is stored in the memory, whether or not the memory will overflow if image data of a next page of the original document is stored in the memory. The controller prohibits reading of an image of the next page of the original document when it determines that the memory will overflow.

Image forming apparatus which determines if memory will overflow before

A control system for collectively supervising a plurality of copiers or similar image forming apparatuses connected to a control device by communication lines with or without the intermediary of communication control units. To down-load data relating to image formation, the control device determines whether or not a copier of interest is in an inoperative state and, if it is in an inoperative state, automatically sends the data to the copier via a telephone line, an exchange, and a communication control unit. This data is written to storing means built in the copier. To up-load data relating to image formation, the control device causes each copier to automatically send the data stored in the storing means and stores the data in memory means. Up-loading is effected at an optimal time other than the time when the copier is performing an automatic adjustment, is in use, or is quite likely to be used.

System for supervising an image forming apparatus from a remote computer

A control system for collectively supervising a plurality of copiers or similar image forming apparatuses connected to a control device by communication lines with or without the intermediary of communication control units. To down-load data relating to image formation, the control device determines whether or not a copier of interest is an inoperative state and, if it is in an inoperative state, automatically sends the data to the copier via a telephone line, an exchange, and a communication control unit. This data is written to storing means built in the copier. To up-load data relating to image formation, the control device causes each copier to automatically send the data stored in the storing means thereof and stores the data in memory means thereof. Up-loading is effected at an optimal time other than the time when the copier is performing an automatic adjustment, in use, or quite likely to be used.

Control device for controlling a plurality of image forming apparatuses

In a digital copier of a type having plural paper trays for storing recording paper of different sizes and orientations, an automatic paper selection mechanism selects paper from a tray that produces the shortest time required to make a prescribed number of copies. Paper tray selection is based on the size of the original, magnification, paper tray position and time required to electronically rotate original image data for recording on a transversely oriented sheet of paper. These factors are used to compute a reference value that is compared to the number of copies of the original image to be made. In response, the selection mechanism will determine whether to copy the image to a longitudinal or transverse sheet on one of the trays, and rotate the image by 90.degree. if the tranverse sheet is selected.

Digital copying machine having selective paper feed based on copy

A control system for collectively supervising a plurality of copiers or similar image forming apparatuses connected to a control device by communication lines with or without the intermediary of communication control units. To down-load data relating to image formation, the control device determines whether or not a copier of interest is an inoperative state and, if it is in an inoperative state, automatically sends the data to the copier via a telephone line, an exchange, and a communication control unit. This data is written to a storage device built in the copier. To up-load data relating to image formation, the control device causes each copier to automatically send the data stored in the storing device thereof and stores the data in a memory thereof. Up-loading is effected at an optimal time other than the time when the copier is performing an automatic adjustment, in use, or quite likely to be used.

Communication control device connected to a plurality of image forming

Control system for controlling the connection of an image forming

A control system for collectively supervising a plurality of copiers or similar image forming apparatuses connected to a control device by communication lines with or without the intermediary of communication control units. To down-load data relating to image formation, the control device determines whether or not a copier of interest is an inoperative state and, if it is in an inoperative state, automatically sends the the copier via a telephone line, an exchange, and a communication control unit. This data is written to a storing device built in the copier. To up-load data relating to image formation, the control device causes each copier automatically send the data stored in the storing device thereof and stores the data in a memory thereof. Up-loading is effected at an optimal time other than the time when the copier is performing an automatic adjustment, in use, or quite likely to be used.

Control device for collectively supervising a plurality of image forming

A control system especially suitable for use in imaging forming equipment includes a program for controlling individual image forming loads in the form of tasks wherein each task controls all the image forming units associated with one recording paper. The tasks are processed in parallel by scheduler software operating in a multitask arrangement. Thus, software for executing the tasks in parallel is isolated from a main image forming program. In this manner, using modular programming techniques, the present control system implements a complicated control scheme using a collection of simple control modules. A single program is shared by the different tasks so that it is free from redundancy. Advantageously, the number of tasks may be changed by changing the capacity of a memory in accordance with an increase or decrease in the number of objects to be controlled.

Multi-tasking control system for image forming equipment

Growing community of inventors

Ichikawa, Japan

Toshiya Tagawa