Image output device for copying receiving facsimiles and transmitting

Abstract

Image data generated by a reading section to perform copying is outputted to a recording section and, when a facsimile communication is received during such copying, received image data is temporarily stored in an image memory. Meanwhile, an amount of the received image data stored in the image memory is monitored so that, when free capacity of the image memory becomes less than a permitted level, copying is interrupted and operation for copying is switched to operation for outputting the received image data in the image memory through the recording section. Thus, a certain amount of capacity is always available in the image memory and vicarious reception errors due to a memory overflow during copying is eliminated. When the received image data in the image memory has been printed out by the recording section to such an extent that the free capacity in the image memory becomes sufficient again, the interrupted copying is restarted. Thus, copying can be performed without unnecessary delay.