The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 03, 2001
Filed:
May. 29, 1998
Rieko Toda, Yamatokoriyama, JP;
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka, JP;
Abstract
Communications devices connect a plurality of digital copying machines. One of the copying machines is used to search among the other copying machines for those whose processing functions match conditions and priorities regarding image processing, post-processing, size of paper, and functions set by the operator. Those machines that match the conditions and priorities set by the operator are registered as being capable of allocation processing operations. Thereafter, the current availability of the registered digital copying machines is checked, and an outputting job is allocated, and image data is transferred, to available ones of the digital copying machines, thereby causing them to perform an allocation processing operation. Therefore, by setting the conditions and priorities for obtaining hard copies as desired by the operator using one digital copying machine, the capable and available other digital copying machines are selected and caused to perform an allocation processing operation. Accordingly, the operator him/herself does not have to select manually and/or individually some from among the plurality of copying machines connected in a network defining an image forming system, and the burden upon the operator is reduced.