Image processing system receiving simultaneous scan requests from multiple scanners

In a system comprising a plurality of scanners in communication with a computer, said computer having a memory and a plurality of process instantiable therein, said processes including a plurality scanning processes, a communications layer, and monitoring software, said instantiable processes being in communication with said one another when instantiated, said instantiable scanning processes and monitoring software when instantiated being in communication with said memory, and said communication layer being in communication with each of the plurality of scanners when instantiated, a method of operating an image processing system, comprising:

• instantiating the monitoring software;
• receiving a device scan request at said communication layer from one of said plurality of scanners;
• assigning at said communication layer a unique identifier to said received device scan request identifying said requesting scanner;
• transmitting said device scan request and said corresponding unique identifier to said monitoring software;
• instantiating for said requesting scanner via said monitoring software one of said plurality of scanning processes dependent upon said device scan request and said corresponding unique identifier;
• and
• initiating a scan on said requesting scanner using said instantiated scanning process.

In a system comprising a plurality of scanners in communication with a computer, said computer having memory and plurality of process instantiable therein, said processes including a plurality scanning processes, a communications layer, and monitoring software, said instantiable processes being in communication with said one another when instantiated, said instantiable scanning processes and monitoring software when instantiated being in communication with said memory, and said communication layer being in communication with each of the plurality of scanners when instantiated, a method of operating an image processing system, comprising:

• instantiating the monitoring software;
• receiving a plurality of device scan requests at said communication layer from one of said plurality of scanners;
• and
• for each received device scan request:
• assigning at said communication layer a unique identifier to each received device scan request identifying said requesting scanner;
• transmitting each said device scan request and said corresponding unique identifier to said monitoring software;
• instantiating for said applicable requesting scanner via said monitoring software one of said plurality of scanning processes dependent upon said device scan request and said corresponding unique identifier, said instantiated scanning process having a functional DLL;
• and
• initiating a scan on said applicable requesting scanner and retrieving said host scan request from memory for use with said functional DLL in said instantiated scanning process.