Picture data storage/retrieval system

A picture data storage/retrieval system formed of a plurality of picture data storage/retrieval apparatuses connected through a communication line, said system being selectively operable in an off-line mode in which each of said plurality of picture data storage/retrieval apparatuses is operable independent of other picture data storage/retrieval apparatuses, and selectively operable in an on-line mode in which at least one of said picture data storage/retrieval apparatuses is assigned as a first station while the other apparatuses are assigned as second stations, said first station being provided with optical disk means for storing said picture data, and groups of index data, and each of said substations being provided with local index data, so that a communication between said first station and said second station is established through a communication line, each picture data storage/retrieval apparatus of said plurality of picture data storage/retrieval apparatuses comprising:

• (a) keyboard means for entering control data;
• (b) magnetic disk means for storing a control program and index data associated with the picture data, each said index data including a first field designating a title of the associated picture data, a second field designating the length of the associated picture data, a third field designating a track number in which the associated picture data is stored, a fourth field designating a sector number in which the associated picture data is stored, and a fifth field designating a paper size of a document associated with the picture data;
• (c) visual display means for visually displaying the picture data stored in said optical disk means;
• (d) communication control means for allowing communication with another picture data storage/retrieval apparatus of said plurality of picture data storage/retrieval apparatuses;
• and
• (e) main control means, provided with a page memory, and operative in accordance with said control program stored in said magnetic disk means, for controlling said keyboard means, said magnetic disk means and said visual display means, so that said second station determines, in an on-line mode, if a desired index data is found in said second station, and sends a request to said first station to send said groups of index data to said second station, and said first station can send, in response to the first request, said groups of index data in said magnetic disk means of said first station to said magnetic disk means in said second station;
• and so that said second station is operated off-line after said index data groups are supplied to said second station from the first station and sends to said first station, when finding the desired index data, a second request to send the desired picture data corresponding to the desired index data to said second station;
• and said first station sends, in response to the second request, the desired picture data in said optical disk means of said first station to said page memory in said main control means of said second station.