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US 4,797,706 AGranted
Multi-unit image processing system with central control
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsKiyohisa Sugishima, Masanori Yamada
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An image processing system has readers for reading original images, a multi-input/multi-output unit, and printers with or without sorters. Image signals from one or more readers are output by printers selected by the multi-input/multi-output unit in accordance with the number of copies to be produced and the copy mode selected by the operator. High-speed copy operation can be performed by using available printers in the multi/single copy mode and/or sort/non-sort/group mode without requiring complex operation by the operator.
Claims20
An image processing system comprising:
- means for supplying an image signal;
- a plurality of image forming means for forming images in accordance with the image signal from said supplying means;
- means for inputting a number of images to be formed;
- means for setting an image formation mode for forming images on both sides of a recording medium;
- means for selecting at least one of said image forming means having a two-sided copy function for image formation in accordance with the mode set by said setting means;
- and
- means for discriminating as to whether or not the selected image forming means having a two-sided copy function is or are capable of forming a number of images equal to the inputted number of images.
4 more elements
An image processing system comprising:
- means for supplying an image signal;
- a plurality of image forming means for forming images in accordance with the image signal from said supplying means, at least one of said image forming means having a sorting function;
- means for inputting a number of images to be formed;
- means for setting an image formation mode for sorting a plurality of recording media;
- means for selecting at least one of said image forming means having a sorting function for image formation in accordance with the mode by said setting means;
- and
- means for discriminating as to whether or not the selected image forming means having a sorting function is or are capable of forming a number of images equal to the inputted number of images.
4 more elements
An image processing means comprising:
- means for supplying an image signal;
- a plurality of image forming means for forming images on different recording media in accordance with the image signal from said supplying means, said plurality of image forming means each having sorting means for sorting a plurality of recording media on which images are formed;
- means for setting a number of images to be formed;
- and
- means for determining a number of images to be formed by each of said plurality of image forming means in accordance with a sorting capacity of said sorting means is each of said plurality of image forming means and the number of images set by said setting means when images are formed on the plurality of recording media.
2 more elements
An image processing system comprising:
- means for supplying an image signal;
- means for selecting an image formation mode from a group consisting of a first image formation mode for forming image on a single side of a recording medium and a second image formation mode for forming images on both sides of a recording medium;
- a plurality of image forming means for simultaneously forming images in the selected image formation mode in accordance with the image signal from said supplying means;
- first control means for, when at least one image forming means among said plurality if image forming means becomes unavailable in the course of simultaneous image formation, causing another of said pluraltiy of image forming means to form images in place of said at least one image forming means;
- and
- second control means for allowing control by said first control means when the first image formation mode is selected by said selecting means and inhibiting the control by said first control means when the second image formation mode is selected by said selecting means.
3 more elements
An image processing system comprising:
- means for supplying an image signal;
- a plurality of image forming means for simultaneously forming images based on the image signal from said supplying means;
- means for designating at least one of said image forming means to be used for image formation;
- and
- control means for selecting image forming means in accordance with a designation of said designating means and for allowing the selected image forming means to form images;
- wherein said control means is operable in either a first more or a second more when more than one of said image forming means are designated by said designating means, and wherein, in the first mode, said control means inhibits an initiation of the image formation if at least one of the image forming means among the designated image forming means is unavailable and, in the second mode, said control means allows at least one of the designated image forming means to initiate the image formation when said at least one of the image forming means among the designated image forming means is available.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.