Method for interfacing electrical signals transmitted between an engine controller and a video controller

A method for interfacing electrical signals transmitted between an engine controller and a video controller connected through first and second transmission lines in an image forming apparatus, said method comprising the steps of:

• transmitting a first signal from said engine controller to said video controller through said first transmission line after performing a warm up operation on said image forming apparatus, said first signal indicating that said engine controller is ready to enable performance of a printing operation;
• transmitting a second signal from said video controller to said engine controller through said second transmission line in response to an input of printing data to said video controller from an external source, said second signal indicating commencement of said printing operation;
• transmitting a third signal from said engine controller to said video controller through said first transmission line in response to receipt of said second signal by said engine controller, said third signal indicating that said engine controller is requesting page synchronization information;
• and
• transmitting a fourth signal representative of said page synchronization information from said video controller to said engine controller through said second transmission line in response to receipt of said third signal by said video controller, said engine controller enabling performance of said printing operation in response to said fourth signal.

A device for interfacing electrical signals between an engine controller and a video controller in an image forming apparatus, said device comprising:

• a first transmission line for transmitting said electrical signals from said engine controller to said video controller, said first transmission line transmitting a first electrical signal from said engine controller to said video controller after performing a warm up operation on said image forming apparatus, said first electrical signal indicating that said engine controller is ready to enable performance of a printing operation;
• a second transmission line for transmitting said electrical signals from said video controller to said engine controller, said second transmission line transmitting a second electrical signal from said video controller to said engine controller in response to an input of printing data to said video controller from an external source, said second electrical signal indicating commencement of said printing operation;
• said first transmission line transmitting a third electrical signal from said engine controller to said video controller in response to receipt of said second electrical signal by said engine controller, said third electrical signal indicating that said engine controller is requesting page synchronization information;
• and
• said second transmission line transmitting a fourth electrical signal representative of said page synchronization information from said video controller to said engine controller in response to receipt of said third electrical signal by said video controller, said engine controller enabling performance of said printing operation in response to said fourth electrical signal.