Image reading apparatus, image formation apparatus, image processing system, memory area sharing method for image reading apparatus, and memory area sharing method for image processing system

An image reading apparatus that is connected to an image formation apparatus through a communication interface, comprising:

• a reading section that reads an original and generates image data,
• a memory that stores the image data read by the reading section, and
• a mount-processing permission section that, when the image reading apparatus is connected to the image formation apparatus through the communication interface, permits the image formation apparatus to mount the memory for use as a memory on the image formation apparatus by carrying out a mount-processing of the memory.

An image formation apparatus that is connected to an image reading apparatus having a memory through a communication interface, comprising:

• a mount-processing section that, when the image formation apparatus is connected to the image reading apparatus through the communication interface, is permitted by the image reading apparatus to mount the memory for use as a memory on the image formation apparatus by carrying out a mount-processing of the memory,
• wherein image data received from another communication interface is stored in the memory for which the mount-processing has been carried out by the mount-processing section.

A memory area sharing method for an image processing system in which an image reading apparatus having a memory and an image formation apparatus are connected through a communication interface, wherein the image reading apparatus, when connected to the image formation apparatus through the communication interface, permits the image formation apparatus to mount the memory for use as a memory on the image formation apparatus by carrying out a mount-processing of the memory, included in the image reading apparatus by a mount-processing permission section;

• and the image formation apparatus carries out the mount-processing of the memory by a mount-processing section, and stores image data received from another communication interface into the memory for which the mount-processing has been carried out by the mount-processing section.