US 7,680,980 B2 · Image forming apparatus

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a scanner, a hard disk drive in which a region at which data is stored is divided into a plurality of regions by partitions, a pointer setting unit in which a first pointer for storing image data generated on the basis of an image read by the scanner at one region of the plurality of regions, and a plurality of second pointers which are provided so as to correspond to the regions other than the region in order to store data other than the image data at regions other than the region are set, and a pointer replacing unit configured to replace the first pointer with one pointer of the plurality of second pointers in predetermined timings.

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Drawings

Claims13

Dependent claims

An image forming apparatus comprising:

a scanner;
a hard disk drive in which a region at which data is stored is divided into a plurality of regions by partitions;
a pointer setting unit in which a first pointer used for storing image data generated on the basis of an image read by the scanner at one region of said plurality of regions, and a plurality of second pointers which are provided so as to correspond to the regions other than the one region in order to store data other than the image data at the regions other than the one region, are set;
a pointer replacing unit configured to replace the first pointer with one of said plurality of second pointers at predetermined timings;
an index number storage unit which stores an index number for each of said plurality of regions at which the data of the hard disk drive are stored;
and
an index number increasing unit configured to increase an index number corresponding to a region at which the image data has been stored using the first pointer after the first pointer is replaced with one of said plurality of second pointers,
wherein the second pointer that is to replace the first pointer is selected from one or more of the second pointers corresponding to those regions whose index numbers are the smallest.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description5,406 words

Summary516 words

#1. Field of the Invention

#The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having a hard disk drive in which a plurality of regions at which data are stored are provided by using partitions.

#2. Description of the Related Art

Brief description of the drawings15 figures

#The accompanying drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the general description given above and the detailed description given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

#FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a principal constitution of a copying machine in a first embodiment;

#FIG. 2 is a diagram for explanation of a data storage region divided into a plurality of regions of an HDD in the embodiment;

Detailed description4,548 words

#Hereinafter, respective embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

#FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a principal constitution of a copying machine 1 which is an image forming apparatus. As shown in FIG. 1, the copying machine 1 has a CPU 11, a memory 12, a nonvolatile RAM 13, a control panel 14, a timer 15, a scanner 16, an interface (I/F) chip 17, a printer 18, and a HDD 19. Further, the CPU 11, the memory 12, the nonvolatile RAM 13, the control panel 14, the timer 15, and the I/F chip 17 are connected via a bus line 20. Further, the I/F chip 17 is connected to the scanner 16, the printer 18, and the HDD 19 via bus lines 21, 22, and 23, respectively.

#The CPU 11 controls the entire copying machine 1 by executing a control program stored in the memory 12. The memory 12 stores the control program which the CPU 11 executes. The nonvolatile RAM 13 has a work area needed when the CPU 11 executes the control program stored in the memory 12, and stores various data.

Facts

Application

11/203,070Filed 12 Aug 2005

Published

US 2007/0035769 A115 Feb 2007

Granted

16 Mar 2010

Term ends

14 Jan 2029

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 1,251 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification8 codes

G11B 20/1217
Formatting, e.g. arrangement of data block or words on the record carriers: on discs
G03G 15/50
Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern: machine control of apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern,…
H04N 1/32358
Circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device, e.g.…
H04N 2201/0091
Types of the still picture apparatus: digital copier; digital 'photocopier'

Timeline

12 Aug 2005Application filedUS 11/203,070
21 Nov 2005Assigned to Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaishaassignment of assignor's interest
15 Feb 2007PublishedUS 2007/0035769 A1
16 Mar 2010GrantedUS 7,680,980 B2
12 Oct 2026TodayWithin its term
14 Jan 2029Term endsEstimated, includes 1,251 days of adjustment

Image forming apparatus

Life of this patent

Image forming apparatus

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims13

Description5,406 words

Description5,406 words

Classification8 codes

Life of this patent

Drawings