Data processing and transfer apparatus

Claim 2

A data transfer apparatus adapted to transfer data to another apparatus, comprising: a computer for processing data; communication means for transmitting the data processed by said computer to said other apparatus in a plurality of predetermined conditions of data transmission; means associated with said other apparatus and being operable prior to the transmission of the processed data by way of said communication means to said other apparatus, for discriminating a data processing characteristic of said other apparatus, said characteristic being associated with data transmission; and means associated with said communication means for selecting one of the plural data transmission conditions in accordance with the data processing characteristic discriminated by said discriminating means to enable data transmission among the apparatus.

Claim 3

A data transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said selecting means selects the speed of data transmission by said communication means.

Claim 4

A data transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said communication means includes a plurality of data channels for data transmission and said selecting means selects one of the data channels for data transmission.

Claim 5

A data transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said discriminating means, prior to the transmission of the processed data, transmits a reference signal for data transmission to said other apparatus and discriminates the data processing characteristic of said other apparatus on the basis of the response of said other apparatus in respect of said reference signal.

Claim 6

A data transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said communication means serially transmits parallel data of plural bits processed by said computer for each bit.

Claim 7

A data transfer apparatus according to claim 1, provided for an image forming apparatus, wherein said computer further controls an image formation of said image forming apparatus.

Claim 8

A data transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said communication means includes means for modulating data to be transferred.

Claim 9

A data processing apparatus adapted to exchange data with other apparatus, comprising: means for processing data; communication means for receiving data to be processed by said processing means from said other apparatus or for transmitting data processed by said processing means to said other apparatus; means associated with said communication means for manually setting the condition of data exchange by said communication means; means associated with said data processing apparatus and said other apparatus for discriminating whether said data processing apparatus is master relative to said other apparatus or not; and means for determining the condition of data exchange by said communication means on the basis of the result discriminated by said discriminating means and the condition set by said setting means to enable data exchange among the apparatus.

Claim 10

A data processing apparatus adapted to exchange data with other apparatus, comprising: means for processing data; communication means for receiving data to be processed by said processing means from said other apparatus or for transmitting data processed by said processing means to said other apparatus; means associated with said communication means for manually setting the condition of data exchange by said communication means; means associated with said data processing apparatus and said other apparatus for discriminating whether said data processing apparatus is master relative to said other apparatus or not; and means for determining the condition of data exchange by said communication means on the basis of the result discriminated by said discriminating means and the condition set by said setting means to enable data exchange among the apparatus.

Claim 11

A data processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said determining means determines the speed of data transmission by said communication means.

Claim 12

A data processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said determining means functions when said discriminating means discriminates that said data processing apparatus is master.

Claim 13

A data processing apparatus according to claim 8, further including means for manually instructing as to whether said data processing apparatus is master relative to said other apparatus or not.

Claim 14

A data processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said processing means includes a microcomputer for processing digital data.

Claim 15

A data processing apparatus according to claim 8, provided for an image forming apparatus, wherein said processing means further controls an image formation of said image forming apparatus.

Claim 16

A data processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said communication means includes means for modulating data to be transferred.

Claim 17

A data processing apparatus adapted to exchange data with another apparatus, comprising: means for processing data; plural data transfer channels for therethrough receiving data to be processed by said processing means from said other apparatus for therethrough transmitting data processed by said processing means to said other apparatus; means associated with said data transfer channels for selecting one of said plural data transfer channels to exchange data with said other apparatus; means associated with said data processing apparatus and said other apparatus for discriminating whether said data processing apparatus is master relative to said other apparatus or not; and means for allowing the selection operation by said selection means in accordance with the result discriminated by said discriminating means to enable data exchange among the apparatus through the selected said data transfer channel.

Claim 18

A data processing apparatus adapted to exchange data with another apparatus, comprising: means for processing data; plural data transfer channels for therethrough receiving data to be processed by said processing means from said other apparatus for therethrough transmitting data processed by said processing means to said other apparatus; means associated with said data transfer channels for selecting one of said plural data transfer channels to exchange data with said other apparatus; means associated with said data processing apparatus and said other apparatus for discriminating whether said data processing apparatus is master relative to said other apparatus or not; and means for allowing the selection operation by said selection means in accordance with the result discriminated by said discriminating means to enable data exchange among the apparatus through the selected said data transfer channel.

Claim 19

A data processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said allowing means allows the selection operation by said selection means when said discriminating means discriminates that said data processing means is master.

Claim 20

A data processing apparatus according to claim 15, further including means for manually instructing as to whether said data processing apparatus is master relative to said other apparatus or not.

Claim 21

A data processing apparatus according to claim 15, further including means for detecting a data processing characteristic of said other apparatus, wherein said selection means effects the selection in accordance with the result detected by said detection means.

Claim 22

A data processing apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said detection means effects the detection prior to exchange of the processed data by said one of said data transfer channels.

Claim 23

A data processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said processing means includes a microcomputer for processing digital data.

Claim 24

A data processing apparatus according to claim 15 provided for an image forming apparatus, wherein said processing means further controls an image formation of said image forming apparatus.

Claim 25

A data processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein one of said data transfer channels includes means for modulating data to be transferred.

Claim 26

A data transfer apparatus adapted to transfer data to other apparatus, comprising: means for processing data; communication means which is capable of transferring the data processed by said processing means to said other apparatus in a plurality of conditions of data transmission; means associated with said data transfer apparatus and said other apparatus for discriminating whether said data transfer apparatus is master relative to said other apparatus; means associated with said communication means for selecting one of said plural data tramsission conditions; and means for allowing the selection operation by said selection means in accordance with the result discriminated by said discriminating means to enable data transfer among the apparatus.

Claim 27

A data transfer apparatus adapted to transfer data to other apparatus, comprising: means for processing data; communication means which is capable of transferring the data processed by said processing means to said other apparatus in a plurality of conditions of data transmission; means associated with said data transfer apparatus and said other apparatus for discriminating whether said data transfer apparatus is master relative to said other apparatus; means associated with said communication means for selecting one of said plural data tramsission conditions; and means for allowing the selection operation by said selection means in accordance with the result discriminated by said discriminating means to enable data transfer among the apparatus.

Claim 28

A data transfer apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said selection means selects the speed of data transmission by said communication means.

Claim 29

A data transfer apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said communication means includes a plurality of data channels for data transmission and said selection means selects one of said data channels.

Claim 30

A data transfer apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said communication means serially transmits parallel data of plural bits processed by said processing means of each bit.

Claim 31

A data transfer apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said allowing means allows the selection operation by said selection means when said discriminating means discriminates that said data transfer means is master.

Claim 32

A data transfer apparatus according to claim 23, further including means for manually instructing as to whether said data transfer apparatus is master relative to said other apparatus or not.

Claim 33

A data transfer apparatus according to claim 23, further including means for detecting a data processing characteristic of said other apparatus, wherein said selection means effects the selection in accordance with the result detected by said detection means.

Claim 34

A data transfer apparatus according to claim 23, further including means for manually instructing the transmission mode of said communication means, wherein said selection means effects the selection in accordance with said instruction means.

Claim 35

A data transfer apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said processing means includes a microcomputer for processing digital data.

Claim 36

A data transfer apparatus according to claim 23, provided for an image forming apparatus, wherein said processing means further controls an image formation of said image forming apparatus.

Claim 37

A data transfer apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said communication means includes for modulating data to be transferred.

Claim 38

A data transfer apparatus adapted to transfer data to another apparatus, comprising: means for processing data; communication means for transmitting the data processed by said processing means to said other apparatus, wherein said communication means includes a plurality of data channels for data transmission; means associated with said other apparatus and being operable prior to the transmission of the processed data by way of said communication means to said other apparatus, for discriminating a data processing characteristic of said other apparatus, said characteristic being associated with data transmission; and means for selecting one of said data channels for data transmission by said communication means in accordance with the data processing characteristic discriminated by said discriminating means to enable data transfer among the apparatus.

Claim 39

A data transfer apparatus adapted to transfer data to another apparatus, comprising: means for processing data; communication means for transmitting the data processed by said processing means to said other apparatus, wherein said communication means includes a plurality of data channels for data transmission; means associated with said other apparatus and being operable prior to the transmission of the processed data by way of said communication means to said other apparatus, for discriminating a data processing characteristic of said other apparatus, said characteristic being associated with data transmission; and means for selecting one of said data channels for data transmission by said communication means in accordance with the data processing characteristic discriminated by said discriminating means to enable data transfer among the apparatus.