Image forming system

Claim 2

An image forming system comprising: a plurality of operable means for image formation including key means for an instruction and display device; first computer means provided with a data memory, a processor, and a memory storing a program for operation control of some of said opeerable means; second computer means provided with a data memory, a processor, and a memory storing a program for opeeration control of some other of said operable means; a data line coupled between said first and second computer means and provided with switch means for deetecting an abnormality relating to a transfer of data between said two computer means; and means adapted for transferring, from one of said computer means to the other, the data necessary for operation control by said other computer means, wherein said transferred data is in a form of serial pulses, and wherein said serial pulses are transferred through said data line coupled between said first and second computer means.

Claim 3

A system according to claim 1, wherein at substantially the same time as a turning ON of said switch means, said first and second computer means are able to recognize that said system is in a detection mode.

Claim 4

A system according to claim 2, wherein information indicating whether said switch means is ON or OFF is transferred through a line which is separate from the line for transferring image formation data.

Claim 5

A system according to claim 1, further comprising an accumulator, wherein upon turning ON of said switch means, said first and second computer means set a predetermined detection data in said accumulator.

Claim 6

A system according to claim 4, wherein said detection data is transferred to the other computer means using the same line through which data relating to said image formation is transferred.

Claim 7

A system according to claim 5, wherein a line is provided between said first and second computer means for abnormality information transfer when said transferred detection data is not a predetermined one.

Claim 8

An image forming system comprising: a plurality of operable means for image formation; a first computer means provided with a memory storing a program for control of at least one of said operable means; second computer means provided with a memory storing a program for control of at least one other of said operable means; means for transferring to said first computer means from said second computer means the data necessary for operation control by said first computer means in a form of serial pulses, wherein said transferring means has a serial pulse data line and a pre-communication line independent of said serial pulse data line, and said first and second computer means perform a transference of said serial pulses through said data line therebetween after transmitting and receiving predetermined signals through said pre-communication line for data transfer preparation; and timer means for detecting an abnormality of said pre-communication data through said pre-communication line.

Claim 9

An image forming system comprising: a plurality of operable means for image formation; a first computer means provided with a memory storing a program for control of at least one of said operable means; second computer means provided with a memory storing a program for control of at least one other of said operable means; means for transferring to said first computer means from said second computer means the data necessary for operation control by said first computer means in a form of serial pulses, wherein said transferring means has a serial pulse data line and a pre-communication line independent of said serial pulse data line, and said first and second computer means perform a transference of said serial pulses through said data line therebetween after transmitting and receiving predetermined signals through said pre-communication line for data transfer preparation; and timer means for detecting an abnormality of said pre-communication data through said pre-communication line.

Claim 10

A system according to claim 7, wherein said timer means is provided for determining whether or not one of said computer means which requested a transference through said pre-communication line has received data, within a predetermined time, indicating that the transference is ready.

Claim 11

A system according to claim 8, further comprising second timer means for starting, upon transferring said data indicating that the transference is ready, in order to determine whether said computer means which requested a transference has transferred said data necessary for operation control within a predetermined time.

Claim 12

A system according to claim 9, wherein after a timing period of said second timer means is completed, said second computer means checks a test flag set by an internal interruption.

Claim 13

An image formation system comprising: plural operable means for image reproduction, which includes a display means and a key means for instruction; first computer means provided with a memory storing a program for operation control of some of said operable means; second computer means provided with a memory storing a program for operation control of some other of said operable means; third computer means provided with a memory storing a program for operation control of still some other of said operable means; and means adapted for transferring data necessary for the operation control from said first computer means to the other computer means in series wherein said first computer transfers data indicating an address to which a transference is to be performed prior to the transference of the data necessary for the operation control.

Claim 14

An image formation system comprising: plural operable means for image reproduction, which includes a display means and a key means for instruction; first computer means provided with a memory storing a program for operation control of some of said operable means; second computer means provided with a memory storing a program for operation control of some other of said operable means; third computer means provided with a memory storing a program for operation control of still some other of said operable means; and means adapted for transferring data necessary for the operation control from said first computer means to the other computer means in series wherein said first computer transfers data indicating an address to which a transference is to be performed prior to the transference of the data necessary for the operation control.

Claim 15

A system according to claim 11, wherein said second computer means receives the data from said first computer means and if the address is said third computer means, the data necessary for the operation is not received by said second computer means.

Claim 16

An image forming system comprising: plural operable means for image formation which includes key means for instruction and display means; first computer means provided with a data memory, a processor, and a memory storing a program for operation control of some of said operable means; second computer means provided with a data memory, a processor and a memory storing a program for operation control of some other of said operable means; a data line coupled between said first and second computer means; and means adapted for transferring, from one of said computer means to the other, the data necessary for operation control by said other computer means, wherein said transferred data is in a form of serial pulses, and wherein said serial pulses are transferred through said data line coupled between said first and second computer means; wherein said other computer means checks the presence or absence of an abnormality of said data transference and in the case of the presence of an abnormality controls functions for abnormality recovery after said operable means performs predetermined functions thereof.

Claim 17

An image forming system comprising: plural operable means for image formation which includes key means for instruction and display means; first computer means provided with a data memory, a processor, and a memory storing a program for operation control of some of said operable means; second computer means provided with a data memory, a processor and a memory storing a program for operation control of some other of said operable means; a data line coupled between said first and second computer means; and means adapted for transferring, from one of said computer means to the other, the data necessary for operation control by said other computer means, wherein said transferred data is in a form of serial pulses, and wherein said serial pulses are transferred through said data line coupled between said first and second computer means; wherein said other computer means checks the presence or absence of an abnormality of said data transference and in the case of the presence of an abnormality controls functions for abnormality recovery after said operable means performs predetermined functions thereof.

Claim 18

A system according to claim 13, wherein said operable means performs a copy function.

Claim 19

A system according to claim 13, wherein said abnormality check is performed after a power ON operation or in a predetermined period during normal transferences.

Claim 20

An image forming system comprising: plural image forming operation means for image formation, wherein each of said means includes a display means and a key means for instruction; first computer means provided with a memory storing a program for control of at least one of said operation means; second computer means provided with a memory storing a program for control of at least one other of said operation means; and means for transferring to said first computer means from said second computer means the data necessary for operation control by said first computer means in a form of serial pulses, said transferring means having a short bar for forming a short circuit in the data line from said first computer means to said second computer means and in the line from said second computer means to said first computer means; wherein said first computer means includes timer means, and, by starting said timer means upon the data transference to said second computer means, checks whether or not the data transferred to said second computer means has been transferred back through said short bar within a predetermined time, thereby determining that said system is in an abnormality detection mode.

Claim 21

An image forming system comprising: plural image forming operation means for image formation, wherein each of said means includes a display means and a key means for instruction; first computer means provided with a memory storing a program for control of at least one of said operation means; second computer means provided with a memory storing a program for control of at least one other of said operation means; and means for transferring to said first computer means from said second computer means the data necessary for operation control by said first computer means in a form of serial pulses, said transferring means having a short bar for forming a short circuit in the data line from said first computer means to said second computer means and in the line from said second computer means to said first computer means; wherein said first computer means includes timer means, and, by starting said timer means upon the data transference to said second computer means, checks whether or not the data transferred to said second computer means has been transferred back through said short bar within a predetermined time, thereby determining that said system is in an abnormality detection mode.

Claim 22

A system according to claim 16, wherein said data transferred from said first computer means to said second computer means is pre-communication data for transferring data relating to image formation.

Claim 23

An image processing system comprising: a plurality of operable means for image processing; first processing means provided with a data memory, a processor, and a memory storing a program for operation control of some of said operable means; second processing means provided with a data memory, a processor, and a memory storing a program for operation control of some other of said operable means, wherein data is transferred between said first and second processing means, and wherein said first processing means is capable of detecting a data transfer abnormality; and reset means for resetting said second processing means, wherein, upon detection of a said data transfer abnormality by said first processing means, said first processing means resets itself by a preset program and enables said reset means to reset said second processing means.

Claim 24

An image processing system comprising: a plurality of operable means for image processing; first processing means provided with a data memory, a processor, and a memory storing a program for operation control of some of said operable means; second processing means provided with a data memory, a processor, and a memory storing a program for operation control of some other of said operable means, wherein data is transferred between said first and second processing means, and wherein said first processing means is capable of detecting a data transfer abnormality; and reset means for resetting said second processing means, wherein, upon detection of a said data transfer abnormality by said first processing means, said first processing means resets itself by a preset program and enables said reset means to reset said second processing means.

Claim 25

A system according to claim 18, wherein after reset, said first processing means restarts its program through software.

Claim 26

A system according to claim 18, wherein after enabling said reset means to reset said second processing means through hardware, said first processing means resets itself through software.

Claim 27

A system according to claim 18, wherein said first processing means resets itself after a predetermined time duration from the enabling of said reset means to reset said second processing means.

Claim 28

A system according to claim 18, wherein said first and second processing means are simultaneously reset and simultaneously restarted.

Claim 29

A system according to claim 18, wherein serial transmission is performed between said first and second processing means.

Claim 30

In an image forming system, the improvement comprising: transfer means for transferring control data for image forming, the control data being in the form of serial pulses; control means, including first and second computer means, for controlling an image forming operation, said first computer means being capable of detecting an abnormality in the control data to be transferred by said transfer means, wherein said transfer means is disposed between said first and second computer means and wherein one of said first and second computer means sequence-controls elements in said image forming system with relation to the image forming operation, and the other of said first and second computer means manages data input related to the image forming operation; and reset means for resetting said second computer means when the abnormality in the control data is detected, wherein said reset means resets said second computer means in response to a data transfer abnormality detected by said first computer means.

Claim 31

In an image forming system, the improvement comprising: transfer means for transferring control data for image forming, the control data being in the form of serial pulses; control means, including first and second computer means, for controlling an image forming operation, said first computer means being capable of detecting an abnormality in the control data to be transferred by said transfer means, wherein said transfer means is disposed between said first and second computer means and wherein one of said first and second computer means sequence-controls elements in said image forming system with relation to the image forming operation, and the other of said first and second computer means manages data input related to the image forming operation; and reset means for resetting said second computer means when the abnormality in the control data is detected, wherein said reset means resets said second computer means in response to a data transfer abnormality detected by said first computer means.

Claim 32

A system according to claim 24, wherein said reset means includes a reset circuit having transistors and a drive circuit for driving the reset circuit.

Claim 33

A system according to claim 24, wherein said first computer means detects the abnormality by determining with the use of a diagnosis flag, whether the control data which has been transfered from the first computer means side is correctly transferred back from the second computer means side.

Claim 34

A system according to claim 24, wherein after reset by said reset means, said second computer means restarts its program.

Claim 35

A system according to claim 24, wherein said reset means also serves to reset said first and second computers upon power on of said system.

Claim 36

A system according to claim 24, wherein serial transmission is performed between said first and second computer means.