Image forming system

Claim 2

An image forming system comprising: means for producing an image signal by scanning an original image in a main scan direction; means for moving a scanning position of said producing means along a sub-scan direction; memory means for storing said image signal; means for feeding a material on which an image is reproduced; means for reproducing an image on the material fed by said feeding means in accordance with the image signal from said memory means; and means for controlling an access address of said memory means so as to shift an image reproduction position on the material along the main scan direction and for controlling the relative operation between the moving of the scanning position and the feeding of the material so as to shift the image reproduction position on the material along the sub-scan direction.

Claim 3

An image forming system according to claim 1, wherein said producing means includes a sensor array.

Claim 4

An image forming system according to claim 1, wherein said memory means stores at least one line of the image signal.

Claim 5

An image forming system according to claim 1, wherein said reproducing means reproduces an image line by line.

Claim 6

An image forming system according to claim 1, further comprising means for setting a reproduction position of the image on the material.

Claim 7

An image forming system according to claim 5, wherein said controlling means is operable in accordance with the reproduction position set by setting means.

Claim 8

An image forming system according to claim 5, wherein said reproducing means reproduces a desired part of the image.

Claim 9

An image forming system comprising: means for producing an image signal by scanning an original image in a main scan direction; means for moving a scanning position of said producing means along a sub-scan direction; means for feeding a material on which an image is reproduced; means for reproducing an image on the material fed by said feeding means, in accordance with the image signal; means for inputting data representing a shift position for determining a reproduction position of the image on the material and a magnification or reduction scale for magnifying or reducing the image; and means for controlling the image reproduction in accordance with the shift position and the magnification or reduction scale so as to reproduce a magnified or reduced image at a desired position on the material, said controlling means controlling the relative operation between the moving of the scanning position and the feeding of the material so as to shift the reproduction position of the image along the sub-scan direction.

Claim 10

An image forming system comprising: means for producing an image signal by scanning an original image in a main scan direction; means for moving a scanning position of said producing means along a sub-scan direction; means for feeding a material on which an image is reproduced; means for reproducing an image on the material fed by said feeding means, in accordance with the image signal; means for inputting data representing a shift position for determining a reproduction position of the image on the material and a magnification or reduction scale for magnifying or reducing the image; and means for controlling the image reproduction in accordance with the shift position and the magnification or reduction scale so as to reproduce a magnified or reduced image at a desired position on the material, said controlling means controlling the relative operation between the moving of the scanning position and the feeding of the material so as to shift the reproduction position of the image along the sub-scan direction.

Claim 11

An image forming system according to claim 8, wherein said producing means includes a sensor array.

Claim 12

An image forming system according to claim 8, wherein said reproducing means reproduces an image line by line.

Claim 13

An image forming system according to claim 8, wherein said reproducing means reproduces a desired part of the image.

Claim 14

An image forming system according to claim 8, further comprising means for processing the image signal in accordance with the shift position and the magnification or reduction scale.

Claim 15

An image forming system comprising: means for producing an image signal representing an original image; means for reproducing an image on a material in accordance with the image signal; means for inputting a size signal concerning the material; means for inputting a coordinate signal indicating a desired area of the original image; means for determining a magnification or reduction scale in accordance with the coordinate signal and the size signal to reproduce a trimmed image magnified or reduced on the material; and means for processing the image signal in accordance with the magnification or reduction scale determined by said determining means.

Claim 16

An image forming system comprising: means for producing an image signal representing an original image; means for reproducing an image on a material in accordance with the image signal; means for inputting a size signal concerning the material; means for inputting a coordinate signal indicating a desired area of the original image; means for determining a magnification or reduction scale in accordance with the coordinate signal and the size signal to reproduce a trimmed image magnified or reduced on the material; and means for processing the image signal in accordance with the magnification or reduction scale determined by said determining means.

Claim 17

An image forming system according to claim 13, wherein said producing means includes a sensor array.

Claim 18

An image forming system according to claim 13, wherein said reproducing means reproduces an image line by line.

Claim 19

An image forming system according to claim 13, further comprising means for extracting a signal from an image signal output from said reproducing means, said extracted signal representing an image of the desired area.

Claim 20

An image forming system comprising: means for producing an image signal by scanning an original image; means for reproducing an image on a material in accordance with the image signal; means for receiving a parameter representing either a shift position for determining a reproduction position of the image on the material or a magnification scale for magnifying the image; means for processing said image signal in accordance with said parameter so as to reproduce the image at a desired position on the material or to reproduce the magnified image on the material; and means for generating an error signal in the absence of the image being adequately reproduced on the material in accordance with the processed image signal.

Claim 21

An image forming system comprising: means for producing an image signal by scanning an original image; means for reproducing an image on a material in accordance with the image signal; means for receiving a parameter representing either a shift position for determining a reproduction position of the image on the material or a magnification scale for magnifying the image; means for processing said image signal in accordance with said parameter so as to reproduce the image at a desired position on the material or to reproduce the magnified image on the material; and means for generating an error signal in the absence of the image being adequately reproduced on the material in accordance with the processed image signal.

Claim 22

An image forming system according to claim 17, wherein said producing means includes a sensor array.

Claim 23

An image forming system according to claim 17, wherein said reproducing means reproduces an image line by line.

Claim 24

An image forming system according to claim 7, further comprising means for setting the reproduction position or the magnification scale.

Claim 25

An image forming system according to claim 17, wherein said generating means generates an error signal when the image is not adequately reproduced within the material.

Claim 26

An image processing system comprising: means for producing an analog image signal by scanning an original image; means for converting the analog signal into a digital image signal; means for processing the digital image signal in accordance with a magnification scale so as to magnify the original image; and memory means for storing the digital image signal processed by said processing means, said memory means having a capacity capable of storing a line of the digital image signal processed at the maximum magnification scale.

Claim 27

An image processing system comprising: means for producing an analog image signal by scanning an original image; means for converting the analog signal into a digital image signal; means for processing the digital image signal in accordance with a magnification scale so as to magnify the original image; and memory means for storing the digital image signal processed by said processing means, said memory means having a capacity capable of storing a line of the digital image signal processed at the maximum magnification scale.

Claim 28

An image processing system according to claim 22, wherein said producing means includes a sensor array.

Claim 29

An image processing system according to claim 22, wherein said processing means increases the digital image signal in accordance with the magnification scale.

Claim 30

An image processing system according to claim 22, further comprising means for setting the magnification scale.

Claim 31

An image processing system according to claim 22, further comprising means for reproducing an image on a material in accordance with the digital image signal read out from said memory means.

Claim 32

An image processing system comprising: a plurality of sensor arrays in parallel for scanning an original image; and means for storing and processing image signals received from said sensor arrays to correct overlapped areas of said image signals; said storing/processing means being controlled by a magnification/reduction scale.

Claim 33

An image processing system comprising: a plurality of sensor arrays in parallel for scanning an original image; and means for storing and processing image signals received from said sensor arrays to correct overlapped areas of said image signals; said storing/processing means being controlled by a magnification/reduction scale.

Claim 34

An image processing system according to claim 27, further comprising means for detecting the overlapped areas.

Claim 35

An image processing system according to claim 27, further comprising means for setting the magnification/ reduction scale.

Claim 36

An image processing system according to claim 27, further comprising means for reproducing an image on a material in accordance with the image signals corrected by said storing/processing means.

Claim 37

An image processing system according to claim 27, wherein said storing/processing means removes image signals of the overlapped area.

Claim 38

An image forming system comprising: reader means for reading an original image to produce an image signal; printer means for receiving said image signal to reproduce an image on a material; and means for starting a protocol of said reader means and said printer means after confirmation of initialization of said printer means and said printer means and sending said image signal from said reader means to said printer after the protocol; wherein, by means of the protocol, a signal representing power-on of said reader means and the completion initialization of said reader means is sent to said printer means and a signal representing the power-on of said printer means and the completion of initialization of said printer means is sent to said reader means.

Claim 39

An image forming system comprising: reader means for reading an original image to produce an image signal; printer means for receiving said image signal to reproduce an image on a material; and means for starting a protocol of said reader means and said printer means after confirmation of initialization of said printer means and said printer means and sending said image signal from said reader means to said printer after the protocol; wherein, by means of the protocol, a signal representing power-on of said reader means and the completion initialization of said reader means is sent to said printer means and a signal representing the power-on of said printer means and the completion of initialization of said printer means is sent to said reader means.

Claim 40

An image forming system according to claim 32, wherein said reader means includes a sensor array.

Claim 41

An image forming system according to claim 32, wherein said printer means reproduces an image line by line.

Claim 42

An image forming system according to claim 32, wherein said printer means reproduces the image during the reading of the original image by said reader means.

Claim 43

An image forming system comprising: output means for producing a pixel image signal; printer means for receiving said image signal and printing an image on a material; and means for sending a command data signal, in addition to said image signal, from said output means to said printer means and sending a status data signal from said printer means to said output means in response to said command data signal; wherein said printer means sends an abstract status to said output means and thereafter sends a detailed status to said output means.

Claim 44

An image forming system comprising: output means for producing a pixel image signal; printer means for receiving said image signal and printing an image on a material; and means for sending a command data signal, in addition to said image signal, from said output means to said printer means and sending a status data signal from said printer means to said output means in response to said command data signal; wherein said printer means sends an abstract status to said output means and thereafter sends a detailed status to said output means.

Claim 45

An image forming system according to claim 36, wherein said output means includes means for scanning an original image to produce the pixel image signal representing the original image.

Claim 46

An image forming system according to claim 36, wherein said printer means reproduces an image line by line.

Claim 47

An image forming system according to claim 36, wherein said sending means sends data indicating an abnormal state of said printer means.

Claim 48

An image processing system comprising: means for reading an original image to produce an image signal; means for receiving the image signal; and means for starting a protocol of said reading means and said receiving means after confirmation of initialization of said reading means and said receiving means, and sending the image signal from said reading means to said receiving means after the protocol; wherein, by means of the protocol, a signal representing the power-on of said reading means and the completion of initialization of said reading means is sent to said receiving means and a signal representing the power-on of said receiving means and the completion of initialization of said receiving means is sent to said reading means.

Claim 49

An image processing system comprising: means for reading an original image to produce an image signal; means for receiving the image signal; and means for starting a protocol of said reading means and said receiving means after confirmation of initialization of said reading means and said receiving means, and sending the image signal from said reading means to said receiving means after the protocol; wherein, by means of the protocol, a signal representing the power-on of said reading means and the completion of initialization of said reading means is sent to said receiving means and a signal representing the power-on of said receiving means and the completion of initialization of said receiving means is sent to said reading means.

Claim 50

An image processing system according to claim 40, wherein said reading means includes a sensor array.

Claim 51

An image processing system according to claim 40, wherein said receiving means comprises means for reproducing an image on a material in accordance with the image signal.

Claim 52

An image processing system comprising: means for producing a pixel image signal; means for receiving said image signal; and means for sending a command data signal, in addition to said image signal, from said producing means to said receiving means and sending a status data signal from said receiving means to said producing means in response to said command data signal; wherein an abstract status of said receiving means is sent to said producing means and thereafter a detailed status is sent to said producing means.

Claim 53

An image processing system comprising: means for producing a pixel image signal; means for receiving said image signal; and means for sending a command data signal, in addition to said image signal, from said producing means to said receiving means and sending a status data signal from said receiving means to said producing means in response to said command data signal; wherein an abstract status of said receiving means is sent to said producing means and thereafter a detailed status is sent to said producing means.

Claim 54

An image processing system according to claim 43, wherein said producing means includes a sensor array.

Claim 55

An image processing system according to claim 43, wherein said receiving means comprises means for reproducing an image on a material in accordance with the image signal.

Claim 56

An image processing system according to claim 43, wherein said sending means sends data indicating an abnormal state of said receiving means.