Image processing system

Claim 2

An image processing system comprising: a memory medium capable of storing image information representative of a plurality of images; designating means for designating desired image information to be read out from said memory medium and which corresponds to a plurality of pages; readout means for reading, in order, image information designated by said designating means, from said memory medium; image forming means for forming the image information from said readout means; interface means for synchronizing said readout means with said image forming means, wherein said interface means comprises a plurality of line buffer memories for storing the image information read by said readout means; generating means for generating an indicating signal which indicates that the image information stored in said plurality of line buffer memories should be output to said image forming means; and control means for controlling said interface means such that the image information stored in said plurality of line buffer memories is output to said image forming means before the image information designated by said designating means, corresponding to each of said plurality of pages, has been completely read out by said readout means.

Claim 3

An image processing system according to claim 1, wherein said memory medium is a disk memory.

Claim 4

An image processing system according to claim 2, wherein said disk memory comprises a photo-magnetic recording medium.

Claim 5

An image processing system according to claim 1, wherein said generating means generates said indicating signal in synchronization with the operating rate of said image forming means.

Claim 6

Am image processing system according to claim 1, wherein said image forming means comprises a laser beam printer and wherein said indication generating means includes detecting means for detecting a laser beam from said laser beam printer.

Claim 7

Am image processing system according to claim 1, wherein said interface means reads the image information stored in said plurality of said line buffer memories in order to output it to said image forming means while writing said image information from said readout means into said plurality of said line buffer memories.

Claim 8

An image processing system according to claim 1, wherein said control means controls a write address and a read address of said plurality of line buffer memories.

Claim 9

An image processing system according to claim 7, wherein said control means controls said read address in synchronization with the indicating signal.

Claim 10

An image processing system comprising: image information generating means for generating image information; memory means capable of storing image information representative of a plurality of images generated by said generating means, wherein said memory means stores said image information such that each of said images can be read out by designation; interface means for synchronizing said generating means with said memory means, wherein said interface means comprises a plurality of line buffer memories for temporarily storing the image information from said image information generating means; generating means for generating an indicating signal in order to read the image information stored in said plurality of line buffer memories and for outputting the image information to said memory means; and control means for controlling said interface means such that the image information stored in said plurality of line buffer memories is read out to said memory means before said image information generating means has completely generated the image information.

Claim 11

An image processing system comprising: image information generating means for generating image information; memory means capable of storing image information representative of a plurality of images generated by said generating means, wherein said memory means stores said image information such that each of said images can be read out by designation; interface means for synchronizing said generating means with said memory means, wherein said interface means comprises a plurality of line buffer memories for temporarily storing the image information from said image information generating means; generating means for generating an indicating signal in order to read the image information stored in said plurality of line buffer memories and for outputting the image information to said memory means; and control means for controlling said interface means such that the image information stored in said plurality of line buffer memories is read out to said memory means before said image information generating means has completely generated the image information.

Claim 12

An image processing system according to claim 9, wherein said memory means is a disk memory.

Claim 13

An image processing system according to claim 10, wherein said disk memory comprises a photo-magnetic recording medium. PG,34

Claim 14

An image processing system according to claim 9, wherein said image information generating means comprises readout means for reading an original image from which is generated image information representative of the original image.

Claim 15

An image processing system according to claim 9, wherein said indicating signal generating means generates the indicating signal in synchronization with the operating rate of said memory means.

Claim 16

An image processing system according to claim 9, wherein said interface means reads the image information stored in said plurality of said line buffer memories in order to output the image information to said memory means while writing the image information from said image-information generating means into said plurality of said line buffer memories.

Claim 17

An image processing system according to claim 9, wherein said control means controls a write address and a read address of said plurality of line buffer memories.

Claim 18

An image processing system according to claim 15, wherein said control means controls said read address in synchronization with the indicating signal.

Claim 19

An image processing system according to claim 9, further comprising designating means for designating a storage location, in said memory means, in which said image information should be stored.

Claim 20

An image processing system according to claim 9, further comprising designating means for designating the size of the image information generated by said image information generating means.

Claim 21

An image processing system according to claim 9 further comprising selecting means for selecting one of a first mode of operation of said image processing system in which said image processing system stores image information in said memory means and a second mode of operation of said image processing system in which said image processing system reads out the image information stored in said memory means.

Claim 22

An image processing system according to claim 19, wherein when said selecting means selects the first mode, the image information generated by said image information generating means is stored in said plurality of line buffer memories, and when said selecting means selects the second mode, the image information read out from said memory means is stored in said plurality of line buffer memories.

Claim 23

An image processing system according to claim 9, further comprising designating means for designating desired image information to be read out from said memory means and which corresponds to a plurality of pages.

Claim 24

An image processing system according to claim 9, wherein said image forming means includes a laser beam printer and wherein said indication generating means includes detecting means for detecting a laser beam from said laser beam printer.

Claim 25

An image processing system according to claim 19, wherein said image information generating means includes first synchronizing means for generating a first synchronization signal for permitting generation of image information, wherein said readout means includes second synchronizing means for generating a second synchronization signal for permitting a readout of image information, and wherein said first and second synchronizing means write the image information into said plurality of line buffer memories in response to said first synchronization signal in the first mode and in response to the second synchronization signal in the second mode, respectively.

Claim 26

An imge processing system comprising: a memory medium capable of storing image information representative of a plurality of images; designating means for designating desired image information to be read out from said memory medium and which corresponds to a plurality of pages; readout means for reading, in order, image information designated by said designating means, from said memory medium; a plurality of image forming means for forming the image information from said readout means; a plurality of interface means, each corresponding to a different one of the plurality of said image forming means, for synchronizing said readout means with said image forming means, wherein said plurality of interface means comprises a plurality of line buffer memories for storing the image information read by said readout means; a plurality of generating means, each corresponding to a different one of the plurality of said image forming means and for generating an indicating signal which indicates that the image information stored in said plurality of line buffer memories should be output to said plurality of image forming means; and control means for controlling the plurality of said interface means such that the image information designated by said designating means, corresponding to each of said plurality of pages, is simultaneously outputted to said plurality of image forming means.

Claim 27

An imge processing system comprising: a memory medium capable of storing image information representative of a plurality of images; designating means for designating desired image information to be read out from said memory medium and which corresponds to a plurality of pages; readout means for reading, in order, image information designated by said designating means, from said memory medium; a plurality of image forming means for forming the image information from said readout means; a plurality of interface means, each corresponding to a different one of the plurality of said image forming means, for synchronizing said readout means with said image forming means, wherein said plurality of interface means comprises a plurality of line buffer memories for storing the image information read by said readout means; a plurality of generating means, each corresponding to a different one of the plurality of said image forming means and for generating an indicating signal which indicates that the image information stored in said plurality of line buffer memories should be output to said plurality of image forming means; and control means for controlling the plurality of said interface means such that the image information designated by said designating means, corresponding to each of said plurality of pages, is simultaneously outputted to said plurality of image forming means.

Claim 28

An image processing system according to claim 24, wherein said memory medium is a disk memory.

Claim 29

An image processing system according to claim 25, wherein said disk memory comprises a photomagnetic recording medium.

Claim 30

An image processing system according to claim 24, wherein the plurality of generating means generates the indicating signal in synchronization with the operating rate of said corresponding image forming means.

Claim 31

An image processing system according to claim 24, wherein said image forming means comprises a laser beam printer and wherein said indication generating means includes detecting means for detecting a laser beam from said laser beam printer.

Claim 32

An image processing system according to claim 24, wherein each of said plurality of interface means reads the image information stored in said plurality of line buffer memories in order to output the image information to said corresponding image forming means while writing the image information from said readout means into said plurality of line buffer memories.

Claim 33

An image processing system according to claim 24, wherein said control means controls a write address and a read address of said plurality of line buffer memories.

Claim 34

An image processing system according to claim 30, wherein said control means controls said read address in synchronization with the indicating signal.

Claim 35

An image processing system according to claim 24, wherein said control means controls said plurality of interface means such that said image information stored in said line buffer memories is output to said plurality of said image forming means before the image information stored in said memory medium has been completely read out by said readout means.