Hand-held, manually sweepable image data processing apparatus

Claim 2

An image data processing apparatus comprising: housing means movable on a material having image information thereon; input means carried by said housing means, for producing image data from the image information on the material when said housing means is moved on the material, and for producing image data from the image information on the material; memory mean for storing the image data produced by said input means; movement-detecting means for detecting movement of said housing means with respect to the material and for outputting a detecting signal as said housing means moves relative to the material; stop determining means for determining a stopping of movement of said housing means relative to the material and for outputting a determining signal responsive to said stopping of said housing means: and memory control means for controlling said memory means in accordance with detecting signals output from said movement-detecting means, and for separating the image data stored in said memory means into a plurality of separated image data items, in response to the determining signal output from said stop determining means, so as to be able to output the separated image data items from said memory means one-by-one.

Claim 3

The image data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: said movement-detecting means includes position-detecting means for detecting a position of said housing means with respect to the material, and for outputting a position signal every time said housing means is moved on the material for a predetermined distance; said stop determining means includes time-measuring means for measuring a time interval at which said position-detecting means sequentially outputs two position signals, and for outputting the determining signal when the measured time interval is equal to or longer than a predetermined time interval; and said memory control means includes data-end determining means for determining the end of each image data item in response to the determining signal output from said stop determining means.

Claim 4

The image data processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said memory control means includes; address-designating means for designating an address of said memory means in accordance with the position signal output from said position-detecting means; and address-data storing means for storing address data representing that address of said memory means which said address-designating means designates when said stop determining means outputs the determining signal.

Claim 5

The image data processing apparatus according to claim 3, further including: data-outputting means for outputting each image data item stored in said memory means, and wherein said memory means includes data-supplying means for supplying each image data item from said memory means to said data-outputting means in accordance with the address data stored in said address-data storing means.

Claim 6

The image data processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said data-supplying means includes: read-address designating means for designating read addresses of said memory means in sequence; address-comparing means for comparing each read address designated by said read-address designating means, with the address data stored in said address-data storing means, and for outputting a coincidence signal when the read address designated by said read-address designating means coincides with the address data stored in said address-data storing means; and data-supply stopping means for stopping the supply of the image data from said memory means to said data-outputting means when said comparing means outputs the coincidence signal.

Claim 7

The image data processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein: said housing means moves on a printing medium; said data-outputting means includes printing means carried by said housing means, for printing the image data supplied from said memory means on the printing medium; said position-detecting means includes means for detecting the position of said housing means with respect to the printing medium, and for outputting a position signal every time said housing means is moved for a predetermined distance on the printing medium; and said data-supplying means includes data-supply renewing means for renewing the supply of image data from said memory means to said data-outputting means when said stop determining means outputs the determining signal after said data-supply stopping means has stopped the supply of image data.

Claim 8

The data processing apparatus according to claim 1, further including: data-outputting means for outputting each image data item stored in said memory means, and wherein said memory means includes data-supplying means for supplying each image data item from said memory means to said data-outputting means.

Claim 9

The image data processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein: said movement-detecting means includes position-detecting means for detecting the position of said housing means with respect to the material, and for outputting a position signal every time said housing means is moved on the material for a predetermined distance; said stop determining means includes time-measuring means for measuring a time interval at which said position-detecting means sequentially outputs two position signals, and for outputting the determining signal when the time interval measured by said time-measuring means is equal to or longer than a predetermined time interval; and said memory control means includes data-end determining means for determining the end of each image data item in response to the determining signal output from said stop determining means.

Claim 10

The image data processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said memory control means includes: write-address designating means for designating a write address of said memory means in accordance with the position signal output by said position-detecting means; and address-data storing means for storing address data corresponding to that write address of said memory means which said write-address designating means designates every time said stop determining means outputs the determining signal.

Claim 11

The image data processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said data-supplying means includes: read-address designating means for designating read addresses of said memory means in sequence; address-comparing means for comparing read address designated by said read-address designating means, with the address data stored in said address-data storing means, and for outputting a coincidence signal when the read address designated by said read-address designating means coincides with the address data stored in said address-data storing means; and data-supply stopping means for stopping the supply of data from said memory means to said data-outputting means when said comparing means outputs the coincidence signal.

Claim 12

The image data processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein: said housing means moves on a printing medium said data-outputting means includes printing means located in said housing means, for printing the image data supplied from said memory means on the printing medium; said position-detecting means includes means for detecting the position of said housing means with respect to the printing medium, and for outputting a position signal every time said housing means is moved for a predetermined distance on the printing medium; and said data-supplying means includes data-supply renewing means for renewing the supply of image data from said memory means to said data-outputting means when said time-measuring means outputs the determining signal after said data-supply stopping means has stopped the supply of image data.

Claim 13

An image data processing apparatus comprising: input means for inputting a plurality of image data items; memory means for storing the image data items input by said input means; housing means movable on a printing medium; printing means carried by said housing means for printing the image data stored in said memory means, on the printing medium while said housing means is being moved on the printing medium; movement-detecting means for detecting movement of said housing means with respect to the printing medium; stop detecting means for detecting that said housing means stops moving: data-selecting means for sequentially selecting one of the image data items stored in said memory means, every time said stop detecting means detects that said housing means stops moving; and data-supplying means for supplying the image data item selected by said data-selecting means, from said memory means to said printing means, in accordance with the movement of said housing means detected by said movement detecting means.

Claim 14

An image data processing apparatus comprising: input means for inputting a plurality of image data items; memory means for storing the image data items input by said input means; housing means movable on a printing medium; printing means carried by said housing means for printing the image data stored in said memory means, on the printing medium while said housing means is being moved on the printing medium; movement-detecting means for detecting movement of said housing means with respect to the printing medium; stop detecting means for detecting that said housing means stops moving: data-selecting means for sequentially selecting one of the image data items stored in said memory means, every time said stop detecting means detects that said housing means stops moving; and data-supplying means for supplying the image data item selected by said data-selecting means, from said memory means to said printing means, in accordance with the movement of said housing means detected by said movement detecting means.

Claim 15

The image data processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said movement-detecting means includes position-detecting means for detecting the position of said housing means with respect to the printing medium, and for outputting a position signal every time said housing means is moved on the printing medium for a predetermined distance; said stop detecting means includes time-measuring means for measuring an interval at which said position-detecting means sequentially outputs two position signals, and for outputting a time signal when the interval is equal to or longer than a predetermined time; said data-selecting means includes means for sequentially selecting one of the image data items stored in said memory means, every time said time-measuring means outputs the time signal; and said data-supplying means includes means for supplying each image data item selected by said data-selecting means, from said memory means to said memory means to said printing means in response to the position signal output from said position-detecting means.

Claim 16

The image data processing apparatus according to claim 13, further including: address-data storing means for storing address representing that address of said memory means at which the end of each image data item is stored, and wherein said data-selecting means includes address-data selecting means for selecting the address data stored in said address-data storing means, which represents the end of the image data item to be selected and, said data-supplying means includes: read-address designating means for designating read addresses of said memory means in sequence in response to the position signals output from said position-detecting means; address-comparing means for comparing read address designated by said read-address designating means, with the address data selected by said address-data selecting means for outputting a coincidence signal when the read address designated by said read-address designating means coincides with the address data selected by said address-data selecting means; and stopping means for stopping designation of the read-address by said read-address designating means when said comparing means outputs the coincidence signal, so as to stop supplying of the image data items from said memory means to said printing means.

Claim 17

The image data processing means according to claim 14, wherein said data-selecting means includes: restarting means for renewing designation of the read-address by said read-address designating means when said time-measuring means outputs a time signal after said stopping means has stopped said read-address designating means; and address-data changing means for changing the address data selected by said address-data selecting means when said time-measuring means outputs a time signal after said stopping mean has stopped designation of the read-address by said read-address designating means.

Claim 18

The image data processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein: said housing means moves on a material having image information; said movement-detecting means includes means for detecting the movement of said housing means with respect to the material and for outputting detecting signals as said housing means moves; and said input means includes image-data input means carried by said housing means, for inputting image data corresponding to the image information read from said material, further comprising: memory control means for controlling said memory means in accordance with the detecting signals output from said movement-detecting means, and for separating the image data stored in said memory means, into a plurality of image data items in response to said stop detecting means detecting that said housing means stops moving so as to be able to output the image item from said memory means one by one.

Claim 19

The image data processing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein: said movement-detecting means includes position-detecting means for detecting the position of said housing means with respect to the material, and for outputting a position signal every time said housing means is moved on the material for a predetermined distance; said stop detecting means includes time-measuring means for measuring an interval at which said position-detecting means sequentially outputs two position signals, and for outputting a time signal when the interval is equal to or longer than a predetermined time; and said memory control means includes data-end detecting means for detecting the end of each image data item in response to the time signal output from said time-measuring means.

Claim 20

The image data processing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said memory control means includes: write-address designating means for designating a write address of said memory means in accordance with the position signal output by said position-detecting means; and address-data storing means for storing the address data corresponding to the write address of said memory means which said write-address designating means designates every time said time-measuring means outputs the time signal, said address data representing the end of each image data item.

Claim 21

The image data processing apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said position-detecting means includes means for detecting the position of said housing means with respect to the printing medium, and for outputting a position signal every time said housing means is moved for a predetermined distance on the printing medium, said data-selecting means includes means for sequentially selecting one of the image data items stored in said memory means, every time said time-measuring means outputs a time signal; and said data-supplying means includes means for supplying each image data item selected by said data-selecting means, from said memory means to said printing means in response to the position signal output from said position-detecting means.

Claim 22

The image data processing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said data-selecting means includes address-data selecting means for selecting the address data stored in said address-data storing means, which represents the end of the image data item to be selected, said data-supplying means includes: read-address designating means for designating read addresses of said memory means in sequence in response to the position signals output from said position-detecting means; address-comparing means for comparing read address designated by said read-address designating means, with the address data selected by said address-data selecting means for outputting a coincidence signal when the read address designated by said read-address designating means coincides with the address data selected by said address-data selecting means; and stopping means for stopping designation of the read-address by said read-address designating means when said comparing means outputs the coincidence signal, so as to stop supplying of the image data items from said memory means to said printing means.

Claim 23

The image data processing means according to claim 20, wherein said data-selecting means includes: renewing means for renewing designation of the read-address by said read-address designating means when said time-measuring means outputs a time signal after said stopping means has stopped said read-address designating means; and address-data changing means for changing the address data selected by said address-data selecting means when said time-measuring means outputs the time signal after said stopping means has stopped said read-address designating means.

Claim 24

The image data processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein aid image data items stored in said memory means are separated into separated image data items which are supplied by said data-supplying means to said printing means on a one-by-one basis.

Claim 25

An image data processing apparatus comprising: housing means movable on a material having image information thereon; input means carried by said housing means, for producing image data from the image information on the material when said housing means is moved on the material, and for producing image data from the image information; memory means for storing the image data produced by said input means; position-detecting means for detecting the position of said housing means with respect tot he material, and for outputting a position signal every time said housing means is moved on the material for a predetermined distance; time-measuring means for measuring an interval at which said position-detecting means sequentially output two position signals, and for outputting a time signal when the interval is equal to or loner than a predetermined time; address-designating means for designating an address of said memory means in accordance with the position signal output from said position-detecting means; and address-data storing means for storing address data representing that address of said memory means which said address-designating means designates when said time-measuring means outputs a time signal.

Claim 26

An image data processing apparatus comprising: housing means movable on a material having image information thereon; input means carried by said housing means, for producing image data from the image information on the material when said housing means is moved on the material, and for producing image data from the image information; memory means for storing the image data produced by said input means; position-detecting means for detecting the position of said housing means with respect tot he material, and for outputting a position signal every time said housing means is moved on the material for a predetermined distance; time-measuring means for measuring an interval at which said position-detecting means sequentially output two position signals, and for outputting a time signal when the interval is equal to or loner than a predetermined time; address-designating means for designating an address of said memory means in accordance with the position signal output from said position-detecting means; and address-data storing means for storing address data representing that address of said memory means which said address-designating means designates when said time-measuring means outputs a time signal.

Claim 27

The image data processing apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising: data-outputting means for outputting each image data item stored in said memory means, wherein said memory means includes data-supplying means for supplying each image data item from said memory means to said data-outputting means in accordance with the address data stored in aid address-data storing means.

Claim 28

The image data processing apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said data-supplying means includes: read-address designating means for designating read address of said memory means in sequence; address-comparing means for comparing each read address designated by said read-address designating means, with the address data stored in said address-data storing means, and for outputting a coincidence signal when the read address designated by said read-address designating means coincide with the address data stored in said address-data storing means; and data-supply stopping means for stopping the supply of the image data from said memory means to said data-outputting means when said comparing means outputs a coincidence signal.

Claim 29

The image data processing apparatus according to claim 25, wherein: said housing means moves on a printing medium; said data-outputting means includes printing means carried by said housing means, for printing the image data supplied from said memory means, on the printing medium said position-detecting means includes means for detecting the position of said housing means with respect to the printing medium, and for outputting a position signal every time said housing means is moved for a predetermined distance on the printing medium; and said data-data-supplying means includes data-supply renewing means for renewing the supply of the image data from said memory means to said data-outputting means when said time-measuring means outputs the time signal after said data-supply stopping means has stopped the supply of the image data.

Claim 30

An image data processing apparatus comprising: input means for inputting a plurality of image data items; memory means for storing the image data items input by said inputting means; housing means movable on a printing medium; printing means carried by the housing means for printing the image data stored in said memory means, on the printing medium while said housing means is being moved on the printing medium; position detecting means for detecting the position of said housing means with respect to the printing medium, and for outputting a position signal every tine said housing means is moved on the printing medium for predetermined distance; time-measuring means for measuring an interval at which said position-detecting means sequentially outputs two position signals, and for outputting a time signal when the interval is equal to or longer than a predetermined time; address-data storing means for storing data representing that address of said memory means at which the end of each image data item is stored; data-selecting means for sequentially selecting one of the image items stored in said memory means, every time said time-measuring means outputs the time signal; address-data selecting means for selecting the address data stored in said address-data storing means, which represents the end of the image data item selected by said data-selecting means; read-address designating means for designating read address of said memory means in sequence in response to the position signals output from said position-detecting means; data-supplying means foe supplying the image data from said memory means according to the read address designated by said read-address designating means; address-comparing means for comparing read address designated by said read-address designating means, with the address data selected by said address-data selecting means, and for outputting a coincidence signal when the read address designated by said read-address designating means coincides with the address data selected by said address-data selecting means; and stopping means for stopping designating of the read-address by said read-address designating means when said comparing means outputs the coincidence signal, so as to stop supplying of the image data items from said memory means to said printing means.

Claim 31

An image data processing apparatus comprising: input means for inputting a plurality of image data items; memory means for storing the image data items input by said inputting means; housing means movable on a printing medium; printing means carried by the housing means for printing the image data stored in said memory means, on the printing medium while said housing means is being moved on the printing medium; position detecting means for detecting the position of said housing means with respect to the printing medium, and for outputting a position signal every tine said housing means is moved on the printing medium for predetermined distance; time-measuring means for measuring an interval at which said position-detecting means sequentially outputs two position signals, and for outputting a time signal when the interval is equal to or longer than a predetermined time; address-data storing means for storing data representing that address of said memory means at which the end of each image data item is stored; data-selecting means for sequentially selecting one of the image items stored in said memory means, every time said time-measuring means outputs the time signal; address-data selecting means for selecting the address data stored in said address-data storing means, which represents the end of the image data item selected by said data-selecting means; read-address designating means for designating read address of said memory means in sequence in response to the position signals output from said position-detecting means; data-supplying means foe supplying the image data from said memory means according to the read address designated by said read-address designating means; address-comparing means for comparing read address designated by said read-address designating means, with the address data selected by said address-data selecting means, and for outputting a coincidence signal when the read address designated by said read-address designating means coincides with the address data selected by said address-data selecting means; and stopping means for stopping designating of the read-address by said read-address designating means when said comparing means outputs the coincidence signal, so as to stop supplying of the image data items from said memory means to said printing means.

Claim 32

The image data processing apparatus according to claim 27, further comprising: renewing means for renewing designation of the read address by said read-address designating means when said time-measuring means outputs a time signal after said stopping means has stopped said read-address designating means; and address-data changing means for changing the address data selected by said address-data selecting means when said time-measuring means outputs a time signal after said stopping means has stopped designation of the read-address by said read-address designating means.

Claim 33

The image data processing apparatus according to claim 27, wherein: said housing means moves on a material having image information; said position detecting means includes means for detecting the position of said housing mans with respect tot he material, and for outputting a position signal every time said housing means is moved on the material for a predetermined distance; and said input means includes image-data input means carried by said housing means, for inputting image data correspondence to the image information read from said material, further comprising: writing-address designating means for designating a write address of said memory means in accordance with the position signal output by said position-detecting means; and address-data storing means for storing the address data corresponding to the write address of said memory means which said write-address designating means designates every time said time-measuring means outputs a time signal, said address data representing the end of each image data item.

Claim 34

An image data processing apparatus comprising: housing means movable on one of a material having image information thereon and a printing medium; image-data input means carried by said housing means, for inputting image data corresponding to image information read from the material while said housing means is being moved on the material; memory means for storing image data input by said image-data input means; printing means, carried by said housing means, for printing the image data stored in said memory means, on the printing medium, while said housing means is being moved on the printing medium; position-detecting means for detecting the position of said housing means with respect to one of the material and the printing medium, and for outputting a position detecting signal every time said housing means is moved on one of the material and the printing medium for a predetermined distance; time-measuring means for measuring an interval at which said position-detecting means sequentially outputs two position signals, and for outputting a time signal when the interval is equal to or longer than a predetermined time; memory control means for controlling said memory means in accordance with the position signals output from said position-detecting means, and for separating the image data into a plurality of separated image data items, each produced by said image-data input means; said memory control means including: write-address designating means for designating a write address of said memory means in accordance with the position signal output by said position-detecting means; and address-data storing means for storing the address data corresponding to the write address of said memory means, which said write-address designating means designates every time said time-measuring means outputs the time signal, said address data representing the end of each separated image data item; data-selecting means for sequentially selecting one of the separated image data items stored in said memory means, every time said time-measuring means outputs the time signal; and data-supplying means for supplying each separated image data item selected by said data-selecting means, from said memory means to said printing means, in response to the position signal output form said position-detecting means.

Claim 35

An image data processing apparatus comprising: housing means movable on one of a material having image information thereon and a printing medium; image-data input means carried by said housing means, for inputting image data corresponding to image information read from the material while said housing means is being moved on the material; memory means for storing image data input by said image-data input means; printing means, carried by said housing means, for printing the image data stored in said memory means, on the printing medium, while said housing means is being moved on the printing medium; position-detecting means for detecting the position of said housing means with respect to one of the material and the printing medium, and for outputting a position detecting signal every time said housing means is moved on one of the material and the printing medium for a predetermined distance; time-measuring means for measuring an interval at which said position-detecting means sequentially outputs two position signals, and for outputting a time signal when the interval is equal to or longer than a predetermined time; memory control means for controlling said memory means in accordance with the position signals output from said position-detecting means, and for separating the image data into a plurality of separated image data items, each produced by said image-data input means; said memory control means including: write-address designating means for designating a write address of said memory means in accordance with the position signal output by said position-detecting means; and address-data storing means for storing the address data corresponding to the write address of said memory means, which said write-address designating means designates every time said time-measuring means outputs the time signal, said address data representing the end of each separated image data item; data-selecting means for sequentially selecting one of the separated image data items stored in said memory means, every time said time-measuring means outputs the time signal; and data-supplying means for supplying each separated image data item selected by said data-selecting means, from said memory means to said printing means, in response to the position signal output form said position-detecting means.

Claim 36

The image data processing apparatus according to claim 30, wherein: said data-selecting means includes address-data selecting means for selecting the address data stored in said address-data storing means, which represents the end of the image data item to be selected; and said data supplying means includes: read-address designating means for designating read addresses of said memory means in sequence in response to position signals output form said position-detecting means; address-comparing means for comparing a read address designated by said read-address designating means with address data selected by said address-data selecting means, for outputting a coincidence signal when the read address designated by said read-address designating means coincides with the address data selected by said address-data selecting means; and stopping means for stopping designation of the read-address by said read-address designating means when said read-address comparing means outputs the coincidence signal, so as to stop supplying of the image data items from said memory means to said printing means.

Claim 37

The image data processing means according to claim 31, wherein said data-selecting means includes: renewing means for renewing designation of the read-address by said read-address designating means when said time-measuring means outputs the time signal after said stopping means has stopped said read-address designating means; and address-data changing means for changing the address data selected by said address-data selecting means when said time-measuring means outputs the time signal after said stopping means has stopped said read-address designating means.