Image processing system

Claim 2

An image processing system comprising: means for receiving image data and a mode of operation; means for selectively compressing said image data, said compressing means having input and output terminals; compressor bypass means, connected to said input and output terminals of said compressing means, for selectively bypassing said compressing means; a page buffer for storing the data received from said compressing means and said bypassing means; means for storing the compressed image data received from said page buffer; means for selectively decompressing the compressed image data back into its original form; an image output terminal; and control means for controlling the operation of said compressing means, said compressor bypass means, said page buffer, said storing means, and said decompressing means, based on said mode of operation.

Claim 3

The image processing system of claim 1, wherein said compressor bypass means includes a return path inserted between said input and output terminals of said data compressing means, said return path includes a tri-state buffer.

Claim 4

The image processing system of claim 1, wherein said receiving means receives said image data from one of a personal computer, a facsimile machine, a monochromic scanner, and a color scanner.

Claim 5

The image processing system of claim 1, wherein said mode of operation includes one of a normal mode, a through mode, and a pre-storage edit mode.

Claim 6

The image processing system of claim 4, wherein said controlling means controls the operation of said compressing means, said compressor bypass means, said page buffer, said storing means, said decompressing means, and said decompressor bypass means wherein said image data is compressed by said compressing means, stored in said page buffer, transferred to and stored in said storing means, decompressed by said decompressing means, and transferred to said image output terminal when said mode of operation is said normal mode.

Claim 7

The image processing system of claim 5, wherein said compressed image data is read from said storing means a number of times corresponding to the number of copies of said original document requested by a user.

Claim 8

The image processing system of claim 4, wherein said controlling means controls the operation of said compressing means, said compressor bypass means, said page buffer, said storing means, said decompressing means, and said decompressor bypass means wherein said image data bypasses said compressing means, stored in said page buffer for editing, returned to said compressing means where it is compressed, stored again in said page buffer, transferred to and stored in said storing means, decompressed by said decompressing means, and transferred to said image output terminal when said mode of operation is said pre-storage edit mode.

Claim 9

The image processing system of claim 7, wherein said compressed image data is read from said storing means a number of times corresponding to the number of copies of said original document requested by a user.

Claim 10

The image processing system of claim 4, wherein said controlling means controls the operation of said compressing means, said compressor bypass means, said page buffer, said storing means, said decompressing means, and said decompressor bypass means wherein said image data bypasses said compressing means, stored in said page buffer, and transferred to said image output terminal bypassing said decompressing means when said mode of operation is said through mode.

Claim 11

An image processing system comprising: means for receiving image data and a mode of operation; means for selectively compressing said image data, said compressing means having input and output terminals; compressor bypass means, connected to said input and output terminals of said compressing means, for selectively bypassing said compressing means; a page buffer for storing the data received from said compressing means and said bypassing means; means for storing the compressed image data received from said page buffer; means for selectively decompressing the compressed image data back into its original form, said decompressing means having input and output terminals; decompressor bypass means, connected to said input and output terminals of said decompressing means, for selectively bypassing the decompressing means; an image output terminal; and control means for controlling the operation of said compressing means, said compressor bypass means, said page buffer, said storing means, said decompressing means, and said decompressor bypass means based on said mode of operation.

Claim 12

An image processing system comprising: means for receiving image data and a mode of operation; means for selectively compressing said image data, said compressing means having input and output terminals; compressor bypass means, connected to said input and output terminals of said compressing means, for selectively bypassing said compressing means; a page buffer for storing the data received from said compressing means and said bypassing means; means for storing the compressed image data received from said page buffer; means for selectively decompressing the compressed image data back into its original form, said decompressing means having input and output terminals; decompressor bypass means, connected to said input and output terminals of said decompressing means, for selectively bypassing the decompressing means; an image output terminal; and control means for controlling the operation of said compressing means, said compressor bypass means, said page buffer, said storing means, said decompressing means, and said decompressor bypass means based on said mode of operation.

Claim 13

The image processing system of claim 10, wherein said receiving means receives said image data from one of a personal computer, a facsimile machine, a monochromic scanner, and a color scanner.

Claim 14

The image processing system of claim 10, wherein said decompressor bypass means includes a return path inserted between said input and output terminals of said data decompressing means, said return path including a tri-state buffer.

Claim 15

The image processing system of claim 10, wherein said mode of operation includes one of a normal mode, a through mode, a pre-storage edit mode, and a post-storage edit mode.

Claim 16

The image processing system of claim 10, wherein said compressor bypass means includes a return path inserted between said input and output terminals of said data compressing means, said return path includes a tri-state buffer.

Claim 17

The image processing system of claim 14, wherein said controlling means controls the operation of said compressing means, said compressor bypass means, said page buffer, said storing means, said decompressing means, and said decompressor bypass means wherein said image data bypasses said compressing means, stored in said page buffer, and transferred to said image output terminal bypassing said decompressing means when said mode of operation is said through mode.

Claim 18

The image processing system of claim 14, wherein said controlling means controls the operation of said compressing means, said compressor bypass means, said page buffer, said storing means, said decompressing means, and said decompressor bypass means wherein said image data is compressed by said compressing means, stored in said page buffer, transferred to and stored in said storing means, decompressed by said decompressing means, transferred to and stored in page buffer where it is edited, and transferred to said image output terminal when said mode of operation is said post-storage edit mode.

Claim 19

The image processing system of claim 14, wherein said controlling means controls the operation of said compressing means, said compressor bypass means, said page buffer, said storing means, said decompressing means, and said decompressor bypass means wherein said image data is compressed by said compressing means, stored in said page buffer, transferred to and stored in said storing means, decompressed by said decompressing means, and transferred to said image output terminal when said mode of operation is said normal mode.

Claim 20

The image processing system of claim 17, wherein said compressed image data is read from said storing means a number of times corresponding to the number of copies of said original document requested by a user.

Claim 21

The image processing system of claim 14, wherein said controlling means controls the operation of said compressing means, said compressor bypass means, said page buffer, said storing means, said decompressing means, and said decompressor bypass means wherein said image data bypasses said compressing means, stored in said page buffer for editing, returned to said compressing means where it is compressed, stored again in said page buffer, transferred to and stored in said storing means, decompressed by said decompressing means, and transferred to said image output terminal when said mode of operation is said pre-storage edit mode.

Claim 22

The image processing system of claim 19, wherein said compressed image data is read from said storing means a number of times corresponding to the number of copies of said original document requested by a user.

Claim 23

An image processing system comprising: means for receiving image data and a mode of operation; means for compressing said image data, said compressing means having input and output terminals; compressor bypass means, connected to said input and output terminals of said compressing means, for selectively bypassing said compressing means; a page buffer for storing the data received from said compressing means and said bypassing means; means for storing the compressed image data received from said page buffer; means for decompressing the compressed image data back into its original form, said decompressing means having input and output terminals; decompressor bypass means, connected to said input and output terminals of said decompressing means, for selectively bypassing the decompressing means; an image output terminal; and control means for controlling the operation of said compressing means, said compressor bypass means, said page buffer, said storing means, said decompressing means, and said decompressor bypass means based on said mode of operation.

Claim 24

An image processing system comprising: means for receiving image data and a mode of operation; means for compressing said image data, said compressing means having input and output terminals; compressor bypass means, connected to said input and output terminals of said compressing means, for selectively bypassing said compressing means; a page buffer for storing the data received from said compressing means and said bypassing means; means for storing the compressed image data received from said page buffer; means for decompressing the compressed image data back into its original form, said decompressing means having input and output terminals; decompressor bypass means, connected to said input and output terminals of said decompressing means, for selectively bypassing the decompressing means; an image output terminal; and control means for controlling the operation of said compressing means, said compressor bypass means, said page buffer, said storing means, said decompressing means, and said decompressor bypass means based on said mode of operation.

Claim 25

The image processing system of claim 21, wherein said compressor bypass means includes a bypass path for directly leading input image data to said page buffer, and a return path for directly leading the image data as stored in said page buffer to said compressing means.

Claim 26

The image processing system of claim 21, wherein said compressor bypass means includes a bidirectional buffer.

Claim 27

The image processing system of claim 21, wherein said decompressor bypass means includes a bidirectional buffer.

Claim 28

The image processing system of claim 21, wherein said receiving means receives said image data from one of a personal computer, a facsimile machine, a monochromic scanner, and a color scanner.

Claim 29

The image processing system of claim 21, wherein said mode of operation includes one of a normal mode, a through mode, and a pre-storage edit mode.

Claim 30

The image processing system of claim 26, wherein said controlling means controls the operation of said compressing means, said compressor bypass means, said page buffer, said storing means, said decompressing means, and said decompressor bypass means wherein said image data bypasses said compressing means, stored in said page buffer, and transferred to said image output terminal bypassing said decompressing means when said mode of operation is said through mode.

Claim 31

The image processing system of claim 26, wherein said controlling means controls the operation of said compressing means, said compressor bypass means, said page buffer, said storing means, said decompressing means, and said decompressor bypass means wherein said image data is compressed by said compressing means, stored in said page buffer, transferred to and stored in said storing means, decompressed by said decompressing means, and transferred to said image output terminal when said mode of operation is said normal mode.

Claim 32

The image processing system of claim 28, wherein said compressed image data is read from said storing means a number of times corresponding to the number of copies of said original document requested by a user.

Claim 33

The image processing system of claim 26, wherein said controlling means controls the operation of said compressing means, said compressor bypass means, said page buffer, said storing means, said decompressing means, and said decompressor bypass means wherein said image data bypasses said compressing means, stored in said page buffer for editing, returned to said compressing means where it is compressed, stored again in said page buffer, transferred to and stored in said storing means, decompressed by said decompressing means, and transferred to said image output terminal when said mode of operation is said pre-storage edit mode.

Claim 34

The image processing system of claim 30, wherein said compressed image data is read from said storing means a number of times corresponding to the number of copies of said original document requested by a user.