Image processing system

Claim 2

An image recording system comprising: an image reading section for reading an image of an original document and for outputting units of image data representing the image; storage means for storing said image data units in a predetermined sequence; image data reading means coupled to said storage means for reading said image data units; and an image outputting unit accommodating different sized copying sheets, said image outputting unit for recording said image data units on said recording sheets to provide hard copies of the original document; a job inputting section for setting a copy job including the size of a recording sheet to be used by said image outputting unit; a data rotating section for rotating said image data units read by said image reading section; a sheet monitoring section for monitoring the type and quantity of recording sheets located in said image outputting unit; and a control unit for applying an image data rotating instruction to said data rotating section according to said copy job set by said job inputting section and said quantity and type of recording sheets monitored by said sheet monitoring section such that said image data units are rotated as necessary to enable said image data units to be fully recorded on recording sheets present in said image outputting unit.

Claim 3

An image recording system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control unit causes said data rotating section to rotate said image data so that the size of the recording sheet specified by said copy job agrees with the size of a recording sheet accommodated in said image outputting unit.

Claim 4

An image recording system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said copy job further includes the selection of a size of the original document, an order of document pages, and a number of copies to be produced.

Claim 5

An image recording system comprising: an image reading section for reading an image of an original document and for outputting units of image data representing the image; a data reducing/enlarging section for reducing or enlarging said image data units outputted by said image reading section; storage means for storing in a predetermined sequence said image data units reduced or enlarged by said data reducing/enlarging section; image data reading means coupled to said storage means for reading said reduced or enlarged image data units; and an image outputting unit accommodating different sized copying sheets for recording image data units read from said storage unit on said recording sheets to provide hard copies of the original document; a job inputting section for setting a copy job including a reducing or enlarging percentage and the size of the recording sheet to be used to record the reduced or enlarged image data units; a data rotating section for changing the rotation of said image data units read by said image reading section from said predetermined sequence; a sheet monitoring section for monitoring the type and quantity of recording sheets located in said image outputting unit; and a control unit for applying an image data rotating instruction to said data rotating section and a reducing/enlarging instruction to said reducing/enlarging section according to said copy job set by said job inputting section and said quantity and type of recording sheets monitored by said sheet monitoring section such that the rotation and reduction/enlargment of image data units is changed as necessary to enable said image data units to be fully recorded on recording sheets present in said image outputting unit.

Claim 6

An image recording system comprising: an image reading section for reading an image of an original document and for outputting units of image data representing the image; a data reducing/enlarging section for reducing or enlarging said image data units outputted by said image reading section; storage means for storing in a predetermined sequence said image data units reduced or enlarged by said data reducing/enlarging section; image data reading means coupled to said storage means for reading said reduced or enlarged image data units; and an image outputting unit accommodating different sized copying sheets for recording image data units read from said storage unit on said recording sheets to provide hard copies of the original document; a job inputting section for setting a copy job including a reducing or enlarging percentage and the size of the recording sheet to be used to record the reduced or enlarged image data units; a data rotating section for changing the rotation of said image data units read by said image reading section from said predetermined sequence; a sheet monitoring section for monitoring the type and quantity of recording sheets located in said image outputting unit; and a control unit for applying an image data rotating instruction to said data rotating section and a reducing/enlarging instruction to said reducing/enlarging section according to said copy job set by said job inputting section and said quantity and type of recording sheets monitored by said sheet monitoring section such that the rotation and reduction/enlargment of image data units is changed as necessary to enable said image data units to be fully recorded on recording sheets present in said image outputting unit.

Claim 7

An image recording system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said control unit controls said data rotating section to selectively rotate said image data units to provide a rotated sequence of image data units such that the image of the original document enlarged or reduced in accordance with said reducing or enlarging percentages may be recorded on recording sheets located in said image outputting unit.

Claim 8

An image recording system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said control unit controls said data rotating section to selectively rotate said image data units by 90° clockwise.

Claim 9

An image recording system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said control unit controls said data rotating section to selectively rotate said image data units by 90° counterclockwise.

Claim 10

An image recording system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said control unit controls said data rotating section to selectively rotate said image data units by 180°.

Claim 11

An image recording system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said copy job further includes the selection of a size of the original document, an order of document pages, and a number of copies to be produced, and wherein said control unit controls said data rotating section and said image outputting section to perform the copy job by outputting the selected number of copies with pages in the selected order and recorded on paper having a size equal to that of the selected original document size.

Claim 12

An image recording system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said storage means includes a page memory, a first buffer memory, and a second buffer memory.

Claim 13

An image recording system comprising: an image reading section for reading an image of an original document and for outputting units of image data representing the image; storage means for storing said image data units in a predetermined sequence; image data reading means coupled to said storage means for reading said image data units; an image outputting unit accommodating different sized copying sheets, said image outputting unit for recording said image data units on said recording sheets to provide hard copies of the original document; a job inputting section for setting a copy job including format data for the original document and the size of a recording sheet to be used by said image outputting unit; a data rotating section for changing the rotation of said image data units read by said image reading section from said predetermined sequence; a sheet monitoring section for monitoring the type and quantity of recording sheets located in said image outputting unit; and a control unit for applying an image data rotating instruction to said data rotating section according to said copy job set by said job inputting section including said format data and said quantity and type of recording sheets monitored by said sheet monitoring section such that the rotation of image data units is changed as necessary to enable said image data units to be fully recorded on recording sheets present in said image outputting unit.

Claim 14

An image recording system comprising: an image reading section for reading an image of an original document and for outputting units of image data representing the image; storage means for storing said image data units in a predetermined sequence; image data reading means coupled to said storage means for reading said image data units; an image outputting unit accommodating different sized copying sheets, said image outputting unit for recording said image data units on said recording sheets to provide hard copies of the original document; a job inputting section for setting a copy job including format data for the original document and the size of a recording sheet to be used by said image outputting unit; a data rotating section for changing the rotation of said image data units read by said image reading section from said predetermined sequence; a sheet monitoring section for monitoring the type and quantity of recording sheets located in said image outputting unit; and a control unit for applying an image data rotating instruction to said data rotating section according to said copy job set by said job inputting section including said format data and said quantity and type of recording sheets monitored by said sheet monitoring section such that the rotation of image data units is changed as necessary to enable said image data units to be fully recorded on recording sheets present in said image outputting unit.

Claim 15

An image recording system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said format data indicates the orientation for recording the image on the recording sheet, and wherein said control unit controls said data rotating section to selectively rotate said image data units to provide a rotated sequence of image data units such that the image of the original document is recorded with said orientation on recording sheets located in said image outputting unit.

Claim 16

An image recording system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said control unit controls said data rotating section to selectively rotate said image data units by 90° clockwise.

Claim 17

An image recording system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said control unit controls said data rotating section to selectively rotate said image data units by 90° counterclockwise.

Claim 18

An image recording system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said control unit controls said data rotating section to selectively rotate said image data units by 180°.

Claim 19

An image recording system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said copy job further includes the selection of a size of the original document, an order of document pages, and a number of copies to be produced, and wherein said control unit controls said data rotating section and said image outputting section to perform the copy job by outputting the selected number of copies with pages in the selected order and recorded on paper having a size equal to that of the selected original document size.

Claim 20

An image recording system comprising: an image reading section for reading an image of an original document and for outputting units of image data representing the image; an image data inputting section for inputting image attribute data associated with said image data units; storage means for storing said image data units in a predetermined sequence and for storing said image attribute data; image data reading means coupled to said storage means for reading said image data units and said image attribute data; and an image outputting unit accommodating different sized copying sheets, said image outputting unit for recording said image data units on said recording sheets to provide hard copies of the original document; a job inputting section for setting a copy job for said image data units read by said image reading section and said associated image attribute data provided by said image data inputting section; a data rotating section for changing the rotation of said image data units read by said image reading section from said predetermined sequence; a sheet monitoring section for monitoring the type and quantity of recording sheets located in said image outputting unit; and a control unit for applying an image data rotating instruction to said data rotating section according to said copy job set by said job inputting section and said quantity and type of recording sheets monitored by said sheet monitoring section such that the rotation of image data units is changed as necessary to enable said image data units to be fully recorded on recording sheets present in said image outputting unit in accordance with said associated image attribute data.

Claim 21

An image recording system comprising: an image reading section for reading an image of an original document and for outputting units of image data representing the image; an image data inputting section for inputting image attribute data associated with said image data units; storage means for storing said image data units in a predetermined sequence and for storing said image attribute data; image data reading means coupled to said storage means for reading said image data units and said image attribute data; and an image outputting unit accommodating different sized copying sheets, said image outputting unit for recording said image data units on said recording sheets to provide hard copies of the original document; a job inputting section for setting a copy job for said image data units read by said image reading section and said associated image attribute data provided by said image data inputting section; a data rotating section for changing the rotation of said image data units read by said image reading section from said predetermined sequence; a sheet monitoring section for monitoring the type and quantity of recording sheets located in said image outputting unit; and a control unit for applying an image data rotating instruction to said data rotating section according to said copy job set by said job inputting section and said quantity and type of recording sheets monitored by said sheet monitoring section such that the rotation of image data units is changed as necessary to enable said image data units to be fully recorded on recording sheets present in said image outputting unit in accordance with said associated image attribute data.

Claim 22

An image recording system as claimed in claim 17, wherein said control unit controls said data rotating section to selectively rotate said image data units to provide a rotated sequence of image data units such that the image of the original document may be recorded on recording sheets located in said image outputting unit.

Claim 23

An image recording system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said control unit controls said data rotating section to selectively rotate said image data units by 90° clockwise.

Claim 24

An image recording system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said control unit controls said data rotating section to selectively rotate said image data units by 90° counterclockwise.

Claim 25

An image recording system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said control unit controls said data rotating section to selectively rotate said image data units by 180°.

Claim 26

An image recording system as claimed in claim 17, wherein said copy job further includes the selection of a size of the original document, an order of document pages, and a number of copies to be produced, and wherein said control unit controls said data rotating section and said image outputting section to perform the copy job by outputting the selected number of copies with pages in the selected order and recorded on paper having a size equal to that of the selected original document size.

Claim 27

An image recording system comprising: an image data inputting section for inputting data representing an image; storage means for storing said image data inputted by said image data inputting section as units of image data, said image data units being stored in a predetermined sequence; image data reading means coupled to said storage means for reading said image data units; and an image outputting unit accommodating different sized copying sheets, said image outputting unit for recording said image data units on said recording sheets to provide hard copies of the image; a job inputting section for setting a copy job including the size of a recording sheet to be used by said image outputting unit and image attribute data associated with said image data units; a data rotating section for changing the rotation of said image data units read by said image inputting section from said predetermined sequence; a sheet monitoring section for monitoring the type and quantity of recording sheets located in said image outputting unit; and a control unit for applying an image data rotating instruction to said data rotating section according to said copy job set by said job inputting section, said image attribute data, and said quantity and type of recording sheets monitored by said sheet monitoring section such that the rotation of image data units is changed as necessary to enable said image data units to be fully recorded on recording sheets present in said image outputting unit.

Claim 28

An image recording system comprising: an image data inputting section for inputting data representing an image; storage means for storing said image data inputted by said image data inputting section as units of image data, said image data units being stored in a predetermined sequence; image data reading means coupled to said storage means for reading said image data units; and an image outputting unit accommodating different sized copying sheets, said image outputting unit for recording said image data units on said recording sheets to provide hard copies of the image; a job inputting section for setting a copy job including the size of a recording sheet to be used by said image outputting unit and image attribute data associated with said image data units; a data rotating section for changing the rotation of said image data units read by said image inputting section from said predetermined sequence; a sheet monitoring section for monitoring the type and quantity of recording sheets located in said image outputting unit; and a control unit for applying an image data rotating instruction to said data rotating section according to said copy job set by said job inputting section, said image attribute data, and said quantity and type of recording sheets monitored by said sheet monitoring section such that the rotation of image data units is changed as necessary to enable said image data units to be fully recorded on recording sheets present in said image outputting unit.

Claim 29

An image recording system as claimed in claim 23, wherein said image attribute data indicates the orientation with which the image is to be recorded on said recording sheet, and wherein said control unit controls said data rotating section to selectively rotate said image data units to provide a rotated sequence of image data units that may be recorded with said indicated orientation on recording sheets located in said image outputting unit.

Claim 30

An image recording system as claimed in claim 24, wherein said control unit controls said data rotating section to selectively rotate said image data units by 90° clockwise.

Claim 31

An image recording system as claimed in claim 24, wherein said control unit controls said data rotating section to selectively rotate said image data units by 90° counterclockwise.

Claim 32

An image recording system as claimed in claim 24, wherein said control unit controls said data rotating section to selectively rotate said image data units by 180°.

Claim 33

An image recording system as claimed in claim 23, wherein said copy job further includes the selection of a size of the original document, an order of document pages, and a number of copies to be produced, and wherein said control unit controls said data rotating section and said image outputting section to perform the copy job by outputting the selected number of copies with pages in the selected order and recorded on paper having a size equal to that of the selected original document size.

Claim 34

An image recording system comprising: an image reading section for reading an original document bearing an image and a job input sheet associated with said original document for specifying image recording instructions, said image reading section for outputting units of image data representing the image and job data indicating the recording instructions; a storage means for storing said image data units in a predetermined sequence; image data reading means coupled to said storage means for reading said image data units; and an image outputting unit accommodating different sized copying sheets, said image outputting unit for recording said image data units on said recording sheets to provide hard copies of the original document, said image outputting unit including: a data rotating section for changing the rotation of said image data units read by said image reading section from said predetermined sequence; a sheet monitoring section for monitoring the type and quantity of recording sheets located in said image outputting unit; and a control unit for applying an image data rotating instruction to said data rotating section according to said job data and said quantity and type of recording sheets monitored by said sheet monitoring section such that the rotation of image data units is changed as necessary to enable said image data units to be fully recorded on recording sheets present in said image outputting unit in accordance with said job data.

Claim 35

An image recording system comprising: an image reading section for reading an original document bearing an image and a job input sheet associated with said original document for specifying image recording instructions, said image reading section for outputting units of image data representing the image and job data indicating the recording instructions; a storage means for storing said image data units in a predetermined sequence; image data reading means coupled to said storage means for reading said image data units; and an image outputting unit accommodating different sized copying sheets, said image outputting unit for recording said image data units on said recording sheets to provide hard copies of the original document, said image outputting unit including: a data rotating section for changing the rotation of said image data units read by said image reading section from said predetermined sequence; a sheet monitoring section for monitoring the type and quantity of recording sheets located in said image outputting unit; and a control unit for applying an image data rotating instruction to said data rotating section according to said job data and said quantity and type of recording sheets monitored by said sheet monitoring section such that the rotation of image data units is changed as necessary to enable said image data units to be fully recorded on recording sheets present in said image outputting unit in accordance with said job data.

Claim 36

An image recording system as claimed in claim 29, wherein said control unit controls said data rotating section to selectively rotate said image data units to provide a rotated sequence of image data units that may be recorded on recording sheets located in said image outputting unit.

Claim 37

An image recording system as claimed in claim 30, wherein said control unit controls said data rotating section to selectively rotate said image data units by 90° clockwise.

Claim 38

An image recording system as claimed in claim 30, wherein said control unit controls said data rotating section to selectively rotate said image data units by 90° counterclockwise.

Claim 39

An image recording system as claimed in claim 30, wherein said control unit controls said data rotating section to selectively rotate said image data units by 180°.

Claim 40

An image recording system as claimed in claim 29, wherein said job data further includes the selection of a size of the original document, an order of document pages, and a number of copies to be produced, and wherein said control unit controls said data rotating section and said image outputting section to perform a copy job by outputting the selected number of copies with pages in the selected order and recorded on paper having a size equal to that of the selected original document size.

Claim 41

An image recording system comprising: an image reading section for reading an original document bearing an image, said image reading section for outputting units of image data representing the image on the original document; storage means for storing said image data units in a predetermined sequence; image data reading means coupled to said storage means for reading said image data units; and an image outputting unit accommodating different sized copying sheets, said image outputting unit for recording said image data units on said recording sheets to provide hard copies of the original document; a job sheet reading section for reading a job input sheet associated with the original document and for specifying job sheet control data associated with the recording of said image data units; a job inputting section for inputting a copy job and for specifying a job input control data associated with the recording of said image data units; a data rotating section for rotating said image data units read by said image reading section; a sheet monitoring section for monitoring a quantity of recording sheets accommodated in said image outputting unit; a job synthesizing section for synthesizing said job sheet control data and said job input control data to produce final job data specifying the recording operations to be performed by said image outputting unit; and a control unit for applying an image data rotating instruction to said data rotating section according to said final job data and said quantity and type of recording sheets monitored by said sheet monitoring section such that the rotation of image data units is changed as necessary to enable said image data units to be fully recorded on recording sheets present in said image outputting unit in accordance with said final job control data.

Claim 42

An image recording system comprising: an image reading section for reading an original document bearing an image, said image reading section for outputting units of image data representing the image on the original document; storage means for storing said image data units in a predetermined sequence; image data reading means coupled to said storage means for reading said image data units; and an image outputting unit accommodating different sized copying sheets, said image outputting unit for recording said image data units on said recording sheets to provide hard copies of the original document; a job sheet reading section for reading a job input sheet associated with the original document and for specifying job sheet control data associated with the recording of said image data units; a job inputting section for inputting a copy job and for specifying a job input control data associated with the recording of said image data units; a data rotating section for rotating said image data units read by said image reading section; a sheet monitoring section for monitoring a quantity of recording sheets accommodated in said image outputting unit; a job synthesizing section for synthesizing said job sheet control data and said job input control data to produce final job data specifying the recording operations to be performed by said image outputting unit; and a control unit for applying an image data rotating instruction to said data rotating section according to said final job data and said quantity and type of recording sheets monitored by said sheet monitoring section such that the rotation of image data units is changed as necessary to enable said image data units to be fully recorded on recording sheets present in said image outputting unit in accordance with said final job control data.

Claim 43

An image recording system as claimed in claim 35, wherein said control unit controls said data rotating section to selectively rotate said image data units to provide a rotated sequence of image data units that may be recorded on recording sheets located in said image outputting unit.

Claim 44

An image recording system as claimed in claim 36, wherein said control unit controls said data rotating section to selectively rotate said image data units by 90° clockwise.

Claim 45

An image recording system as claimed in claim 36, wherein said control unit controls said data rotating section to selectively rotate said image data units by 90° counterclockwise.

Claim 46

An image recording system as claimed in claim 36, wherein said control unit controls said data rotating section to selectively rotate said image data units by 180°.

Claim 47

An image recording system as claimed in claim 35, wherein said final job data further includes the selection of a size of the original document, an order of document pages, and a number of copies to be produced, and wherein said control unit controls said control data rotating section and said image outputting section to perform a copy job by outputting the selected number of copies with pages in the selected order and recorded on paper having a size equal to that of the selected original document size.

Claim 48

An image recording system as claimed in claim 35, in which said control unit causes said data rotating section to rotate said image data so that the size of a recording sheet specified by said final copy job coincides with the size of a recording sheet located in said image outputting unit.

Claim 49

An image recording system as claimed in claim 35, in which said job synthesizing section gives precedence to said job input control data over said job sheet control data when generating said final job control data.

Claim 50

An image recording system for making multiple copies of an original document comprising: an image reading section for reading an image of the original document and for outputting units of image data representing the image; storage means for storing said image data units in a predetermined sequence; image data reading means coupled to said storage means for reading said image data units; and an image outputting unit accommodating a source of first rectangular copy sheets and a source of second rectangular copy sheets equal in dimensions to said first rectangular copy sheets, said image outputting unit for feeding said first rectangular copy sheets with a first orientation and said second rectangular copy sheets with a second orientation corresponding to said first orientation rotated by 90°, and for recording said image data units on said first and second copy sheets to provide multiple hard copies of the original document, said image outputting unit including: a data rotating section for changing the rotation of said image data units read by said image reading section from said predetermined sequence; and a control unit for applying image data rotating instructions to said data rotating section and for applying a paper selection instruction to said image outputting unit to cause said image outputting to alternately output a hard copy of the original document on said first rectangular copy sheets with said first orientation with a hard copy of the original document recorded on said second rectangular copy sheets having said second orientation.

Claim 51

An image recording system for making multiple copies of an original document comprising: an image reading section for reading an image of the original document and for outputting units of image data representing the image; storage means for storing said image data units in a predetermined sequence; image data reading means coupled to said storage means for reading said image data units; and an image outputting unit accommodating a source of first rectangular copy sheets and a source of second rectangular copy sheets equal in dimensions to said first rectangular copy sheets, said image outputting unit for feeding said first rectangular copy sheets with a first orientation and said second rectangular copy sheets with a second orientation corresponding to said first orientation rotated by 90°, and for recording said image data units on said first and second copy sheets to provide multiple hard copies of the original document, said image outputting unit including: a data rotating section for changing the rotation of said image data units read by said image reading section from said predetermined sequence; and a control unit for applying image data rotating instructions to said data rotating section and for applying a paper selection instruction to said image outputting unit to cause said image outputting to alternately output a hard copy of the original document on said first rectangular copy sheets with said first orientation with a hard copy of the original document recorded on said second rectangular copy sheets having said second orientation.

Claim 52

An image recording system as claimed in claim 43, wherein said control unit applies image data rotating instructions to said data rotating section so that the first of said multiple copies are output without rotation of said image data units.