Image processing apparatus which can control output to multiple devices to accommodate differing operating timing of those devices

• US 5,040,031 A
• Filed: 06/30/1989
• Issued: 08/13/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Hayashi, Kimiyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Grimley, A. T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, Matthew S.
• Application Number:
  US07/374,573
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 355/326, 355/327, 355/204, 355/208, 355/210, 355/232, 355/233, 355/244, 355/245, 358/78, 358/296, 358/300, 358/80, 358/400, 358/401, 358/404, 358/409-410, 358/443, 358/450
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0121 for developing
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0163 primary transfer to the final recording medium
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0173 plural rotations of recording member to produce multicoloured copy, e.g. rotating set of developing units G03G15/0163 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0177 Rotating set of developing units
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/508 using the same reproducing head for two or more colour components

Abstract

An image processing apparatus includes a color reader for reading image signals, a multi-output memory for outputting the image signals to a plurality of color printers, a control unit for discriminating operating states of the color printers, and a sync control for performing output control of the image signals supplied to the color printers.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting image signals;

output means for outputting the image signals to a plurality of devices in parallel, the image signals representing the same image;

recognizing means for recognizing lag between operating states of said plurality of devices; and

control means for controlling outputting of the image signals by said output means, said control means shifting start timings of the outputting of the image signals to each of said plurality of devices in accordance with a recognition result of said recognizing means.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising output timing control delaying means for delaying the image signals.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising storage means for storing therein the image signals, and wherein said control means compensates for the lag of the operating states of said plurality of devices by controlling writing and reading of the image signals into and from said storage means.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said control means secures in said storage means a storage capacity according to the recognition result of said recognizing means.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said storage means comprises a plurality of line memories, and said control means secures the storage capacity by selecting a number of lines of said plurality of line memories.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said input means sequentially inputs plural color signals which signals represent a color image, and said control means sequentially controls output timings of the plural color signals.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the recognition result applies in common to all of said plurality of devices, and wherein said control means sequentially controls the output timings of the plural color signals, in accordance with the recognition result.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said input means reads an original image to produce the image signals.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of devices reproduce images in response to the image signals.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said recognizing means recognizes the lags of the operating states of said plurality of devices by generation of intervals of specific signals respectively generated from said plurality of devices.

11. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said output means starts the outputting of the image signals to each of said plurality of devices at a timing controlled by said control means.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said output means further comprises delay means which delays the image signals so as to output the image signals to each of said plurality of devices at different start timings, and said control means controls delay amounts of the image signals by said delay means in accordance with the recognizing means.

13. An image processing system comprising:

a generator for generating image signals;

a plurality of image processing apparatuses for processing in parallel the image signals generated by said generator;

recognizing means for recognizing lag between operating states of said plurality of image processing apparatuses; and

control means for controlling outputting of the image signals representing the same image, by said image generator, said control means shifting start timings of the outputting of the image signals to each of said plurality of image processing apparatuses in accordance with a recognition result provided by said recognizing means.

14. A system according to claim 13, further comprising output timing control delaying means for delaying the image signals.

15. An apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising storage means for storing therein the image signals, and wherein said control means compensates for the lag of the operating states of said plurality of image processing apparatuses by controlling writing and reading of the image signals into and from said storage means.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said control means secures in said storage means a storage capacity according to the recognition result of said recognizing means.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said storage means comprises a plurality of line memories, and said control means secures the storage capacity by selecting a number of lines of said plurality of line memories.

18. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said generator sequentially generates plural color signals which represent a color image and said control means sequentially controls an input timing of the plural color signals.

19. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the recognition result applies in common to all of said plurality of image processing apparatuses, and wherein said control means sequentially controls the output timing of the plural color signals in accordance with the recognition result.

20. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said generator includes reading means which reads an original image to generate the image signals.

21. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said plurality of image processing apparatus reproduce an image in response to the image signals.

22. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said recognizing means recognizes the lags of the operating states of said plurality of image processing apparatuses by generation of intervals of specific signals respectively generated from said plurality of devices.

23. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said control means comprises delay means which delays the image signals so as to output the image signals to each of said plurality of image processing apparatuses at different start timings, and said control means controls delay amounts of the image signals by said delay means in accordance with the recognition result of said recognizing means.

24. An image processing apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting image signals;

output means for outputting the image signals to a plurality of devices in parallel, the image signals representing the same image;

setting means for setting data relating to lag between operating states of said plurality of devices; and

control means for controlling outputting of the image signals by said output means, said control means shifting start timings of the outputting of the image signals to each of said plurality of devices in accordance with the data set by said setting means.

25. An apparatus according to claim 24, further comprising output timing control delaying means for delaying the image signals.

26. An apparatus according to claim 24, further comprising storage means for storing therein the image signals, and wherein said control means compensate for the lag of the operating states of said plurality of devices by controlling writing and reading of the image signals into and from said storage means.

27. An apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said control means secures in said storage means a storage capacity according to the data set by said setting means.

28. An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said storage means comprises a plurality of line memories, and said control means secures the storage capacity by selecting a number of lines of said plurality of line memories.

29. An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said input means sequentially inputs plural color signals which signals represent a color image, and said control means sequentially controls output timings of the plural color signals.

30. An apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the data set by said setting means is common to all of said plurality of devices, and wherein said control means sequentially controls the output timings of the plural signals, in accordance with the data set by said setting means.

31. An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said input means reads an original image to produce the image signals.

32. An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said plurality of devices reproduce images in response to the image signals.

33. An apparatus according to claim 24, further comprising recognizing means for recognizing lag of the operating states of said plurality of devices, and wherein said setting means sets the lag recognized by said recognizing means.

34. An apparatus according to claim 33, wherein said recognizing means recognizes the lags of the operating states of said plurality of devices by generation of intervals of specific signals respectively generated from said plurality of devices.

35. An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said output means starts the outputting of the image signals to each of said plurality of image processing apparatuses at a timing controlled by said control means.

36. An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said output means comprises delay means which delays the image signals so as to output the image signals to each of said plurality of image processing apparatuses at different start timings, and said control means controls delay amounts of the image signals by said delay means in accordance with the data set by said setting means.

37. An image processing system comprising:

a generator for generating image signals;

a plurality of image processing apparatuses for processing in parallel the image signals generated by said generator;

setting means for setting data relating to lag between operating states of said plurality of image processing apparatuses; and

control means for controlling outputting of the image signals representing the same image, by said generator, said control means shifting start timings of the outputting of the image signals to each of said plurality of image processing apparatuses in accordance with the data set by said setting means.

38. A system according to claim 37, further comprising output timing control delaying means for delaying the image signals.

39. An apparatus according to claim 37, further comprising storage means for storing therein the image signals, and wherein said control means compensates for the lag of the operating states of said plurality of image processing apparatuses by controlling writing and reading of the image signals into and from said storage means.

40. An apparatus according to claim 39, wherein said control means sequentially controls the output timings of the plural color signals, in accordance with common data of said setting means.

41. An apparatus according to claim 40, wherein said storage means comprises a plurality of line memories, and said control means secures the storage capacity by selecting a number of lines of said plurality of line memories.

42. An apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said generator sequentially generates plural color signals which represent a color image, and said control means sequentially controls an input timing of the plural color signals.

43. An apparatus according to claim 42, wherein the data set by said setting means is common to all of said plurality of image processing apparatuses, and wherein said control means sequentially controls the output timing of the plural color signals, in accordance with the data set by said setting means.

44. An apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said generator includes reading means which reads an original image to generate the image signals.

45. An apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said plurality of image processing apparatuses reproduce an image in response to the image signals.

46. An apparatus according to claim 37, further comprising recognizing means for recognizing lag of the operating states of said plurality of image processing apparatuses, and wherein said setting means sets the lag recognized by said recognizing means.

47. An apparatus according to claim 46, wherein said recognizing means recognizes the lags of the operating states of said plurality of image processing apparatuses by generation of intervals of specific signals respectively generated from said plurality of devices.

48. An apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said control means comprises delay means which delays the image signals so as to output the image signals to each of said plurality of image processing apparatuses at different start timings, and said control means controls delay amounts of the image signals by said delay means in accordance with the data set by said setting means.