Integrated multifunctional document processing system for faxing, copying, printing, and scanning document information

• US 5,361,134 A
• Filed: 06/03/1993
• Issued: 11/01/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oki Data Americas Incorporated (OKI Electric Industry Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Oki America, Inc. (ROHM Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hu, Darwin, Ring, John J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fuller, Benjamin R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FRAHM, ERIC S
• Application Number:
  US08/072,364
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• Field of Search: 358/296, 358/401, 358/442, 358/443, 358/444, 358/468, 355/202, 355/204, 400/121
• US Class Current: 358/296
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/10 Text processing natural language analysis G06F40/20; semantic analysis G06F40/30; processing or translation of natural language G06F40/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/151 Transformation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00206 Transmitting or receiving computer data via an image communication device, e.g. a facsimile transceiver H04N1/00236 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00236 using an image reading or reproducing device, e.g. a facsimile reader or printer, as a local input to or local output from a computer image input to or image output from a computer via a network H04N1/00209
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00238 using an image reproducing device as a local output from a computer output via network, e.g. network printing H04N1/00233
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00241 using an image reading device as a local input to a computer input via network, e.g. network scanners H04N1/00225
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32496 Changing the task performed, e.g. reading and transmitting, receiving and reproducing, copying facsimile mode changing H04N1/333
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0081 Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0086 Image transceiver H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence

Abstract

A multifunctional document processing system for faxing, copying, printing or scanning document information and for transmitting and receiving document signals to and from a remote device. The system comprises a multifunctional local device which includes a scanner for optically scanning document information, for converting the scanned document information into electrical document signals and for transmitting the document signals to the processor. The multifunctional local device also includes a recording device, such as a printer for receiving document signals from the processor and for producing a recorded form of the document information, such as a printed document based on the received document signals. A control module is interfaced between the processor and the multifunctional local device for receiving document signals from the multifunctional local device and from the remote device and for sending the received documents signals to the processor. The control module also receives document signals from the processor and sends the received document signals to either the multifunctional local device or the remote device. The control module additionally generates and transmits control signals to the multifunctional local device.

Claims

1. An integrated multifunctional document processing system for faxing, copying, printing or scanning document information and for transmitting and receiving document signals to and from a remote device, the multifunctional document processing system comprising:

a housing;

main processing means located within the housing for processing all electrical document signals;

a multifunctional local device physically separate from but electrically connected to said main processing means, said multifunctional device located within the housing, said multifunctional local device including scanning means for optically scanning document information and for converting the scanned document information into electrical document signals, transmitting means for transmitting document signals to the main processing means, receiving means for receiving document signals from the main processing means, and recording means for producing a recorded form of document information based on received document signals;

a control means located within the housing, interfaced between the main processing means and the multifunctional local device, and having supplemental processing means for processing electrical document signals, the control means, under the control of the supplemental processing means, for receiving all incoming document signals from the multifunctional local device and from the remote device over a communication medium and for sending the received incoming document signal to the main processing means, the main processing means for processing the incoming document signals received from the control means and for processing and transmitting outgoing document signals, the control means also for receiving all outgoing processed document signals from the main processing means and sending received outgoing processed document signals to the multifunctional local device or the remote device over the communication medium, the control means functioning to require that all document signals from the local and remote devices be transmitted to the main processing means and that all processed document signals from the main processing means be transmitted to the local or remote devices, the control means further functioning, under the control of the supplemental processing means, to generate and transmit control signals to the multifunctional local device;

storing means for storing document signals received from said local device or said remote device in a memory within said main processing means;

determining means within the supplemental processing means for determining a destination for the stored document signals based on the received document signals; and

retrieving means for retrieving stored document signals from the memory and transmitting the retrieved document signals to a destination established by the determining means.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the recording means is a printer integrated within the multifunctional local device which produces printed documents.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the printer is an LED page printer.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control means further includes memory means for storing document signals received from the multifunctional local device or the remote device and for storing document signals transmitted from the processing means.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processing means can selectively substantively edit document signals received from the remote device or the multifunctional local device and transmit the edited document signals to the multifunctional local device or the remote device.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control means supplements processing functions performed by the processing means.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processing means further includes memory means for storing document signals received from the multifunctional local device and the remote device.

8. A method of utilizing a multifunctional document processing system for transmitting a facsimile of a document to a remote location, the multifunctional document processing system including scanning means for optically scanning document information and main processing means for processing all document information, the scanning means and main processing means located within a housing, the method comprising the steps of:

placing a document to be faxed on the scanning means of the multifunctional document processing system;

scanning the document;

converting the scanned document into electrical document signals;

transferring the document signals to the main processing means utilizing a control module having supplemental processing means for processing electrical document signals within the control module, the control module being located within the housing;

determining in the supplemental processing means a destination for the document signals;

transferring the document signals from the main processing means to the control module;

identifying the destination of the document signals to be a facsimile modem;

transferring the document signals to the facsimile modem destination associated with the control module;

transmitting the document signals from the facsimile modem to a device at the remote location over a communication medium; and

printing a copy of the transmitted facsimile at the remote location.

9. A method of utilizing a multifunctional document processing system for receiving a facsimile of a document to a remote location, the multifunctional document processing system including printing means for producing a printed document and main processing means for processing all document signals, the printing means and main processing means located within a housing, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving document signals from a device at the remote lcoation over a communication medium at a control module having supplemental processing means for processing electrical document signals within the control module, the control module being located within the housing;

transferring the document signals from the control module to the main processing means;

determining in the supplemental processing means a destination for the document signals;

identifying the destination of the document signals to be the multifunctional document processing system;

retrieving the document signals from the main processing means and transferring the document signals to the control module;

transferring the document signals from the control module to the multifunctional document processing system destination; and

producing a printed copy of the document at the multifunctional document processing system.

10. A method of utilizing a multifunctional document processing systems for making a copy of a document, the multifunctional document processing system including scanning means for optically scanning document information, main processing means for processing all document information, and printing means for producing a printed document, the scanning means, processing means, and printing means located within a housing, the method comprising the steps of:

placing a document on the scanning means of the multifunctional document processing system;

scanning the document;

converting the scanned document into electrical document signals;

transferring the document signals to the main processing means utilizing a control module having supplemental processing means for processing electrical document signals within the control module, the control module being located within the housing;

determining in the supplemental processing means a destination for the document signals;

transferring the document signals from the main processing means to the control module;

identifying the destination of the document signals to be the printing means;

transferring the document signals from the control module to the printing means of the multifunctional document processing system; and

producing a printed copy of the document.