Image data processing system with still video camera and digital image forming apparatus

• US 5,499,113 A
• Filed: 01/04/1995
• Issued: 03/12/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Tsuboi, Toshio, Omura, Kunihiko, Yamada, Hirokazu, Nakatani, Munehiro
• Primary Examiner(s): IP, SHIK LUEN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US08/368,751
• Time in Patent Office: 433 Days
• Field of Search: 358/479, 358/256, 358/335, 358/906, 358/468, 358/280, 358/444, 358/293, 358/443, 358/209, 358/93, 358/909, 358/210, 358/474, 358/229, 358/403, 358/452, 358/342, 358/224 , 358/162, 358/213.15, 358/530, 358/450, 358/209, 358/244, 360/15, 360/48, 360/63, 360/98, 340/723, 340/731, 340/728, 340/745, 340/712, 340/286.13, 345/132, 345/173, 101/93, 101/109
• US Class Current: 358/479
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2158 using a detachable storage unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0077 Types of the still picture apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/804 involving pulse code modulation of the colour picture signal components
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/83 the recorded chrominance signal occupying a frequency band under the frequency band of the recorded brightness signal

Abstract

An image data processing system includes a still video camera having a detachable storing medium for storing an image data, and a digital image forming apparatus in which an image of an original document is read by an image sensor to generate an image data, and the image is formed on a paper with electrophotographic process based on the image data. Also, the image data is processed in the image forming apparatus to be stored on the storing medium of the still video camera loaded detachably from the image forming apparatus.

Claims

1. An image data processing system including a still video camera which carries out a photographing operation and stores photographed data in a first data form, and a digital image forming apparatus which is distinct from said still video camera, said digital image forming apparatus comprising:

an image reader which reads an image of an original document and generates image data which have a second data form different from said first data form;

a processor which receives the image data generated by the image reader and which transforms the image data generated by the image reader from said second data form to said first data form so as to be in a form usable by said still video camera;

a storing circuit which stores the image data transformed by said processor to be in said first data form on a storing medium of the still video camera for use by said still video camera; and

an image forming device which forms an image on a paper based on the image data of the image reader.

2. An image data processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor reduces the image by culling the image data of the image reader.

3. An image data processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor divides the image data of the image reader into a plurality of units.

4. An image data processing system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the image data is divided into a plurality of units in correspondence with a plurality of areas located in different positions on the original document, respectively.

5. An image data processing system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the image data is divided into a plurality of units by layer division.

23. An image data processing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said image forming device forms the image on a paper based on the image data of the image reader without the aid of the storing medium.

6. A digital image forming apparatus which is usable with a still video camera that is distinct from said image forming apparatus, said still video camera carrying out a photographing operation and storing photographed data in a first data form into a storing medium of said still video camera, said digital image forming apparatus comprising:

an image reader which reads an image of an original document and generates image data which have a second data form different from said first data form;

a holder which detachably holds the storing medium of said still video camera;

a processor which receives the image data generated by the image reader and which transforms the image data generated by said image reader from said second data form to said first data form so as to be in a form usable by said still video camera;

a storing circuit which stores the image data transformed by the processor to be in said first data form on the storing medium held by the holder; and

an image forming device which forms an image on a paper based on the image data of the image reader.

7. A digital image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the storing medium has a plurality of storing areas for storing a predetermined amount of image data.

8. A digital image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the processor reduces the image by culling the image data of the image reader to be stored on each storing area.

9. A digital image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the processor divides the image data of the image reader into a plurality of units in which the image data is to be stored, respectively.

10. A digital image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the image data is divided into a plurality of units in correspondence with a plurality of areas located in different positions on the original document, respectively.

11. A digital image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the image data is divided into a plurality of units by layer division.

24. A digital image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said image forming device forms the image on a paper based on the image data of the image reader without the aid of the storing medium.

12. A digital image forming apparatus which is usable with another apparatus that is distinct from said image forming apparatus, said another apparatus storing image data in a first data form into a storing medium of said another apparatus having a plurality of storing areas for storing a predetermined amount of image data, said digital image forming apparatus comprising:

an original document setting board for setting an original document;

an image reader which reads an image of the original document set on the original document setting board and generates image data which have a second data form different from said first data form;

a holder which detachably holds the storing medium of said another apparatus;

a processor which receives the image data generated by the image reader and which transforms the image data generated by said image reader from said second data form to said first data form so as to be in a form usable by said another apparatus;

a storing circuit which stores the image data of the image reader which has been transformed by said processor to be in said first data form on the storing medium held by the holder; and

an image forming device which forms an image on a paper based on the image data of the image reader.

13. A digital image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the processor reduces the image by culling the image data of the image reader to be stored on each storing area.

14. A digital image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the processor divides the image data of the image reader into a plurality of units in which the image data is to be stored, respectively.

15. A digital image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the image data is divided into a plurality of units in correspondence with a plurality of areas located in different positions on the original document, respectively.

16. A digital image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the image data is divided into a plurality of units by layer division.

25. A digital image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said image forming device forms the image on a paper based on the image data of the image reader without the aid of the storing medium.

17. An image data processing system comprising:

a still video camera including;

a photographing device which photographs an image;

a first holder which detachably holds a storing medium having a plurality of storing areas;

a storing circuit which stores a photographed image stored on the storing medium held by the first holder, and having a first operating mode for dividing a single image plurally and storing on a plurality of storing areas, and a second operating mode for storing a single image on a single storing area; and

a digital image forming apparatus which is distinct from said still video camera and including;

a second holder which detachably holds the storing medium of the still video camera;

a judging circuit which judges whether each image stored on the storing medium held by the second holder is stored in the first operating mode or the second operating mode;

a read out device which is responsive to the judging circuit and reads out the image from one of the storing areas in which the image is stored when each image stored on the storing medium is stored in the first operating mode, and reads out the image from the single storing area in which the image is stored when the image is stored in the second operating mode; and

an image forming device which forms a plurality of images read out by the read out device on a same sheet of paper.

18. An image data processing system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the image forming device has a memory to store a plurality of images to be formed.

19. An image data processing system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the still video camera includes a storing medium which stores identification data to identify whether each image is stored in the first operating mode or the second operating mode, and the judging circuit judges based on the identification data stored on the storing medium.

20. A digital image forming apparatus comprising:

a holder which detachably holds a storing medium having a plurality of storing areas on which a plurality of images are stored by operating in either a first operating mode for dividing a single image plurally and storing on a plurality of storing areas, or a second operating mode for storing a single image on a single storing area;

a judging circuit which judges whether each image stored on the storing medium held by the holder is stored in the first operating mode or the second operating mode;

a read out device which is responsive to the judging circuit and reads out the image from one of the storing areas in which the image is stored when each image stored on the storing medium is stored in the first operating mode, add reads out the image from the single storing area in which the image is stored when the image is stored in the second operating mode; and

an image forming device which forms a plurality of the images read out by the read out device on a same sheet of paper.

21. A digital image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the image forming device has a memory to store a plurality of images to be formed.

22. A digital image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the storing medium stores identification data to identify whether each image is stored in the first operating mode or the second operating mode, and the judging circuit judges based on the identification data stored on the storing medium.