Integrated computer Scanner printer in a single system enclosure sharing control circuitry and light source wherein a single CPU performing all of the control tasks

• US 5,752,075 A
• Filed: 08/07/1995
• Issued: 05/12/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PDACO LIMITED
• Original Assignee: Elonex PLC (Elonex Uk Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kikinis, Dan
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ton, David
• Application Number:
  US08/511,749
• Time in Patent Office: 1,009 Days
• Field of Search: 250/236, 347/140, 349/2, 358/426, 358/442, 358/468, 358/501, 358/505, 704/3, 379/100.15, 395/821, 395/892
• US Class Current: 710/1
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 2075/027 four
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4022 using switching circuits, e.g. switching matrix, connection or expansion network G06F13/4009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/00 Arrangements for producing a permanent visual presentation of the output data , e.g. computer output printersprinting or plotting combined with another operation, e.g. with conveying, G06K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2215/0082 Architecture adapted for a particular function
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• 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 1/00236 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 1/00278 with a printing apparatus, e.g. a laser beam printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0461 part of the apparatus being used in common for reading and reproducing simultaneous scanning of the original picture and the reproduced picture with a common scanning device H04N1/207
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/1135 for the main-scan only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/12 using the sheet-feed movement or the medium-advance or the drum-rotation movement as the slow scanning component, e.g. arrangements for the main-scanningsheet-feed movement by translatory movement of a flat picture-bearing surface H04N1/1008; main-scanning using oscillating or rotating mirrors H04N1/113; using multi-element arrays H04N1/19
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/193 using electrically scanned linear arrays , e.g. linear CCD arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/001 Sharing resources, e.g. processing power or memory, with a connected apparatus or enhancing the capability of the still picture apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0074 : Arrangements for the control of a still picture apparatus by the connected apparatus
• 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

Abstract

An integrated computer, scanner, and printer has elements of all three in a single enclosure with a single CPU performing all of the control tasks for the three, usually separate, devices. The three functions also share memory space, and control circuitry for the scanning and printing operations are interfaced directly to the system bus of the computer. Control routines in a preferred embodiment are integrated into a single system BIOS. In embodiments of the invention, a light source, such as a laser source, used for electrostatically writing images on a drum for printing, is diverted and also used for scanning operations. In another alternative embodiment, a device-driver-software transparent extended enhanced parallel port is provided for expansion of the bus into an external copy of the internal bus, such that expansion ports may be transparently provided in an external docking box.

Claims

1. An image-enhanced computer system comprising:

a system enclosure;

a fixed point light source;

a first mirror continuously rotatable for laterally scattering a light beam directed along a first light path from the light source, along a second light path within a fixed width;

a modulator connected to the point light source and adapted for modulating the light source on and off according to an input signal;

an electrostatic printer portion within the system enclosure including an organic photoconducting cartridge (OPC), a document handling system, and a fuser;

scanner elements within the system enclosure including a light-intensity detector and a document support surface;

a second mirror adapted to be moved into and out of the second path;

a digital storage system; and

a computer portion within the system enclosure, the computer portion comprising a CPU for operating the overall system, including the modulator and the second mirror, a system memory, a video adapter circuit coupled to an output port for a video monitor, a keyboard controller coupled to a keyboard port, a scanner drive and interface circuit, a printer drive and interface circuit, and a computer bus connecting the digital elements of the computer portion;

wherein stored images are printed by driving the modulator to modulate the light source in an image pattern retrieved from the storage system by the computer portion, and positioning the second mirror outside the second path, such that a modulated, laterally-scanned light beam is directed on the OPC, and wherein scanning is accomplished by modulating the light source in at a fixed frequency, positioning the second mirror in the second light path such that the modulated, laterally-scanned light beam is diverted to the document support surface and the light-intensity detector, the light intensity detector producing a scanned image stored in the digital storage system.

2. An image-enhanced computer system as in claim 1 wherein the scanning system includes a scanned document translation apparatus, whereby a document to be scanned may be translated past a scanning position.

3. The image-enhanced computer system of claim 1 wherein the scanning support surface supports a stationary document as a flatbed scanner, and in the scanning mode of operation, the second mirror rotates to deflect light sequentially from one end of the scanned document to the other end on the support surface.

4. An image-enhanced computer system as in claim 1 wherein the control routines are a part of a basic input output system (BIOS) coupled to the system bus.

5. An image-enhanced computer system as in claim 1 wherein the control routines are a part of a software operating system.

6. An image-enhanced computer system as in claim 1 further comprising a bus interface comprising a master controller connected to the system bus and to a byte-wide intermediate bus, a slave controller connected to the byte-wide intermediate bus and to a an external parallel bus of the same width as the system bus, and wherein the master controller translates system bus signals onto the byte-wide intermediate bus and the slave controller retranslates the signals on the intermediate bus back into system bus signals on the external parallel bus, all transparent to software executable by the image-enhanced computer system.

7. An image-enhanced computer system as in claim 1 wherein the computer portion further comprises a pointer port, a floppy disk controller (FDC), a serial port, a parallel printer port, and an integrated device electronics (IDE) controller.

8. An image-enhanced computer system comprising:

a system enclosure;

an electrostatic printer portion within the system enclosure including an LED bar, an organic photoconducting cartridge (OPC), a document handling system, and a fuser, wherein light from the LED bar is directed on the OPC;

a scanning system within the system enclosure including a light-intensity detector and a scanning support surface for a scanned document;

a rotatable mirror; and

a computer portion within the system enclosure, the computer portion comprising a CPU for operating the computer portion, the scanning system and the electrostatic printer, a system memory, a video adapter circuit coupled to an output port for a video monitor, a keyboard controller coupled to a keyboard port, a scanner drive and interface circuit, a printer drive and interface circuit, and a computer bus connecting the digital elements of the computer portion;

wherein for printing purposes the LED light bar, modulated by a digital data stream from the computer portion, writes an image on the OPC, and wherein for the purpose of scanning the LED light bar is rotated such that light from the light bar is directed on the deflection apparatus, deflecting light from the light bar to the scanning support surface and the light intensity detector, the light intensity detector providing a digital data stream to the computer portion to be saved as a scanned image.

9. An image-enhanced computer system as in claim 8 wherein the scanning system includes a scanned document translation apparatus, whereby a document to be scanned may be translated past a scanning position.

10. The image-enhanced computer system of claim 8 wherein the scanning support surface supports a stationary document as a flatbed scanner, and in the scanning mode of operation, the second mirror rotates to deflect light from the LED light bar sequentially from one end of the scanned document to the other end on the support surface.

11. An image-enhanced computer system as in claim 8 wherein the control routines are a part of a basic input output system (BIOS) coupled to the system bus.

12. An image-enhanced computer system as in claim 8 wherein the control routines are a part of a software operating system.

13. An image-enhanced computer system as in claim 8 further comprising a bus interface comprising a master controller connected to the system bus and to a byte-wide intermediate bus, a slave controller connected to the byte-wide intermediate bus and to a an external parallel bus of the same width as the system bus, and wherein the master controller translates system bus signals onto the byte-wide intermediate bus and the slave controller retranslates the signals on the intermediate bus back into system bus signals on the external parallel bus, all transparent to software executable by the image-enhanced computer system.

14. An image-enhanced computer system as in claim 8 wherein the computer portion further comprises a pointer port, a floppy disk controller (FDC), a serial port, a parallel printer port, and an integrated device electronics (IDE) controller.