Digital copying system using a high speed data bus without the use of data buffers
First Claim
1. A copier for rendering an image of an object onto a physical medium, comprising:
- (a) a scanner;
(b) a printer; and
(c) an external processor, wherein;
the scanner and the printer are coupled to the external processor by a high-speed serial bus having a latency and a maximum signal transmission rate sufficient to;
enable transmission to the external processor of digital image signals generated by the scanner which represent the image of the object without prior interim storage of the digital image signals in a buffer on board the scanner and;
enable transmission of the digital image signals from the external processor to the printer for rendering the digital image signals onto the physical medium without prior interim storage of the digital image signals in a buffer on board the printer.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A copier for rendering an image of an object onto a physical medium includes a scanner, a printer and an external processor. The scanner and the printer are coupled to the external processor by a high-speed serial bus having a latency and a maximum signal transmission rate sufficient to enable transmission to the external processor of digital image signals generated by the scanner which represent the image of the object without prior interim storage of the digital image signals in a buffer on board the scanner. The high-speed serial bus further has a latency and a maximum signal transmission rate sufficient to enable transmission of the digital image signals from the external processor to the printer for rendering the digital image signals onto the physical medium without prior interim storage of the digital image signals in a buffer on board the printer. In an embodiment, the external processor is capable of processing the digital image signals and the scanner is capable of transmitting the digital image signals without prior on-board digital processing of the digital image signals in the scanner and the printer is capable of rendering the digital image signals without prior on-board digital processing of the digital image signals in the printer.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A copier for rendering an image of an object onto a physical medium, comprising:
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(a) a scanner; (b) a printer; and (c) an external processor, wherein; the scanner and the printer are coupled to the external processor by a high-speed serial bus having a latency and a maximum signal transmission rate sufficient to; enable transmission to the external processor of digital image signals generated by the scanner which represent the image of the object without prior interim storage of the digital image signals in a buffer on board the scanner and; enable transmission of the digital image signals from the external processor to the printer for rendering the digital image signals onto the physical medium without prior interim storage of the digital image signals in a buffer on board the printer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for rendering an image of an object onto a physical medium, comprising the steps of:
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(a) generating digital image signals representing the image of the object using a scanner; (b) transmitting the digital image signals from the scanner to an external processor; (c) processing the digital image signals by the external processor; (d) transmitting the processed digital image signals from the external processor to a printer; and (e) printing processed digital image signals onto the physical medium by the printer, wherein; steps (b) and (d) each comprise the step of transmitting digital image signals over a high-speed serial bus and steps (b) and (e) occur without prior local interim storage of the digital image signals in a local interim storage device. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A copier for rendering an image of an object onto a physical medium, comprising:
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(a) means for generating digital image signals representing the image of the object using a scanner; (b) means for transmitting the digital image signals from the scanner to an external processor; (c) means for processing the digital image signals; (d) means for transmitting the processed digital image signals from the external processor to a printer; and (e) means for printing processed digital image signals onto the physical medium, wherein; means (b) and (d) have a latency and a maximum signal transmission rate sufficient to; enable transmission to the external processor of digital image signals generated by the scanner which represent the image of the object without prior interim storage of the digital image signals in a storage means in the scanner; and enable transmission of the processed digital image signals from the external processor to the printer for rendering the processed digital image signals onto the physical medium without prior interim storage of the digital image signals in storage means in the printer. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification