Information processing system

• US 5,867,638 A
• Filed: 05/18/1993
• Issued: 02/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ozaki, Hiroshi, Sakai, Masanori, Iwadate, Masahiro, Aiba, Yoshinobu
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, KIM Y
• Application Number:
  US08/062,557
• Time in Patent Office: 2,086 Days
• Field of Search: 358/426, 358/404, 358/444, 358/433, 358/406, 358/442, 358/468, 364/228.1, 364/238, 395/164, 395/165, 395/166, 395/114, 345/515-517
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• 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 1/32502 in systems having a plurality of input or output devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32512 of different type, e.g. internal and external devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32518 details of interfacing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32529 of different type, e.g. internal and external devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32534 details of interfacing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0034 Details of the connection, e.g. connector, interface
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0087 Image storage device

Abstract

An information processing system comprises a core, and a sub-unit (for example, a facsimile unit, a file unit, and a computer interface unit, a formater or an image memory) connected to the core, and the core and the sub-unit are connected by two types of buses, synchronous type and asynchronous type. Where the data transfer between the core and the sub-unit is to be effected through the asynchronous bus, the core may simultaneously transfer data to another sub-unit by using the synchronous bus. Where the data transfer between the core and the sub-unit is to be effected by the synchronous bus, the data may be parallelly transferred to a plurality of sub-units.

Claims

1. An information processing system comprising:

a main unit including a synchronous bus and an asynchronous bus, said main unit comprising selecting means for selecting one of said buses for transferring given data; and

a plurality of sub-units controlled by said main unit, each of said plurality of sub-units being connected to both of the synchronous and asynchronous buses,

wherein transfer of the given data between the main unit and each of said sub-units is executable through the synchronous bus and through the asynchronous bus.

2. An information processing system according to claim 1 wherein at least two sub-units are connected to said main unit, and the data transfer by said synchronous bus between a first sub-unit and said main unit and the data transfer by the asynchronous bus between a second sub-unit and said main unit are independently executed.

3. An information processing system according to claim 1 wherein a plurality of sub-units are provided, and wherein when a connection bus between said main unit and one of said sub-units is a synchronous bus, the data transfer from said main unit to said one-sub-unit is parallelly executable to a plurality of other sub-units.

4. An information processing system according to claim 1 wherein the data transfer by the synchronous bus between said main unit and said sub-unit is determined by the communication through the asynchronous bus between said main unit and said sub-unit.

5. An information processing system according to claim 1 wherein said sub-unit is a facsimile communication unit, a file unit, a computer interface unit, a formater or an image memory.

6. An information processing system according to claim 5 wherein said main unit is a controller for controlling the facsimile communication unit, the file unit, the computer interface unit, the formater or the image memory unit.

7. An information processing system comprising:

a core unit having a synchronous bus and an asynchronous bus, said core unit comprising selecting means for selecting one of said buses for transferring given data; and

a facsimile unit controlled by said core unit, said facsimile unit being connected to both of the synchronous and asynchronous buses,

wherein transfer of the given data between said core unit and said facsimile unit is executable through the synchronous bus and through the asynchronous bus.

8. An information processing system according to claim 7 wherein the data transfer by the synchronous bus between said core unit and said facsimile unit is determined by communication through the asynchronous bus between said core unit and said facsimile unit.

9. An information processing system according to claim 7 wherein said core unit is a controller for controlling the facsimile unit.

10. An information processing system comprising:

a core unit having a synchronous bus and an asynchronous bus, said core unit comprising selecting means for selecting one of said buses for transferring given data; and

a file unit controlled by said core unit, said file unit being connected to both of the synchronous and asynchronous buses,

wherein transfer of the given data between said core unit and said file unit is executable through the synchronous bus and through the asynchronous bus.

11. An information processing system according to claim 10, wherein the data transfer by the synchronous bus between said core unit and said file unit is determined by communication through the asynchronous bus between said core unit and said file unit.

12. An information processing system according to claim 10 wherein said core unit is a controller for controlling the file unit.

13. An information processing system comprising:

a core unit having a synchronous bus and an asynchronous bus, said core unit comprising selecting means for selecting one of said buses for transferring given data; and

a computer interface unit controlled by said core unit, said computer interface unit being connected to both of the synchronous and asynchronous buses,

wherein transfer of the given data between said core unit and said computer interface unit is executable through the synchronous bus and through the asynchronous bus.

14. An information processing system according to claim 13, wherein the data transfer by the synchronous bus between said core unit and said computer interface unit is determined by communication through the asynchronous bus between said core unit and said computer interface unit.

15. An information processing system according to claim 13, wherein said core unit is a controller for controlling the computer interface unit.

16. An information processing system comprising:

a core unit having a synchronous bus and an asynchronous bus, said core unit comprising selecting means for selecting one of the buses for transferring given data; and

a formatter unit controlled by said core unit, said formatter unit being connected to both of the synchronous and asynchronous buses,

wherein transfer of the given data between said core unit and said formatter unit is executable through the synchronous bus and through the asynchronous bus.

17. An information processing system according to claim 16 wherein the data transfer by the synchronous bus between said core unit and said formatter unit is determined by communication through the asynchronous bus between said core unit and said formatter unit.

18. An information processing system according to claim 16 wherein said core unit is a controller for controlling the formatter unit.

19. An information processing system comprising:

a core unit having a synchronous bus and an asynchronous bus, said core unit comprising selecting means for selecting one of said buses for transferring given data; and

an image memory unit controlled by said core unit, said image memory unit being connected to both of the synchronous and asynchronous buses,

wherein transfer of the given data between said core unit and said image memory unit is executable through the synchronous bus and through the asynchronous bus.

20. An information processing system according to claim 19 wherein the data transfer by the synchronous bus between said core unit and said image memory unit is determined by communication through the asynchronous bus between said core unit and said image memory unit.

21. An information processing system according to claim 19 wherein said core unit is a controller for controlling the image memory unit.

22. A method for transferring data in an information processing system having a main unit with a synchronous bus, an asynchronous bus and a selecting unit for selecting one of said buses and a plurality of sub-units comprising the steps of:

connecting each of the sub-units to the main unit through both of the synchronous and asynchronous buses; and

selecting one of said buses for transferring given data,

wherein transfer of the given data between the main unit and each of the sub-units is executable through the synchronous bus and through the asynchronous bus.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein the main unit is connected to at least first and second sub-units and wherein the data transfer by the synchronous bus between the first sub-unit and the main unit and the data transfer by the asynchronous bus between the second sub-unit and the main unit are executed independently.

24. A method according to claim 22, wherein data transfers from the main unit to one of said plurality of sub-units is executed in parallel to other of the plurality of sub-units when the main unit is connected to the one sub-unit by the synchronous bus.

25. A method according to claim 22, wherein the data transfer by the synchronous bus between the main unit and one of the plurality of subunits is determined by communication through the asynchronous bus between the main unit and the one sub-unit.

26. A method according to claim 22, wherein the sub-unit is one of a facsimile communication unit, a file unit, a computer interface unit, a formatter and an image memory.

27. A method according to claim 26, wherein the main unit is a controller controlling the one of the facsimile communication unit, the file unit, the computer interface unit, the formatter and the image memory unit.

28. A method for transferring data in an information processing system having a core unit with a synchronous bus, an asynchronous bus and a selecting unit for selecting one of the buses and a facsimile unit, comprising the steps of:

connecting the facsimile unit to the core unit through both of the synchronous and asynchronous buses; and

selecting one of said buses for transferring given data,

wherein transfer of the given data between the core unit and the facsimile unit is executable through the synchronous bus and through the asynchronous bus.

29. A method according to claim 28, wherein the data transfer by the synchronous bus between the main unit and the facsimile unit is determined by communication through the asynchronous bus between the core unit and the facsimile unit.

30. A method according to claim 28, wherein the core unit is a controller controlling the facsimile unit.

31. A method for transferring data in an information processing system having a core unit with a synchronous bus, an asynchronous bus and a selecting unit for selecting one of said buses and a file unit, comprising the steps of:

connecting the file unit to the core unit through both of the synchronous and asynchronous buses; and

selecting one of said buses for transferring given data,

wherein transfer of the given data between the core unit and the file unit is executable through the synchronous bus and through the asynchronous bus.

32. A method according to claim 31, wherein the data transfer by the synchronous bus between the core unit and the file unit is determined by communication through the asynchronous bus between the core unit and the file unit.

33. A method according to claim 31, wherein the core unit is a controller controlling the file unit.

34. A method for transferring data in an information processing system having a core unit with a synchronous bus an asynchronous bus and a selecting unit for selecting one of said buses and a computer interface unit comprising the steps of:

connecting the computer interface unit to the core unit through both of the synchronous and asynchronous buses; and

selecting one of said buses for transferring given data,

wherein transfer of the given data between the core unit and the computer interface unit is executable through the synchronous bus and through the asynchronous bus.

35. A method according to claim 34, wherein the data transfer by the synchronous bus between the core unit and the computer interface unit is determined by communication through the asynchronous bus between the core unit and the computer interface unit.

36. A method according to claim 34, wherein said core unit is a controller controlling the computer interface unit.

37. A method for transferring data in an information processing system having a core unit with a synchronous bus, an asynchronous bus and a selecting unit for selecting one of said buses and a formatter unit comprising the steps of:

connecting the formatter unit to the core unit through both of the synchronous and asynchronous buses; and

selecting one of said buses for transferring given data,

wherein transfer of the given data between the core unit and the formatter unit is executable through the synchronous bus and through the asynchronous bus.

38. A method according to claim 37, wherein the data transfer by the synchronous bus between the core unit and the formatter unit is determined by communication through the asynchronous bus between the core unit and the formatter unit.

39. A method according to claim 37, wherein the core unit is a controller controlling the formatter unit.

40. A method for transferring data in an information processing system having a core unit with a synchronous bus, an asynchronous bus and a selecting unit for selecting one of said buses and an image memory unit comprising the steps of:

connecting the image memory unit to the core unit through both of the synchronous and asynchronous buses; and

selecting one of said buses for transferring given data,

wherein transfer of the given data between the core unit and the image memory unit is executable through the synchronous bus and through the asynchronous bus.

41. A method according to claim 40, wherein the data transfer by the synchronous bus between the core unit and the image memory unit is determined by communication through the asynchronous bus between the core unit and the image memory unit.

42. An information processing system according to claim 40 wherein said core unit is a controller controlling the image memory unit.