Copier/printer with improved productivity
US5511150A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 29, 1993 |
| Grant date | Apr 23, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 29, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N2201/0082
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An electrophotographic copier/printer reproduction apparatus includes a marking engine that has a job image buffer (JIB) that queues jobs from a scanner and a raster image processor (RIP). The scanner supports the copier function of the apparatus and processes original documents by scanning the images thereon to form copier image data that is processed and stored in the JIB. The RIP processes printer data from a computer and transmits this data also to the JIB for further processing and storage. The RIP operates in two printer modes. In a first printer mode, data is sent to the JIB as it is RIPed and no provision is made for an interrupt for a copier job nor can a copy job be scanned in. This provides maximum efficiency for printer operation. In a second, less efficient, printer mode the JIB stores only a few and preferably one-print job at a time to leave room in the JIB for scanning in a copy job via an interrupt operation. A criterion for switching between the two printer modes is time of day, print job backlog or coding of a print job.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.