JP2862340B2 - Image reading and recording device - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an image reading and recording apparatus in which an image reading apparatus such as an image scanner and an image recording apparatus such as a laser printer are integrated.

[Related Art] In recent years, simple printing (desktop publishing) using a computer has become popular, and an image scanner (image reading device) has been used as a peripheral device of the computer.
Also, an image recording device such as a laser printer has come to be used.

In addition, as devices become smaller and more space-saving, a device integrating an image scanner and a printer is also required in the market.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of an apparatus in which a scanner and a printer are integrated. In FIG. 4, 1 is a host computer for controlling the apparatus, 2 is an image scanner unit, and 3 is a printer unit. Reference numeral 2a denotes a scanner controller for controlling the image scanner 2, and 2h denotes a CCD for reading a document image. The image scanner 2 reads a document image according to a control signal from the host computer 1 and transmits an image signal to the host computer 1. Reference numeral 3a denotes a printer controller which modulates the laser 3h on / off by an image signal transmitted from the host computer 1 and prints the laser 3h on recording paper by a known electrophotographic process. Reference numeral 7 denotes a power supply unit which supplies power to both the image scanner unit 2 and the printer unit 3.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, as in the above-described conventional example, the power supply unit 7 that supplies power to both the image scanner unit 2 and the printer unit 3 has a large capacity, which hinders miniaturization of the apparatus. In addition to this, there is a problem that it is expensive in terms of cost.

In order to solve this problem, by prohibiting the image scanner unit and the printer unit 3 from operating at the same time, it is possible to save the capacity of the power supply. However, simply prohibiting simultaneous operation only in a single order does not allow the operator of the host computer to grasp the operating state of the apparatus when making an image reading request or printing request. The problem of being confused.

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention has been made to eliminate the above-mentioned disadvantages, and has a connecting means for connecting to an external device, and an image reading apparatus for reading a document image and outputting image data via the connecting means. An image recording device that records an image based on image data received from an external device through the connection unit; a power supply device that supplies power to the image reading device; and an external device through the connection unit. A first determining unit that determines whether the image recording apparatus is operating when an image reading instruction is issued from the apparatus; and a case that the first determining unit determines that the image recording apparatus is not operating. If it is determined that the image reading device is operating while the image reading device is executing the image reading device, use of the image reading device is prohibited and the external device is connected to the external device via the connection unit. A first control unit for notifying that the image reading device cannot be used; and a second control unit for determining whether the image reading device is operating when an image recording instruction is issued from an external device via the connection unit. A determination unit, if the second determination unit determines that the image reading device is not operating, and causes the image recording device to perform an image recording operation and determines that the image reading device is operating. And a second control unit for prohibiting the use of the image recording device and notifying the external device via the connection unit that the image recording device cannot be used. Is what you do.

[Embodiment] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 4
A power supply unit supplies power to the image scanner unit 2 and the printer unit 3. Reference numeral 5 denotes an interface cable for communicating between the scanner controller 2a and the printer controller 3a. The communication contents are as follows, and FIGS. 2 (A) and 2 (B) show flowcharts thereof. Upon receiving the read command from the host computer 1, the scanner unit 2 checks whether the printer unit 3 is operating. At this time, if the printer unit 3 is operating, the status of the scanner being inactive is returned to the host computer 1 to indicate that the operation is impossible. If the operation of the printer unit 3 is stopped, the printer unit 3 is notified that the scanner unit 2 is operating, and starts reading an image.
When the reading operation is completed and the image data is transmitted to the host computer 1, the printer unit 3 is notified of the end of the operation of the scanner unit 2.

Similarly, upon receiving a print start command from the host computer 1, the printer unit 3 checks whether the scanner unit 2 is operating. If the scanner unit 2 is in the operation stop state, the scanner unit 2 is notified that the printer unit 3 is operating, and the printing operation is started. When the printing operation is completed, the operation of the printer unit 3 is notified to the scanner unit 2.

As described above, the scanner controller 2a and the printer controller 3 communicate with each other about the operating state, whereby the simultaneous operation of the scanner unit 2 and the printer unit 3 can be prohibited, and the state is notified to the host computer 1. be able to.

[Other Embodiments] FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. 6 in FIG.
Is a power supply unit, and 6a is a changeover switch that supplies power to the drive units 2d and 3d of the scanner unit 2 and the printer unit 3, and supplies power to either the scanner drive unit 2d or the printer drive unit 3d. The switching is performed by a host computer.

As shown in FIG. 3, the host computer 1 can only supply power to one of the scanner unit 2 and the printer unit 3, so that both do not operate simultaneously. At this time, since control power is always supplied to the control units of the scanner controller 2a and the printer controller 3a, communication for knowing the respective states is possible.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, when the power is supplied by the common power supply to the image reading device and the image recording device, the image reading device and the image recording device cannot be used at the same time.
In addition to saving power capacity, when one device is operating and the other device is instructed to operate, it notifies the external device that issued the command that it cannot be used. You can understand the situation.

Further, the image reading device and the image recording device can be appropriately operated in accordance with an instruction from the external device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a first embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 2A and 2B are flowcharts showing a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional example. In the figure, 1 is a host computer, 2 is an image scanner unit, 3 is a printer unit, 4 is a power supply unit, 5 is an interface cable, and 6 and 7 are power supply units.

Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Takeji Gima 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Canon Inc. (56) References JP-A-61-269454 (JP, A) (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) H04N 1/00-1/00 108 H04N 1/04-1/207

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A connection means for connecting to an external device; an image reading apparatus for reading an original image and outputting image data via the connection means; and an image reading apparatus for receiving image data received from the external device via the connection means. An image recording device that records an image, the image reading device, a power supply device that supplies power to the image recording device, and the image recording device is operating when an image reading instruction is issued from an external device via the connection unit. A first determining unit that determines whether the image recording device is not operating; and causing the image reading device to perform an image reading operation when the first determining unit determines that the image recording device is not operating. If it is determined that the image reading apparatus is in operation, the first control for prohibiting use of the image reading apparatus and notifying the external apparatus via the connection means that the image reading apparatus cannot be used is provided. Means for determining whether or not the image reading apparatus is operating when an image recording instruction is issued from an external device via the connection means; and If it is determined that the image reading device is not operating, the image recording device is caused to execute the image recording operation, and if it is determined that the image reading device is operating, the use of the image recording device is prohibited and the And a second control unit for notifying an external device that the image recording device cannot be used.