Patent ID: 6366747
Filing Date: 2002-04-02
Classification: G03G,H04N

Abstract:
A reproduction machine having one or more of the following functions: electronic printer, copier, facsimile machine, or optical scanner, said machine being upgradable to include any of said functions it does not already posses, said machine including the following elements:(a) a device for receiving a document image in an electronic format and for transferring said document image in viewable form to a substrate; (b) a device for controlling said image receiving and transferring device to provide one or more desired machine functions selected from optical scanning, electronic printing, copying, facsimile, improvements to the foregoing functions, or a combination of said functions, said control device being capable of being upgraded to provide one or more said functions it does not possess; and (c) a detachable user interface panel device coupled to said controlling device, said user interface panel device being selected from one of the following interchangeable user interface panel devices: (I) a scanner user interface panel, (ii) an electronic printer user interface panel device (iii) a copier user interface panel device, (iv) a facsimile machine user interface panel device or (v) a user interface panel device configured to include a combination of at least two of said scanner, printer, copier or facsimile functions; said selected user interface panel being upgradable to a different one of said interchangeable user interface panel devices by replacement with a different user interface panel device or by the addition of a further user interface panel device, said detachable user interface panel device comprising a detachable panel supporting a plurality of buttons for actuation by the user, a local microprocessor for assisting the controlling device in providing the desired machine functions and an electrical connector for connecting the panel device and the devices supported by it to the controlling device.