Patent ID: 7376956
Filing Date: 2008-05-20
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A multifunction peripheral comprising: a segmented, shared memory in mutually independent and concurrent bi-directional data communication with each of a plurality of document processing functions, the data including electronic document data and status data reflective of document processing device operation; an independent data path between each document processing function and a corresponding data segment of the shared memory associated therewith; a multiplexer/demultiplexer selectively communicating data between an associated controller and a selected data segment of the shared memory; and a logical device selector associated with the controller alternately selecting a peripheral from a plurality of peripherals; wherein each of the plurality of document processing functions independently communicates data with its corresponding data segment of shared memory, and the multiplexer and logical device selector are operable to route the data from a data segment of the shared memory associated with each document processing device to the controller in accordance with an output of the logical device selector; and wherein the logical device selector is operable to receive peripheral data from the selected peripheral, the logical device selector and the demultiplexer routing the peripheral data to the shared memory wherein the selected peripheral retrieves the data from the shared memory.