Patent ID: 6496278
Filing Date: 2002-12-17
Classification: G06K,H04N

Abstract:
An image forming apparatus, comprising:a data developing portion which develops image data in a predetermined format from input image; a page memory which stores therein the image data in a page unit developed by said data developing portion; a storage memory which stores therein the image data read from said page memory; an image compressing portion which compresses the image data when the image data is input to said storage memory; an image decompressing portion which decompresses the compressed image data when the image data is output from said storage memory; an image rotating portion which rotates the image data from the image decompressing portion, and, then, outputs the image data; and a printer portion which prints an image in accordance with the image data read from said page memory or said storage memory, wherein the input image data for a plurality of pages is stored in said storage memory, a reading order of the image data from said storage memory is controlled, and, also, the image data is printed out after being rotated alternately in copy units, so that sorting printing can be performed such that a separation between adjacent copies can be easily determined, wherein: said apparatus further comprises a distribution/switching portion which transfers the image data read from said page memory to only either one of said storage memory and said printing portion or to both portions; and when said storage memory becomes full during processing of printing out of the image data read from said page memory and transferred to both said storage memory and said printing portion at the same time for a first copy, the function of said image rotating portion is caused to not be effected for copies subsequent to the first copy, and, also, the pages of image data which are stored in said storage memory are printed out, and the page of image data processed at the time said storage memory became full is transferred from said page memory to said printing portion and is printed out.