Digital copying system using an IC card

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) card for use in an image processing machine, such as, for example, a digital copying machine. The IC card includes a first storage area for storing data for controlling said image processor and a second storage area for storing image data to be processed by said image processor.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention This invention relates to a digital copying system adapted for use with an IC card. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, image data processed by an image processor, such as a digital copying machine, is stored in a Central Processing Unit (CPU) of the image processor, and not in an IC card. An image editing system which utilizes an IC card is shown in U.S. Patent No. 4,806,978 - Nakatani et al (February 21, 1989). The ′978 patent is directed to a system that includes: "... a "memory card" capable of storing edited image data in memory, a copying device to perform edited image copying based on data stored in said memory card which is removable, and an input unit for entering edit data in a memory card which is removable." The IC card stores editing coordinate data and editing mode information. The IC card is connected to an editing input device and a copying machine on an offline basis. According to the ′978 patent, the IC card stores control data required for processing data such as the editing coordinate data and editing modes for forming an image. When an image is processed by an image processor; e.g., a copy is made by a digital copying machine, it is sometimes desired before copying that a size-reduced or area-specified copy be made or that the title of an image be decorated with a hatch or graphic data can be inserted in a specific area of the image. Systems employing a conventional IC card that can store only control data have not been able to respond to the above demand. Recently, the use of IC cards is common in the prior art of image processors. Some examples thereof will be discussed below. The older EP application 90 108 045.7, published as EP-A 0 395 082 concerns a photographic camera employing an image storing IC card. The IC card is installed in the photographic camera and provided with an image data memory for storing image data representing a photographic image and a canned data memory for previously storing constants, such as photographic modes, necessary for controlling an image input/output device. Image data are stored from a CCD sensor and the image data stored on the IC card are read to be processed by an image processor. This document does not relate to a copying system. According to JP-A-63-146 566, which corresponds to US-A-5 016 114, an original document image is stored in a memory such as an IC card and a remaining amount of capacity is displayed to allow a person to see it by intuition. This document does not disclose a storage of control information corresponding to an image data. JP-A-63-6 575 discloses a card for storing information about the number of copy sheets such as number of copies in different size of the sheet, enlargement/reduction, or total number. The card does not store any image data or image control data. US-A-4 998 213 discloses an IC card for storing magnification rate and other cntrol data such as copy density, set number editing function and the like. The IC card does not store image data. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing system utilizing an IC card capable of storing various data necessary for performing the image processing operation by the image processor. This obeject is achieved by a digital copying system comprising: a signal input section for inputting instructions; an operating section for receiving instructions from said signal input section; a first buffer for receiving data from said operating section; a second buffer; a third buffer; a central processing unit CPU for receiving data from said first buffer and exchanging data with said second buffer and third buffer; an IC card having a control data section for storing data for controlling an image processor and an image data section for storing image data to be processed by said image processor, said IC card being coupled to said second buffer; an address generator, receiving input from said third buffer, for addressing memory of said IC card; an enlargement/reduction circuit, coupled so as to receive signals from said third buffer, for providing instructions to said address generator; a switch circuit, having a control input coupled to said third buffer, for controlling said enlargement/reduction circuit and said address generator; a document image reading member controlled by said CPU for generating image data; a fourth buffer, having a control input coupled to said third buffer, for receiving image data from said document image reading member and providing said data to said IC card; a fifth buffer, having a control input coupled to said third buffer, for receiving data from said IC card; a gate, having a first input coupled to said document image reading member and a second input coupled to said fifth buffer and an output; an image forming unit coupled to said gate output for writing data. The subclaims show special embodiments of the copying system of the present invention. According to the invention both control data and image data required for image processing can be read simply by addressing a single IC card coupled to an image processor. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The presently preferred embodiment of this invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawing. The sole figure is a block diagram showing the configuration of a digital copying machine including an IC card 1 in accordance with the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The figure is a block diagram showing an example configuration of a digital copying machine system incorporating an IC card 1 according to this invention. The size and shape of IC card 1 can be as shown in U.S. Patent No. 4,806,978. Therefore, the constructions details of the card itself will be omitted. Of course, the IC card can be constructed in accordance with any desired size and shape. The IC card 1 has a two part storage. It includes a control data storage area 2 and an image data storage area 3. Although in the figure there are only two data areas shown for simplicity in describing the invention, IC card 1 may include other areas as well. For example, IC card 1 may include a central processing unit (CPU) area, other storage areas, and the like as the case may require. The ratio of allocation of area between the control data storage area 2 and the image data storage area 3 is adjustable depending on the desired application of the IC card 1. If IC card 1 is intended to function as a simulation card simulating various operations of a copying machine, the control data storage area 2 will have a relatively large capacity. However, if IC card 1 is used as a test pattern IC, the necessity of producing various test patterns will necessarily increase the capacity of image data storage area 3. The digital copying machine system as shown in the figure will now be described. The system includes a Central Processing Unit (CPU) 10 serving as its control center. An operating section 11 produces a copy mode setting signal. A tablet 12 supplies coordinate data. Document size data, detected by a document size detecting sensor 13, is provided to CPU 10 via an input/output (I/O) interface 14. CPU 10 controls copy processing according to the data provided to it. That is, the CPU 10 causes a Charge Coupled Device (CCD) 15 to read a document image and transfers data output from CCD 15 to a Laser Scan Unit (LSU) 16 thereby to form a desired copied image. If the system has the IC card 1 already set therein (IC card 1 is removable), the system causes the IC card 1 to store the control data and/or the image data and reads the control data and/or the image data stored in the IC card 1 so that the system can control copy processing according to the data. More specifically, when the IC card 1 is set in the system, control data storage area 2 is connected to CPU 10 through an I/O interface 17. Thus, it is possible to store the control data in control data storage area 2 or read the stored control data therefrom. Image data storage area 3 of the IC card 1 is connected to an input buffer 18 and an output buffer 19. Input buffer 18 buffers a signal from CCD 15 to transfer it to image data storage area 3. Output buffer 19 buffers the output of image data storage area 3 to transfer it to the LSU 16. Thus, in the image data storage area 3 not only the image data supplied from the CCD 15 can be written but also the data therein stored can be read to be supplied to the LSU 16. Data to LSU is gated by a gate 50. To control the writing and reading processes of the image data to and from the image data storage area 3, the following arrangement is provided. Input buffer 18 and output buffer 19 are supplied with enable signals from CPU 10 through an I/O interface 20, respectively. Each buffer 18, 19 functions only when it has received the enable signal from the CPU 10. Further, an address generator 21 is provided to generate an address based on address data supplied from CPU 10 through I/O interface 20 and to specify the generated address to image data storage area 3. As a result, image data is written to or read from the specified address in the image data storage area 3. A switch 22 is provided for selecting reading of image data either repetitively or once when reading from the image data storage area 3. A magnification ratio setting circuit 23 selects whether the size of the image data is to be enlarged or reduced, when reading the image data. Switch 22 and magnification ration setting circuit 23 are controlled by CPU 10, and apply a signal to the address generator 21 and change the address generated by address generator 21 in response to the control command from the CPU 10. Switch 22 selects the repetitive reading mode, when the image data stored in the IC card 1 is used for overlay copying. Since the data, e.g., a specific group of characters such as "MITA," is repetitively read and thus repetitively produced. This data can be utilized as a background pattern for a copied content. Since the storage capacity of the image data storage area 3 in the IC card 1 is not very large, it would be more advantageous to use the IC card 1 for repetitive reading. As a result of the above construction, this invention allows both control data and image data to be stored in a single IC card, thereby providing a handy IC card adapted for use in image processors.

Claims: A digital copying system comprising: a signal input section (12) for inputting instructions; an operating section (11) for receiving instructions from said signal input section (12); a first buffer (14) for receiving data from said operating section (11); a second buffer (17); a third buffer (20); a central processing unit (CPU: 10) for receiving data from said first buffer (14) and exchanging data with said second buffer (17) and third buffer (20); an IC card (1) having a control data section for storing data for controlling an image processor and an image data section for storing image data to be processed by said image processor, said IC card being coupled to said second buffer (17); an address generator (21), receiving input from said third buffer, for addressing memory of said IC card; an enlargement/reduction circuit (23), coupled so as to receive signals from said third buffer, for providing instructions to said address generator; a switch circuit, having a control input coupled to said third buffer, for controlling said enlargement/reduction circuit and said address generator; a document image reading member (15) controlled by said CPU for generating image data; a fourth buffer (18), having a control input coupled to said third buffer, for receiving image data from said document image reading member and providing said data to said IC card; a fifth buffer (19), having a control input coupled to said third buffer, for receiving data from said IC card; a gate, having a first input coupled to said document image reading member (15) and a second input coupled to said fifth buffer and an output; an image forming unit (16) coupled to said gate output for writing data. The digital copying system according to claim 1, wherein said signal input section comprises a tablet (12) and said operating section (11) receives instructions from said tablet. The digital copying system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said document image reading member comprises a charge coupled device (CCD: 15). The digital copying system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said image forming unit comprises a laser scan unit (LSU: 16). The digital copying system according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a document size detecting sensor (13) for sensing a document size, wherein said first buffer receives data from said document size detecting sensor.

Inventors: FUJIMOTO MASAYA, KUMAMOTO HIDECHIKA, MATSUSHITA TSUKASA, YAMAMOTO HARUO, FUJIMOTO, MASAYA, KUMAMOTO, HIDECHIKA, MATSUSHITA, TSUKASA, YAMAMOTO, HARUO
Applicants: MITA INDUSTRIAL CO LTD, MITA INDUSTRIAL CO. LTD.
Application year: 1990
Main classification: G03G15
IPC codes: G03G21, G03G15, G06K19, H04N1, B42D15