Patent Abstract:
A multifunctional processing apparatus is comprised of a first controller for controlling the operation of exercising a plural number of functions, a connector, to which a second controller for controlling the operation of exercising the same function as at least one of the plural number of functions is connected, a recognizer for recognizing the connection of the second controller to the connection means, and a control selector for causing one of the first and second controllers to control one function upon recognition of the connection by the recognizer.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a multifunctional processing apparatus and method for controlling the operations of exercising a plural number of functions. More particularly, the invention relates to a multifunctional processing apparatus and method used for a multifunctional digital machine having copy, printer and facsimile functions. 
   A multifunctional digital machine is known which is constructed on the basis of a digital copying machine having a copy function, and has additional functions of printer and facsimile machine (as disclosed in, for example, the Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication Nos. Hei 5-75767, Hei 5-75769, and Hei 6-6540). The multifunctional digital machine usually uses a multifunctional processing apparatus for controlling the operations of exercising a multiple of functions of copy, printer and facsimile. 
   In the conventional multifunctional processing apparatus, as shown in  FIG. 7 , the operations of exercising those functions are controlled in a manner that a single CPU (central processing unit) executes a copy control program  52  to control the operations of exercising the copy function, a printer control program  53  to control the operation of exercising the printer function, or a facsimile function to control the operation of exercising the facsimile function. 
   The multifunctional processing apparatus of  FIG. 7  controls the operations of exercising those functions by use of one CPU. Because of this, in a situation where the plural controls are competitive, a time divisional processing needs to be used for those controls. This makes it difficult to process the controls at high speed. 
   Another conventional multifunctional processing apparatus is illustrated in FIG.  8 . In the apparatus, control units  61  to  63  perform their own controls, respectively. Therefore, in the case where plural controls are competitive, these controls may be processed in a parallel manner. Therefore, a quick control processing is realized. However, the following problem arises in the multifunctional processing apparatus. The CPUs or the control units  61  to  63  are used for the controls of the respective functions, respectively. To construct a multifunctional digital machine capable of handling the plural number of functions, the plural number of control units  61  to  63  each including a CPU are essential. This leads to complexity of the machine construction and makes it impossible to realize an inexpensive multifunctional digital machine. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a multifunctional processing apparatus which enables one CPU to control the operations of exercising a plural number of functions in order to provide an inexpensive multifunctional digital machine and is readily adaptable for the extension of the function in order to improve the functions and performances. 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide a multifunctional processing apparatus enables one CPU to control the operations of exercising a plural number of functions, and is readily adaptable for the function extension to improve the functions and performances. 
   According to the present invention, there is provided a multifunctional processing apparatus comprising: first control means for controlling the operation of exercising a plural number of functions; connection means to which second control means for controlling the operation of exercising the same function as at least one of the plural number of functions is connected; recognizing means for recognizing the connection of the second control means to the connection means; and control select means for causing one of the first and second control means to control one function upon recognition of the connection by the recognizing means. 
   In the multifunctional processing apparatus, when the recognizing means recognizes the connection of the second control means, the control select means causes the first or second control means to control the operation of exercising one function that the second control means can control. Therefore, if the apparatus is not provided with the second control means, the first control means controls the operations of exercising the plural number of functions. In this state, if the second control means is connected to the connection means, the first and second control means perform the control operations in a parallel fashion. 
   According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a multifunctional processing method used for a multifunctional processing apparatus having first control means for controlling the operations of exercising a plural number of functions, and connection means to which second control means for controlling the operations of exercising the same function as at least one of the plural number of functions is connected, the multifunctional processing method comprising the steps of: recognizing the connection of the second control means to the connection means; and causing the second control means, not the first control means, to control one function upon recognition of the connection by the recognizing means. 
   In this method, if the apparatus is not provided with the second control means, the first control means controls the operations of exercising the plural number of functions. At this time, if the second control means is connected to the connection means, the first and second control means perform the control operations in a parallel fashion. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing functional arrangement of a multifunctional processing apparatus which is an embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing a specific arrangement of the multifunctional digital machine into which the multifunctional processing apparatus is assembled. 
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram showing the  FIG. 2  apparatus into which a facsimile control unit is coupled. 
       FIG. 4  is a diagram showing connections of the control units to the multifunctional processing apparatus,  FIG. 4A  showing a first connection of the control units used in the first embodiment of the invention; and  FIG. 4B  showing a second connection of the control units employed in the second embodiment of the invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a diagram showing an arrangement of different functions for the multifunctional processing apparatus of  FIG. 4B  second embodiment. 
       FIG. 6  is a block diagram showing a modification of the multifunctional processing apparatus constructed according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 7  is a block diagram showing a conventional multifunctional processing apparatus. 
       FIG. 8  is a block diagram showing another multifunctional processing apparatus. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   A multifunctional processing apparatus and method which are constructed according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description of the specification, the present invention is incorporated into a multifunctional processing apparatus used in a multifunctional digital machine having a multiple of functions, copy, printer and facsimile functions. 
     FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing functional construction of a multifunctional processing apparatus which is an embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing a specific construction of the multifunctional digital machine into which the multifunctional processing apparatus is incorporated. 
   Before proceeding with description of the multifunctional processing apparatus, the multifunctional digital machine into which the multifunctional processing apparatus is incorporated will be described. 
   As shown in  FIG. 2 , a multifunctional digital machine  1  includes an image processing unit (electronic sub-system(ESS)  10  corresponding to the multifunctional processing apparatus, an automatic document feed (ADF)  21  and an image input terminal/image processing system (IIT/IPS)  22 , which are used for realizing a copy function, a facsimile unit  23  for realizing a facsimile function, an image output terminal (IOT)  24  for outputting an image, a user interface (UI)  25  through which the user interactively communicates with the multifunctional digital machine, and a hard disc drive (HDD)  26  as a data memory device of large capacity. To handle the printer function, the multifunctional digital machine  1  is connected through a network  30  to a host computer  31 . 
   The ESS  10  incorporated into the multifunctional digital machine  1  are provided for controlling the operations for exercising a multiple of functions of copy, printer and facsimile, and further the performs overall control for realizing the operations of exercising those functions. To this end, the ESS  10  includes an IIT interface (I/F)  11  for connection to the IIT/IPS  22 , a FAX-I/F  12  for connection to the facsimile unit  23 , a NET-I/F  13  for connection to the network  30 , a page buffer (PB)  14  for temporarily storing image data received through those interfaces, a composition/decomposition controller (C/D-cont)  15  for composing and decomposing the image data as occasion demands, a disc controller (disc-cont)  16  for controlling the HDD  26 , an IOT-I/F  17  for connection to the IOT  24 , a system controller (sys-cont)  18  for controlling those functional units in accordance with job requests, an extension I/F (EX-I/F)  19  to be described in detail later, and a bus  20  for interconnecting those functional blocks. 
   Description to follow is elaboration of the control of the operations of exercising a copy function, a printer function and a facsimile function in the multifunctional digital machine  1 . 
   1) (Copy Function) 
   An original document having an image (original image) depicted thereon, which is to be read, is located on the ADF  21  or a platen of the IIT/IPS  22 , and the UI  25  issues a request of a job to use the copy function. Then, in the ESS  10 , the sys-cont  18  requests the IIT/IPS  22  to read-out the original image from the original document (original). The ESS  10  receives image data that is read out through the photo-electric conversion process by and output from the IIT/IPS  22 , and temporarily stores the received image data into the page buffer PB  14 . At this time, if the IOT  24  is ready for the outputting of image data, the sys-cont  18  reads out the image data from the page buffer PB  14  and sends it through the IOT-I/F  17  to the IOT  24 , and causes the IOT  24  to output the image on the basis of the xerography or electrophotograhy process. If the IOT  24  is not ready for the image outputting, the disc-cont  16  reads the image data out of the page buffer PB  14  and stores the readout one into the HDD  26 . Thereafter, when the IOT  24  is ready for the image outputting, the sys-cont  18  causes the IOT  24  to output the image data in a similar manner. 
   In this way, the ESS  10  controls the operation of exercising the copy function. In a case where a job to output a plural number of images for one original is set, the image data that is read out of the original is stored into the HDD  26 , and the reading of the image data out of the HDD  26  is repeated plural times and the readout ones are output. 
   2) (Printer Function) 
   When the host computer  31  transmits a request of a job to use the printer function and image data described in a page description language, for example, to the multifunctional digital machine  1 , the ESS  10  receives the image data through the NET-I/F  13 , and the C/D-cont  15  performs a process of decomposing the image data into such image data as to be acceptable by the IOT  24 , and other processes. The page buffer PB  14  temporarily stores the image data thus processed, and the sys-cont  18  causes the IOT  24  to output the image data as in the case of the copy function. 
   In this way, the ESS  10  performs the control of the exercising operation of the printer function. 
   3) (Facsimile Function) 
   When the facsimile unit  23  receives facsimile data through public lines from a facsimile sender, the ESS  10  receives through the FAX-I/F  12  facsimile data that is received by the facsimile unit  23  in response to a request of a job to use the facsimile function from the facsimile unit  23 , and thereafter the page buffer PB  14  temporarily stores the facsimile data as image data. Thereafter, the sys-cont  18  causes the IOT  24  to output the image data as in the cases of the copy function and the printer function. 
   To send facsimile data to a facsimile sender, in the ESS  10 , the facsimile data is input to page buffer PB  14  or the HDD  26  from the IIT/IPS  22  or the host computer  31 . And in the ESS  10 , the C/D-cont  15  reads out the image data from the memory and carries out the process of decomposing the facsimile data and other processes; the sys-cont  18  sends the thus processed image data to the facsimile unit  23  through the FAX-I/F  12 ; and it causes the facsimile unit  23  to send the image data to the facsimile sender. 
   In this way, the ESS  10  controls the operation for facsimile transmission and reception, viz., the operation of exercising the facsimile function. 
   The ESS  10  that performs the operation controls, viz., the multifunctional processing apparatus  10  of the present embodiment, will be further described in more detail. 
   The multifunctional processing apparatus  10  is mounted on a single electronic circuit board, for example, and as shown in  FIG. 1 , includes a copy control program  10   a,  a printer control program  10   b,  a facsimile control program  10   c,  and a main controller  18 . 
   The copy control program  10   a  is executed by the main controller  18  to control the operation of exercising the copy function. The printer control program  10   b  is executed by the main controller  18  to control the operation of exercising the printer function. The facsimile control program  10   c  is executed by the main controller  18  to control the operation of exercising the facsimile function. Those control programs  10   a  to  10   c  are stored into a memory, e.g., a RAM (random access memory), not shown. 
   The main controller  18  corresponds to the sys-cont  18  of the ESS  10  (FIG.  2 ), and includes one CPU and others. The main controller  18  executes the control programs  10   a  to  10   c,  and controls the operations of exercising a multiple of functions, e.g., copy function, printer function and facsimile function. The main controller  18  executes the control programs in a time division manner as in the conventional apparatus (FIG.  7 ). 
   The main controller  18  performs the controls necessary for realizing the exercising operations of the respective functions in addition to the controls of the exercising operations of those functions of copy, printer and facsimile machine. The overall control, e.g., the control of the operations of the respective portions of the ESS  10 , is performed by the main controller  18 . The overall control is performed through the execution of a related control program in the main controller  18 . 
   The overall control includes a recognition process and a select determining process by a control unit (to be described in detail later), the issuing of operation requests to the IIT/IPS  22  and the IOT  24 , and the control of the overall multifunctional digital machine  1 . 
   The multifunctional processing apparatus  10  includes connection portions  19  that are essential to the present invention, in addition to the control programs  10   a  to  10   c  and the main controller  18 . Further, the main controller  18  includes the functions of connection-function recognizing means  18   a,  control select means  18   b,  select determining means  18   c  and job-processing determining means  18   d.    
   The connection portions  19  correspond to the EX-I/F  19  (FIG.  2 ), and more specifically constructed with connections slots (connectors) mounted on the electronic circuit board. When a plural number of control units, typically designated by reference numerals  40   a,    40   b,    40   c,  are inserted into the connection portions  19 , the connection portions electrically and functionally connect those control units to the main controller  18 . 
   The control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  (generally designated by numeral  40  frequently) to be connected to the connection portions  19  are provided for controlling the operations of exercising the functions (copy, printer and facsimile functions) which are under control of the main controller  18 , respectively. Specifically, a copy control unit  40   a,  a printer control unit  40   b  and a facsimile control unit  40   c  are used in this instance. It is not essential that those control units are simultaneously connected to the connection portions  19 . Alternatively, a single control unit may be used for controlling a plural number of functions; a single or a plural number of connection portions  19  may be provided for the bus  20 . 
   Of those control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c,  the facsimile control unit  40   c  for controlling the operation of exercising the facsimile function will be typically be described. 
   The facsimile control unit  40   c,  as shown in  FIG. 3 , is connected to the EX-I/F  19  of the ESS (multifunctional processing apparatus)  10 , and is capable of controlling the operation of exercising the facsimile function in the multifunctional digital machine  1 . For this reason, the facsimile control unit  40   c  includes a PB  41  functioning like the page buffer PB  14  in the ESS  10 , a C/D-cont  42  functioning like the C/D-cont  15 , a HDD  43  functioning like the HDD  26 , a disk-cont  44  for controlling the HDD  43 , a FAX-cont  45  which includes a CPU and others and controls the related portions, and functions like the sys-cont  18 , and a bus  46  for interconnecting those functional blocks. 
   The thus arranged facsimile control unit  40   c,  when coupled into the connection portion  19 , controls the operation of exercising the facsimile function in the multifunctional digital machine  1 . The same thing is correspondingly applied to the copy control unit  40   a  and the printer control unit  40   b.    
   As already stated, the main controller  18  includes the functions of connection-function recognizing means  18   a,  control select means  18   b,  select determining means  18   c  and job-processing determining means  18   d  (FIG.  1 ). Those functions are realized through the execution of the related control programs as in the overall control in the main controller  18 . 
   The connection-function recognizing means  18   a  recognizes connection or nonconnection of any or two or more number of the control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  to the connection portions  19 ; if any of the control units is connected to the connection portion  19 , the recognizing means  18 a recognizes a type of the connected control unit (kind of the function to be controlled). 
   When the connection-function recognizing means  18   a  recognizes the connection of the control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  to the connection portions  19 , the control select means  18   b  causes the control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  or the main controller  18  to control the operations of exercising the functions of which the exercising operations can be controlled by the control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c . In other words, the control select means  18   b  selects the processor to process the control of the operations of exercising the respective functions (of copy, facsimile, printer), i.e., the control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  or the main controller  18 . The control select means  18   b  selects the processor for processing the overall control that is performed by the main controller  18 , addition to the processor for controlling the operations of exercising the respective functions. 
   The select determining means  18   c  judges on the selection of the processor that is made by the control select means  18   b , viz., which of the control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  and the main controller  18  is to be used for controlling the operations of exercising the respective functions, and sends the result of the judgement to the control select means  18   b.    
   The job-processing determining means  18   d  determines an priority order of executing those functions of which the exercising operations are controlled by the control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  or the main controller  18  in accordance with a predetermined setting. An instruction entered from the UI  25  may also be used for the determination of the priority order of the function execution. 
   Some examples of processing operations by the thus constructed multifunctional processing apparatus  10  will be described. 
   (First Processing Operation) 
   A first processing operation defined in aspects  1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  13  and  14  will first be described. 
   It is assumed that the facsimile control unit  40   c  is connected to the connection portion  19  and the facsimile unit  23  issues a request of processing a facsimile reception job, for ease of explanation. 
   When the facsimile unit  23  issues a facsimile reception job, the main controller  18  behaves such that the connection-function recognizing means  18   a  recognizes connection or nonconnection of any or two or more number of control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  are connected to the connection portions  19 . A possible way to make the recognition is to check if the connection-function recognizing means  18   a  can transfer and receive a signal to and from the control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  through the connection portions  19 . In a case where dip switches, for example, are provided on the circuit board of the multifunctional processing apparatus  10 , that recognition may be made on the basis of the setting of the dip switches. In this case, the dip switches are set in advance by a person who connects the control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  to the connection portions  19 . 
   If the recognition is that none of the control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  is connected to the connection portions  19 , the main controller  18  operates such that the requested facsimile reception job is processed through the execution of the facsimile control program  10   c.    
   Following the recognition of connection of the control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c , the select determining means  18   c  recognizes a kind of the requested job and a kind of the control unit or units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  connected, viz., a kind of the function or functions of the connected control unit or units  40   a,    40   b,    40 . The above-mentioned recognition method is available for those recognition. 
   In this instance, it is assumed that the facsimile control unit  40   c  is connected to the connection portion  19 . Therefore, the connection-function recognizing means  18   a  recognizes the connection of the facsimile control unit  40   c , and a kind of it. 
   When the connection-function recognizing means  18   a  recognizes the connection of the facsimile control unit  40   c , the control select means  18   b  causes the facsimile control unit  40   c , not the main controller  18 , to control the operation of exercising the facsimile function. Specifically, the control select means  18   b  transfers the facsimile reception job requested to be processed and the image data associated with the job to the facsimile control unit  40   c , and causes the unit  40   c  to process the job and the image data. 
   In this case, judgement as to whether or not the control select means  18   b  permits the facsimile control unit  40   c  to process the facsimile reception job may be made in response to an instruction from the select determining means  18   c . In this case, the select determining means  18   c  chooses one between the main controller  18  and the facsimile control unit  40   c  to process the facsimile reception job on the basis of a connection status of the facsimile control unit  40   c  to the connection portions  19  and a processing status in the facsimile control unit  40   c . In case where the facsimile control unit  40   c  is connected to the connection portion  19 , if the facsimile control unit  40   c  is processing another job, the select determining means  18   c  chooses the main controller  18  to process the facsimile reception job. A connection status of and a processing status in the facsimile control unit  40   c  may be judged as in the recognition in the connection-function recognizing means  18   a.    
   The processing ability of the facsimile control unit  40   c  defined by, for example, an operation frequency of the FAX-cont  45  and a memory capacity of the HDD  43 , may also be used for determining the requested-job destined processor, the main controller  18  or the facsimile control unit  40   c , in addition to the connection status of and the processing status in the facsimile control unit  40   c . In this case, the destined processor having the higher processing ability is chosen to process the requested job. 
   If a function to choose the destined processor, i.e., the main controller  18  or the facsimile control unit  40   c , to process the facsimile reception job is provided in the UI  25  of the multifunctional digital machine  1 , the select determining means  18   c  may choose the suitable destined processor in accordance with the choice set by the UI  25 . 
   In the multifunctional processing apparatus  10  based on the first processing operation thus far described, if the control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  are connected to the connection portions  19 , the main controller  18  or the control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  is chosen for controlling the operations of exercising the functions that can be controlled by the control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c . Therefore, even if the functions different from each other or the controls for the same function are competitive, if the control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  are connected to the connection portions  19 , the main controller  18  and the control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  can process the functions concurrently. In other words, there is no need of time-divisional processing of the functions by the main controller  18 , and the control processing is quickened. 
   Additionally, in the multifunctional processing apparatus  10 , even if the control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  are not connected to the connection portions  19 , the main controller  18  can control the operations of exercising the respective functions. Therefore, there is no need of providing the control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  in advance. In other words, the multifunctional processing apparatus  10  may be adopted for the multifunctional digital machine  1  without complexity of the apparatus arrangement. This results in providing an inexpensive multifunctional digital machine  1 . 
   If the control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  of the multifunctional processing apparatus  10  are provided as optional products, the multifunctional digital machine  1  may be supplied as inexpensive products to the market. In a case where the quick control processing is required, all the user has to do is to connect those optional products, i.e., the control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c , to the portions to thereby extend the function. Therefore, it is easy to make the function extension and the performance improvement of the multifunctional digital machine  1 . If the processing ability (defined by e.g., operation frequency and memory capacity) of each control unit  40   a,    40   b,    40   c , is higher than that of the main controller  18 , connection of the control unit further increases the control processing speed. 
   In the multifunctional processing apparatus  10  based on the first processing operation, the main controller  18  or the facsimile control unit  40   c  is chosen to control the operations of exercising the respective functions on the basis of a connection status of the facsimile control unit  40   c  to the connection portions  19  and a processing status in the facsimile control unit  40   c . Therefore, the main controller  18  and the facsimile control unit  40   c  may control the operations of exercising the respective functions in a sharing manner, if necessary. In this respect, the overall operation control by the multifunctional digital machine  1  is considerably efficient. 
   The case where the facsimile control unit  40   c  processes the facsimile reception job was used in the description of the first processing operation. The same thing is correspondingly applied to the copy control unit  40   a  and the printer control unit  40   b.    
   (Second Processing Operation) 
   A second processing operation by the multifunctional processing apparatus  10  will be described. The second processing operation is defined in aspects  4  and  5 . 
   The second processing operation allows each control unit  40  to selectively be used for the overall control as well as the operation controls of the respective functions. More specifically, the control select means  18   b  selects the destined processor, i.e., the main controller  18  or the control unit  40 , to control not only the operations of exercising the respective functions but also the overall control that the main controller  18  performs. 
   when the facsimile unit  23  issues a request of processing the facsimile reception job, the connection-function recognizing means  18   a  recognizes connection or nonconnection of the control unit  40  ( 40   a,    40   b,    40   c ) to the connection portion  19 . If it recognizes the connection of the control unit, the control select means  18   b  transfers the facsimile reception job requested to be processed and image data associated with the job to their related control unit  40 , and the subsequent processing of the facsimile reception job is performed by the destined control unit  40 . 
   It is assumed that the control select means  18   b  transfers the job and the image data to the control unit  40  only when connection of a specific control unit or units are made. The specific control unit may be connected to the connection portion  19  or designated by use of dip switches. In this case, the control unit  40  of which the processing ability is higher than that of the main controller  18  is preferably used as the specific control unit. This reason for this will be described later. 
   In the description to be given hereunder, the copy control unit  40   a  is the specific control unit. 
   The copy control unit  40   a,  or the destined processor, receives a facsimile reception job from the main controller  18 , and performs the overall control necessary for realizing the operation of exercising the facsimile function as in the first processing operation. Specifically, the copy control unit  40   a  recognizes the control unit  40  connected to the connection portion  19  of the multifunctional processing apparatus  10 ; determines the processor to which the facsimile reception job is destined for its processing, i.e., the main controller  18  or the facsimile control unit  40   c ; and causes the determined, destined processor to process the facsimile reception job. 
   It is assumed here that the copy control unit  40   a  as the job destined processor has the functions equivalent to those of the main controller  18 , for example, the functions of the connection-function recognizing means  18   a , the control select means  18   b  and the select determining means  18   c , when it receives the facsimile reception job. Alternatively, the copy control unit  40   a  may acquire those functions by down-loading the related programs from the main controller  18  through the connection portion  19 . 
   In the multifunctional processing apparatus  10  based on the second processing operation, the overall control as well as the operation controls of the respective functions maybe destined, for their processing, to the control unit  40 , if it is connected to the connection portion  19 . Therefore, the overall control may be processed by the main controller  18  and the control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  in a parallel manner. Then, the multifunctional processing apparatus  10  may accept requests of processing a plural number of jobs, so that the control processing speed is increased. 
   The multifunctional processing apparatus  10  based on the second processing operation enables the specific control unit  40 , if it is connected to the connection portion  19 , to carry out the processing for the overall control. Therefore, if the control unit  40  having a higher processing ability than the main controller  18  is set in advance as the specific control unit, the overall control is processed at higher speed than that of the main controller  18 . Thus, the processing speed of the multifunctional digital machine  1  may be increased by merely connecting the control unit  40  to the connection portion  19 . 
   (Third Processing Operation) 
   A third processing operation by the multifunctional processing apparatus  10  will be described. The third processing operation is defined in aspects  6 ,  7  and  8 . 
   In the description to follow, it is assumed that a plural number of connection portions  19  are provided, and that the copy control unit  40   a,  the printer control unit  40   b  and the facsimile control unit  40   c  are connected to the connection portions  19 . 
   The copy control unit  40   a,  the printer control unit  40   b  and the facsimile control unit  40   c  are connected to the multifunctional processing apparatus  10  based on the present processing operation. Therefore, if the jobs to use the copy function, printer function and the facsimile function are competitive, the copy control unit  40   a,  the printer control unit  40   b  and the facsimile control unit  40   c , or the main controller  18  may control the operations of exercising those functions in a parallel manner as in the first or second processing operation. 
   The IOT  24  for outputting the image data as the result of processing of each job is a common resource to those control units  40   a,    40   b  and  40   c . When the requests of outputting the image data to the IOT  24  are competitive, the image data must be sequentially output in the IOT  24  although the control units  40   a,    40   b  and  40   c  and the main controller  18  control the operations of exercising those functions in a parallel manner. The same thing is true for other common resources. 
   Those jobs are not uniform in the immediacies of initiating the processing of them. The facsimile job and the copy job need to be processed immediately, but the print job is allowed to have some delay in initiating its processing. 
   To cope with this non-uniformity of the immediacies, the main controller  18  includes the job-processing determining means  18   d ; when a plural number of requests to use the common resource concurrently appear, the job-processing determining means  18   d  arbitrates among those requests. When the destined processor is selected for processing the overall control as referred to in the description of the second processing operation, the control unit  40 , not the main controller  18 , arbitrates among those requests. 
   The arbitration by the job-processing determining means  18   d  will be described in detail. 
   In a situation where the main controller  18  engages in the overall control of the multifunctional digital machine  1 , and the copy control unit  40   a  and the printer control unit  40   b  concurrently issue the requests of using the IOT  24 , the control select means  18   b  in the main controller  18  arbitrates between those requests in accordance with a priority order determined in advance. For the priority order, facsimile reception, copy, facsimile transmission and printer are ranked in this order in a descending manner; the highest priority is assigned to the facsimile reception and the lowest priority, to the print. Therefore, in the above situation, the job-processing determining means  18   d  permits the copy control unit  40   a  to first use the IOT  24 . 
   The priority order is set in advance by use of a memory or dip switches, both not shown. If necessary, the function to set the priority order may be incorporated into the UI  25 . In this case, the user may set the priority order by use of the UI  25 . 
   The job-processing determining means  18   d  arbitrates among the functions that are equal to one another, while it arbitrates among the different functions in the above instance. In an example where a plural number of the same kinds of control units are coupled to the connection portions  19 , the job-processing determining means  18   d  arbitrates among the requests issued by those control units in a preset priority order. In this case, the priority order may be determined depending on the positions of the connection portions  19 . 
   The multifunctional processing apparatus  10  based on the third processing operation can handle a plural number of functions by coupling the control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  into the connection portions  19 , thereby enhancing its multifunctional performance. 
   Further, the multifunctional processing apparatus  10  has an arbitrating function: when the control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  concurrently issue requests to use the common resource within the multifunctional digital machine  1 , the job-processing determining means  18   d  arbitrates among those requests to permit the job of the highest immediacy to use the common resource at the highest priority. The multifunctional processing apparatus  10  provides the multifunctional digital machine  1 , when it is incorporated thereinto, which satisfies the requirements in handling the machine or is easy to handle. 
   Further, the multifunctional processing apparatus  10  allows the user to set the priority order through the UI  25 , and accepts the individual requests by the users. In this respect, the multifunctional digital machine  1  incorporating the multifunctional processing apparatus  10  thereinto is versatile in use. 
   (Another Embodiment) 
   An additional multifunctional processing apparatus which is another embodiment of the present invention will be described. This multifunctional processing apparatus is defined in aspects  9  and  10 . 
   In the description of the above-mentioned embodiment, in particular the third processing operation, the multifunctional processing apparatus  10  is provided with the plural number of connection portions  19 , and the control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  are coupled into these connection portions (FIG.  4 A). 
   In the present embodiment, a plural number of control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  are cascade connected to a single connection portion  19 , as shown in FIG.  4 B. 
   Here, the cascade connection is a series connection containing two or more stages arranged in a series manner in which the output of one stage is connected to the input of the succeeding stage, and so on. Therefore, to connect the control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  in a cascade fashion, as shown, the output of the copy control unit  40   a  is connected to the input of the printer control unit  40   b,  and the output of the printer control unit  40   b  is connected to the input of the facsimile control unit  40   c.    
   In this sense, the control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  are provided with the connection portions  19 , respectively. 
   The first to third processing operations in the multifunctional processing apparatus  10  of the above-mentioned or first embodiment are valid in the multifunctional processing apparatus  10  cascaded coupled with the control units which is the present or second embodiment. 
   In the multifunctional processing apparatus  10 , the job-processing determining means  18   d  in the main controller  18  determines the priority order in exercising the functions under control of the control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c , on the basis of connection positions in the cascade connection of the control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  are cascade connected to the multifunctional processing apparatus  10  in such a manner that the copy control unit  40   a  is located closest to the apparatus  10 , the facsimile control unit  40   c  is located farthest from the apparatus  10 , and the printer control unit  40   b  is located between the control units  40   a  and  40   b . The job-processing determining means  18   d  determines the priority order of the thus cascade connected control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  such that the highest priority is assigned to the copy control unit  40   a,  the medium priority, to the printer control unit  40   b,  and the lowest priority, to the facsimile control unit  40   c . Thus, the highest priority is assigned to the copy control unit  40   a  that is closest to the multifunctional processing apparatus  10 . This assignment is made to reduce the time to choose the processor to which the operation control and the overall control are destined. 
   The cascade connection of the control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  accrues to a space saving (when comparing with the case of the control units being not cascaded connected) and size reduction of the multifunctional processing apparatus  10  and the multifunctional digital machine  1  having the apparatus  10  incorporated thereinto. 
   As described above, in the multifunctional processing apparatus  10 , the job-processing determining means  18   d  uses the connection positions in the cascade connection of the control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  for determining the priority order in exercising the functions under control of the control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c.    
   Therefore, if the highest priority is assigned to the copy control unit  40   a  that is closest to the multifunctional processing apparatus  10 , it is possible to reduce the time to choose the processor to which the operation control and the overall control are destined. 
   In each of the above-mentioned embodiments, the multifunctional processing apparatus  10  contains the copy control program  10   a,  the printer control program  10   b,  and the facsimile control program  10   c.  Where the multifunctional processing apparatus includes means for causing the main controller  18  to receive programs from exterior through the connection portion  19  and to store into a memory (aspect  11 ), the control programs  10   a  to  10   c  may be fetched from exterior (e.g., control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c ) by the up-loading technique. In this case, the program for the overall control may also be up-loaded. Use of such means makes it easy to develop programs and to extend the functions. 
   In the above-mentioned embodiments, the main controller  18  and the control units  40   a,    40   b,    40   c  include CPUs one for each function block. Those function blocks may be constructed with relay circuits, sequencer units or the like, which do not include CPUs, if those blocks are able to execute the processing operations. Use of the CPUs has advantages of high processing speed and apparatus size reduction, however. 
   In each embodiment mentioned above, the IIT/IPS  22 , the IOT  24  and the like operate when it receives requests to operate them from the main controller  18 , for example; however, those may be of the type which operate under control of the main controller  18 , for example. 
   To be more specific, the IIT/IPS  22 , the IOT  24  and the like are categorized into two types. A first type of them (in the above-mentioned embodiments) contains control units with CPUs and others and the control units perform the operation controls when receiving requests to operate. A second type of them needs the aid of the control of another device to effect the operation controls. In the multifunctional processing apparatus using the second type of the IIT/IPS  22  and the like, which requires the aid of another device for their control, the main controller  18  must perform the operation controls in place of them. Also in this multifunctional processing apparatus, if the destined processor is selected for the overall control as in the second processing operation, a high speed processing control is realized. 
   An IIT control unit  40   d  for controlling the operation of the IIT/IPS  22  and an IOT control unit  40   e  for controlling the operation of the IOT  24  maybe connected to the connection portions  19  as shown in FIG.  6 . This arrangement can handle the image reading by the IIT/IPS  22  and the image outputting by the IOT  24  as by the copy function, printer function and facsimile function. Therefore, the arrangement provides considerably efficient operation controls by the IIT/IPS  22  and the IOT  24 . 
   As seen from the foregoing description, in the multifunctional processing apparatus and method of the invention, if second control means is connected to the connection means, the first and second control means control the exercising of the functions in a parallel fashion. The result is that a high speed control processing is realized. If the second control means is not connected to the connection means, the first control means is cable of controlling the exercising of the functions. Therefore, in this case, no problem arises if the second control means is not used. The result is that no complexity of the apparatus construction is created and hence the cost to manufacture is not increased. 
   Thus, if the second control means in the multifunctional processing apparatus and method are provided as optional products, the resultant multifunctional digital machine is inexpensive. If the quick control processing is required, all the user has to do is to connect those optional products, i.e., the control units, to the portions to thereby extend the function. Therefore, the user can make it easy to extend the apparatus function extension and to improve the apparatus performance.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7