Patent ID: 8643889

Claim:
An image reader comprising: a first image reading unit configured to read an image on a first side of a document sheet being conveyed on a feeding path and output first read data corresponding to the read image of the first side, sequentially on a line-by-line basis; a second image reading unit disposed upstream relative to the first image reading unit on the feeding path, the second image reading unit being configured to read an image on a second side of the document sheet being conveyed on the feeding path and output second read data corresponding to the read image of the second side, sequentially on a line-by-line basis; a storage unit configured to store the first read data output from the first image reading unit and the second read data output from the second image reading unit; a connection unit configured to connect the image reader with an external device therethrough; an output mode setting unit configured to set one of a plurality of output modes that include a PC-scan mode to transmit the first read data and the second read data to the external device via the connection unit; an image output unit configured to output the first read data and the second read data stored on the storage unit, in the output mode set by the output mode setting unit; and a controller configured to implement one of a first control method and a second control method, wherein in the first control method, when the output mode setting unit sets the PC-scan mode, the controller controls: the image output unit to output the second read data sequentially at each time when the storage unit stores the second read data that is output from the second image reading unit on the line-by-line basis; the storage device to store the first read data during a time period from a time when a leading end of the document sheet reaches a reading position of the first image reading unit to a time when a trailing end of the document sheet passes through a reading position of the second image reading unit; and the image output unit to sequentially output the first read data stored on the storage unit, after completely outputting the second read data, and wherein in the second control method, when the output mode setting unit sets an output mode other than the PC-scan mode, the controller controls: the image output unit to output the first read data sequentially at each time when the storage unit stores the first read data that is output from the first image reading unit on the line-by-line basis; the storage device to store one page of the second read data; and the image output unit to sequentially output the second read data stored on the storage unit, after completely outputting the first read data.