Patent ID: 8339620

Claim:
An image processing apparatus comprising: a plurality of input units each configured to perform input processing including receiving input of image information; a receiving unit that receives a plurality of operation requests that indicate how the image information is to be processed; a plurality of output units configured to perform output processing including outputting processed image information; a request interpretation unit that interprets the operation requests and, for at least one operation request of the plurality operation requests, determines a combination of (a) at least one first input unit among the plurality of input units and (b) first and second output units among the plurality of output units corresponding to the operation requests; a storing unit that stores timing rules indicating first and second specific timings at which the first and second output units, respectively, initiate output in connection with the received image information, relative to a time when the first input unit begins input processing of the received image information, in connection with the one operation request; and an input/output-processing request unit that (A) determines, based on the transmission-timing rules, whether each of the first and second output units is to initiate outputting the image information (i) immediately after the first input unit begins input processing of the image information and before the first input unit has completed the input processing, or (ii) only after the first input unit has completed input processing of the image information, and (B) requests the first input unit to begin input processing of the received image information, and requests the first and second output units to output the processed image information in accordance with the determination in (A), in connection with the one operation request.