Patent ID: 7468818

Claim:
An apparatus for processing images previously-formed on first and second opposite sides of a document, comprising: an image reader having a reading position and reading the images on the document at the reading position as the document and the reading position move relative to each other per each scan; document transport elements transporting the document such that the first side is moved facing the reading position, and, after the image reader reads the first side, transporting again the document such that the second side is moved facing the reading position; and a timing controller controlling at least one of a start-of-reading timing of the first side during a preceding reading-stage by the image reader and a start-of-reading timing of the second side during a subsequent reading-stage by the image reader, such that a relationship between the start-of-reading timing of the first side and the start-of-reading timing of the second side varies, depending on whether or not an extension direction of a binding edge along which the document is to be bound is parallel to a document orientation in which a length of the document is oriented with respect to a transport direction of the document being transported by the document transport elements.