United States Patent
`
`[19]
`
`[11] Patent Nmnher:
`
`5,915,106
`
`Ard
`
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`Jun. 22, 1999
`
`US005915106A
`
`54] METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR OPERATING A
`SCANNER WHICH EMULATES A DISK
`DRIVE
`
`75]
`
`Inventor; Mark Ard’ San“, Clara’ Calif.
`
`73] Assignccsz Riwh Company, Ltd” Tokyo’ Japan;
`Ricoh Corporation’ San Jose’ Calif.
`
`21] Appl’ No’; 08/821343
`22]
`pi]6dz
`Man 20’ 1997
`51]
`Int. Cl.5 ............................. G06F 13/10; G06F 13/12
`52]
`U_S_ CL ppppppppppppppppppppppppp u 395/500; 395/308; 395/309
`58] Field of Search """"""""""""""""""“ 395/5gg’5/33052’
`’
`
`$6]
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`/1996 Murata .................................. .. 358/442
`
`5,508,821
`
`Primary Examiner—Kevin J. Teska
`Assistant 1:7xamirter—Hugl1 Jones
`Attamey, Agent, or Firm—Oblon, Spivak, McClelland,
`Maier & Neustadt, P.C.
`
`[57]
`
`ABSTRACT
`,
`,
`,
`,
`,
`,
`A scanner is provided with a disk drive emulator and is
`attached to a general purpose computer via a SCSI bus. The
`disk drive emulator provides signals such that the general
`purpose computer identifies the scanner as a disk drive.
`Applications running on the generalpuipose computer direct
`operation of the scanner via standard operating system disk
`drive commands. To facilitate the transfer of commands to
`the scanner, a scanner parameters setup program, also
`known as an Application Program Interface (API), is pro-
`vided that is resident on the scanner and accessible to the
`general purpose computer via the disk drive emulator. When
`executed, the scanner parameters setup program provides a
`graphically oriented menu allowing a user to enter param-
`eters such as resolution, brightness, contrast, etc. Once
`entered, tho Parameters are saved to the scanner via a File
`Save command. An application running on the general
`purpose computer then operates the scaimer in accordance
`with the parameters thus saved by performing a File Open
`command on a file visible to the general purpose computer
`via the disk drive emulator and corresponding to the saved
`parameters. Image data resulting from operation of the
`scanner is transferred from the scanner via the disk drive
`emulator to the general purpose computer as if a file is being
`opened. Alternatively,
`the scanner is operated upon the
`saving of the parameters to the scanner, and image data
`resulting therefrom is saved as a file to a storage device
`accessible to the general purpose computer.
`
`22 Claims, 10 Drawing Sheets
`
`USER EXECUTES SCANNER PARAMETERS
`SETUP PROGRAM.
`
`51
`
`/— 63
`
`USER ENTERS PARAMETERS
`
`(RESOLUTION, BRIGHTNESS. CONTRASI, ETC].
`
`67
`
`Apple 1046
`
`U.S. Pat. 9,189,437
`
`
`
`
`SETUP PROGRAM WRI ES PARAMETERS TO
`SCANNER VIA FILE SAVE COMMAND.
`
`
`USER PERFORMS AN APPLICATION FILE
`OPEN
`OMNAND.
`
`
`SCANNER FIRMWARE OPERATES SCANNER
`BASED ON PARAMETERS CORRESPONDING TO
`THE FILE OPEN COMMAND, AND IMAGE
`DATA IS IRANSEERRED TO THE APPLICATION.
`
`
`
`
`
`EINISII
`
`Apple 1046
`U.S. Pat. 9,189,437
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 22, 1999
`
`Sheet 1 of 10
`
`5,915,106
`
`FIG. 7
`
`PRIOR ART
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 22, 1999
`
`Sheet 2 of 10
`
`601,519,5
`
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`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 22, 1999
`
`Sheet 3 of 10
`
`5,915,106
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 22, 1999
`
`Sheet 4 of 10
`
`5,915,106
`
`RICOH SCANNER CONTROL MENU
`
`PIXEL DEPTH
`
`8 BIT CRAY
`
`RESOLUTION
`
`200 PER INCH
`
`PAGE SIZE
`
`BRIGHTNESS
`
`FILE NAME
`
`EILE TYPE
`
`FIG’. 4
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 22, 1999
`
`Sheet 5 of 10
`
`5,915,106
`
`azzsm
`
`3%
`
`gzzsmoz_E§$5is
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`5%gem
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`II
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`
`%.mm
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`23%
`
`5%gem
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`EOE:
`
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 22, 1999
`
`Sheet 6 of 10
`
`5,915,106
`
`USER EXECUTES SCANNER PARAMETERS
`SETUP PROGRAM.
`
`61
`
`
`
`USER ENTERS PARAMETERS
`(RESOLUTION, BRIGHTNESS, CONTRAST, ETC).
`
`SETUP PROGRAM wRNES PARAMETERS T0
`SCANNER VIA FILE SAVE COMMAND.
`
`5;
`
`55
`
`USER PERFORMS AN APPLICATION FILE
`OPEN COMMAND.
`
`67
`
`SCANNER FIRMWARE OPERATES SCANNER
`BASED ON PARAMETERS CORRESPONDING TO
`
`59
`
`THE FILE OPEN COMMAND, AND IMAGE
`DATA IS TRANSEERRED TO THE APPLICATION.
`
`FIG’. 6‘
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 22, 1999
`
`Sheet 7 of 10
`
`5,915,106
`
`gzzsm
`
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`E>_%
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`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 22, 1999
`
`Sheet 8 of 10
`
`5,915,106
`
`USER EXEGUTES SCANNER PARAMETERS
`SETUP PROGRAM.
`
`W
`
`MSER ENTERS PARAMETERS
`(RESOLUTION, BRIGHTNESS, CONTRAST, ETC).
`
`ACCORDANCE WITH PARAMETERS.
`
`SETUP PROGRAM MRTTES PARAMETERS To
`SCANNER, AND SCANNER oPERATES IN
`
`T03
`
`I05
`
`IMAGE DATA DIRECTED TO A FILE.
`
`107
`
`APPLICATION READS IMAGE DATA BY
`OPENING FILE ON STORAGE DEVICE.
`
`109
`
`FINISH
`
`FIG’. 6’
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 22, 1999
`
`Sheet 9 of 10
`
`5,915,106
`
`START
`
`USER SELECTS AQUIRE EROM AN
`APPLICATION.
`
`m
`
`DLL LINK BOOTS UP SCANNER PARAMETERS
`SETUP PROGRAM.
`
`
`
`H3
`
`USER FILLS OUT PARAMETERS.
`
`H5
`
`SETUP PROORAM WRITES PARAMETERS TO
`THE SCANNER, AND THE SCANNER IS
`OPERATED ACCORDINGLY.
`
`APPLICATION.
`
`IMAOE DATA RESULTING FROM SCANNER
`OPERATION IS TRANSFERRED TO THE
`
`117
`
`N9
`
`FIG’. .9
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 22, 1999
`
`Sheet 10 of 10
`
`5,915,106
`
` NUACH SCANNER TO SC3 BUS.
`
`TURN SCANNER POWER ON.
`
`
`
`
`
` 57
`
`TURN COMPUTER POWER ON.
`
`
`
`
`
`HNBH
`
`_1‘71’(§3. 7'45?
`
`

`
`5,915,106
`
`1
`METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR OPERATING A
`SCANNER WHICH EMULATES A DISK
`DRIVE
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`This invention relates to an interface structure for periph-
`eral devices such that those devices may be attached to any
`one of various computer systems without a specifically
`developed driver. The invention is more particularly related
`to an apparatus and interface structure which allows a
`computer to control a peripheral device connected to that
`computer by a Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) bus
`via standard operating system disk drive commands without
`utilizing a specifically developed device driver. The inven-
`tion is still further related to a scanning apparatus that can be
`connected between one of multiple computer and operating
`systems and which can be controlled either independently or
`from within a graphics application running on a host com-
`puter without a device driver installed on the host computer
`for the scanning apparatus.
`
`DISCUSSION OF THE BACKGROUND
`
`With the increasing use of computer peripheral devices in
`both the home and office environments, computer users and
`system maintainers are increasingly confronted with the
`tasks of installing new and upgraded peripherals and related
`software packages. Typically, because peripherals are not
`standardized as to an interface protocol between the periph-
`eral and a host computer, one of the related software
`packages that must be installed with a new peripheral device
`is a device driver.
`
`The device driver places communications between an
`application and peripheral device in the proper format
`required by the peripheral device. Thus, an application
`wishing to access a peripheral device makes an access
`request to the appropriate device driver which then formats
`communications as required by the peripheral device allow-
`ing communication between the peripheral device and the
`application. Device drivers are often referred to as software
`or peripheral drivers and are commonly included when
`peripheral devices are purchased. Device drivers for periph-
`eral devices are normally available free of charge from
`peripheral device manufacturers and can often be down-
`loaded off the Internet.
`
`While the installation of device drivers for a specific
`peripheral device is not a particularly difficult problem, it is
`complicated by a multitude of available peripheral devices,
`several available computer platforms and related operating
`systems, and multiple versions of each of the above.
`Because of the plurality of peripherals, platforms, systems
`and versions thereof, problems are often encountered when
`installing a new peripheral device which revolve around
`installation of the appropriate driver specific to the device
`and system on which the peripheral is being installed. These
`problems are typically manifested in desperate calls to help
`lines and desks of peripheral manufacturers and computer
`retailers where new and upgraded device drivers are distrib-
`uted.
`
`In addition to the installation of new peripheral devices,
`vintage peripheral devices of anywhere from one month to
`several years of age are often transferred from one computer
`to another. The same problems of obtaining proper device
`drivers to allow a host computer to communicate with the
`peripheral device are manifested again, but in this case to a
`
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`greater extent because of the potential that the device is no
`longer supported. Even if the appropriate device driver is
`available, the task of tracking that driver down may exceed
`the value of the peripheral.
`Furthermore, there are costs associated with the develop-
`ment of device drivers and assuring that the device drivers
`are included in software packages developed and offered for
`sale in the retail marketplace. As with the development of
`any software package, the development of a device driver
`requires hiring of engineers with appropriate experience.
`Once developed, drivers must undergo rigorous testing. If a
`released device driver does not properly operate a peripheral
`device, the peripheral device can effectively be rendered
`inoperative, thereby resulting in cost far beyond those asso-
`ciated with development of the device driver itself.
`Regarding the assurance that device drivers are included
`in software packages on the retail market, developers of
`software packages typically rely on a toolkit developer to
`maintain a library of drivers for multiple peripheral devices.
`The software package developer purchases a toolkit which is
`then linked into the developed software package, thus allow-
`ing the developed software package to access any peripheral
`device supported in that toolkit.
`Like the development of software drivers, toolkits are not
`free. Increased cost results from the fact that toolkit manu-
`
`facturers require peripheral developers to pay a fee in order
`to have their peripheral device driver included in the next
`toolkit release. In addition, developers of software packages
`must also pay the toolkit developers a royalty for each model
`peripheral device they wish to have included in the library
`they purchase.
`Because device drivers are utilized to format communi-
`
`cations between a computer and a peripheral device, prob-
`lems and added expense occur. The problems relate mainly
`to the location and installation of new and upgraded device
`drivers, and the added expense relates mainly to the same
`plus development and distribution costs of the device driv-
`ers.
`
`The present inventor has realized that the conventional
`solution of providing a software driver for formatting com-
`munications between an application executing on a host
`computer and a peripheral device attached thereto has draw-
`backs which are potentially either inconvenient, an added
`expense, or prohibitive to potential users of that peripheral
`device.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a
`disk drive emulator attached to a peripheral device such that
`the peripheral may be operated from a host computer as a
`disk drive without the need of a device driver.
`
`It is another object of the invention to provide a setup
`program resident on a peripheral device and executable by
`a host computer allowing a user to enter operational param-
`eters and commands to direct operation of the peripheral
`device.
`
`These and other objects are accomplished by a disk drive
`emulator attached to or included in a peripheral device.
`Because the peripheral device has an attached disk drive
`emulator,
`the host computer interacts with the peripheral
`device as if it is a disk drive. Because a disk drive is a
`
`standard device, all operating systems are able to perform
`basic disk drive functions such as opening and saving a file.
`The disk drive emulator translates Open File and Save File
`commands received from the host computer and interprets
`those commands as functions to be performed by the periph-
`eral device.
`
`

`
`5,915,106
`
`3
`The disk drive emulator maintains a setup program which
`constitutes an Application Program Interface (API) enabling
`communications between a user and the peripheral device.
`The setup program is accessible by the host computer, and
`upon execution, a menu is provided in which the user may
`select various operational parameters and commands to
`direct operations of the peripheral device. The setup pro-
`gram then saves these operational parameters and com-
`mands to the disk drive emulator using a Save File com-
`mand. When the appropriate command is received via the
`disk drive emulator,
`the peripheral device is operated in
`accordance with that command and the parameters saved by
`the setup program.
`In one embodiment,
`the interface
`between the host computer and disk drive emulator is a SCSI
`interface, and the peripheral device is an optical scanner.
`The operational parameters and commands entered at the
`menu of the setup program and saved to the disk drive
`emulator are stored in a memory and are visible as a file to
`the operating system of the host computer. When an appli-
`cation running on the host computer performs a File open
`command on a file corresponding to saved operational
`parameters, the disk drive emulator directs operation of the
`optical scanner based upon the stored operational parameters
`and transfers data resulting from operation of the scanner to
`the application as if a file is being opened.
`Alternatively, when the operational parameters and com-
`mands are saved via a File Save command to the disk drive
`
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`the optical scanner is operated in accordance
`emulator,
`thereof and data resulting from operation of the scanner is
`transferred to a file.
`
`30
`
`The operational parameters and commands entered or
`selectable by the user include Pixel Depth, Resolution,
`Brightness, Contrast, Gamma, Filter, Page Size, File Name,
`File Type, Feeder, and Flatbed parameters, and Scan, Open
`File, Save File, and Cancel commands.
`An application program having an Aquire command for
`retrieving image data from a scanner is provided with a DLL
`link to the setup program. The DLL link operates such that
`when the Aquire command is invoked the application calls
`the setup program. When the user completes entering opera-
`tional parameters and commands, they are written to the disk
`driver emulator utilizing a File Save command. The disk
`drive emulator then operates the optical scanner in accor-
`dance with the operational parameters and commands, and
`image data resulting from that operation is transferred from
`the scanner to a current window of the application program.
`To accommodate multiple computer platforms, multiple
`setup programs are provided, each setup program corre-
`sponding to a specific computer platform. An external
`switch is provided having multiple positions, each position
`identifying a type of computer platform and corresponding
`to one of the multiple setup programs. The disk drive
`emulator only allows a setup program corresponding to a
`computer platform identified by the external switch to be
`visible to the host computer.
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`A more complete appreciation of the invention and many
`of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained
`as the same becomes better understood by reference to the
`following detailed description when considered in connec-
`tion with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
`FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional computer workstation
`connected to an image scanner;
`FIG. 2 illustrates communications between an application
`executing on a computer workstation and a scanner;
`
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`4
`FIG. 3 illustrates a scanner connected to a SCSI bus of a
`
`general purpose computer and the software components of
`the general purpose computer used to operate the attached
`scanner constructed in accordance with the present inven-
`tion;
`FIG. 4 illustrates a graphical scanner control menu in
`accordance with the present invention;
`FIG. 5 illustrates a scanner peripheral device according to
`the present invention;
`FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the operation of an embodiment
`of the present invention;
`FIG. 7 illustrates a scanner peripheral device according to
`the present invention including a disk drive attached to a
`SCSI bus;
`FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the process of operating a scanner
`peripheral device and saving image data to a file in accor-
`dance with the present invention;
`FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the process of operating an
`attached peripheral scanner in accordance with an alterna-
`tive embodiment of the present invention including a DLL
`link within a software application; and
`FIG. 10 is a flowchart of the process of connecting a
`scanner peripheral device to a host computer in accordance
`with the present invention.
`DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENTS
`
`Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference
`numerals designate identical or corresponding parts
`throughout the several views, and more particularly to FIG.
`1 thereof, there is illustrated a conventional computer work-
`station 1 connected to a scanner 5 using a connecting cable
`3. As a peripheral device, the scanner 5 would likely be set
`up as shown in FIG. 2 with a graphics application 9, a
`peripheral driver 19, an interface card device driver 25, and
`an operating system 7, all hosted on computer workstation
`1.
`
`Graphics application 9 is any software application that
`would access scanner 5 to retrieve data or is capable of
`manipulating graphics data, such as Adobe Photoshop or
`Corel Draw, for example. Peripheral driver 19 is a software
`application that formats communications between the graph-
`ics application 9 and scanner 5. The interface card device
`driver 25 is a software application that formats communi-
`cations as required for transfer across the connecting cable
`3 to the scanner 5, similar to the operation of a SCSI driver
`in relation to a SCSI card. Operating system 7 is a software
`application that provides a user interface for invocation and
`a platform for operation of other software applications.
`The computer workstation 1 is also shown having an
`interface card 27 which receives communications from
`
`computer workstation 1, placing the communications on the
`connecting cable 3 as required for delivery to the scanner 5.
`The interface card 27 is attached to a computer bus 15
`thereby resulting in the connection of the computer work-
`station 1 to the scanner 5. The configuration of FIG. 2 allows
`the graphics application 9 to control
`the scanner 5 by
`communicating with the peripheral driver 19 which properly
`formats the scanner commands from the graphics applica-
`tion 9 and provides the properly formatted commands to the
`interface card device driver 25 which then packages those
`commands in a format for transportation to the interface card
`27 and across the connecting cable 3 to the scanner 5.
`A problem that exists in the prior art thus described is
`embodied in the peripheral driver 19 which must provide
`
`

`
`5,915,106
`
`5
`commands in proper format for the scanner 5 and is there-
`fore a specifically developed software application com-
`monly referred to as a device driver. The peripheral driver 19
`will almost assuredly need to be changed with any changes
`or upgrades to the scanner, computer, or operating system.
`For instance, peripheral driver 19 will need to be changed
`any time the scanner 5 is replaced with a different or newer
`version scanner (not shown), such as a new model or a
`model from a different manufacturer, or if the operating
`system 7 is upgraded, such as from DOS to Windows or
`Windows 3.1 to Windows 95, or if the computer workstation
`1 is changed, such as from an Intel based X86 processor to
`a Macintosh. Also, movement of the scanner 5 to another
`computer workstation (not shown), even though perhaps
`similar to the computer workstation 1, may require finding
`a peripheral driver matching the platform and operating
`system in accordance with that similar computer worksta-
`tion.
`
`In order to solve the problem in the prior art relating to
`locating and installing an appropriate driver for a peripheral
`device, such as a scanner, FIG. 3 illustrates a disk drive
`emulating scanner 6 attached to a general purpose computer
`2 wherein the operating system 7 is hosted and the graphics
`application 9 and a scanner parameters setup program 11 are
`executed. Both the scanner parameters setup program 11 and
`the graphics application 9 communicate with the disk drive
`emulating scanner 6 via the SCSI driver 13, the operating
`system 7, a computer system bus 15, a SCSI card 17 and a
`SCSI bus 4 using standard disk drive commands Open File
`and Save File.
`
`Both Open File and Save File commands are standardized
`commands that can be invoked by software applications
`executing in a computer environment based on any stan-
`dardized operating system. The Open File command directs
`the operating system to read a file stored on a storage device
`and provide the data contained therein to the software
`application invoking the command. The Save File command
`directs the operating system to store data from the software
`application invoking the Save File command to a file on a
`storage device.
`The scanner parameters setup program 11 is a software
`application that provides a scanner control menu 31 as
`shown in FIG. 4 on which a computer user may enter
`scanner parameters 33 and scanner commands 35 which will
`then be used in operation of the disk drive emulating scanner
`6. The scanner control menu 31 utilizes standard graphical
`pulldown menus, text boxes, slide bars, and buttons for input
`of the scanner parameters 33 and the scanner commands 35.
`The scanner parameters setup program 11 is originally
`resident within the disk drive emulating scanner 6 and is
`accessible by and executed on the general purpose computer
`2.
`
`FIG. 5 illustrates the major control and communication
`paths within the disk drive emulating scanner 6. A disk drive
`emulator 41 receives Open File or Save File commands sent
`from the general purpose computer 2 over the SCSI bus 4.
`Prior to execution, the scanner parameters setup program
`11 is stored in a setup program storage area 47A of a memory
`47 on the disk drive emulating scanner 6. When receiving an
`Open File command for the scanner parameters setup pro-
`gram 11, the disk drive emulator 41 retrieves the scanner
`parameters setup program 11 from setup program storage
`area 47A and transfers the scanner parameters setup program
`11 via the SCSI bus 4 to the general purpose computer 2 for
`execution. When receiving a Save File command for a file
`with the scanner parameters 33 and the scanner commands
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`35 entered by the user, the disk drive emulator 41 retrieves
`the scanner parameters 33 and the scanner commands 35
`contained therein. Thus, the scanner parameters setup pro-
`gram 11 constitutes an Application Program Interface (API)
`that enables communications between the user and the disk
`
`drive emulating scanner 6.
`Operation of the scanner optics 45, which includes, for
`example, a Charge Coupled Device (CCD),
`illuminating
`lamp, mirrors, a motor to move appropriate parts, etc., is
`commanded by the scanner control block 43. The scanner
`control block 43 is implemented as a programmable device
`operating based on a set of firmware instructions (not
`shown) stored in a firmware storage area 47B in the memory
`47. The firmware instructions stored in firmware storage
`area 47B are loaded into the scanner control block 43 upon
`power-up of the disk drive emulating scanner 6. The scanner
`optics 45 are operated in accordance with the firmware
`instructions and scanner parameters 33 upon transfer of
`those parameters to the scanner control block 43.
`Alternatively,
`the setup program storage area 47A is
`constructed from flash memory. Flash memory is a non-
`volatile memory that can be written to via software
`instructions, and therefore the contents of the memory (i.e.,
`the scanner parameters setup program 11, or applicable API)
`can then be upgraded via the general purpose computer 2.
`Similarly, the entire memory 47 including the setup program
`storage area 47A and the firmware storage area 47B are
`constructed from flash memory and upgradable via the
`general purpose computer 2.
`When utilizing flash memory, the disk drive emulator 41
`identifies if a file identified in a Save File command contains
`
`data or a program corresponding to a specific area of the
`memory 47. Identification is based upon a file name, or
`identifying specific file contents, for example, and is per-
`formed by identification device 30. Upon identification, the
`disk drive emulator 41 writes the contents of the file to the
`
`corresponding area of memory 47. For example, a file
`containing an upgraded version of the scanner parameters
`setup program 11 would be identified and stored in the setup
`program storage area 47A.
`In one embodiment, the disk drive emulator 41 saves the
`scanner parameters 33 to a file in the memory 47. Then, upon
`receiving a File Open command directed toward the opening
`of a file thus saved,
`the disk drive emulating scanner
`performs a scan in accordance with the saved parameters
`and transfers image data resulting therefrom to the general
`purpose computer as if the file were being opened.
`In more detail, the disk drive emulator 41 receives a File
`Open command from the SCSI bus 4 directed toward
`opening a file stored in the memory 47 containing the
`scanner parameters 33. The disk drive emulator 41 then
`retrieves the file, and transfers the scanner parameters 33
`contained therein to the scanner control block 43. The
`
`scanner control block 43 then commands operation of scan-
`ner optics 45 in accordance with the transferred parameters.
`The disk drive emulator 41 then returns image data resulting
`from the scan to the SCSI bus 4 for transfer to the general
`purpose computer 2.
`From a user standpoint, the present invention is easily
`operated. As shown in FIG. 6, operation of the present
`invention begins with step 61 wherein the user executes the
`scanner parameters setup program 11. The scanner param-
`eters setup program 11 is resident in the memory 47 in the
`setup program storage area 47A and is executed by any
`standard invocation such as a command issued at a com-
`
`mand prompt, via a File Manager (not shown), or via a link
`
`

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`7
`
`8
`
`5,915,106
`
`to an icon displayed on a Program Manager (not shown). In
`the case of command prompt invocation under the Disk
`Operating System (DOS), the invocation would appear as:
`C>d:\setup.exe,
`where C> corresponds to the command prompt,
`d:\corresponds to the disk drive emulating scanner 6 emu-
`lating logical drive d, and setup.exe corresponds to the
`scanner parameters setup program 11. When executed, the
`scanner parameters setup program 11 displays the scanner
`control menu 31.
`
`At step 63, the user enters parameters on the scanner
`control menu 31 including resolution, brightness, contrast,
`etc, as desired. At step 65, the scanner parameters setup
`program 11 writes the parameters thus entered to the disk
`drive emulating scanner 6 via a File Save command. At step
`67, the user performs a File Open command from an active
`software application to read a file corresponding to the
`scanner parameters 33 and stored on the disk drive emulat-
`ing scanner 6. At step 69, the disk drive emulator 41 operates
`the disk drive emulating scanner 6 based on the parameters
`written to disk drive emulator 41 and corresponding to the
`File Open command in step 67. Image data resulting from
`the scanning operation is transferred to the application.
`FIG. 7 illustrates another embodiment of the present
`invention including a disk drive 23 attached to the SCSI bus
`4. In this embodiment, the disk drive 23 is utilized to store
`image data generated from scan operations of the disk drive
`emulating scanner 6. When the scanner optics 45 are oper-
`ated in accordance with the scanner parameters 33, image
`data resulting from that operation is directed by the disk
`drive emulator 41 to the disk drive 23 for storage in a file.
`Once stored, the image data can be read from the disk drive
`23 like any other file stored on a disk drive. If desired, the
`disk drive 23 is housed within the disk drive emulating
`scanner 6.
`
`The embodiment including disk drive 23 could alterna-
`tively be implemented without disk drive 23 by providing
`enough storage in the memory 47 (which may be imple-
`mented using any desired semiconductor memory and/or as
`a disk drive) for saving image files.
`In this alternative
`embodiment,
`image data resulting from operation of the
`scanner optics 45 is directed by disk drive emulator 41 to the
`memory 47 where the image data is stored as a file acces-
`sible to the general purpose computer 2.
`The operation, from a user standpoint, of the embodiment
`including disk drive 23 or alternatively utilizing the memory
`47 for storage of image data, is illustrated in FIG. 8. In FIG.
`8, at step 101, a user executes the scanner parameters setup
`program 11, which brings up the scanner control menu 31.
`At step 103, the user enters the scanner parameters 33 as
`desired, and at step 105,
`the scanner parameters setup
`program 11 writes the scanner parameters 33 to the disk
`drive emulating scanner 6 which is operated in accordance
`with the written parameters.
`At step 107, image data resulting from operation of the
`disk drive emulating scanner 6 is directed to and saved as a
`file. Once saved as a file, the image data is accessible to any
`application capable of reading image data. At step 109, an
`application reads the stored image data.
`In the above steps, illustrated in FIG. 8, the image data
`directed to a file is in one embodiment directed to a file on
`
`the disk drive 23. In an alternative embodiment, the image
`data is directed to a file in the memory 47, as described
`above.
`
`In yet another embodiment, an Aquire command (not
`shown) of the graphics application 9 is provided with a DLL
`link (not shown). A DLL link is an entry in an application
`
`10
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`15
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`20
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`25
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`30
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`35
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`40
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`45
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`50
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`55
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`60
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`65
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`program’s Dynamic Link Library (DLL). A DLL link links
`the occurrence of external events (such as invocation of an
`Aquire command) to the execution of external programs
`(such as the scanner parameters setup program 11)
`to
`perform some function. The DLL link is setup to execute the
`scanner parameters setup program 11 upon invocation of the
`Aquire command. After the user enters the scanner param-
`eters 33, the disk drive emulating scanner is operated. Image
`data resulting from operation of the disk drive emulating
`scanner 6 in accordance with the scanner parameters 33 is
`transferred to a current window (not shown) in the graphics
`application 9.
`The operation of the DLL link embodiment is illustrated
`in FIG. 9. FIG. 9 begins at step 111 wherein the user invokes
`an Aquire command from the graphics application 9. The
`Aquire command initiates the startup of the scanner param-
`eters setup program 11 via the DLL link at step 113. As in
`the embodiments described above, a user fills out the scan-
`ner parameters 33, as desired, at step 115. At step 117, the
`scanner parameters 33 are written to disk drive emulating
`scanner 6 which is operated in accordance with the scanner
`parameters 33. And finally, at step 119, image data resulting
`from the above scan is transferred to the graphics application
`9.
`
`In another embodiment, the disk drive emulating scanner
`6 supports multiple operating systems and is provided with
`an O/S switch 29 to indicate the operating system 7 hosted
`on the general purpose computer 2 (See FIG. 5). The O/S
`switch 29 is constructed to have multiple positions, one
`position for each operating system supported. As one
`example, a four position switch is provided, one position for
`each of Operating System 2 (OS/2), Disk Operating System
`(DOS), Windows 3.1, and Windows 95 operating systems.
`The disk drive emulating scanner 6 further provides
`storage in the memory 47 in the setup program storage area
`47A for multiple versions of the scanner parameters setup
`program 11, one version corresponding to each operating
`system supported.
`The O/S switch 29 is connected to and provides an input
`to the disk drive emulator 41. In this embodiment, the disk
`drive emulator 41 allows only one of the multiple versions
`of the scanner parameters setup program 11 to be accessible
`to the operating system 7 and the general purpose computer
`2. The version of the scanner parameters setup program 11
`thus accessible is the version corresponding to the position
`of the O/S switch 29. Thus, a user utilizes O/S switch 29 to
`identify the operating system hosted on the general purpose
`computer 2, and the disk drive emulating scanner 6 is
`operable without further modification on any numb