United States Patent
`
`1191
`
`[11] Patent Number:
`
`5,508,821
`
`Murata
`
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`Apr. 16,1996
`
`Illlllllllllll|||||||||||l|||l||||l|||||||||||||||ll||||l||||l|||||||||||||
`US00550882lA
`
`........................ 395/500
`1/1990 Wayama et al.
`9/1990 Balch . ... .......... ..
`..... 395/500
`12/1990 Clarey et al.
`.
`364/500
`2/1992 Binkley et al.
`395/500
`7/1992 Cole ... ............. ..
`..... 395/500
`10/1992 Greanias et al. ........................ 345/156
`
`
`
`4.896.262
`4,958,315
`4,975,829
`5,088,033
`5,131,089
`5,157,384
`
`OTHER PUBLICKTIONS
`
`Operating Systems: Design and Implementation, Andrew S.
`Tanenbaum, 1987, pp. 299-308.
`
`Primary Examiner—Scott A. Rogers
`Attorney, Agent, or F1'rm—Ratner & Prestia
`
`[57]
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`An image scanner is occasionally used with an external host
`computer and includes an optical system and a CCD image
`sensor for reading an image of a document placed on a
`document platform. The image scanner funher includes a
`small computer system interface (SCSI) for connecting the
`image scanner to the external host apparatus, and a CPU, a
`nonvolatile memory, an SCS1eontroller etc. for emulating a
`file system contained in the external host computer.
`
`l54]
`
`INIAGE SCANNER AND IMAGE FORMING
`APPARATUS WITH AN INTERFACE FOR
`CONNECTION WITH AN EXTERNAL
`COMPUTER
`
`[75]
`
`Inventor: Kazuyuki Murata, Tsuzuki, Japan
`
`[73] Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co.,
`Ltd., Kadoma, Japan
`
`[21] Appl. No.: 36,028
`
`[22]
`
`Filed:
`
`Mar. 23, 1993
`
`[30]
`
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`
`Apr. 9, 1992
`Aug.7, 1992
`
`[JP]
`[JP]
`
`Japan ................................... .. 4-33541
`Japan ..................................14211102
`
`[51]
`
`Int. Cl.‘ ............................... H04N 1/00; H04N 1/21;
`GOGF 3/00; G06F 9/455; G06F 13/00
`[52] U.S. Cl. .......................... 358/442; 358/444; 358/471;
`395/500; 395/828; 395/830; 395/882; 395/883;
`395/892
`
`[58] Field of Search ................................... .. 358/471, 452,
`358/474; 395/500, 275, 444, 468, 828,
`830, 882, 883, 892
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`4,855,905
`
`8/1989 Estrada et al.
`
`.......................... 364/500
`
`10 Claims, 7 Drawing Sheets
`
`
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1005 - 1/14
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Apr. 16, 1996
`
`Sheet 1 of 7
`
`5,508,821
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1005 - 2/14
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Apr. 16, 1996
`
`Sheet 2 of 7
`
`5,508,821
`
`IMAGE
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`HUAWEI EX. 1005 - 3/14
`
`

`
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`
`
`
`
`Apr. 16, 1996
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Sheet 3 of 7
`
`5,508,821
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`#SCANNER PARAMETER FILE EXAMPLE
`
`
`# AREA PARAM ETER(inCh)
`
`
`# X,Y,XL.YL
`1.2
`2.4
`
`
`
`5.5
`6.3
`
`
`
`#ZOOM ING PARAM ETER(%) XZ,YZ
`100
`
`
`
`
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`150
`
`
`
`
`
`#IMAGE PROCESSING PARAMETER
`
`
`
`
`SIMPLE BI-LEVEL IMAGE
`
`
`
`
`BI-LEVEL COMPRESSION IMAGE(MH)
`
`
`
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`BI-LEVEL COMPRESSION IMAGE(MR)
`
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`BI-LEVEL COMPRESSION IMAGE(MMR)
`
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`ERROR DIFFUSION BI-LEVEL IMAGE
`
`
`
`
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`88ITS GRAY SCALE -IMAGE
`
`
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`88ITS.GRAY SCALE COMPRESSION IMAGE ->6
`
`
`
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`—>O
`
`->1
`
`->2
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`->3
`—>4
`
`->5
`
`
`
`
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`
`
`
`
`LINEAR
`
`
`
`
`#GAMMA TRANSFER PARAMETER
`
`
`#
`->0
`
`
`
`DENSITY
`#
`—>1
`
`
`
`#
`DATE SETTABLE —>2
`2
`
`
`
`
`
`
`5 6 7
`
`
`
`
`
`
`#GAMMA TRANSFER DATA TABLE
`
`
`
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`
`
`#DATA MUST BE 0 (=.2s5> =
`2 3
`37 3A 3C 3E
`
`
`
`
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`0010171020 24 27 2A 20
`54 56 57 59
`
`
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`40 42 44 48 47 49 48 4D 4E
`6A 6B 6C 6D
`67
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`5A 5C SD SE 60 61 62 64 65
`7A
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`B 7C 7D 7E 7F
`6F 70 71 72 73 74 75376 77
`89
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`8A 8B 8C 8D 8E
`80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 87 8
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`8F 90 91 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 97 98 99 9A 98 9C
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`9C 9D 9E 9F A0 A0 A1 A2 A3 A4 A4 A5 A6 A7 A7 A8
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`A9 AAAAABACADADAE AF 80 B0 B1 B2 B3 B3 B4
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`CA CB CB CC CC CD CE CE CF D0 D0 D1 D1 D2 D3 D3
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`D4 D4 D5 D6 D6 D7 D7 D8 D9 D9 DA DA DB DC DC DD
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`DD DE DE DF E0 E0 E1 E1 E2 E2 E3 E4 E4 E5 E5 E6
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`F7 F8 F8 F9 F9 FAF
`BFCFCFDFDFE FE FF
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`2 A
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`HUAWEI EX. 1005 - 4/14
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1005 - 4/14
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Apr. 16,1996
`
`Sheet 4 of 7
`
`5,508,821
`
`Fig.5
`
`SYS.PREPARED
`?
`
`“mkfs”
`COMMAND
`
`MOUNT
`
`HLE SYS.
`
`WRITE TO
`
`PARA FKE
`
`UNMOUNT
`
`FILE SYS.
`
`READ
`
`IMAGE DATA
`
`PARA.
`
`SHOULD BE
`
`CHANGED
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1005 - 5/14
`
`

`
`5,508,821
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1005 - 6/14
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Apr. 16,1996
`
`
`
`5,508,821
`
`Fig.8
`
`SCSI BUS
`
`CPU BUS
`
`IMAGE
`MEMORY
`
`PRINTER
`CLRL
`
`LASER
`
`DRIVER
`
`NONVOL.
`
`MEMORY
`
`#PRINTER PARAMETER FILE EXAMPLE
`
`#PAPER O—>A4 1-> B4
`
`PRINTING DIRECTION O->PORTRAIT1->LANDSCAPE
`
`0 #
`
`O #
`
`PRINT VOLUME
`
`1
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1005 - 7/14
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Apr. 16, 1996
`
`Sheet 7 of 7
`
`5,508,821
`
`Fig. 10
`
`
`
`
`
`“mkfs”
`COMMAND
`
`?
`
`YES
`
`MOUNT
`
`HLE SYS.
`
`WRITE TO
`
`PARA HLE
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`SYS.PREPARED
`
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`
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`UNMOUNT
`
`HLE SYS.
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`\NRWE
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`IMAGE DATA
`
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`PARA.
`SHOULD BE
`
`CHANGED
`
`?
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`HUAWEI EX. 1005 - 8/14
`
`

`
`5,508,821
`
`
`
`
`1
`IIVIAGE SCANNER AND INIAGE FORMING
`
`
`
`
`
`APPARATUS WITH AN INTERFACE FOR
`
`
`
`
`
`CONNECTION WITH AN EXTERNAL
`
`
`
`
`COMPUTER
`
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`
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`
`
`1. Field of the Invention
`
`
`
`
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`The present invention relates generally to an image han-
`
`
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`dling apparatus, and more particularly to an image scanner
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`and to an image forming apparatus both for transferring data
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`to and from an external host apparatus via an interface.
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`2. Description of the Prior Art
`
`
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`A computer is generally operatively connected to several
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`peripheral devices such as, for example, a magnetic disc, a
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`magnetic tape, a printer or the like. Recently, a small
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`computer system interface (SCSI) is standardized as an
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`interface means for carrying out high-speed data transfer.
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`Through the standardization, the SCSI is in wide practical
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`use today as an interface for various computers.
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`By virtue of marked improvement in performance of
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`small computers, e.g. workstations, the development from
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`character codes to bit-map data, which has hitherto been
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`carried out in a printer,
`tends to be carried out
`in the
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`computer using outline font data which the computer has.
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`Whereas the technique of developing, for example, fonts to
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`the bit-map data in the computer has advantages in adding
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`other fonts, the use of the SCSI is inevitably required for
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`high-speed data transfer because the quantity of data to be
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`transferred from the computer to the printer is increased.
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`In applications where an image scanner or an image
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`forming apparatus is connected to an SCSI of a computer
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`employed as a host computer, and parameter setting for such
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`apparatus or image data transfer is carried out by the
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`computer,
`the computer is required to have a software
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`“device driver” for the apparatus connected thereto.
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`Because image scanners or image forming apparatus are
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`not standardized in kind of parameters which can be set or
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`in functions,
`the device driver therefor is not generally
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`contained in an operating system (OS) of the computer.
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`Accordingly, it is necessary to prepare the device driver for
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`the image scanner or the image forming apparatus connected
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`to the host computer.
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`Under the present conditions discussed above, however,
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`in order to enable a certain image scanner or image forming
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`apparatus to be connected to any one of various types of host
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`computers, it is necessary to prepare a device driver for each
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`type of host computer. As a result, the problem arises that the
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`preparation of the device driver requires much labor and
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`increases costs.
`
`
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`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
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`The present invention has been developed to overcome
`
`
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`the above-described disadvantages.
`
`
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`It is accordingly an object of the present invention to
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`provide an improved image handling apparatus, for example
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`an image scanner or an image forming apparatus, which
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`requires no preparation of any new device driver.
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`In accomplishing the above and other objects, an image
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`scanner according to the present invention comprises means
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`for reading an image, an interface means for connecting the
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`image scanner to an external host apparatus, and a file
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`system emulation means for emulating a file system con-
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`tained in the external host computer.
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`2
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`When the present invention is applied to an image form-
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`ing apparatus, the read means is replaced with an image
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`forming means for forming an image on a recording
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`medium.
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`Because an operating system of a computer constructs a
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`file system in a hard disc, there invariably exists a device
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`driver for the hard disc.
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`As discussed hereinabove, because the image scanner or
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`image forming apparatus according to the present invention
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`is provided with the file system emulation means, the control
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`of the apparatus or the transfer of image data can be carried
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`out using the device driver for existing hard discs. Further-
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`more, because the operating system is provided with various
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`commands or system calls which are utilized to access to the
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`file system, development of application software for use in
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`a host computer operatively connected to the image scanner
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`or image forrning.apparatus is facilitated.
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`In applications where the image scanner or image forming
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`apparatus according to the present invention is connected to
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`an external host computer, it is not necessary to prepare the
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`device driver for each type of computer if the file system of
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`the computer is the same. In short, the apparatus can be
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`connected to any one of various types of computers having
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`the same file system, e.g. any one of all computers having
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`software called the “UNIX” as an operating system.
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`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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`The above and other objects and features of the present
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`invention will become more apparent from the following
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`description of preferred embodiments thereof with reference
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`to the accompanying drawings, throughout which like parts
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`are designated by like reference numerals, and wherein:
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`FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an image scanner accord-
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`ing to the present
`invention which is connected to an
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`external host computer;
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`
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`FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of the image scanner
`
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`
`of FIG. 1;
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`
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` FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the image scanner of FIG. 1;
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`FIG. 4 is a programmed file that is read by the computer
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`when parameters are set in;
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`FIG. 5 is a flowchart indicating the procedure at the time
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`the image scarmer is controlled by a workstation;
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`FIG. 6 is a schematic view indicating the layout of a file
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`system contained in the workstation;
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`FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an image forming appa-
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`ratus according to the present invention which is connected
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`to an external host computer;
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`FIG. 8 is a block diagram of the image forming apparatus
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`of FIG. 7;
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` FIG. 9 is a programmed file that is read by the computer
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`when parameters are set in; and
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`FIG. 10 is a flowchart indicating the procedure at the time
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`the image forming apparatus is controlled by a workstation.
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`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
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`PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
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`Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1
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`an image scanner 20 embodying the present invention. The
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`image scanner 20 is connected to an external host computer
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`via an SCSI bus 22. In FIG. 1, the external host computer is
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`a workstation 21 having the “UNIX” as an operating system.
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`A hard disc in which a file system for the workstation 21 has
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`been formulated is accommodated in the workstation 21 and
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`HUAWEI EX. 1005 - 9/14
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`10
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`HUAWEI EX. 1005 - 9/14
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`

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`5,508,821
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`3
`is connected to the SCSI bus 22 inside the workstation 21.
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`FIG. 2 schematically depicts the internal construction of
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`the image scanner 20 according to the present invention. The
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`image scarmer 20 comprises a document platform 1 made of
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`glass on which a document 2 is to be placed with the image
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`surface thereof directed downwards, a document cover 3 to
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`be overlaid on the document 2 to hold the document 2, and
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`a scanning unit 6 comprising a fluorescent lamp 4 and a
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`reflection mirror 5. The scanning unit 6 is driven by a motor
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`(not shown) and is moved in a direction shown by an arrow
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`S at a constant speed to carry out sub-scanning with respect
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`to the document 2. The image scanner 20 further comprises
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`a half-speed unit 7, a lens 10, and a line-type CCD image
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`sensor 31. The half-speed unit 7 comprises two mirrors 8 and
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`9. During scanning, when the scanning unit 6 is moved in the
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`direction of the arrow S, the half-speed unit 7 is moved in
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`a direction shown by an arrow T at a speed half of the
`scanning unit 6. Reflected light from the document 2 is
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`further reflected by the mirrors 5, 8, and 9, and is focused on
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`the CCD image sensor 31 by the lens 10 for image forma-
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`tion. The CCD image sensor 31 carries out main-scanning in
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`the line direction with respect to the reflected light from the
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`document 2 to convert it to an electric signal.
`As shown in FIG. 3, the CCD 31 reads the reflected light
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`from the document 2 at a resolution of 400 dpi, converts it
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`to the electric signal, and outputs an analogue image signal
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`32. The analogue image signal 32 is then amplified by an
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`amplifier 33 and is converted to a digital image signal 35 by
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`an 8-bit A/D converter 34. A garrrrna transfer circuit 36
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`carries out digital-to-digital conversion for conversion of the
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`gradation characteristic,
`thereby converting the digital
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`image signal 35 to an image signal 37. The gamma transfer
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`circuit 36 is comprised of a look-up table formulated by the
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`use of a RAM. The RAM is connected to a CPU bus 51 of
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`a CPU 50, and data stored therein can be set by the CPU 50.
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`Accordingly, the conversion characteristic of the gamma
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`transfer circuit 36 can be changed by the CPU 50.
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`A zooming circuit 38 carries out a zooming operation in
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`the direction of main-scanning by interpolating or thinning
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`out the image signal 37, and outputs an image signal 39. The
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`CPU 50 sets the zooming rate of the zooming circuit 38 via
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`the CPU bus 51. The zooming operation in the sub-scanning
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`direction is carried out by changing the speed of movement
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`of the scanning unit 6 shown in FIG. 2. A trimming circuit
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`40 carries out a trimming operation wherein only part of the
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`image signal 39 that is indicative of a predetermined rect-
`angular region on the document 2 is made effective, and
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`' outputs an image signal 41. The trimming circuit 40 is
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`connected to the CPU bus 51 of the CPU 50, and the
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`trimming region can be set by the CPU 50.
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`A binary circuit 42 compares the image signal 41 with a
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`predetermined threshold value and outputs a binary image
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`signal 43. The threshold value can be set by the CPU 50. A
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`compression circuit 44 encodes and compresses the binary
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`image signal 43 and outputs a compressed binary image
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`signal 45. The compression circuit 44 carries out the encod-
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`ing using any one of three binary image encoding methods:
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`MH; MR; and MMR. The selection of an appropriate
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`compression method is carried out by the CPU 50. A
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`pseudo-half-tone processor 46 processes the image signal 41
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`using the error diffusion method and outputs an image signal
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`47. An encoder 48 encodes and compresses the image signal
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`41 and outputs’ an encoded image signal 49.
`A selector 60 selects an appropriate signal from among
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`the compressed binary image signal 45, the binary image
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`signal 43, the image signal 47, the image signal 41, and the
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`encoded image signal 49. After the selection, the selector 60
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`outputs an image signal 61. The appropriate signal selection
`is carried out by the CPU 50 via the CPU bus 51. An image
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`memory 62 stores the image signal 61 selected by the
`selector 60. Because the image memory 62 is connected to
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`the CPU bus 51, the image memory 62 is freely accessible
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`from the CPU 50 and an SCSI controller 64. A data counter
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`65 counts the quantity of image data to be read and that of
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`image date actually stored in the image memory 62. Indi-
`vidual values counted can be read from the CPU 50 via the
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`CPU bus 51.
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`Data stored in a nonvolatile memory 63 can be read or
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`rewritten by the CPU 50 via the CPU bus 51. The SCSI
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`controller 64 is a controller, controlled by the CPU 50, for
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`carrying out data transfer to and from the external host
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`computer via the SCSI.
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`The operation of the workstation 21 and the image
`scarmer 20 at the time the image scarmer 20 is controlled by
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`the workstation 21 is discussed hereinafter.
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`The image scanner 20 emulates the file system of the
`“UNIX” as if it were a hard disc. Accordingly, the image
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`scanner 20 looks like the hard disc from the workstation 21
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`and can be handled as the hard disc.
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`The image scarmer 20 according to the present invention
`is controlled by the workstation 21 as follows.
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`When the image scanner 20 connected to the workstation
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`21 is operated by the workstation 21 for the first time, the
`workstation 21 prepares a file system in the image scanner
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`20, as is the case with the hard disc. In practice, an “mkfs”
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`or “newfs” command of the “UNIX” is executed. At this
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`moment, the operating system provides a device file and a
`device driver required for operating the hard disc as those
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`required for preparing the file system. The preparation of the
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`file system enables basic information of the file system to be
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`written to a predetermined region, i.e. a super block of the
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`hard disc (image scarmer).
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`In the image scanner 20, the information written to the
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`super block is stored in the nonvolatile memory 63. There-
`after, when a request to read the data stored in the super
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`block is sent from the workstation 21, the image scanner 20
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`outputs the data stored in the nonvolatile memory 63.
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`Because the information of the super block is stored in the
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`nonvolatile memory 63, even if a power supply to the image
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`scanner 20 is cut off, further preparation of the file system
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`is no longer required.
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`As discussed above, if the preparation of the file system
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`is carried out with respect to the image scarmer 20, the
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`workstation 21 can “mount” the image scanner 20 which
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`emulates the file system, as is the case with the file system
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`of the hard disc. The “mounting” operation is to establish
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`linkage between the file system and device files in the hard
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`disc. After the “mounting” operation, the workstation 21 can
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`access to files contained in the file system prepared in the
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`hard disc. The “mounting” operation is executed using a
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`“mount” command of the “UNIX”.
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`Upon completion of the “mounting” operation, when the
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`file system emulated by the image scanner 20 is viewed from
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`the workstation 21, one file seems to exist therein. This file
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`is a parameter file required to set parameters for the image
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`scarmer 20. In order for the image scanner 20 to pretend to
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`contain the parameter file therein, as viewed from the
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`workstation 21, i-node data having information required for
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`the workstation 21 to access to the parameter file are created
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`in the image scarmer 20 and are transferred to the worksta-
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`tion 21 according to a request from the workstation 21.
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`The name of the parameter file is “scan. para”. The
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`attribute of the parameter file is “write only”. The parameter
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`HUAWEI EX. 1005 - 10/14
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1005 - 10/14
`
`

`
`5,508,821
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`
`
`5
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`file is a file required to set the operation mode of the image
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`scanner 20 such as, for example, the zooming ratio, the read
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`area, the gamma transfer characteristic, the binary process or
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`the like, and is represented using a predetermined format.
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`FIG. 4 depicts one example of the parameter file. Lines
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`starting from “#” are comment lines. The parameters are
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`represented in the following order using numerals.
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`(1) Read area:
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`(2) Zoom. ratio:
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`(3) Image process. method:
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`(4) Gamma trans. mode:
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`(5) y trans. table:
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`upper left coordinates (X, Y); length
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`in the direction of X (XL); and length
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`in the direction of Y (YL), (unit:
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`inch)
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`zooming ratio in the direction of X
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`(X2); and zooming ratio in the direc-
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`tion of Y (YZ), (unit: %)
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`binary process or the pres-
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`ence or absence of the com-
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`pression process
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`no transfer when 1; transfer from
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`reflectance to density when 2;
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`and designation of gamma transfer
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`table when 3
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`to be represented by hexadecimal
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`numbers
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`The workstation 21 sets the operation mode of the image
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`scanner 20 by writing the parameter file to the image scanner
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`20. The writing of the parameter file for the setting of the
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`operation mode of the image scanner 20 can greatly facili-
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`tate the setting of the parameters of the image scanner 20.
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`Because the “UNIX” operating system executes buffering
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`such that data to be read from or written to the file system
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`are temporarily stored in a buifer of a main memory of the
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`workstation, it is necessary to “unmount” the file system in
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`order to actually write the data to the hard disc. A “umount”
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`command of the “UNIX” is used for this purpose.
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`The image scarmer 20 reads a document in accordance
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`with the parameters at the time the parameter file has been
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`written. At this moment, the read image data are stored in the
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`image memory 62 inside the image scanner 20. When the
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`quantity of the image data is greater than thecapacity of the
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`image memory 62, the image data as many as the image
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`memory 62 can accommodate are temporarily stored in the
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`image memory 62.
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`Subsequently, in order for the workstation 21 to read the
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`image data from the image scanner 20, the file system to be
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`emulated by the image scanner 20 is “mounted” again. As
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`viewed from the workstation 21, there seem to exist two files
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`in the file system emulated by the image scarmer 20. One of
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`them is the aforementioned parameter file “scan. para”,
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`whereas the other is an image data file, the name of which
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`is “image. data”. The attribute of the image data file is “read
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`only”.
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`In order for the image scanner 20 to pretend to contain the
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`image data file therein, as viewed from the workstation 21,
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`the CPU 50 of the image scanner 20 creates i-node data
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`having information required for the workstation 21 to access
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`to the image data file and transfers them to the workstation
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`21 in response to a request from the workstation 21. The size
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`of the image data file as viewed from the workstation 21
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`depends upon the operation mode which has been set in the
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`image scanner 20 by writing to the parameter file. The
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`workstation 21 reads the contents of this data file so that the
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`image data read by the image scanner 20 may be transferred
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`to the workstation 21.
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`FIG. 5 depicts a flowchart indicating the above-described
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`control procedure at the time the image scanner 20 accord-
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`ing to the present invention is controlled by the workstation
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`21.
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`6
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`The operation of the image scanner 20 is discussed
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`hereinafter in association with the procedure of the work-
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`station 21.
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`FIG. 6 schematically depicts an ordinary layout of the file
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`system of the workstation containing therein the “UNIX” as
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`the OS. First 8 KB of the file system is allocated to a boot
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`block including boot programs required for booting the
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`workstation 21. The next 8 KB is an area called the super
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`block which is generally used to store the then conditions of
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`the file system such as, for example, the number of files, the
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`size of the file system and the like. The super block is
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`followed by a plurality of cylinder groups. Each cylinder
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`group is made up of a copy of the super block, a cylinder
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`group block, an i-node table, and data blocks. Data such as
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`the number of i-nodes, that of the data blocks, an i-node map
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`used, or a map of empty blocks are stored in the cylinder
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`data blocks. The i-node is
`information indicating the
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`attribute of a file or the location of a data block in which the
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`file exists. Because a directory is also handled as a file,
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`i-nodes are required by the number of files and directories.
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`A predetermined extent is allocated to the area of the i-node
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`table including a plurality of i-nodes at the time the file
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`system is first prepared.
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`The image scanner 20 which emulates the file system
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`having the “UNIX” and shown in FIG. 6 operates as follows.
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`The operation at the time the workstation 21 prepares the
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`file system is initially discussed. The file system used herein
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`is a file system to be emulated by the image scanner 20. The
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`workstation 21 writes to the boot block and to the super
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`block positioned at the first 8 KB and at the next 8 KB of the
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`file system, respectively. The CPU 50 of the image scanner
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`20 stores these 16 KB data in the nonvolatile memory 63.
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`When a data read request for reading the data of these blocks
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`is sent from the workstation 21, the CPU 50 reads the data
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`from the nonvolatile memory 63 and transfers them to the
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`workstation 21. Likewise, when a data write request for
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`writing data into these blocks is sent from the workstation
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`21, the CPU 50 writes the data to the nonvolatile memory
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`63.
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`Thereafter, the workstation 21 writes a copy data of the
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`super block to the first 8 KB of each cylinder block of the
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`file system. At this moment, the CPU 50 can know from the
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`data of the super block, the location of each cylinder in the
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`file system. Accordingly, when the CPU 50 has received the
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`copy data of the super block of the file system from the
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`workstation 21, the CPU 50 discards such data. On the other
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`hand, when a read request is received, the data of the super
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`block are outputted from the nonvolatile memory 63. Alter-
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`natively, the data of each copy of the super block may be
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`stored in the nonvolatile memory 63. In this case, when a
`read request is received, the copy data of the super block are
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`outputted from the nonvolatile memory 63.
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`Thereafter, the workstation 21 writes t