JPH066540A - Composite equipment employing digital copying machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To control properly an interface controller 2 depending on the configuration of a composite equipment 3. CONSTITUTION:When a status request signal is outputted from a host computer 1 to a control section 7 of a composite equipment 3 via an interface controller 2, or the composite equipment 3 is set to the on-line state, information of the composite equipment 3 is sent from the composite equipment 3 to the interface controller 2 in serial communication and the interface controller 2 decodes the configuration information.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multi-function peripheral having various functions added to a digital copying machine, and more particularly to a technique for allowing an interface controller connected to a host computer to detect the configuration of the multi-function peripheral.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known a digital copying machine which reads an image with an image sensor and outputs the read image to a printer. This digital copying machine has copying and printing functions. One of the features of the digital copying machine is that it has other functions, such as FA.
Various functions such as X and image data input device can also be provided, and an accessory device having such a function is being added to a digital copying machine to be used as a multifunction machine. You can change.

The multifunction machine is controlled by an interface controller, and the interface controller is provided with a ROM or the like corresponding to an auxiliary device added to the digital copying machine.

[0004]

By the way, in a conventional multi-function peripheral using a digital copying machine, when the configuration of the multi-function peripheral is changed, the interface controller can perform control according to the change. It is necessary to switch the DIP switch or replace the ROM, and the operation is troublesome.

The present invention has been made in view of the above conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a multifunction machine using a digital copying machine capable of appropriately controlling an interface controller according to a configuration.

[0006]

For this reason, the present invention is constructed by connecting an auxiliary device to a digital copying machine, and based on a control signal received from a host computer via an interface controller, between the devices or the interface. In a multi-function peripheral using a digital copying machine for transmitting and receiving image information to and from a controller, a transmission means for transmitting configuration information for detecting the configuration of an auxiliary device connected to the digital copying machine to the interface controller is provided. did.

Further, the configuration information is composed of a status code and a parameter indicating the configuration of the auxiliary device connected to the digital copying machine, following the status code.

[0008]

According to the above construction, since the configuration information of the auxiliary device connected to the digital copying machine is transmitted to the interface controller from the transmitting means on the side of the multifunction peripheral, the accessory connected to the digital copying machine on the interface controller side is transmitted. The configuration of the device can be detected, and the host computer can perform control suitable for the function of the multi-function peripheral via the interface controller.

If the configuration information is composed of a status code and a parameter indicating the configuration of the multi-function peripheral, the configuration information can be transmitted by serial communication, for example.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. In FIG. 1 showing the present embodiment, a host computer 1 sends a control signal for operating a digital copying machine and an auxiliary device added to the digital copying machine which constitute the multifunctional machine 3 to the multifunctional machine 3 via an interface controller 2. Send.

The digital copying machine in the multifunction machine 3 comprises a scanner section 4 for scanning an original to read an image, a recording section 6 having a printer function, and a control section 7 for controlling each of these devices. , The multi-function device 3 and this digital copying machine, ADF (Auto document feed
r) 5 and a FAX 8 connected to a digital copying machine. In addition to this, various devices can be connected to the digital copying machine as required. The control unit 7 is also configured to include a transmission unit that transmits configuration information that causes the interface controller 2 to detect the configuration of the multifunction machine 3. Then, when the multifunction device 3 is brought into the online state by turning on by the online key provided on the operation unit (not shown) of the multifunction device 3,
Alternatively, when the status request signal is output from the interface controller 2, the controller 7 outputs the configuration information to the interface controller 2. The configuration information is in a format suitable for serial communication as shown in FIG. 2, for example, and the configuration information is transmitted by serial communication using the signal line on the cable of the interface controller 2. The format of FIG. 2 will be described later.

Next, the operation will be described. For example, when a status request signal from the host computer 1 is generated, this signal is output to the control unit 7 of the multifunction machine 3 by serial communication via the signal line of the interface controller 2. When the controller 7 receives the status request signal, the controller 7 outputs the configuration information of the multifunction machine 3 to the interface controller 2 by serial communication. If the online key of the multifunction machine 3 is turned on to bring the multifunction machine 3 into the online state, it is possible to generate the configuration information directly on the multifunction machine 3 side. As mentioned above, FIG. 2 shows the format of this configuration information. In FIG. 2, W at the head indicates the status code, n indicates the number of parameters following, and P _{1 to} P
_n is a parameter indicating the configuration of the multifunction machine 3. In addition, P _1
Pn has contents set in advance as shown in FIG. 3, for example. For example, in the configuration of the multifunction machine 3 of the present embodiment shown in FIG.
41111] format information is output. When this information is input to the interface controller 2,
First, the leading W detects that W is followed by a parameter indicating the configuration of the multifunction machine 3. Then, it is deciphered that the number of the parameters is four and that the four parameters are all 1. As a result, the interface controller 2 detects that the multifunction machine 3 has a printer function, an image input function, an ADF function, and a FAX function.

When the interface controller 2 detects the configuration of the multifunction machine 3, control and processing suitable for the configuration of the multifunction machine 3 are performed. That is, when the multifunction machine 3 is used as a printer, the interface controller 2 can output the image information to the recording unit 6 and print it on, for example, a sheet of paper. When the host computer 1 inputs and edits image information and sends the edited image information by FAX, a command signal for inputting image information from the host computer 1 is output to the multifunction machine 3 via the interface controller 2. To be done. Based on this command signal, the scanner unit 4 scans the document to read the image information, the control unit 7 binarizes the binarized image information, and the binarized image information is input to the host computer 1 via the interface controller 2. . After the image is edited by the host computer 1, the edited image information is transferred from the host computer 1 via the interface controller 2 and the control unit 7 to the F
It is output to AX8 and transmitted from FAX8.

According to this configuration, the host computer 1 and the multifunction machine 3 via the interface controller 2
When a status request signal is output to the control unit 7 or when the multifunction machine 3 is brought into the online state, the configuration information of the multifunction machine 3 is directly transmitted from the multifunction machine 3 side to the interface controller 2 and the above configuration is performed on the interface controller 2 side. By decoding the information, the configuration of the multi-function peripheral 3 can be easily detected, and if the configuration of the multi-function peripheral 3 is detected, the control suitable for the configuration can be executed.

Further, by configuring the configuration information with the status code and the subsequent parameters indicating the configuration of the multi-function peripheral 3, the signal line on the interface cable connecting the interface controller 2 and the control unit 7 is used to serialize. The configuration information can be transmitted by communication.

[0016]

As described above, according to the present invention, by transmitting the configuration information of the multi-functional peripheral from the transmitting means to the interface controller, the configuration of the multi-functional peripheral can be configured only by decoding the configuration information on the interface controller side. It is possible to detect, the troublesome work on the interface controller side is eliminated, and the control adapted to the configuration of the multi-function peripheral can be performed.

Further, by configuring the configuration information with the status code and the subsequent parameter, the configuration information can be transmitted using serial communication or the like.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a format of configuration information used in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the format contents of FIG. 2;

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Host computer 2 Interface controller 3 Multifunction machine

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A digital copying machine, which is configured by connecting an auxiliary device, between the respective devices based on a control signal received from a host computer via an interface controller.
Alternatively, in a multi-function peripheral that uses a digital copying machine that transmits and receives image information to and from the interface controller, a transmitting unit that transmits configuration information for detecting the configuration of an accessory device connected to the digital copying machine to the interface controller. A multifunction machine using a digital copying machine characterized by being provided. 2. The digital according to claim 1, wherein the configuration information comprises a status code and a parameter indicating the configuration of an auxiliary device connected to the digital copying machine following the status code. A multifunction machine that uses a copying machine.