Abstract: An electronic image processing apparatus includes a controller and a plurality of resources in an arbitrary configuration. Each of the resources provides an associated processor storing data related to operational capabilities of the associated resource. The controller is adapted to dynamically configure the image processing apparatus to operate in accordance with the the operational capabilities of each of the processors by defining job requirements as a combination of images defining a set of sheets and specifying compilations of sheets. The job requirement is converted into an assembly tree relationship for merging into additional assembly trees for formulating the job requirement.

Abstract: An electronic image processing apparatus has a controller and a plurality of resources in an arbitrary configuration. Each of the resources includes an associated processor storing data related to operational constraints of the associated resource and a bus interconnects the processors to the controller for directing the operation of the resources. The controller is adapted to operate independent of a particular configuration of the plurality of resources by receiving from each of the processors the data related to the operational constraints of each associated resource and interrogating each of the processors to determine the geometrical relationship of the interconnection of the resources.