Abstract: An image forming apparatus supervisory system is provided. The image forming apparatus supervisory system includes an image forming apparatus and a control device. The image forming apparatus has an input unit for inputting an identification code and a transmission unit for transmitting the identification code. The control device is connected to the image forming apparatus, and has a reception unit for receiving the identification code and a transmission unit for transmitting to the image forming apparatus a signal for informing the image forming apparatus of a permitted number of time an image can be formed in response to receipt of the identification code. Upon receipt of the signal from the control device, the image forming apparatus permits forming an image the permitted number of times.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus for reading a document image and forming the document image on a paper, document image data are divided into a plurality of blocks and the document image data are compressed in the unit of block to be stored in a first memory device. The data read from the first memory device are expanded in the unit of block to be stored in a second memory device. Compression time and expansion time are estimated and image output start time for a printer is set based on the compression and expansion times before expansion of all the blocks is completed. In a different way, the start time is set to read data from a second memory device by a printer for printing, after estimation based on expansion time on data not yet expanded by an expansion device. In a still different way, predetermined form data such as page number are superposed with image data. The form data is drawn first in a page memory device and expanded image data are superposed next in the page memory device.

Abstract: In the image data processing of the digital copying machine (M), number of blocks Bn of image data in auxiliary scanning direction is set to the number of expanders (30, 31) Dn times a natural number N (N.times.Dn). This configuration makes it possible to utilize the (30, 31) expanders efficiently regardless of whether the image is to be rotated by 90.degree. or not when expanding compressed image data and printing the image. Thus such a situation that the expanders (30, 31) are forced to suspend the expanding operation does not occur, making it possible to start printing earlier and improve the printing speed. In the image reader 1 of the digital copying machine (M), when dividing image data corresponding to original document into a plurality of blocks and compressing the image data in the unit of block, length of the original document in the auxiliary scanning direction is estimated from width of the original document (size in principal scanning direction).

Abstract: The invention provides an image forming apparatus such as a coin-operated copy machine, which has an upper limit value to the number of copies which are authorized to be made and which also copies both sides of originals fed to the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus is configured so that its intermediate tray, which temporarily stores sheets copied on their first side, is empty at the end of a copy cycle and despite the image forming apparatus being fed more double-sided originals to copy than are authorized to be copied. The image forming apparatus compares the upper limit value of the number of copies authorized to be made to the number of single-sided copies already made in the current copying cycle and begins copying the second side of the originals onto sheets from the intermediate tray when the upper limit value equals a constant K plus twice the number of images formed.

Abstract: A host computer is connected to a copying machine through communication lines. The copying machine includes an management apparatus which is provided with a card reader. Using the card reader, a section code stored in a user ID card is read and is compared with section codes previously registered in the management apparatus. When the section code of the user ID card matches one of the section codes registered in advance, copying operation is allowed and the section code and the number of copying operations are stored as management data in a registration table stored in an SRAM. When the amount of available storage space becomes less than the predetermined amount, the management apparatus transmits the registered management data to the host computer through the communication lines, clears the storage area and waits for next registrations. The host computer has an accumulating table which is capable of storing the numbers of copying operations for all the sections subjected to management.

Abstract: A digital copying machine capable of two-sided copying, which forms an image on one side of a paper sheet, transports the paper sheet through a sheet re-feeding path provided with a sheet turning over unit, forms an image on the other side of the paper sheet, and finally delivers the paper sheet outside. When two-sided copy mode is set in accordance with an instruction from the user, paper sheets are supplied at sheet intervals shorter than sheet intervals at which paper sheets are supplied in one-sided copy mode.

Abstract: An auto document feeder (ADF) adjustment mode is set from an operation panel and a start key is pressed. An original is conveyed to an image reading unit by an original conveying apparatus, a scanner reads an original image and image data is generated. The image data is stored into image memory. By searching the image data stored in the image memory, two vertexes are detected. From the two vertexes, inclination to the standard original reading position is calculated, and also, dislocation in the main scan and subscan directions when the inclination is corrected is calculated. The inclination and the dislocation in the main scan direction are converted into real adjustment amounts and displayed on the operation panel. The dislocation in the subscan direction is sent to a CPU and then the CPU controls the original conveying apparatus so as to optimize the original-conveying distance.

Abstract: A copier supervisory control system in which a plurality of copiers are connected to each other over a network is provided. Each of the plurality of copiers has a structure that compares a user identifier inputted by a user with a registered identifier. If the user identifier and the registered identifier are identical, the user is permitted to make copies by the copier. If the two compared identifiers are not identical, the user is prohibited from making copies. More specifically, a first copier receives a user identifier and compares it with its registered identifier. If the user identifier and the registered identifier of the first copier are not identical, the copier inquires of a second copier whether it has a registered identifier identical to the user identifier over the network. Upon receipt of the inquiry, the second copier compares the user identifier with its own identifier, and if the two identifiers are identical, it informs the first copier of the result over the network.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus has a forwarding device for successively forwarding a plurality of sheets accommodated in a state of stacked layer one by one. The forwarding device is movable between a sheet forwarding position where the forwarding device is brought in contact with the leading end of a sheet for forwarding the sheet and a retracted position where the forwarding device is separated away from the sheet. The apparatus includes a transport device for receiving a sheet forwarded by the forwarding device and transporting the sheet in a predetermined direction of transport.

Abstract: In an image processing apparatus, determination is made whether an interruptive print wait state is attained during interruptive printing. When determination is made that the apparatus is in an interruptive print wait state, an interruption recover process is effected. Then, the apparatus returns to the normal mode prior to interruption. Thus, an image processing apparatus is provided that can have the waiting time caused by an interruption in the normal job reduced.

Abstract: A pickup member forwards a document at a forwarding position where the pickup member is brought in contact with a bunch of stacked sheets, and is retracted from the forwarding position after the leading end of the document is forwarded. Before the rear end of the document previously forwarded passes through the pickup member, the pickup member is moved to the forwarding position and positioned thereat for forwarding the following document. A rotative member of a pair of separating members is rotated with a first velocity to transport a document forwarded by the pickup member to a downstream side, and a transport member is rotationally driven with a second velocity to further forward the document transported from the separating member to the downstream side.

Abstract: An automatic document feeder having a pick-up roller for feeding a document out of a tray, a conveyer belt for conveying and stopping the document on a platen and ejecting the document from the platen, and a register roller for stopping the document fed by the pick-up roller once and feeding the document onto the platen. A driving mechanism for driving the belt and the register roller is connected with the belt and the register roller with no clutches in-between. The driving mechanism is driven by pulses, and the document conveying amount is controlled by detecting the number of pulses. In the automatic document feeder, if two successive documents are of a size smaller than a half of the platen, the two documents are set on the platen side by side, and a next document is fed out of the tray. If a latter document of two successive documents is of a size larger than a half of the platen, feeding of a next document is inhibited.

Abstract: A document feeding apparatus includes a device for successively forwarding sheets accommodated in a state of stacked layer one by one; a transporter for receiving a sheet forwarded by the forwarding device and forwarding the sheet in a predetermined transport direction; a detector for detecting a sheet being transported by the transporter; and a controller for controlling operation of the transporter based on a result of a detection conducted by the detector, wherein the controller positions a rear end of a preceding sheet by transporting the sheet for a predetermined distance after the rear end of the sheet is detected by the detector, and positions a leading end of a following sheet at a predetermined position by transporting the following sheet for the predetermined distance after the leading end of the following sheet is detected by the detector, whereby the rear end of the preceding sheet and the leading end of the following sheet correspond with each other, and thereafter, the two sheets are forwarded s

Abstract: A plurality of double-faced originals in a series of pages are stacked on a tray with a first page faced upward. An original transport mechanism is arranged to transport a first sheet of original fed by a feed roller to an exposure position through an intermediate waiting position on a platen glass for image exposure of a first page. Then, the original transport mechanism forwards the first sheet of original to a reverse/discharge roller provided downstream side of a transport belt to invert the surface and reverse side of the original. Thereafter, the original is returned to the intermediate waiting position by the transport belt.