Network interface board and a digital copier and computer readable memory

摘要

A network interface board which breaks out the functionality of a digital copier, namely scanning functionality and printing functionality, and makes that functionality available to local area network users. The functionality is made available to the local area network users in a multi-tasking environment by which different functionality is available to the different users concurrently. Specifically, a digital copier which includes a scanner part and a printer part includes an interface bus by which image data for the scanner part and the printer part is accessible. A multi-device controller is connected to the interface bus such that the multi-device controller provides interface to the scanner part and to the printer part. The multi-device controller also provides an interface to additional option boards via an MDC bus and a video bus. A network interface board is connected on one end to the MDC bus and to the video bus and is connected on the other end to a local area network. The network interface board includes a multi-tasking operating system which provides multiple network users with concurrent and independent access to each of the scanner part and the printer part. IMAGE