| 摘要 |
<p>A multi-functional document processing system has a facsimile transmitter and receiver, a scanner, and a printer. A control processor controls each component and performs a plurality of functions simultaneously using a plurality of tasks. The tasks include at least a facsimile task to perform document transmitting and receiving, a scanning task to perform document scanning, a printing task to perform document printing, and a human-interface task to interface with a user. Each task is maintained in a wait state in a waiting queue (86) until the task is activated. Tasks are activated in response to a user request or by another already activated task. Active tasks are stored in an active task queue (88). A multi-tasking scheduler (82) schedules and allocates processor execution time to each active task. An operating system kernel (84) controls inter-task communications and common resource allocation to the active tasks. The operating tasks and multi-tasking scheduler (82) allow a first document to be received by the facsimile (16) and a second document to be printed by printer (22) from a storage facility (24) to be executed simultaneously. Other operations are also capable of simultaneous execution. These include scanning a third document by scanner (12) into document storage (24) and uploading a fourth document from storage (24) through a computer interface (26) to a connected computer. The system is capable of many other combinations of multi-tasked operations.</p> |
