Datacopy

Datacopy Corporation

Company type	Public (after 1983 IPO)
Industry	Computer hardware
Founded	1 April 1973 (1973-04-01) in Palo Alto, California, United States
Founder	Armin Miller
Defunct	October 1, 1988 (1988-10-01)
Fate	Acquired by Xerox Corporation
Successor	Xerox Imaging Systems
Headquarters	Palo Alto , United States
Key people	Armin Miller (founder), Rolando C. Esteverena (president after 1983)
Products	Digital imaging solutions, document cameras, flatbed scanners, fax interface (Microfax), PreScript page description language
Number of employees	120 (peak in 1987) (1987)

Datacopy Corporation was a U.S.-based computer hardware enterprise that operated from 1973 until 1988, specializing in pioneering digital imaging and scanner technology for personal computers. In 1988, it was acquired by Xerox and integrated into what became known as Xerox Imaging Systems.

History

Established in April 1973 in Palo Alto, California by Armin Miller, who had previously founded Data Disc, Datacopy began as a consulting business focused on creating affordable digital imaging solutions for prominent companies such as Hewlett-Packard and IBM. One of its early breakthroughs was the Scan-Trac I, a handheld scanner utilizing photodiode arrays. The company’s first proprietary product, a document camera designed for minicomputers and personal computers, was released in 1982. Following Miller’s exit in 1983, Rolando C. Esteverena—formerly of Zilog—assumed the presidency. That same year, Datacopy pursued an initial public offering with an entirely revamped leadership team.

In October 1983, Datacopy unveiled the Model 610, a CCD-based document camera offering 4.9-megapixel resolution and compatibility with the IBM PC. The company’s notable advancement arrived in early 1985 with the Model 700—the inaugural flatbed scanner for the IBM PC. This device incorporated Ricoh-manufactured components capable of scanning letter-sized pages at 200 dpi in monochrome via CCD technology. The Model 700 featured a dedicated interface card along with optional OCR software, first introduced at COMDEX/Fall 1984. Subsequently, Datacopy entered into a strategic joint development partnership with Ricoh to merge Datacopy’s digital imaging software expertise with Ricoh’s hardware production.

In 1986, Datacopy launched PreScript, a page description language intended to rival Adobe's PostScript; however, it did not achieve widespread adoption.

The company broadened its product range in 1987 by releasing Microfax—a fax interface for IBM PCs that allowed electronic document transmission through software. Microfax quickly became Datacopy’s second most popular product after flatbed scanners and received acclaim from The New York Times and Byte magazine, establishing itself as an industry standard.

By August 1987, Datacopy held the position of the second-largest manufacturer of image scanners for personal computers, trailing only Canon Inc. While the firm recorded its only profitable year in 1986 with a net income of $120,950, it incurred losses exceeding $1.3 million between 1982 and 1985 and again lost $1.3 million in 1987. Employee numbers peaked at 120 in 1987 but dropped to 90 by mid-1988.

In May 1988, Xerox Corporation announced it would acquire Datacopy through a $31 million stock exchange deal aimed at becoming the leading image scanner producer—building upon its prior acquisition of Kurzweil Computer Products from Ray Kurzweil in 1980. The transaction was approved and completed by June 1988; by October, Xerox consolidated Datacopy into its Kurzweil division to establish Xerox Imaging Systems dedicated to digital imaging technologies. Rolando C. Esteverena initially headed this new division but left due to disagreements over management direction. Xerox continued using the Datacopy brand until closing its original Bay Area operations in 1991.

See also

• Dacom

External links

• Information on Datacopy scanners at Vintage Apple