Typewriting machines – Including control of format by programmed-control-system
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-30
2001-06-05
Hilten, John S. (Department: 2854)
Typewriting machines
Including control of format by programmed-control-system
C400S076000, C400S070000, C400S061000, C399S076000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06241404
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a method for controlling the flow of paper objects in a paper processing system having a main copier and/or printer unit with an output accessory manager and at least one paper object processing device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Known paper processing systems consist of a main copier and/or printer unit to which numerous accessory devices are attached. The paper object processing devices of a paper processing system are for example an inserter, a folder, a collator, a stapler unit, an output hopper, a pamphlet maker, a cutter, a large capacity receiver, a binder or a puncher. The control and monitoring of each single device has to be guaranteed in order to ensure efficient usage and productive processing of paper objects with the system. It is therefore necessary that the system be monitored with respect to the capacity and/or the processing abilities of each accessory device.
A method for handling several jobs in an electronic printer is disclosed in EP-A-0 478 341. A printer, with at least two sheets of paper in the queue, comprises a controller which calculates the time necessary for terminating the processing of the first sheet of paper. A time delay for the following sheet of paper is calculated with respect to the necessary time of the previous sheet in the stapler, binder or folder unit. The control signals of the system are guided to corresponding circuits in the various accessory units, which are connected by a local bus system. Additionally, software with an algorithm is used which calculates the time delay between each of the jobs in order to achieve an optimum of productivity.
Published European patent application EP-A-0 571 194 discloses a printer with an attachable sorter unit. The sorter unit has a sensor which senses the flow of a printed sheet of paper. Additionally, the sorter unit possesses a controller which sends data about the state of the sorter unit to the central processing unit in the printer. The printing speed is adjusted in response to the data, or in case of a jam the producing of printed sheets is terminated.
Published European patent application EP-A2-0 627 671 discloses a universal interface for operatively connecting and feeding the sequential copy sheet output of various reproduction machines of widely varying ranges of sheet output level heights to various independent copy sheet processing units.
Published European patent application EP-A2-0 778 523 discloses a method of operation of an image processing apparatus having a controller and a plurality of resources arranged 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 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.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the object of the present invention to realize a method for controlling the flow of paper objects through a paper processing system wherein the productivity of the paper processing system is enhanced, the system is better adjustable to the overall configuration and achieves a wide variety of applications.
In accordance with the present invention, this object is attained by a method comprising the following steps:
generating a paper object header for a paper object in the output accessory manager;
sending the paper object header to one of plural downstream paper object processing devices prior to the arrival of a paper object at the one paper object processing device, wherein the paper object header is updated and modified and sent to another of the plural paper object processing devices along a route;
absorbing the paper object header in a last paper object processing device of the plural paper object processing devices in the route and generating in the last paper object processing device a paper object header response and sending the paper object header response to the output accessory manager;
repeating the above steps for other paper objects in a current job;
generating a paper object coming in the output accessory manager and sending the paper object coming to the one paper object processing device after the paper object header is received by the one paper object processing device wherein the paper object coming precedes the paper object;
processing the paper object in the paper object processing device and forwarding the paper object coming and the paper object to the another of the plural paper object processing devices wherein the above two steps are repeated for other paper objects in the current job until the last paper object is successfully delivered to the last paper object processing device in the route; and
generating a paper object delivered in the last paper object processing device in the route and sending the paper object delivered to the output accessory manager.
The method is advantageous, since it can be applied regardless of the number of components in a paper processing system. A paper processing system comprises a main copier and/or printer unit to which numerous accessory devices are attached. An output accessory manager generates a paper object header for each paper object. The paper object header is routed through various and preferably all the paper object processing devices of the paper processing system. The paper object header comprises information about the identification of a paper object, the route, paper size and processes which had to be carried out on a paper object. Each paper object processing device adjusts itself due to the information from the paper object header. Additionally, each paper object processing device changes the content of information of the paper object header in that the information for adjusting the paper object processing device is extracted from the paper object header. The paper object header is absorbed in the last paper object processing device in the route and in the last paper object processing device a paper object header response is generated and sent to the output accessory manager. The information content of the paper object header response enables the output accessory manager to calculate the time delay between two paper objects.
A paper object coming in the form of a signal is generated in the output accessory manager, said signal arriving right before the arrival of the paper object at the first paper object processing device. The signal is routed to the downstream paper object processing devices.
Future advantageous embodiments of the invention are apparent from the dependent claims.
The invention, and its objects and advantages, will become more apparent in the detailed description of the preferred embodiments presented below.
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Fietze Roman
Glemser Gerhard
Godshalk Russell
Heberling Allen
Langebrake Dirk
Hilten John S.
Leimbach James D.
Nex Press Solutions LLC
Nolan, Jr. Charles H.
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