Abstract: A printing system includes a feeder module having a local clock; a marking engine having a local clock; a finisher module having a local clock; and a control unit. The control unit is connected to the feeder module, marking engine, and the finisher module. The control unit sends a sync preparation signal to the feeder module, the marking engine, and the finisher module. The feeder module, marking engine, and the finisher module each send a signal to the control unit so that the control unit can determine a difference between the local time of the control unit and the local time of each of the feeder module, marking engine, and the finisher module. The control unit sends event instructions to each of said feeder module, said marking engine, and said finisher module and timing information in terms of the local time of each of the feeder module, marking engine, and finishing module.

Abstract: A simplified automated process for printing duplex copy sheets with correct edge margins from first and second original documents having a different dimension than the copy sets so that the duplex copy sheets will have substantially equal margins from the image areas on both sides of the duplex copy sheets irrespective of these different sheet sizes, including measuring at least one dimension of an original document sheet and automatically subtracting the known size dimension of the selected copy sheets in the dimension which includes the margin from the corresponding dimension of the original document sheet to determine a desired duplex image shift dimension, and shifting the image printed on second side of the copy sheet from the second original document by a distance corresponding to the calculated shift to produce duplex copy sheets with substantially equal margins.

Abstract: A method of arbitrarily interleaving the images of a second job with the images of a first job that is being completed at a first output station. A queue of jobs submitted to a marking machine for completion is scanned to determine if any of the queue of jobs can be interleaved with the first job during the first job production run. If so, one or more of the jobs in the queue are scheduled to be interleaved during the first job production run for completion at a second output station.

Abstract: An electronic image processing apparatus includes a controller and a plurality of resources 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 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. The job requirement is converted into an assembly tree relationship for merging into additional assembly trees for formulating the job requirement.

Abstract: An electronic image processing apparatus includes a controller and a plurality of resources 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. The job requirement is converted into an assembly tree relationship for merging into additional assembly trees for formulating the job requirement.

Abstract: A system for controlling a plurality of function-specific modules in a high-volume electronic printing apparatus involves assigning a unique connection code to each physical connection between a pair of modules in the system. In order for a central control system to identify specific modules when the system is operating, each module is assigned a unique identification code which is a concatenation of the connection codes for the connections to other modules. Each module in a large system is thus identified by a unique code determined by its neighboring modules.

Abstract: An apparatus for sensing the presence or an edge of a sheet, including a light emitter, a set of reflectors and at least one light detecting member. A light beam is reflected between the emitter and detector in a repeating wave form so as to intersect a sheet path; interruption of the light beam indicates the presence of a sheet. False indications of the presence, absence or true edge of the sheet such as may be caused by sheet holes or edge irregularities are avoided by the multiple passes of a beam of light across the path of the sheet. A continuous cleaning action of the sensor may be provided by the movement of the sheet over the light emitters, light detectors and/or reflectors. The sheet sensors are useful in detecting and/or correcting sheet skew, misregistration and other potential sheet handling problems.

Abstract: An apparatus in which a stack of sheets is detected at a preselected location. An air jet is directed towards an edge of the stack of sheets at a preselected location. A pressure transducer is located at the prescribed location and positioned to have the air jet at impact thereon. The pressure transducer is enabled to transmit a signal indicative of the absence of the stack of sheets at the preselected location in response to the air jet impacting thereon. The pressure transducer is inhibited from transmitting the signal in response to the stack of sheets blocking the air jet. When the stack of sheets blocks the air jet, the signal from the pressure transducer indicates the presence of the stack of sheets at the preselected location. A pneumatic stack height detector of this type may be used to regulate the movement of a stack of sheets used in electrophotographic printing machines.

Abstract: The method of verifying the integrity of the non-volatile memory device contents in an image processing apparatus having image processing for forming an image, a controller for directing the operation of the image processing, a mass memory device and a non-volatile memory device for dynamically storing critical machine data comprising the steps of performing a non-volatile memory check including the steps of verifying selected patterns and verifying a checksum related to the non-volatile memory, determining a non-volatile memory fault during the process of performing the non-volatile memory check, retrieving backup critical machine data from the mass memory device, storing the critical machine data into the non-volatile memory device, and providing dynamically updated data backup of the non-volatile memory image to the mass memory device.

Abstract: System for recording and remotely accessing certain operating data in an electrostatographic reproduction machine for use in analyzing machine faults and software crashes, with transfer of the data to a remote service site either by floppy disk or telecommunications line.

Abstract: A method of resetting an arbitrary node or input/output board in response to a control communications fault in said arbitrary node or input/output board during a real time job in an image processing apparatus having image processing means for forming an image, a controller including a plurality of nodes connected to a plurality of input/output boards and software including an application portion and a communication portion, comprising the steps of the arbitrary node or input/output board initiating a self reset independent of any other node or input/output board reset, the remaining nodes or input/output boards refraining from initiating a reset of the node or input/output board, resetting said arbitrary node or input/output board independent of said remaining nodes or input/output boards, and continuing operation of said arbitrary node or input/output board to complete the real time job run.