Abstract: An input/output connector module for connecting input and output devices to a multi-wire bus having a first stage. The first stage electrically connects directly to the multi-wire bus, and a second stage is supported on the first stage and carries an IC chip. The second stage includes electrical connections for connecting the input and output devices to the IC chip and for connecting the multi-wire bus to the IC chip for conveying the signals between the multi-wire bus and the input and output devices. The second stage further includes a substrate having positioning cavities for locating the second stage with respect to the first stage in a horizontal direction and the surface of the substrate includes cutout portions for locating the second stage with respect to the first stage in a vertical direction. The cutout portions are elongated strips along opposite sides of the substrate with one positioning cavity being semi-circular and disposed essentially in the middle of one of the elongated strips.

Abstract: A system for providing a memory for storing electronic images with color mode marks and a control for providing images in optional color modes for producing a set of images with discrete elements of the set of images processed in a selected color mode independent of the color mode other elements. This is accomplished by identifying elements of the set of images with color code marks and responding to the color code marks to alter the operation of the machine dependent upon the identified color mode mark. The machine pitches are also changed to provide additional features such as simplex and duplex mode to selected images.

Abstract: The present invention is concerned with directly measuring belt speed by placing two high resolution single fiber optical reflectometers a known distance apart on a line parallel to the belt motion. The signal from the first reflectometer is delayed and the cross correlation function of the two signals is calculated in real time. The cross correlation function can be maximized by varying the delay. When the maximum is observed, the belt velocity may be found by dividing the reflectometer separation by the delay.

Abstract: A buckle adjust procedure that automatically adjusts the amount of buckle introduced into copy sheets. The buckle adjust procedure includes the measurement of the time period for the trail edge of a first set of buckled copy sheets at the registration station to pass under a pre-registration switch. A second measurement is made of a time period for the trail edge of a second set of unbuckled copy sheets to pass under the pre-registration switch. The two time periods are compared and if the difference exceeds an acceptable range, an automatic adjustment is made to the amount of buckle introduced into copy sheets. The amount of buckle is determined by the time period that the copy sheets are driven into braked registration rolls.

Abstract: A one dimensional electronic halftone generating system having a source of digital data representative of pixel greyscale, a counter to store the digital data, and pulse producing logic responsive to the counter to activate a laser modulator in accordance with the digital data representative of each pixel. In particular, a six bit data word represents one of 64 greyscale states for a particular pixel. The pulse producing logic responds to the particular data word to produce a pulse of a given duration or width to drive the laser for a given time period. The duration of the pulse, representing one to 64 states for a given pixel, will produce a given discrete greyscale value for each pixel.

Abstract: The present invention is concerned with a switching element comprised of oppositely disposed conductive fiber brushes and/or brush-like elements for detecting the presence or absence of paper at various locations in a xerographic copy machine. The oppositely disposed brushes are made from poly-acrylo-nitrile, a carbon based polymer material, which can be fabricated with relatively low values of resistance. Typical fiber bundles may consist of 6000 individual fibers each of 6-10 microns in diameter. In operation each individual conductive fiber acts as a separate electrical path through which the external circuit is completed. Passage of paper through the "nip" of the fiber to fiber electrical contact opens the circuit which is easily detected through associated circuitry which indicates the presence of paper. Likewise, arrays incorporating multiple such sensor switches may be fabricated for the purpose of indicating the size of the document interrupting specific low resistance fiber-fiber switches.

Abstract: The image is divided into regions of a given number of pixels. The original image is scaled down by a given factor. Each region of pixels is then enlarged in order to overlap its neighboring region. The enlarged regions are then sequentially written down in a scaled down version, in overlapped relationship, with each region oriented a given degree with respect to its neighboring region. The end result is a rotated image that has the same size as the original image with no gaps between neighboring oriented regions. This method applies to any arbitrary angle, as well as, to images defined as an arbitrary number of bits per pixel.

Abstract: A method of determining image input contrast to dynamically adjust screen amplitude. The screen amplitude is controlled on a dot by dot basis to selectively enhance the original image. There is a higher amplitude when the input contrast is low and a lower amplitude when the input contrast is high. Thus, the partial dots more closely follow image detail at high contrast, while at low contrasts, noise is not enhanced. In a specific embodiment, depending upon the input contrast, a predetermined screen amplitude is used.

Abstract: The present invention is the controlled shutdown of the preregistration, fuser, dedicated duplex tray, and machine exit zones of the copy sheet handling system of a machine. In particular, a control data base includes a packet phase describing the origin and destination and all specific details of how each individual copy sheet is to move through the system, a tracker phase showing the current physical location of the sheet in the system, wherein both the lead edge and trail edge of each sheet is tracked and dynamically updated at each control point, and a fault phase showing the specific element that has the fault and which edge of the sheet is the fault, and also showing that a fault has been responded to by the system.

Abstract: The present invention is concerned with the automatic adjustment of the optical components in an optical scanning system after the tech rep has visually inspected sample copies with a test pattern and entered adjustment numbers at the control console. The control determines the optimum relative position of the optical components for a focus and various magnification ratios and stores these relationships as reference numbers in memory for reference at the selected magnification ratios. These reference numbers can be altered as future copies are inspected by the tech rep and appropriate evaluation numbers are entered into the control. In a specific embodiment, one sample copy is compared by the tech rep with the test pattern to adjust the magnification setting and a sequence of five set copies are produced to coarse adjust and fine adjust focus.

Abstract: A procedure for customizing job default or set-up parameters. In particular, by entering a job default change mode, the operator can selectively alter the power up or the cycle out conditions in which the machine reverts to after the end of a job run, at start up or at preselected time outs. For example, if the machine generally defaults to a simplex to simplex, paper feed from tray 1, and 1 to 1 magnification mode, this condition can be changed to a duplex to duplex, tray 2, and reduction mode and thereafter the machine will power up to or default to that particular configuration. This is done by exiting to the change parameter condition, selecting the new parameters at the control console, storing the new parameters and exiting back to the normal run mode.

Abstract: A reproduction or printing machine including a finisher having a stack mode, a staple set mode, and a bound set mode and a tray for receiving copy sheets delivered to the finisher to be operated in any of these modes. The reproduction machine includes a controller for instructing the finisher to change from a first mode to a second mode and an operating panel having a switch to initiate the change. After initiation of the mode change at the operator panel, the controller delays by a first time period the instruction to the finisher to change the mode of operation and, also, delays by a second time period the transfer of the copy sheets to the tray in the finisher. The second time period delay depends upon the finishing mode the machine is running in and the requested new finishing mode.

Abstract: The present invention is a multiprocessor machine control system in which the failure of one of the processors to reset can be ignored by the rest of the control system. In particular, a software crash or other abnormality on one of the processors will generate a reset procedure. If the processor cannot be reset, this will indicate a processor board failure such as a hardware failure. If the processor and its controlled elements are not crucial to the machine operation, then the control wll ignore the failed processor as though it were not in the control system, and continue with machine operation.

Abstract: A control system is provided to automatically alter the control of a machine to respond to a different number of pitches or images that the machine can manage at one time. A flag in memory is monitored and in response to the flag, the machine control is adjusted to manage a different number of pitches during the operation of the machine and to provide clock signals for the timed actuation of events in each of the pitches.