Abstract: A method for determining a location on an image bearing surface of an image printing system where a toner image is to be printed is provided. The method comprises generating a first signal from a detector that is configured to detect a reference mark on the image bearing surface, and a second signal from a clock system that counts incremental movements of the image bearing surface, determining a first value that correlates the first signal and the second signal, where the first value corresponds to a value of the second signal at a start of characterization of the image bearing surface, and determining a second value using the first value, where the second value provides the location on the image bearing surface where the toner image is to be printed.

Abstract: A method for determining a location on an image bearing surface of an image printing system where a toner image is to be printed is provided. The method comprises generating a first signal from a detector that is configured to detect a reference mark on the image bearing surface, and a second signal from a clock system that counts. incremental movements of the image bearing surface, determining a first value that correlates the first signal and the second signal, where the first value corresponds to a value of the second signal at a start of characterization of the image bearing surface, and determining a second value using the first value, where the second value provides the location on the image bearing surface where the toner image is to be printed.

Abstract: Automated diagnosis of drive trains having electrically operated components based upon the ability of a first servo motor to rotate a second servo motor when both servo motors are selectively coupled to the drive train. Beneficially, the status of the drive train is sent to a remote location using a data link.

Abstract: Diagnosis of servo motor driven drive train problems based upon changes in the rotational velocity of the servo motor as electrically operable drive line components are selectively engaged. The unloaded (unloaded) rotational velocity of a servo motor is determined, a drive train component that couples a load to the servo motor is energized, the change in the rotational velocity of the servo motor caused by engaging the drive train component is determined, and, if the servo motor rotational velocity falls outside of a predetermined limit the drive line fault that causes that rotational velocity to fall outside of that limit is identified. Beneficially, the status of the drive train is sent to a remote location using a data link.

Abstract: A document handling system for sequentially feeding document sheets to be imaged with a controlled minimized interdocument gap therebetween even though the sheet separator-feeder sequentially feeds the documents from the stack in the input tray with initial interdocument gap variations to a second transport path portion feeding the document sheets through the imaging station at a constant velocity. A first servo drive feeds the documents in a first path portion including the separator-feeder, and a second servo drive feeds the documents in a second path portion providing the constant velocity. A sheet edge sensor in the first path portion signals the passage of the lead or trail edge of document sheets.

Abstract: Scanner fault recovery in an electronic reprographic system includes monitoring the scanner for faults and enabling deletion from memory any images corresponding to documents involved in the scanner fault. Once the images have been deleted, refeed instructions are displayed to the operator for refeeding the documents whose images were deleted. Upon document refeed, the documents are rescanned for completion of scanning of the job.

Abstract: An electronic reprographic apparatus, including a method for increasing the speed of manual or semi-automatic imaging of signature-type original documents, having the ability to selectively control the areas of the documents to be imaged. In particular, the system enables the user to identify the type of input document, including size and image cropping dimensions, thereby eliminating the potential for imaging beyond document edges or in bound document gutter regions. In addition, the system is suitable for scanning both page sides of a first signature-type document on the first pass of the scan array and is capable of scanning a second signature-type document on the reverse or return pass. Furthermore, the system implements the scanning operation with a center registration technique, facilitating the registration of bound documents.

Abstract: A diagnostic test process is provided for a visual verification of the spatial illumination characteristics of an illumination system used in a raster input scanner (RIS) system. A calibration reference strip is illuminated by the RIS scanning lamp and the reflected image is detected by a photosensor array. The output data from the photosensor is sampled at predetermined time intervals with each sampling being displayed as a video illumination profile at a display screen. The profile is superimposed on a calibration grid with indicia which allow verification that the lamp calibration is still valid. An out of spec calibration display prompts an operator or tech rep to initiate a recalibration routine or to replace the lamps or possibly clean the optical system components.

Abstract: An illumination output from a fluorescent lamp used in a RIS type scanner is maintained at optimum by monitoring the lamp's on/off state and turning the lamp on for a time period following a specified cumulative off time. In one example, the lamp is turned on for a two minute interval following a one hour off time. Following the two minute on period, a diagnostic test is automatically performed to determine whether variations in the lamp output have resulted in an out of specification condition requiring that the lamp be recalibrated to the photosensor array. The calibration is automatically enabled by adjusting the gain of the photosensor array until the photosensor response is within the nominal percentage range. The scanner is then returned to a standby mode. All of the tests are performed automatically and normal operations can be accomplished while the lamp is in warm up phase.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for operating an electronic reprographic system upon detection of a fault are described. Original documents of a job to be printed are scanned to provide images for storage. When scanning is interrupted, the last captured image is stored and selectively displayed. If scanning is not completed before the interruption, the system is monitored for the occurrence of a fault before scanning is resumed. The detection of a fault occurrence requires clearance of the paper path before scanning operation can be resumed. If scanning is completed, printer operation is enabled to provide image output. Partially completed scan jobs resulting from scanner interruption are saved in operator accessible memory.

Abstract: An electronic printing system for printing bound documents such as books in which the pages of the document are placed face down in registered position on the platen of a scanner programmed to scan either or both sides of the page and provide image signals representative of the image scanned, and a printer programmable to either print both sides of a page on a common print media sheet or on separate print media sheets.

Abstract: A method of locating the position of an object on the platen of a raster input scanner having a movable scan carriage and an extended array of scanners is disclosed. The method includes the steps of obtaining a previously stored theoretical position of the object from a memory, locating the scan carriage at a position spaced a predetermined distance from the previously stored position, moving the scan carriage toward the previously stored position while operating at least some of the scanners until a target on the object is detected by the operating scanners, and storing a target position of the scan carriage where the target is detected. The target position can represent the location of the scanner's calibration strip or the registration position of a document. After the target position is stored, the scan carriage can be located at the target position for calibrating the scanners if the target position represents the location of the calibration strip.

Abstract: In a system for detecting and signaling the approximate size of a set, stack or job of document sheets, especially for a recirculating type automatic document feeder with a document set stacking and feeding tray for a copier or other document imaging system, in which an electromechanical set separator system provides rough initial stack height and therefore set size or document number estimation signals from the position of the set separator arm on the stack, and in which there is also a counter for counting the number of document sheets fed out from the tray; the advance estimation of the number of documents to be fed to be imaged is significantly improved by dynamically comparing the count of the number of document sheets fed out from the tray at and with the transition in the set size estimation signal from the set separator system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for document feeding for improved operator document manual insertion in which a document may be manually initially inserted into a document input area and released. The document is sensed in the document input area by a document sensor, and then automatically clamped in a document feeding nip which is automatically actuated in response to the document sensing, and then the document is automatically fed. Here, a first time delay period is provided between the sensing of the manually inserted document and the automatic clamping of the document. A second time delay is provided between the automatic clamping and the automatic feeding of the document. Preferably the automatic clamping of the document in the feeding nip is with a limited initial nip force sufficiently low to allow manual document retraction without document damage during the second time delay period.

Abstract: A multifeed resistance system 90 which is a simple and low cost modification of known non-retard type bottom sheet separator/feeders, especially a vacuum feeder 17 in which the stack 14 of sheets is fluffed by an air knife 18 and the front area of the bottom sheet 98 is pulled down by vacuum and fed vacuum out from the bottom of the stack 14 with the corrugating vacuum belt feeder 17 and there fed out of the tray 16 from underneath the stack 14. A limited area of special multifeed resisting or retarding member 92 under the rear area of the stack 14 has been found to be effective in resisting multifeeds, yet not interfere with effective bottom sheet sequential feeding. One or more areas of the double feeding resistance member 92 overly the rear or upstream portion of the stack supporting bottom surface 15 of the stacking tray 16. This is an oriented (one-way) fiber mat, cloth or pad material, the fibers 94 of which are angled upstream (oriented towards the rear of the tray 16).

Abstract: An electronic printing system for scanning signature pages for signature jobs in which the pages of the document are placed face down in registered position on the platen of a scanner such that the signature images are side by side in the fast scan direction in order to enable an array to view both images concurrently on relative movement between the array and the platen in a slow scan direction.