Abstract: Method for continuing the operation of a machine despite the malfunction of a nonessential feature. If the determination is made that a feature program is nonoperable, another check is made by sensing a corresponding flag to determine whether the feature is essential to the continued operation of the machine, and, if not, allows the machine to continue operation without the feature.

Abstract: An electrophotographic copier having a toner concentration control apparatus which periodically effects a toner-patch test cycle during which the optical density of toner deposited on a photoconductor test area is measured, as by light reflectance. A time period of copier non-use, exceeding a preset time period, or a copier on/off operation, referred to as critical events, results in a transient mode of copier operation which includes reduction of photoconductor charge magnitude during the next subsequent use, independent of the extent of the prior copier use history. During such subsequent use, the toner-patch test cycle is operable to effect closed-loop control of changing the photoconductor's charge magnitude back to its nominal working value. More specifically, so long as the results of a toner-patch test cycle indicate an acceptable toner density, the photoconductor charge magnitude is maintained at a lower than working level.

Abstract: A document feeder system, interfaced with a copier system having, inter alia, a semi-automatic document feeder (SADF), an automatic document feeder (ADF) a document queue, and an associated logic control system that allows the suspending of a prior task being run on either of the foregoing document feeders and the commencing of a subsequent or urgent task on any one of the other foregoing document feeders immediately thereafter. Thus, when an urgent task operator selects a feeder suspending/commencing mode button, a single control panel is instantly made available so that the urgent task copy quantity and feature selections can be made. After the foregoing is accomplished, the single copying of the prior task original document on the document viewing glass is completed and the document stored in the document queue or ejected into a prior task exit pocket. Then the chosen urgent task feeder is enabled for feeding.

Abstract: A document feeder system, interfaced with a copier system, with, inter alia, a semi-automatic document feeder (SADF), an automatic document feeder (ADF), a prior task document judgment queue and an associated logic control system that allows the suspending of a prior task being run on either of the foregoing document feeders and the commencing of a subsequent or urgent task on any one of the other foregoing document feeders. This feeder suspending/commencing mode is carried out with a judgment decision capability based on judgment criteria consisting of the combination of certain predetermined prior and subsequent tasks information. Thus, when an urgent task operator selects a feeder suspending/commencing mode button, a single control panel is instantly made available so that the urgent task copy quantity and feature selections can be made.