Abstract: An apparatus includes a printer and a buffer coupled to the printer for temporarily storing sheets fed out from the printer. The apparatus further includes a control mechanism for monitoring the buffer to determine a number of sheets currently stored in the buffer. The apparatus also includes a data source device that is separate from the printer and is coupled to the printer for selectively providing pages of print data to the printer. The data source device is coupled to the control mechanism and is operative to provide the pages of print data to the printer in response to control signals from the control mechanism.

Abstract: Methods and systems for rendering a shipping label, including an indicium that evidences payment for delivery, for a mail piece using a mailing machine and remote web server. Parameter information for a mail piece are input to a mailing machine, which determines the fees required for delivery of the mail piece. The mailing machine generates indicium data based on the determined fee with appropriate security measures, which is sent from the mailing machine to a remote web server operated by the carrier. The web server renders a shipping label, including all information required by the carrier, along with the indicium data, in a printable format. The data for the shipping label is sent to the mailing machine. Accounting registers maintained in the mailing machine are debited for the determined fees, and a shipping label is printed using a printing device associated with the mailing machine.

Abstract: A weighing system is provided to measure the article weight by first and second weight measurement devices. The first and second weight measurement devices each include a platform adapted to accept an article traveling along an upstream processing path and a device for sensing article weight as the article traverses the platform. Furthermore, the platforms of the first and second weight measurement devices define weight acquisition paths which are substantially parallel to one another. A diverter mechanism is provided to direct articles from the upstream processing path to one of the first or second weight acquisition paths. The diverter mechanism is controlled by a system processor which directs articles to one of the weight measurement devices depending upon its status, i.e., whether the path is available to receive another article for measuring weight. By diverting mailpieces to parallel weight acquisition paths, throughput is enhanced by multiple weight measurements occurring simultaneously.

Abstract: A weighing system is provided to measure the article weight by first and second weight measurement devices. The first and second weight measurement devices each include a platform adapted to accept an article traveling along an upstream processing path and a device for sensing article weight as the article traverses the platform. Furthermore, the platforms of the first and second weight measurement devices define weight acquisition paths which are substantially parallel to one another. A diverter mechanism is provided to direct articles from the upstream processing path to one of the first or second weight acquisition paths. The diverter mechanism is controlled by a system processor which directs articles to one of the weight measurement devices depending upon its status, i.e., whether the path is available to receive another article for measuring weight. By diverting mailpieces to parallel weight acquisition paths, throughput is enhanced by multiple weight measurements occurring simultaneously.

Abstract: A method and system that increases the throughput of a mailing machine by continuously computing indicia prior to and during mail processing is provided. The indicia generation process is divided into two distinct parts, cryptographic calculation and funds committal/printing. Indicium data are continuously computed, asynchronously with the printing of the indicia, and stored in a buffer until needed. This enables several indicium data to be computed and stored prior to processing of a mail piece by the mailing machine. Prior to printing an indicium on a mail piece, the funds for the indicium are accounted for by updating the registers of the mailing machine. Since a number of indicium data may be pre-computed prior to the start of processing the mail through the mailing machine, the throughput of the mailing machine can be increased.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a printer and a buffer coupled to the printer for temporarily storing sheets fed out from the printer. The apparatus further includes a control mechanism for monitoring the buffer to determine a number of sheets currently stored in the buffer. The apparatus also includes a data source device that is separate from the printer and is coupled to the printer for selectively providing pages of print data to the printer. The data source device is coupled to the control mechanism and is operative to provide the pages of print data to the printer in response to control signals from the control mechanism.

Abstract: A system and method for diagnosing one or more faults or one or more potential faults in a machine. The system and method has a communications module for communicating machine data between the machine and the system. It also has a fault recognition module for analyzing the machine data, which can determine one or more faults or potential faults in the machine. An expert system module having a fault tree is guided through only a truncated portion of the fault tree based upon output from the fault recognition module.

Abstract: A system and method for diagnosing one or more faults or one or more potential faults in a machine. The system and method has a communications module for communicating machine data between the machine and the system. It also has a fault recognition module for analyzing the machine data, which can determine one or more faults or potential faults in the machine. An expert system module having a fault tree is guided through only a truncated portion of the fault tree based upon output from the fault recognition module.

Abstract: In a mechanical system, especially a mail handling system, an operator needs a system and method for gathering runtime information from sensors distributed throughout the machine. Specific information gathered is the number of recoverable faults for various mechanical subsystems, or modules. A recoverable fault is an occurrence of a motion state that could result in a malfunction or jam in the mechanical system but ultimately does not. These near-misses are important to note in order to improve serviceability of the mechanical system. Moreover, the present invention cross-links the data gathered by performance counters with respect to one module with information obtained in other modules. By taking the performance counter data and module information, an operator can foresee where potential malfunctions or jams are likely to occur.

Abstract: This invention utilizes a simple mechanical buffer that will hold material and a two stage software buffering technique that controls the mechanical buffer to act as a First In First Out mechanical mechanism that allows other system events to be triggered off of dynamic thresholds. The two stage software buffering technique consists of a simple software FIFO with rule based logic to control input into a primary queue input and a secondary reserve queue which holds information as soon as it arrives. The decision to move information from the secondary reserve queue into the primary queue is based upon specific rules that are dynamically executed. This permits the creation of a dynamic threshold and allows the reliable triggering of the systems events. The foregoing permits material that is being produced at one fixed speed to be synchronized with material that is produced at variable speeds.

Abstract: A method for maintaining mailpiece integrity in a mailing system when a mechanical module experiences an error. For one category of errors, the mailing system may automatically recover from the error without operator intervention. For the remaining category of errors, the mailing system may recover from the error with minimum operator intervention, that is, the operator may be required to only remove the error producing mailpiece. A motion control processor for an error producing mechanical module will report a fault to its corresponding mailpiece builder task and the error detector task. Movement of at least the error producing mailpiece shall stop. The fault will be reported to the mailpiece builder tasks corresponding to the mechanical modules having no error condition. The mailing system shall suspend further processing of mailpieces upstream from the error producing mailpiece.

Abstract: A table will be generated for tracking each mailpiece in a mailing system having multiple document paths. Attribute data relating to a mailpiece will be stored in a memory while job data relating to a mailing job will also be stored in a memory. A sequence builder process will look at the attribute data and determine the motion profiles that are required to ensure the mailpiece obtains the desired attributes. The sequence builder then commands execution of the motion profiles.

Abstract: A postage accounting system comprising: structure for accounting for postage; printing structure externally of the accounting structure, the printing structure including a printing module and computer structure for controlling the printing module, the printing module including printing apparatus and structure for sequentially feeding each item of a predetermined plurality thereof to the printing apparatus for printing thereon, the computer structure including structure programmed for sequentially transmitting variable information for each item to the accounting structure, the variable information including at least a portion of a mailing address for each item; the postage accounting structure including structure for connecting the accounting module in communication with the printing structure, the accounting structure including structure for sequentially encrypting the variable information received for each item, the accounting structure including a microprocessor, the microprocessor including structure progr

Abstract: A plurality of step time tables consisting of a sequence of step times defining intervals between steps and thus a velocity profile to be executed by a stepper motor are stored in a first memory. A step table defining a plurality of identical sequences of excitation pattern for driving a stepper motor is stored in a second table. Identical DMA channels output the step times to a timer and the plurality of exitation patterns to a buffer. The timer measures the duration of the step times and when each step time expires generates a trigger signal which initiates the transfer of the next step time and next excitation pattern through the respective DMA channels. The buffer includes a control register which selects one excitation pattern from the plurality of excitation patterns output from the step table to be output for control of a selected one of a plurality of motors connected to the buffer.

Abstract: An AC Motor Speed Controller used to control the Speed, Torque and Horsepower of an AC motor. It allows the speed of the motor to be adjusted to the desired level and is calibrated to develop the desired torque, either automatically through load feedback or through a predetermined or preset level. It also allows for excessive torque to be developed under starting and acceleration conditions while providing for controlled deceleration with proportional braking of the inertia load.