Patents by Inventor Steven Michael Turney
Steven Michael Turney has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20100072938Abstract: Correction of rotary encoder eccentricity in an image forming device having a motor controller using period and position pulse train feedback signals. A motor includes an encoder disc rotating with the motor and at least two encoder sensors disposed at different circumferential positions about the encoder disc. A controller may use a high speed clock to calculate a corrected speed count based on speed counts determined from the number of clock cycles that elapse per cycle of pulse trains from the encoders. The controller may also calculate a corrected position count based at least partly on one or more position counts determined from the number of clock cycles that elapse between periodic sampling points and transitions of encoder pulse trains. The corrected position count may also be calculated based on a position count and one or more speed counts.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2009Publication date: March 25, 2010Applicant: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.Inventors: Brian Anthony Reichert, Steven Michael Turney, Danny Keith Chapman, Thomas Austin Fields
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Patent number: 7633256Abstract: Correction of rotary encoder eccentricity in an image forming device having a motor controller using period and position pulse train feedback signals. A motor includes an encoder disc rotating with the motor and at least two encoder sensors disposed at different circumferential positions about the encoder disc. A controller may use a high speed clock to calculate a corrected speed count based on speed counts determined from the number of clock cycles that elapse per cycle of pulse trains from the encoders. The controller may also calculate a corrected position count based at least partly on one or more position counts determined from the number of clock cycles that elapse between periodic sampling points and transitions of encoder pulse trains. The corrected position count may also be calculated based on a position count and one or more speed counts.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2005Date of Patent: December 15, 2009Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Brian Anthony Reichert, Steven Michael Turney, Danny Keith Chapman, Thomas Austin Fields
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Patent number: 7613407Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a waste toner system that collects waste toner in a waste toner container. An amount of waste toner collected in the container is increased by using a driven toner distributing member that distributes accumulated toner within the container. The toner distributing member may be driven by a shared speed-controlled motor that further drives an image forming process member. The waste toner system may detect the accumulation of waste toner by monitoring a drive control circuit while the toner distributing member is being driven. For example, a logic circuit may detect the accumulation of waste toner based on monitoring a predetermined frequency of interest of a frequency domain transform of a motor control signal, the frequency of interest associated with the shared motor driving the toner distributing member.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2006Date of Patent: November 3, 2009Inventors: Michael William Craig, Steven Michael Turney, Danny Keith Chapman
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Patent number: 7248806Abstract: The present invention is directed to an article, system and method for determining and/or selecting the location of a toner engaging member in a developing agent device such as a toner cartridge. The article, system and method may be applied to a printing device such as a laser printer.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2005Date of Patent: July 24, 2007Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Benjamin Alan Askren, Lenci Robert Kappes, Steven Michael Turney
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Patent number: 7245103Abstract: A method of controlling the speed and position of a motor includes receiving a pulse train indicative of the speed of the motor, and a periodic signal at a frequency greater than the pulse train. The number of cycles of the periodic signal per cycle of the pulse train is counted, and compared to a predetermined number. The speed of the motor is adjusted to match the count to the predetermined number, thus effecting speed control. A command position signal defining a plurality of sampling points is generated. The number of cycles of the periodic signal between a sampling point of the command position signal and an operative edge of the pulse train is counted and compared to a predetermined number. The speed of the motor is further adjusted to match the count to the predetermined number, thus effecting position control.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2003Date of Patent: July 17, 2007Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Danny Keith Chapman, Steven Michael Turney
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Patent number: 7205738Abstract: A motor control circuit uses a stored commutation table to effect time-based commutation of a brushless dc motor. Each entry in the commutation table defines a motor winding commutation state, and an exemplary method of open-loop motor control based on the commutation table comprises commutating the motor based on sequentially selecting table entries at a desired selection rate. That is, motor speed is controlled precisely by controlling the sequential selection rate rather than by relying on feedback from the motor. However, motor feedback for closed-loop control may be used in some modes of operation. For example, the method may include closed-loop control or open-loop control depending on the motor speed range, and may transition from closed-loop to open-loop control.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2004Date of Patent: April 17, 2007Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Danny Keith Chapman, Thomas Austin Fields, Steven Michael Turney
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Patent number: 6889013Abstract: In an electrophotographic print mechanism wherein one motor drives two or more removable toner cartridges, the presence of each cartridge is sensed and reported to the motor controller. If one or more cartridges are removed, such as for single-color printing, the motor control equation parameters are altered to compensate for the altered static torque load experienced by the motor. The parameters may be the proportional, integral, and/or derivative gains for one or more PID controllers.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2003Date of Patent: May 3, 2005Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Danny Keith Chapman, Steven Michael Turney
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Publication number: 20040253008Abstract: In an electrophotographic print mechanism wherein one motor drives two or more removable toner cartridges, the presence of each cartridge is sensed and reported to the motor controller. If one or more cartridges are removed, such as for single-color printing, the motor control equation parameters are altered to compensate for the altered static torque load experienced by the motor. The parameters may be the proportional, integral, and/or derivative gains for one or more PID controllers.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 10, 2003Publication date: December 16, 2004Inventors: Danny Keith Chapman, Steven Michael Turney
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Publication number: 20040174126Abstract: A method of controlling the speed and position of a motor includes receiving a pulse train indicative of the speed of the motor, and a periodic signal at a frequency greater than the pulse train. The number of cycles of the periodic signal per cycle of the pulse train is counted, and compared to a predetermined number. The speed of the motor is adjusted to match the count to the predetermined number, thus effecting speed control. A command position signal defining a plurality of sampling points is generated. The number of cycles of the periodic signal between a sampling point of the command position signal and an operative edge of the pulse train is counted and compared to a predetermined number. The speed of the motor is further adjusted to match the count to the predetermined number, thus effecting position control.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 3, 2003Publication date: September 9, 2004Inventors: Danny Keith Chapman, Steven Michael Turney
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Publication number: 20030057639Abstract: A system and method of controlling the movement of a media sheet along a media path to correspond to the timing of a toner image on an intermediate transfer mechanism. A controller controls the timing and sends a pick command to move a media sheet from a pick tray into the media pathway at a time that the media can move at a process speed and intercept the toner image. The controller adjusts the speed of individual rollers within the media path to correct the timing of the media sheet to account for any timing inaccuracies. By the time the media sheet exits the media path and enters a media/image alignment region of the media pathway, the amount of positional error is reduced or eliminated.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2001Publication date: March 27, 2003Inventors: Danny Keith Chapman, Michael William Craig, Steven Michael Turney
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Patent number: 6330424Abstract: A method of minimizing error in an estimate of a position of a sheet of print medium in an electrophotographic machine includes providing a transport system including a gearing system to drive a roll for moving the sheet of print medium along a print medium path. The gears are in constant mesh with each other and with an actuator. The electrophotographic machine is provided with a toner transfer point at which the toner can be transferred to the moving sheet of print medium. A sensor is placed at a set distance away from the transfer nip along the print medium path. This distance is approximately equal to an integer multiple of the resulting distance traveled by the medium during one revolution of the lowest frequency component of the transport system. The frequencies associated with all other components in the transport system, including the actuator and an encoder wheel, are designed to be an integer multiple of this lowest frequency.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2000Date of Patent: December 11, 2001Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Danny Keith Chapman, Matthew Lowell McKay, Steven Michael Turney