US3946205A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Document feed for optical scanner
Assignee: Datatype Corp
•
Filing: 1974-07-22
•
Granted: 1976-03-23
•
Expires: 1994-07-22
Abstract
Abstract In a system for optically scanning and reading data printed in transversely extending lines longitudinally spaced apart on a document and comprising a scanning head including an electro-optical arrangement for scanning and reading the data, friction drive rollers for engaging and moving the document longitudinally past the scanning head, a motor drivingly connected to the rollers, and controls for the motor, the improvement in which the motor is a stepper motor having an output shaft which is advanced one step about its axis each time the motor is pulsed. The controls include a pulse generator, an optical system for detecting such lines of data on the document and stopping the longitudinal movement of the document, the optical system being operatively connected to the generator and effective to control the pulse output of the generator. The generator preferably provides pulses at a first predetermined frequency and pulses at a second and lower frequency. The controls include a speed selector circuit for selecting which of the first and second frequency pulses are to be fed to the motor. The optical system which finds the lines of data on the document controls the selector to switch the selector to the second and lower frequency pulses when the field of view of the optical system crosses the leading edges of the line of data to be read, thereby slowing the stepping speed of the motor. The controls also include circuitry responsive to the output of the line-find optical system to stop the pulsing of the motor and thereby to stop the longitudinal movement of the documents when the field of view crosses the trailing edge of a line of data. Other inputs are provided to the controls to control the speed selector.
Inventors
- 👤 Leland A. Melugin
- 👤 Joseph Parchesky
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 23:19
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K13/00; G06K13/02; G06K13/07; G06K13/077; G06K13/06; G06K7/00; G06K7/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
213 words
In a system for optically reading data printed in transversely extending lines longitudinally spaced apart on a document comprising a scanning head including electro-optical means for scanning and reading data, means for supporting said scanning head for transverse movement relative to such a document and along each line of data, drive means for moving such a document longitudinally relative to said scanning head, said drive means including friction drive roller means for engaging and moving such a document, a motor, means for drivingly connecting said motor to said roller means, and control means for said motor, the improvement in which said motor is a stepper motor having an output shaft which is advanced one step about its axis each time said motor is pulsed, said control means including generating means for producing pulses at a first predetermined frequency and at a second and lower frequency, and a speed selector circuit operatively connected to said generating means for selecting which of said first and second frequency pulses are to be fed to said motor, and optical means for detecting lines of data on such a document and stopping longitudinal movement of such document, said optical means being operatively connected to said generating means and effective to control the pulse output of said generating means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
213 words
In a system for optically reading data printed in transversely extending lines longitudinally spaced apart on a document comprising a scanning head including electro-optical means for scanning and reading data, means for supporting said scanning head for transverse movement relative to such a document and along each line of data, drive means for moving such a document longitudinally relative to said scanning head, said drive means including friction drive roller means for engaging and moving such a document, a motor, means for drivingly connecting said motor to said roller means, and control means for said motor, the improvement in which said motor is a stepper motor having an output shaft which is advanced one step about its axis each time said motor is pulsed, said control means including generating means for producing pulses at a first predetermined frequency and at a second and lower frequency, and a speed selector circuit operatively connected to said generating means for selecting which of said first and second frequency pulses are to be fed to said motor, and optical means for detecting lines of data on such a document and stopping longitudinal movement of such document, said optical means being operatively connected to said generating means and effective to control the pulse output of said generating means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
55 words
The improvement of claim 1 in which said generating means includes an oscillator for producing pulses at a first predetermined frequency, a divider circuit for receiving such pulses and providing an output of pulses at a second and lower frequency, and said speed selector circuit is operatively connected to said oscillator and said divider circuit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
83 words
The improvement of claim 1 in which said control means includes means for operatively connecting said optical means for detecting lines of data to said selector circuit, said optical means defining a field of view and including light-responsive means for providing an output effective to switch said selector circuit to said second and lower frequency pulses when said field of view crosses the transversely extending leading edge of a line of data to be read, thereby slowing the stepping speed of said motor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
The improvement of claim 3 in which said control means includes means responsive to the output of said light-responsive means to stop the pulsing of said motor and thereby to stop the longitudinal movement of said document when said field of view crosses the transversely extending trailing edge of a line of data.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
The improvement of claim 1 including a slow speed time out circuit operatively connected to said selector circuit and effective to switch said selector circuit to the first frequency pulse output a predetermined time after the motor is started at its slower stepping rate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
83 words
The improvement of claim 2 in which said control means includes means for operatively connecting said optical means for detecting lines of data to said selector circuit, said optical means defining a field of view and including light-responsive means for providing an output effective to switch said selector circuit to said second and lower frequency pulses when said field of view crosses the transversely extending leading edge of a line of data to be read, thereby slowing the stepping speed of said motor.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
54 words
The improvement of claim 1 in which said optical means defines a field of view and includes light-responsive means for providing an output effective to stop the pulsing of said motor and the movement of said document when said field of view crosses the trailing edge of a line of data to be read.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
68 words
The improvement of claim 1 in which said motor includes a plurality of coils which are sequentially energized to move said output shaft each step, said control means including a ring counter having a plurality of outputs associated respectively with said coils, and circuit means for connecting the input of said ring counter to said generating means and the outputs of said ring counter respectively to said coils.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
254 words
In a system for optically reading data printed in transversely extending lines longitudinally spaced apart on a document comprising a scanning head including electro-optical means for scanning and reading data, means for supporting said scanning head for transverse movement relative to such a document and along each such line of data, drive means for moving such a document longitudinally relative to said scanning head, said drive means including friction drive roller means for engaging and moving such a document, a motor, means for drivingly connecting said motor to said roller means, and control means for said motor, the improvement in which said motor is a stepper motor having an output shaft which is advanced one step about its axis each time said motor is pulse and including a plurality of coils which are sequentially energized to move said motor output shaft each step, said control means including a ring counter having a plurality of outputs associated respectively with said coils, a driver for connecting each ring counter output to its associated motor coil and including means for producing pulses at a first predetermined frequency and pulses at a second and lower frequency, and a speed selector circuit for selecting which of said first and second frequency pulses are to be fed to said motor, and optical means for detecting lines of data on such a document and stopping longitudinal movement of such document, said optical means being operatively connected to said generating means and effective to control the pulse output of said generating means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
254 words
In a system for optically reading data printed in transversely extending lines longitudinally spaced apart on a document comprising a scanning head including electro-optical means for scanning and reading data, means for supporting said scanning head for transverse movement relative to such a document and along each such line of data, drive means for moving such a document longitudinally relative to said scanning head, said drive means including friction drive roller means for engaging and moving such a document, a motor, means for drivingly connecting said motor to said roller means, and control means for said motor, the improvement in which said motor is a stepper motor having an output shaft which is advanced one step about its axis each time said motor is pulse and including a plurality of coils which are sequentially energized to move said motor output shaft each step, said control means including a ring counter having a plurality of outputs associated respectively with said coils, a driver for connecting each ring counter output to its associated motor coil and including means for producing pulses at a first predetermined frequency and pulses at a second and lower frequency, and a speed selector circuit for selecting which of said first and second frequency pulses are to be fed to said motor, and optical means for detecting lines of data on such a document and stopping longitudinal movement of such document, said optical means being operatively connected to said generating means and effective to control the pulse output of said generating means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
83 words
The improvement of claim 4 in which said control means includes means for operatively connecting said optical means for detecting lines of data to said selector circuit, said optical means defining a field of view and including light-responsive means for providing and output effective to switch said selector circuit to said second and lower frequency pulses when said field of view crosses the transversely extending leading edge of a line of data to be read, thereby slowing the stepping speed of said motor.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
53 words
The improvement of claim 10 in which said control means includes means responsive to the output of said light-responsive means to stop the pulsing of said motor and thereby to stop the longitudinal movement of said document when said field of view crosses the transversely extending trailing edge of a line of data.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
285 words
In a system for optically reading data printed in transversely extending lines longitudinally spaced apart on a document comprising a scanning head including electro-optical means for scanning and reading data, means for supporting said scanning head for transverse movement relative to such a document and along each such line of data, drive means for moving such a document longitudinally relative to said scanning head, said drive means including friction drive roller means for engaging and moving such a document, a motor, means for drivingly connecting said motor to said roller means, and control means for said motor, the improvement in which said motor is a stepper motor having an output shaft which is advanced one step about its axis each time said motor is pulsed and including a plurality of coils which are sequentially energized to move said motor output shaft each step, said control means including a ring counter having a plurality of outputs associated respectively with said coils, a driver for connecting each ring counter output to its associated motor coil and means for generating motor energizing pulses including an oscillator for producing pulses at a first predetermined frequency, a divider circuit for receiving such pulses and providing an output of pulses at a second and lower frequency, and a speed selector circuit for selecting which of said first and second frequency pulses is to be fed to said motor, said selector circuit being operatively connected to said oscillator and said divider circuit, and optical means for detecting lines of data on such a document and stopping longitudinal movement of such document, said optical means being operatively connected to said generating means and effective to control the pulse output of said generating means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
285 words
In a system for optically reading data printed in transversely extending lines longitudinally spaced apart on a document comprising a scanning head including electro-optical means for scanning and reading data, means for supporting said scanning head for transverse movement relative to such a document and along each such line of data, drive means for moving such a document longitudinally relative to said scanning head, said drive means including friction drive roller means for engaging and moving such a document, a motor, means for drivingly connecting said motor to said roller means, and control means for said motor, the improvement in which said motor is a stepper motor having an output shaft which is advanced one step about its axis each time said motor is pulsed and including a plurality of coils which are sequentially energized to move said motor output shaft each step, said control means including a ring counter having a plurality of outputs associated respectively with said coils, a driver for connecting each ring counter output to its associated motor coil and means for generating motor energizing pulses including an oscillator for producing pulses at a first predetermined frequency, a divider circuit for receiving such pulses and providing an output of pulses at a second and lower frequency, and a speed selector circuit for selecting which of said first and second frequency pulses is to be fed to said motor, said selector circuit being operatively connected to said oscillator and said divider circuit, and optical means for detecting lines of data on such a document and stopping longitudinal movement of such document, said optical means being operatively connected to said generating means and effective to control the pulse output of said generating means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
171 words
In a document feeding system including friction drive roller means for engaging the document and moving its longitudinally, a motor drivingly connected to said driver roller means, and control means for said motor, the improvement in which said motor is a stepper motor having an output shaft which is advanced one angular step about its axis each time said motor is pulsed, said control means including generating means for providing pulses at a first predetermined frequency and pulses at a second and lower frequency and a speed selector circuit for selecting which of said first and second frequency pulses are to be fed to said motor, means for projecting light at such a document, optical means defining a field of view on the document, and light-responsive means for providing an output each time said field of view crosses one of a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart marks on the document, said light-responsive means being operatively connected to said pulse generating means and effective to control the output of said generating means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
171 words
In a document feeding system including friction drive roller means for engaging the document and moving its longitudinally, a motor drivingly connected to said driver roller means, and control means for said motor, the improvement in which said motor is a stepper motor having an output shaft which is advanced one angular step about its axis each time said motor is pulsed, said control means including generating means for providing pulses at a first predetermined frequency and pulses at a second and lower frequency and a speed selector circuit for selecting which of said first and second frequency pulses are to be fed to said motor, means for projecting light at such a document, optical means defining a field of view on the document, and light-responsive means for providing an output each time said field of view crosses one of a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart marks on the document, said light-responsive means being operatively connected to said pulse generating means and effective to control the output of said generating means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
46 words
The improvement of claim 13 in which said light-responsive means is connected to said selector circuit and effective to switch said selector circuit to said second and lower frequency pulses when said field of view crosses the leading edge of such a mark on the document.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
53 words
The improvement of claim 14 in which said control means includes means responsive to the output of said light-responsive means to stop the pulsing of said motor and thereby to stop the longitudinal movement of said document when said field of view crosses the trailing edge of such a mark on the document.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3201512A
Cited
US3331947A
Cited
US3501623A
Cited
US3670099A
Cited
US3583709A
Cited
US3600557A
Cited
US3639730A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-03-23 | 1979-09-22 | 1980-03-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-03-23 | 1983-09-22 | 1984-03-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-03-23 | 1987-09-22 | 1988-03-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |