Self configuring controller for the stacker area of a document sorting system

Claim 1

In the stacker area of a document sorting system having a host processor generating a document destination code and a repeated track controller position code, a plurality of stacker modules where each module contains a plurality of pockets in which documents are sorted, and a plurality of diverter gates directing documents to appropriate pockets, a self configuring track controller for each diverter gate, each track controller comprising: an identical and interchangeable logic card responsive to the document destination code and to the track controller position code, the logic card including: means for receiving the document destination code indicating the pocket to which a document is to be sorted; a microcontroller for receiving the track controller position code and for generating diverter gate movement commands, the track controller position code designating the sequential position of the track controller in the document sorting system by a number of voltage transitions; a motor register, responsive to the diverter gate movement commands, for positioning the diverter gates; means for translating the track controller position code to an identification service code for testing the logic card; and means, responsive to the microcontroller, for generating a status code to the host processor to indicate a malfunction and to cease continued track controller position code transmissions when the repeatedly generated track controller position codes differ.